Oil Site Glass

tony255.RemoveThis@bellsouth.net wrote:
>I have a 2007 V Star 650, I can't see the oil level in it! it is black as
>the ace of spades. is this normal?

How long since you changed your oil, 4000 miles or more?

Oil lubricates and cleans the inside of the engine.

Oil starts out nice and clear and gold colored and it turns black from carbon
it
collects during operation.

\>why didn't thy put a f#$% dip stick in it?

Because Yamaha is still mad about WW2?

Motorcycles have had sight glasses so you can see the oil level directly
since the 1980's.

My FZR has a sight glass that is so low on the side of the engine I have to
get on my hands and knees while balancing the motorcycle in a vertical
position with one hand and look through a hole in the fairing to see the oil
level.

That is the stupidest way to check the oil I could ever imagine.

I started using an inspection mirror so I could check the oil while sitting
on the seat and holding the bike vertical with my legs.

--
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someone RemoveThis @some.domain wrote:

>you haven't made a simple 2x4 jig to hold it upright? one 9'
>2x4 will work. doing it by hand means you WILL dump the
>bike.
>safety first, get to building!

I can carry the telescoping inspection mirror in my tank bag so I can check
the oil on a trip. The 2X4 jig would be a little bulky.

But I did build a simple screw jack that bolts to the swing arm. It's just a
12" section of 1/2 X 1/2 square tubing with 2 1/4 holes drilled in one end.

Two 1/4 bolts go through the two pin holes for Yamaha's factory racing jack.

Then there's a 3/8th inch nut bolt and washer that go into the bottom of the
screw jack.

That way, i can jack the rear wheel off the ground enough to spin it as I
apply the 90-weight gear lube.

--
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pictures of the screw jacks set up would be nice




Hello, someone.TakeThisOut@some.domain!
You wrote on Sat, 14 Jul 2007 15:00:41 GMT:

??>> someone.TakeThisOut@some.domain wrote:
??>>
??>>> you haven't made a simple 2x4 jig to hold it upright? one 9'
??>>> 2x4 will work. doing it by hand means you WILL dump the
??>>> bike.
??>>> safety first, get to building!
??>>
??>> I can carry the telescoping inspection mirror in my tank bag so I can
??>> check the oil on a trip. The 2X4 jig would be a little bulky. But I
??>> did build a simple screw jack that bolts to the swing arm. It's just a
??>> 12" section of 1/2 X 1/2 square tubing with 2 1/4 holes drilled in one
??>> end. Two 1/4 bolts go through the two pin holes for Yamaha's factory
??>> racing jack. Then there's a 3/8th inch nut bolt and washer that go
??>> into the bottom of the screw jack. That way, i can jack the rear wheel
??>> off the ground enough to spin it as I apply the 90-weight gear lube.
s> that sounds good.

With best regards, daw. E-mail: daw.TakeThisOut@charter.net
 >> Stay informed about: Oil Site Glass 

daw wrote:
>pictures of the screw jacks set up would be nice

I don't have a digital camera.

The body of the screw jack is just a piece of 1/2" square steel tubing that
is 12 inches long. Any hardware store would have the steel tubing in a rack
in the
nuys and bolts department.

There are two 1/4-inch holes drilled in the tubing that match up with two
existing holes in the chain adjuster. The drilled holes are near the top end
of the tubing.

I just stick the 3/8th inch bolt and nut and flat washer in the bottom of the
tubing, turn it over and bolt my home made screw jack to the chain adjuster
on the *righthand* side of the bike.

The head of the 3/8ths bolt is what contacts the pavement.

Since the kickstand is down, turning the 3/8ths bolt counterclockwise jacks
the rear wheel off the ground just far enough so I can spin the wheel.

If I wanted to get fancy, I suppose I could weld the 3/ths nut to the bottom
of the tube, but, why bother?

--
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Anyone have any feedback on the aftermarket bolt on mirror sold for this
purpose on Ebay?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200...572397&

I like the idea of the screw jack . Got a pic or sketch somewhere?

Dave

someone DeleteThis @some.domain wrote:
> In article <752382981c290@uwe>, "Albrecht via MotorcycleKB.com" <u33665@uwe> wrote:
>
>
>>someone@some.domain wrote:
>>
>>
>>>you haven't made a simple 2x4 jig to hold it upright? one 9'
>>>2x4 will work. doing it by hand means you WILL dump the
>>>bike.
>>>safety first, get to building!
>>
>>I can carry the telescoping inspection mirror in my tank bag so I can check
>>the oil on a trip. The 2X4 jig would be a little bulky.
>>
>>But I did build a simple screw jack that bolts to the swing arm. It's just a
>>12" section of 1/2 X 1/2 square tubing with 2 1/4 holes drilled in one end.
>>
>>Two 1/4 bolts go through the two pin holes for Yamaha's factory racing jack.
>>
>>Then there's a 3/8th inch nut bolt and washer that go into the bottom of the
>>screw jack.
>>
>>That way, i can jack the rear wheel off the ground enough to spin it as I
>>apply the 90-weight gear lube.
>>
>
> that sounds good.
 >> Stay informed about: Oil Site Glass 

Albrecht via MotorcycleKB.com wrote:
.... bolt my home made screw jack to the chain adjuster
> on the *righthand* side of the bike.

