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Messages - Mike-the-Bike

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1
Venox 250 / Re: Venox coolant change/flush instructions or advice?
« on: August 08, 2015, 08:59:25 PM »
I've always flushed with distilled water and white vinegar, then flushed again with plain distilled water.  My coolant of choice is Engine Ice--no mixing needed, it's not poison, and it cools your engine better.  Using tap water introduces minerals and other crud you do not want in your engine.

2
Venox 250 / Re: Where is Everybody?
« on: August 08, 2015, 08:55:02 PM »
The flag is part of the "Cafe Racer" decor of my garage shop.  It also covers up the old plywood rack from my now gone cabinet shop.  The Venox is still in my riding rotation of 3 bikes--it doesn't like sitting more than 3 weeks, or it starts hard.

3
Venox 250 / Re: Windshield Recommendations
« on: July 06, 2015, 01:28:24 PM »
That looks like an easy windshield installation compared to the cafe fairing and windscreen I put on my Venox.  If, as Max mentioned, the windshield turns out to be too big, you could always cut it down in size, or go with a smaller "flyscreen" type--even a small shield will help break the wind.

4
Venox 250 / Re: Where is Everybody?
« on: July 06, 2015, 01:22:21 PM »
I've been busy with my new 2015 Yamaha R3 (321cc), which now makes it three motorcycles in my garage.  My wife still prefers to ride pillion on the Venox vs the new R3, as she doesn't like the "Koala bear" position of riding pillion on a sportbike.  Here's a photo showing all the work I've done on the R3-red and white paint on the black parts to match the factory red and white, rearsets, lowered clipons, etc.


I really couldn't part with any of my bikes; the '04 GSX-R750 for when I want to go fast, the R3 for sporty fun, and the Venox for all around fun riding (remember, it's all blacked-out and has clubman bars and a cafe fairing).  But, having 3 bikes means a lot of maintenance, and only getting perhaps one or two rides per bike per month! I've been on vacation for 8 days, and its rained every day.

5
Venox 250 / Where is Everybody?
« on: June 09, 2015, 05:02:28 PM »
Hairy Bob, Max, and others, where did you guys go? I haven't been on here for several months, and it looks like nobody else has either. Hopefully, you're busy riding!

6
Venox 250 / Re: Lithium Battery for Venox?
« on: June 09, 2015, 04:56:19 PM »
After another 6 months of using this battery, I can confidently say "buy it"!  My Venox sat for just over a month between rides, and the factory battery would have died trying to crank the bike the other day for a Sunday ride.  The Shorai battery just kept hammering away with none of the usual slowing down that a lead-acid unit would have done.  The bike finally caught after 7-8 attempted starts.  I replaced the crappy factory battery in my new 2015 Yamaha R3 with a Shorai as well.  That explains the Venox neglect...

7
Venox 250 / Re: Lithium Battery for Venox?
« on: January 22, 2015, 01:13:20 AM »
After several rides with this new battery, I can say BUY IT!  Even when the bike has sat for weeks, it cranks right up with no hesitation. Prior to the new battery, I was thinking of getting a new starter motor, even perhaps a new ignition module.  Since the Venox has no clock to draw power while sitting, you could go several months and the lithium battery would still enthusiastically crank the engine (use gas stabilizer if it sits) even with no special charger/maintenance on the battery.   All this and about 8 pounds of weight savings!  Best $121.00 ever spent!

8
Venox 250 / Re: What's the fastest you've gotten your Venox to go?
« on: November 17, 2014, 05:03:44 PM »
I may have mentioned this in another post, but after my valves were adjusted (a bit late at 6800 miles), I hit 91 MPH on the interstate on the way home from the dealership; there was a very slight downhill grade when I decided to open the throttle all the way, so that may have helped the speed. It was simply a short experiment to see what the bike could do.  Running it like that often could blow the engine. 

