Last ride before the teardown was January 19th. First ride today

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

I rode right up until the first real salting of the roads here in MA, then started on some maintenance and upgrades (as money allowed). I removed the exhaust pipes to replace the seals and a few studs that were sketchy. Added 18" stack tips. Whoever it was that suggested using masking tape to transfer the hole locations, I salute you. I desmogged it. I added Interstate carb slide springs and replaced the fuel hoses while the tank was off. New intake o-rings. I added a Pingel fuel valve. A prior owner added LED driving lights and left the switch zip tied by the wires near the ignition switch. I fabbed a bracket out of aluminum to mount the switch and shortened the wire harnesses by several feet (kit was obviously a universal kit for a car or truck). I replaced the headlight with a Trucklite LED unit with Josh's bracket. I added an electronic flasher and LED rear signal bulbs. Also added an LED plate light bulb. I modded the plate bracket to remove the reflectors. Modified the soft saddlebag brackets and added Viking lockable hard bags. During the teardown, I found the driveshaft and pinion cup splines wasted and dry. New pinion cup and seal, used driveshaft, used low mile u-joint from Pinwall, and a new boot. Fully serviced rear seals, lubes, o rings, and fresh Amsoil gear oil. New rear wheel bearings w/ double roller mod and new rear brake pads. New wheel dampers. Added a hitch and wiring harness (no trailer yet, but hopefully soon). Coolant change. Oil change with fresh 15w50 Amsoil (I'm a dealer). New Motion Pro throttle cables (my push cable was missing). Serviced the starter button. I feel like there's more, but it escapes me at the moment.

Took it for a short voyage this afternoon, and I'm very pleased. I ordered a Digisync this morning, but that's about all I plan on doing until next winter's servicing and mods. The driveline "lash" is so much better now that the splines are tight and the wheel dampers are new. The thrust on accel is fantastic and much more quiet than it was. I think it was Jess in VA that said that Amsoil quieted down his trans whine, so I tried it last season for the first time (10w40 Metric MC oil). I was actually surprised at the difference it really made in my Valk (mine was LOUD, but I have no other Valk experience to compare to). That actually inspired me to become an independent Amsoil dealer; I was that sold. I went 15w50 this time, and had no issue starting today at about 45 degrees, and shifting was butter smooth. Short ride, but very fulfilling. I understand the Valkyrie cult following now.

A few more things to do, but I feel that it's properly serviced now. A huge thank you to everyone who has given me advice, either directly or through their posts here and in ShopTalk. This place is a wealth of information.

[sandy]

Whew! I'm exhausted just reading your list. Lot's o' work. Good job.

[Jess from VA]

Unrelated to your post, but related to the state of Maine, you haven't been hanging aorund the local Medical Center have you?  Someone has.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/nine-labor-and-delivery-nurses-at-a-maine-hospital-pregnant-at-the-same-time



A lot of work involved here too.  

(Sorry, I read about this yesterday, and was looking for a way to work it into a post)  

[98valk]

according to their bulletin your good for 16k miles before next oil change
https://www.amsoil.com/lit/databulletins/g3348.pdf


I prefer https://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/motor-oil/diesel/synthetic-sae-10w-30-sae-30-heavy-duty-motor-oil/?code=ACD1G-EA

after two yrs and 8k miles, oil analysis came back with low wear and still good to use.
The ACD originally met the specs for wet clutch truck automatics. they changed the oil spec to be a 10w and then couldn't met the wet clutch specs which required a straight 30w, but still same oil formulation and the trans shifted very smooth
I was a dealer back in the late '80s until '90s. their 10w40 and 20w50 motorcycle oils are the same as their auto 10w40 and 20w50 oils which was what I used, stated right on bottles. only a few yrs ago did they add extra rust additives for the oil in the motorcycle bottles. when they put the same car oil in the motorcycle bottles that is when their motorcycle oil sales took off. I was a dealer when it all happened.
so one can get the same oil and save a few using the car oils in those weights esp if the cycle isn't going to sit for months and not needing the extra anti-rust additives, which I think is just s marketing tool since their oils always have a high TBN number.

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

Unrelated to your post, but related to the state of Maine, you haven't been hanging aorund the local Medical Center have you?  Someone has.

How'd you know? The second from the right isn't mine, though. She wasn't faithful to me...   

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

Whew! I'm exhausted just reading your list. Lot's o' work. Good job.

Thanks.  I'd love a heated shop, though. And more free cash. I could definitely be more productive!