I am not the sharpest tool in the shed... My Vstar 1100 has a shaft
drive. I have yet to see a chain adjuster on it, but maybe Im looking in
the wrong place.

I get the concept now tho.

Dave
 >> Stay informed about: Oil Site Glass 

"Dave S" <Dastaten DeleteThis @earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:13b57e7a3s5u6c3@corp.supernews.com...
> Anyone have any feedback on the aftermarket bolt on mirror sold for this
> purpose on Ebay?
>
> http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200...572397&
>
> I like the idea of the screw jack . Got a pic or sketch somewhere?
>
> Dave
>
> someone DeleteThis @some.domain wrote:
>> In article <752382981c290@uwe>, "Albrecht via MotorcycleKB.com"
>> <u33665@uwe> wrote:
>>
>>
>>>someone@some.domain wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>you haven't made a simple 2x4 jig to hold it upright? one 9' 2x4 will
>>>>work. doing it by hand means you WILL dump the bike.
>>>>safety first, get to building!
>>>
>>>I can carry the telescoping inspection mirror in my tank bag so I can
>>>check
>>>the oil on a trip. The 2X4 jig would be a little bulky.
>>>
>>>But I did build a simple screw jack that bolts to the swing arm. It's
>>>just a
>>>12" section of 1/2 X 1/2 square tubing with 2 1/4 holes drilled in one
>>>end.
>>>Two 1/4 bolts go through the two pin holes for Yamaha's factory racing
>>>jack.
>>>
>>>Then there's a 3/8th inch nut bolt and washer that go into the bottom of
>>>the
>>>screw jack.
>>>
>>>That way, i can jack the rear wheel off the ground enough to spin it as I
>>>apply the 90-weight gear lube.
>>>
>>
>> that sounds good.
>
I have one and it works just fine, depending how clean you keep the site
glass and mirror. I have mine on a VStar 1100. The only thing that I have
done is to paint the bracket black, to blend into the frame.
 >> Stay informed about: Oil Site Glass 

Albrecht via MotorcycleKB.com wrote:
> someone RemoveThis @some.domain wrote:
>
>> you haven't made a simple 2x4 jig to hold it upright? one 9'
>> 2x4 will work. doing it by hand means you WILL dump the
>> bike.
>> safety first, get to building!
>
> I can carry the telescoping inspection mirror in my tank bag so I can check
> the oil on a trip. The 2X4 jig would be a little bulky.
>
> But I did build a simple screw jack that bolts to the swing arm. It's just a
> 12" section of 1/2 X 1/2 square tubing with 2 1/4 holes drilled in one end.
>
> Two 1/4 bolts go through the two pin holes for Yamaha's factory racing jack.
>
> Then there's a 3/8th inch nut bolt and washer that go into the bottom of the
> screw jack.
>
> That way, i can jack the rear wheel off the ground enough to spin it as I
> apply the 90-weight gear lube.
>
Why not just put it on the centerstand as I am sure your manual
instructs you to do? Oh, you're under the impression that you can use
the supposed performance gains from removing the stand!! LOL LOL
 >> Stay informed about: Oil Site Glass 

On Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:07:10 -0500, cycleboy <cycleboy.RemoveThis@myway.com>, in
an obviously impaired state, wrote:

>Albrecht via MotorcycleKB.com wrote:
>> someone.RemoveThis@some.domain wrote:
>>
>>> you haven't made a simple 2x4 jig to hold it upright? one 9'
>>> 2x4 will work. doing it by hand means you WILL dump the
>>> bike.
>>> safety first, get to building!
>>
>> I can carry the telescoping inspection mirror in my tank bag so I can check
>> the oil on a trip. The 2X4 jig would be a little bulky.
>>
>> But I did build a simple screw jack that bolts to the swing arm. It's just a
>> 12" section of 1/2 X 1/2 square tubing with 2 1/4 holes drilled in one end.
>>
>> Two 1/4 bolts go through the two pin holes for Yamaha's factory racing jack.
>>
>> Then there's a 3/8th inch nut bolt and washer that go into the bottom of the
>> screw jack.
>>
>> That way, i can jack the rear wheel off the ground enough to spin it as I
>> apply the 90-weight gear lube.
>>
>Why not just put it on the centerstand as I am sure your manual
>instructs you to do? Oh, you're under the impression that you can use
>the supposed performance gains from removing the stand!! LOL LOL

Those of us with cruisers (such as my '99 Venture) don't HAVE
sidestands... Something about trying to put an 800+ lb bike up on one
that made manufacturers decide they weren't needed.
--
Ray Sirois
SysOp: The Lost Chord BBS
http://thelostchord.dns2go.com:6080
telnet://thelostchord.dns2go.com:6023
 >> Stay informed about: Oil Site Glass 