9
Venox 250 / Lithium Battery for Venox?
« on: November 17, 2014, 04:55:16 PM »
I recently replaced the lead acid battery on my GSX-R750 with a lithium battery from Shorai, and am really happy with the super light weight and high cranking amps.  Now I am thinking of getting one for my Venox (Shorai LFX14A4-BS12---$122.00 on Amazon), since it has always been a hard starting bike and runs down the battery just trying to get it to turn over.   Has anyone here put a lithium battery in their Venox?

Instead of a 10-pound battery, the lithium is only 2 pounds!  It keeps a charge longer, and has more power than a lead battery.

10
Venox 250 / Re: Max is moving to Canada!
« on: November 17, 2014, 04:47:28 PM »
Well, now that you are an MD, you could afford to get that new H2 from Kawasaki!  Gas is cheaper over here, because we get our gas from our own land with imported stocks as well.  Europe is all imported, so it's higher (plus the EU has a super high tax).  If we could drill for our own oil in the Gulf of Mexico (like before the current white house usurper), our gas would be around $1.75 per gallon--like it was before bozo took office.  I use non-ethanol fuel ("real gas"), which is 90 octane and about thirty cents more per gallon than the high test.  Presently, my fuel is $3.37 per gallon, and I use that in both motorcycles, both cars, and my lawn equipment.    Do you guys have ethanol in your gas in Canada?

11
Venox 250 / Re: Blacked-Out Venox
« on: November 17, 2014, 04:37:15 PM »
As you know, the finned "cylinder heads" are simply painted silver by Kymco; so after removing them from the bike, I took a Scotch-Brite pad and rubbed off the silver paint from the fins (just the ends of the fins, not all the way down each individual fin!).  I cleaned the parts with acetone, then spray painted them with "Low gloss black" engine paint from Pep Boys (an automotive parts store).  After the paint had dried, I carefully rubbed the black paint off the ends of the fins and polished them with an aluminum polish.  The rest of the engine was painted with the same paint, but I had to lightly sand and scotch brite the whole thing, clean and mask off the frame, radiator hoses, and wiring.  Short, controlled blasts of paint from different angles eventually covered the whole engine.    Preparation was key.

The frame was red; some portions were spray painted gloss black, while others were simply brush painted with Rustoleum from a quart can.

12
Venox 250 / Re: Great little pony!
« on: November 04, 2014, 02:19:09 PM »
Speaking of getting sport bikes, I'm looking at the new Yamaha R3 to add to my "collection".  At $4,990.00 with a 321cc fuel injected parallel twin, it's calling my name...
 
My Venox has taught me that small engine bikes are fun.

Bike doesn't arrive at dealers until February 2015  >:(

13
Venox 250 / Re: Max is moving to Canada!
« on: November 04, 2014, 02:08:30 PM »
Lots of great riding around Vancouver, so I have read...welcome back to the Western Hemisphere!  How was that big European Adventure Ride you took some months ago.

14
Venox 250 / Re: availability
« on: November 04, 2014, 02:05:23 PM »
I was talking to a guy at Kymco's US headquarters in Spartanburg, SC last year, and he told me that the bike hadn't been selling well, even at a reduced MSRP.  Since they weren't making a profit on Venox sales in the US, Kymco decided to drop the bike from its US lineup in 2009.  My 2009 sat in a showroom until my brother purchased it in 2011.  Brand awareness (lack thereof) had a lot to do with the slow sales--even last month when I took my Venox to a dealer for valve servicing, nobody knew what it was "we thought Kymco just made scooters".  And this was a major dealer who also sold Kymco scooters!  Even if they re-introduced the Venox back into the now ready-for-smaller-motorcycles US market, it would not sell due to the unfamiliarity with the brand.

15
Venox 250 / Re: Blacked-Out Venox
« on: July 18, 2014, 12:23:14 PM »
Good point about the geometry; I'll probably leave it like it is for now.  Considering the steering angle and the longish wheelbase, dumping too much weight on the front wheel would most likely mess up the handling (such as it is).  Jacking up the rear end could also cause the chain to rub on the plastic guard on the swingarm.  As for the 130MPH speed wobble, the Venox would never get over 80MPH, but with its geometry all topsy-turvy, bad things could happen even at 60MPH.  Thanks for your input on the shock idea.

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