FLYIN BRIAN

HG are not known for failing. It's more likely to be the valve cover O-ring.

Full synthetic 10w50 for me. Was using 20w50 until availability became an issue.

He had hiccups.

Oe of those damaged nut removers may work. I've never tried one... Tricks that I've used: Cut the side off the nut with a hacksaw blade, either held in your hand or vice grip. You may find it easier to have the teeth toward you, cutting as you pull back.(disadvantages; slow, requirig patience/ lade is long and can damage other items) File the side off the nut. Refer to hacksaw blade Use a nut splitter. Turn the nut red with a torch. (disadvantages; may damaged surrounding items including gaskets. Clamp jaws of death, er, vicegrip on the nut and hope for the best. Pray. Your results may vary.

Check your valve clearances. Ticking is normal.

Charge the new battery with a charger if you haven't done so. New battery doesn't come fully charged.

You have a bad ground (earh) connection. The extra resistance behaves like a higher wattage bulb.

if i accelerate to much This sounds like fuel starvation. If you roll off the throttle slightly does it seem to pick up? I firmly believe you need a fuel filter. Only a matter of time before you run into trouble without one. It may already the cause of your trouble. You should check the fuel system to make sure there are no restrictions to flow whether dirt in carb, kinked fuel line or dirty petcock. Also make sure the fuel system is venting properly.

I've heard of people strapping the brake lever t the handlebar and leaving overnight to let the air come up through. Never done myself.

It's kept on with 2 sided adhesive. Fishing line or "cat gut" should do the trick. Use tape adhesive remover to get off the remaining bits. Rubbing alcohol will also work but reqiures more elbow grease. You can also just roll it off with the pad of your thumb. That take the most time but is suprisingley effective.

1100 all the way. This bike just loves to soak up highway miles. Cruises effortlessly up hills and into headwinds. Mine consumes an average 4.5l/100km. The 450 in the stable does the same mileage.

This is a chain drive. Are you 100% sure the back wheel is not the culprit? I've see spacers on the wrong side making it impossible to get correct alignment.

I would tend to believe it's your fuel pump priming.

Do not use your torque wrench as a torque breaker. The only way to check a clicker is to use a solid beam torque wrench. A solid beam torque wrench is accurate a long as the pointer reads zero when you start.

Any loss of back pressure will reduce fuel mileage. Take away enough and you'll need to re-jet(like completely gutted and slash cut).

A new plug wouldn't go astray.

Look here: http://www.yamaha-motor.com/sports/parts/home.aspx Got to side stand & footrest. Clearly shows a wear tip. #19 & 35

A lot of cruiser bikes have a wear tip on the foot boards. Replace as necessary.

Try a higher gear? Look for too much slack in chain.

Have him check the common things like sparkplugs, fuel filter, proper valve adjustment and then carb balancing. In the meantime a good dose of Seafoam for a tank or so may clear out any errant pits of poo in the carbs before a teardown. As has been pointed out, it may be the nature of the beast, but the vibration can be augmented by things such as aftermarket handlebars, risers and exhaust and intake systems. Even modded stock exhaust could contribute. And don't forget to enjoy your ride!

On my 1100 I use 3pc of 4 x 4. One piece about 24", one 6", the other is about 8". With the bike on it's side stand, put the long piece under the bike in front of the back wheel. Place it so you can lay the 8" piece on top on the stand side, then place the 6" piece on the other end just under the frame rail. Now you simply upright the bike and push the 8" piece under the rail with your foot and there you go. I use this method when I want to check oil, change wheel and during long term storage. You can literally dance on the bike. The closer to the rear wheel the easier to upright the bike.

If it calls for a 9 and you're doing a lot of short trips, then you can go to an 8 safe enough. I would resist the temptation to use the 6 you found. That's 3 heat ranges HOTTER. If you melt the piston it's a very large repair. Are you changing the plug as maintenance or are you trying to cure a running problem? I.E., where's the plug you are replacing?

AL, I would have to say any bike you have to push would prove to be heavy. Not to say that 580lb is light.

AMEN! #1 Does the running light work and not the signal? Or are both out? Twice in 2 years I've had to use a battery terminal brush on my left front indicator socket. The "lolipops" on my bike are chrome ABS and the retaining strap and screws act as the ground. This is where I found my problem. #2 Cannot offer help.

In some circles a Harley Sportster is considerer a "ladies" bike. I would say that on this side of the pond, many would consider a 650 and even 750Magna type as a "girls" bike. I say ride whatever you like and the next time he needles you about something needle him back where it hurts most... In his manhood. Most ladies seem to do well at finding the ammunition . (I'm not suggesting physical harm!! ) In the vein of the original topic; isn't it funny that people would not consider a ditch finder of any displacement to be a ladies bike? How ironic is that? Ride Safe, Brian