In article <8an8v3dvd77i11voac72gvdb3s4fkmi7bo DeleteThis @4ax.com>, Raymond Sirois <nomail DeleteThis @nomail.no.way> wrote:
>On Wed, 02 Apr 2008 03:07:10 -0500, cycleboy <cycleboy DeleteThis @myway.com>, in
>an obviously impaired state, wrote:
>
>>Albrecht via MotorcycleKB.com wrote:
>>> someone DeleteThis @some.domain wrote:
>>>
>>>> you haven't made a simple 2x4 jig to hold it upright? one 9'
>>>> 2x4 will work. doing it by hand means you WILL dump the
>>>> bike.
>>>> safety first, get to building!
>>>
>>> I can carry the telescoping inspection mirror in my tank bag so I can check
>>> the oil on a trip. The 2X4 jig would be a little bulky.
>>>
>>> But I did build a simple screw jack that bolts to the swing arm. It's just a
>>> 12" section of 1/2 X 1/2 square tubing with 2 1/4 holes drilled in one end.
>>>
>>> Two 1/4 bolts go through the two pin holes for Yamaha's factory racing jack.
>>>
>>> Then there's a 3/8th inch nut bolt and washer that go into the bottom of the
>>> screw jack.
>>>
>>> That way, i can jack the rear wheel off the ground enough to spin it as I
>>> apply the 90-weight gear lube.
>>>
>>Why not just put it on the centerstand as I am sure your manual
>>instructs you to do? Oh, you're under the impression that you can use
>>the supposed performance gains from removing the stand!! LOL LOL
>
>Those of us with cruisers (such as my '99 Venture) don't HAVE
>sidestands... Something about trying to put an 800+ lb bike up on one
>that made manufacturers decide they weren't needed.

i believe you meant centerstands, dah?
that's why i like thumpers. 50 hp in a 300lb bike.
but i suspect there is a basic philosophic difference between cruisers and
riders. i want 2 lane twisties. draggin' pegs and howling around.
 >> Stay informed about: Oil Site Glass 

On Thu, 03 Apr 2008 04:57:57 GMT, someone.DeleteThis@some.domain, in an obviously
impaired state, wrote:


>>>> apply the 90-weight gear lube.
>>>>
>>>Why not just put it on the centerstand as I am sure your manual
>>>instructs you to do? Oh, you're under the impression that you can use
>>>the supposed performance gains from removing the stand!! LOL LOL
>>
>>Those of us with cruisers (such as my '99 Venture) don't HAVE
>>sidestands... Something about trying to put an 800+ lb bike up on one
>>that made manufacturers decide they weren't needed.
>
>i believe you meant centerstands, dah?
>that's why i like thumpers. 50 hp in a 300lb bike.
>but i suspect there is a basic philosophic difference between cruisers and
>riders. i want 2 lane twisties. draggin' pegs and howling around.

You're right, I mis-typed, of course. We don't have CENTER stands...
BTW, last time I dragged MY pegs on the ground was on a 1976
GoldWing... That bike DID have a centerstand. Of course, it also was
only about 530 pounds or so... Oh, and BTW.. my Venture feels very
much at home on two lane twisties. I've merely become slightly
more... "civilized" in my riding techniques.

--
Ray Sirois
SysOp: The Lost Chord BBS
http://thelostchord.dns2go.com:6080
telnet://thelostchord.dns2go.com:6023
 >> Stay informed about: Oil Site Glass 

In article <838jv350jiq91aeld4maa4gv250recafqm.DeleteThis@4ax.com>, Raymond Sirois <nomail.DeleteThis@nomail.no.way> wrote:
>On Thu, 03 Apr 2008 04:57:57 GMT, someone.DeleteThis@some.domain, in an obviously
>impaired state, wrote:
>
>
>>>>> apply the 90-weight gear lube.
>>>>>
>>>>Why not just put it on the centerstand as I am sure your manual
>>>>instructs you to do? Oh, you're under the impression that you can use
>>>>the supposed performance gains from removing the stand!! LOL LOL
>>>
>>>Those of us with cruisers (such as my '99 Venture) don't HAVE
>>>sidestands... Something about trying to put an 800+ lb bike up on one
>>>that made manufacturers decide they weren't needed.
>>
>>i believe you meant centerstands, dah?
>>that's why i like thumpers. 50 hp in a 300lb bike.
>>but i suspect there is a basic philosophic difference between cruisers and
>>riders. i want 2 lane twisties. draggin' pegs and howling around.
>
>You're right, I mis-typed, of course. We don't have CENTER stands...
>BTW, last time I dragged MY pegs on the ground was on a 1976
>GoldWing... That bike DID have a centerstand. Of course, it also was
>only about 530 pounds or so... Oh, and BTW.. my Venture feels very
>much at home on two lane twisties. I've merely become slightly
>more... "civilized" in my riding techniques.
>
i didn't think you could drag pegs on one. very cool.
dragging pegs on a wing is not really hard, everything is set so low. what
sacres me is the price of parts. i have a stripped down 78, with all the
garbage off. there really is a bike underneath and they look good.
does civilized mean you have more common sense now? me too!
if you ever get to the mojave desert, i'd be glad to show you the great roads
and sights. man, it's beautiful!
let us know how you make out, ok?
cheers.
sounds like you're a rider....
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