OSAshley wrote:
Give it HELL JD

It'll get as good as it gives!!! If hell is what IT gives ME, then so be it!!

Questcap wrote:
+1 on that... Craftsman wouldn't fit, Snap-On does!I had no problem using a Craftsman wrench on mine. I changed out the plug to the one with the smaller head anyway.

blue star wrote:
I had no problem using a Craftsman wrench on mine. I changed out the plug to the one with the smaller head anyway.

+1 plus I put the magnetic ones in mine

I so agree with you! Unfortunately PO pretty much rounded the head of the plug... and looks like no crush washer either. Arggg. Tried a couple good Snapon plier wrenches to no avail...

Check dual-core fluxinator for proper neg-ionic phase imbalance collapse.

They have a imbalance collapse checker thingy on sale at Advance Auto....talk about luck!

SCroadie wrote:
Check dual-core fluxinator for proper neg-ionic phase imbalance collapse.

They have a imbalance collapse checker thingy on sale at Advance Auto....talk about luck!


Do ya need a coupon?

Anyway, I would recommend the mag/14mm replacement plug, just 'cause...

Thanks for all the help.... They've been keeping me busy! But I have another quick question:

The tires on my bike are fairly low KM and look great (there's less the 6000km on the bike) but are over 10 years old, so I'm going to change them out anyway because I don't know if I can trust them. I was watching this 20/20 video that made me a little nervous. Dangerous Tires (20/20)

My tire sizes are:

Front - 130/90-16 67H
Rear - 150/80B-16 71H

What do the 67H and 71H mean or do I need to worry about it?

I'm looking at getting Shinko 777's, 130/90H-16 and 150/80H-16, any opinions on these tires?

This is a noob question I know, but this is my first bike so I admit, I new to all this stuff.

-G15gmd

Those numbers are the load rating for the tires. Your bike I believe calls for a min of 71. Do a search for load rating and a few good threads come up that will explain it. Either that or wait for JD750 to chime in. He is the "tire dude".

Not so much "the dude" (that would be Mr. Lebowski!) but I do read a lot, have used a few bike tires, and I'm a Michelin certified aircraft tire tech.

Even though the rear rating on the original tire was a 71H, and is adequate, For those of us that are larger, ride 2 up, run at highway speed a lot, or live in hotter environments, a tire with a heavier weight rating, especially on the rear, proves to be much more durable. People have had varying experience with the Shinko here, from loved it and got over 10K miles out of the rear, to handled like a wet noodle and only lasted 3-4K miles. You get what you pay for in tires. I reccomend the Michelin Commander II or Avons, personally.
Other than complaints about heavy cupping on the front, the Bridgestones seem to be much more durable than a Dunlop 404 (I will never buy another 404) but the overall best service life, wear, handling and performance comes from the two mentioned above. Many here have ran the Metzeler ME880 for years with no propblems, but tread seperations are reported with too much regularity for me. Metzler has the new ME 888 out, but it is too new for a good basis of opinion on my behalf. Shops have stopped carrying the 880 due to the tread problems, so even though an overwhelming number of people have had a positive experience, I don't reccomend them til they prove to be widely durable again.
Since you are way up North, I would consider the Pirelli MT-66 as well. They are good tires, but I run too much hot and moderately high speed to get the life I want out of them. Typically in Texas I could get about 8K out if the rear.
If you go to a heavier rated tire, you need to bring the pressure up some from reccomended as well. Correct consistient pressure will do the most for your tire life of anything that you can do. If you go to a 77H rear, and even if I'm still at a 67H front, I run 38 front and 40 rear. Many run 40 front and 42 rear. Heavier rated tires ride better to me as well.
The performance and life span of the tire can be viewed as a 3 way triangle of factors that influence it, with weight, speed, and temperature in each point of the triangle. If you run about 200 pounds of load in temps not exceeding 90-95 degrees, and seldom go over 70 MPH, then right in the middle of the triangle is your operating range, and a narrowly focused tire, like the reccomended ones, are probably a decent choice. Draw a circle that represents that activity. Then ask yourself, am I a big guy? Do I run 2-up often? Does it get to 100 plus degrees on many of my riding days? Do I like to run 80 MPH on the freeway? In my case, all 3 apply, and the range of operation is stretched in all directions in the triangle, so I need a more capable tire, and the weight rating is the easiest yard stick to use to find a more durable unit. If you are narrowly focused in the middle, then a 71H rear should suffice, but will not last as long as a heavier rated tire. If you only stretch one other parameter, be it weight, temps, or speed, perhaps a 73H would be the next logical choice. If you run it hard at high weight in high temps, and you stretch the range of usage in all direections, then a 77H is your baby. Avon makes a workable 160 that is an 81H. Some folks justify the use of a car tire because of sustained weight/speed vairables. I don't reccomend it, and won't do it, but that's a personal decision.
Within the range of Front tires, you can run the 130, a 140/90, or a 150/80 safely on your wheel. I have not seen a 140/90 front, but they are available in a rear. If you choose a rear directional to run on the front, reverse the direction of rotation. As we have seen here, the tread belt overlap runs in the non-stress direction on direcitonal tires. For the rear, this is in the accelerating direction, so the lap runs top over bottom from the rear of the bike to the front so the joint is not being pulled back against the outside bond line. Since there is no acceleration forces on the front, that's not an issue, but the opposite is true, inasmuch as the greatest load placed on the front tire is on the opposite direction, when heavy braking applies a load in the other direction, and the weight transfers to the front. This is the reason for reversing directional arrows when you use the tire on the opposite end of the bike. Some have raised questions about tire compounds being different front to rear. This is most likely to be found in sport tires. With our tires, I do not know of a tire that involves more than 2 compounds, with a harder compound in the center, and softer on the edges. This would have no influence on a front or rear fitment. I have a rear Commander on the front of my bike in opposite rotation right now. Let us know what you go with. Others will chime in on particulars with the Shinko 777 that have used it.

g15gmd wrote:
I changed the oil last week, and it's belt driven.... so change/flush the brake fluid and that it? Perfect!!

All Roadstars are Belt driven. He was talking about the transfer case on the right side of your bike. Check the wheel bearings and neck bearings. Might want to change the fork oil also. Once you get her back road ready you will LOVE that you own a Roadstar! I hate to see a good motorcycle sit, glad you saved it.