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

according to their bulletin your good for 16k miles before next oil change
https://www.amsoil.com/lit/databulletins/g3348.pdf


I prefer https://www.amsoil.com/shop/by-product/motor-oil/diesel/synthetic-sae-10w-30-sae-30-heavy-duty-motor-oil/?code=ACD1G-EA

after two yrs and 8k miles, oil analysis came back with low wear and still good to use.
The ACD originally met the specs for wet clutch truck automatics. they changed the oil spec to be a 10w and then couldn't met the wet clutch specs which required a straight 30w, but still same oil formulation and the trans shifted very smooth
I was a dealer back in the late '80s until '90s. their 10w40 and 20w50 motorcycle oils are the same as their auto 10w40 and 20w50 oils which was what I used, stated right on bottles. only a few yrs ago did they add extra rust additives for the oil in the motorcycle bottles. when they put the same car oil in the motorcycle bottles that is when their motorcycle oil sales took off. I was a dealer when it all happened.
so one can get the same oil and save a few using the car oils in those weights esp if the cycle isn't going to sit for months and not needing the extra anti-rust additives, which I think is just s marketing tool since their oils always have a high TBN number.

Before I became a dealer, I was a Diesel oil user in all of my bikes. I would have given the Amsoil Diesel oil a go, but I wanted to try the 15w50 this season to see how it shifted from the morning cold temps in the high 30s and low 40s, right up through the 100 degree dog days of Summer. More of a trial for myself, more than anything else. Any extra corrosion inhibitors can't hurt either; I'm terrible about the end-of-season oil changes. I mean to, but they usually get shuffled aside and done in the Spring only.

BTW, I added an extra shim in the front two carbs per some posts you have made in the past. So far, no negatives noted. Very strong rush in the midrange acceleration. What to attribute exactly where, I'm not sure. I went against my racing background and did too many changes at once. It worked, but I'm not sure which mod did the most. Either way, the combo seems to work well. Pilots out 2.25 turns, IS springs, and an extra shim in the #1 and #2 needles. Thanks.

[The emperor has no clothes]

Unrelated to your post, but related to the state of Maine, you haven't been hanging aorund the local Medical Center have you?  Someone has.

How'd you know? The second from the right isn't mine, though. She wasn't faithful to me...   

That’s a shame ! She’s the cutest of the bunch. 

[Jess from VA]

Unrelated to your post, but related to the state of Maine, you haven't been hanging aorund the local Medical Center have you?  Someone has.

How'd you know? The second from the right isn't mine, though. She wasn't faithful to me...   

I was just thinking of the calories to be burned in making all those babies.  (Yeah, that's what I was thinking.)

I could lose some serious weight. 

But at 66, I'd probably need a month or two.  (and maybe a paramedic) (and somebody else's ID) 

[rockbobmel]

Jess also turned me on to Amsoil MC specific.   I HATED the whine and now it's tamed down a lot!

Do you think the 15/50 is just as quiet?

Do you stock it?  I'm in Greenfield and need an excuse to ride out your way.

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

Jess also turned me on to Amsoil MC specific.   I HATED the whine and now it's tamed down a lot!

Do you think the 15/50 is just as quiet?

Do you stock it?  I'm in Greenfield and need an excuse to ride out your way.

So far I'm just working from my website (in my signature). I literally just started the business last month, so I'm working on figuring out what will sell well before I start stocking things.

So far, I've only got about 30 minutes on it, but I think it was maybe a touch quieter than the 10w40 Metric oil. But, most of my riding after I tried Amsoil last season was in warmer weather than it was yesterday. I'm still testing it out, but I like it so far. A happy sort-of-medium between 10w40 and 20w50.

[Glock3540]

Ken, I did pretty much exactly what you just completed in the spring of 2017.
  I even installed a vacuum operated Pingle!
   I ran 110 mains and 38 slow jets for over a year until Attic Rat said they were way too rich so I just recently went back to stock. The bowls still looked pretty good inside with only a hint of discoloration due to the occasional 10% ethanol gas I sometimes have no choice in having to use.
   I did the trigger wheel mod but honestly did not notice much of an improvement. Pretty much the same deal with the IS module. I WANTED it to make an improvement but not sure it really did.
   Sorry to ramble but my work was so close to the same as yours, that I just had to comment on it!
Blessings, Brian

[Jess from VA]

Jess also turned me on to Amsoil MC specific.   I HATED the whine and now it's tamed down a lot!

Do you think the 15/50 is just as quiet?

Do you stock it?  I'm in Greenfield and need an excuse to ride out your way.

So far I'm just working from my website (in my signature). I literally just started the business last month, so I'm working on figuring out what will sell well before I start stocking things.

So far, I've only got about 30 minutes on it, but I think it was maybe a touch quieter than the 10w40 Metric oil. But, most of my riding after I tried Amsoil last season was in warmer weather than it was yesterday. I'm still testing it out, but I like it so far. A happy sort-of-medium between 10w40 and 20w50.

Back when I could afford Amsoil, it was always amusing finding a dealer and making a deal.  You used the website, found the closest one to you, called them up and made a deal, then worked out a mutually convenient meeting place; usually some business parking lot.   

I'm driving an older green F150.

OK, I'm driving a silver Intrepid.

Look, I don't take credit cards or personal checks you understand, so bring cash.

OK, no sweat.

Even though this was all perfectly legal, I found myself looking for cameras in the parking lot, and looking for the quickest escape routes.