2002 Voyager XII

[Stormryder]

Good afternoon Voyagers,
I recently bought a 2002 Voyager XII with 43000 miles on it. Because I live in west Michigan and am a professional trucker by trade, I've only been able to ride the bike twice so far and I've had it about 3 weeks now. I would post pics but for some reason it's not letting me. Screen is saying " the extension jpg is not allowed". Any way I'm looking for your thoughts on this model and or advice on her. I have to get a new antenna so I will be looking into that. I have heard to get a fork brace and improved springs in the front forks. Is there a way to tell if the forks may already have those springs in them? I'm told this will greatly improve her handling characteristics. I've been riding since age 13 and am now 57 so I'm not a newbie just to this bike I am. This is also not my first big bike. Previous bike was a 2009 HD Electra Glide which was about 100 lbs heavier. I noticed that difference right away. I'm not a master mechanic by any means but I can turn some wrenches. Was thinking about taking it to a reputable bike shop in my neighborhood and have him go over it with a fine tooth comb. Anything you experienced Voyagers can share with me would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you Gentlemen,
Stormryder

[voyager55]

Fork Springs. Only way to tell is to look at them. You might as well change your fork oil at the same time. http://www.progressivesuspension.com/pr ... spring-kit" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Here's a link showing how to do that & it shows how to put in Progressive suspension springs & what they look like. Easy job.

http://www.abbikeboard.com/jeff/spring/spring.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Rear Shocks. If you have air shocks odds are they are stock. I'd also replace them with the spring Progressive suspension shocks. HUGE improvement in ride.
Get the 412 Heavy Duty shocks
http://www.progressivesuspension.com/pr ... ies-shocks" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Fork brace- Some say it helps, some say it doesn't. I tried a superbrace, didn't do anything. I sold it. Odds are the stock brace will be fine.

I'd change oil/filter. Fuel filter. If the bike was well cared for you should be set to go

[broksonic]

Good afternoon Voyagers,
I recently bought a 2002 Voyager XII with 43000 miles on it. Because I live in west Michigan and am a professional trucker by trade, I've only been able to ride the bike twice so far and I've had it about 3 weeks now. I would post pics but for some reason it's not letting me. Screen is saying " the extension jpg is not allowed". Any way I'm looking for your thoughts on this model and or advice on her. I have to get a new antenna so I will be looking into that. I have heard to get a fork brace and improved springs in the front forks. Is there a way to tell if the forks may already have those springs in them? I'm told this will greatly improve her handling characteristics. I've been riding since age 13 and am now 57 so I'm not a newbie just to this bike I am. This is also not my first big bike. Previous bike was a 2009 HD Electra Glide which was about 100 lbs heavier. I noticed that difference right away. I'm not a master mechanic by any means but I can turn some wrenches. Was thinking about taking it to a reputable bike shop in my neighborhood and have him go over it with a fine tooth comb. Anything you experienced Voyagers can share with me would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you Gentlemen,
Stormryder

Welcome Stormryder,

Yes a "superbrace" will help in handling of you ride, as will progressive springs in your front forks. The only way i have heard of to tell if the springs are progressive ones is to take the front springs apart and look.

A lot of the service on your bike you can do yourself. The guys on here can most likely tell you how to fix/service almost anything you will find on your bike.
Almost everyone here will tell you with a "new to you bike", unless the last owner kept great records on service and repair.. change ALL the fluids and filters. Better safe than sorry.
Search the board and you can find all the recommended fluid amounts and filters.

To post a picture here you first will need an outside photo posting site. I use Photobucket
http://www.photobucket.com its a free site that will allow x amount of photos to be uploaded and stored there.

Once you have an account, then you will need to upload your pictures you want to share.

After you upload your pictures you will see a screen something like this..



Click on whichever image in Photobucket you want to post to the AVA forum message and you will see a screen something like this one..



Off to the right side of the screen you will see "share this photo". You will need to click the one i have circled, "direct". When you click it (one time) you will see it says "copied"

Now in the forum message you are writing you will need to press the "Img" button at the top ..



In your message you will see "[ img][/ img]" pop up after pushing the "Img" button at the top. Copy the information you got from photobucket between the spots indicated in the picture. Easiest way to do this is make sure your curser is in that spot then hit and hold the "Ctrl" key and press the "V" key. You should see a line of information pop up from photobucket. Thats your picture.

If you want to post more than one picture, just repeat the process.

I always hit the "Preview" button at the bottom of the page to make sure everything is showing up correctly in my message before i post it. If it all looks good, then i hit the "Submit" button.

[Lucasind]

Welcome ..."stormryder" best off to wrench on your own bike , and NOT take it to any neighborhood shop (only my opinion).....in a short period of time , you will know more about your bike than the neighborhood shop ever knew about the XII.
There is a wealth of info on this forum to help, with anything you may dive into !
The members of this forum has done anything and everything to a XII that has EVER been done ! .......In your spare time , go back thru the pages ,and read old posts, and you will gain a lot of knowledge ( without making a post) of the same question that has been asked many times over. Again Welcome ! and thank you for having your name appear in
"green" right from the git go ! , that is what keeps this forum alive for us ALL to benefit from !.....................................Tony

*can't wait to see pics of your new ride ! (we like pictures ! )

[ekap1200]

Welcome stormryder, Most shops with newer young mechanics would be arguing with each other on who is going to work on the voyager. Tony is correct in telling you do whatever your skill level allows. Join a chapter in your area and visits some others who may have done work themselves and can take a look and guide you thru some things to look at and address.
On your missing antenna I have a spare radio antenna , if thats the one you need.
Gene Kap.

[kjsett]

I was about your age when I bought my '03 from my son in late 2011.
It had about 16k on it and I just put my 3rd set of new tires on it. Mine is a rider, not a garaged show piece (carport though). Since purchase I have had the pleasure of fixing or improving the following:
1. During tire repair the right side bag bottom was ripped out (mech denys it was him). Recommend spraying silicone spray on the rubber mount points so it won't stick. Always work it loose before lifting. A fellow member sent me one from a different year and I still haven't gotten it painted to match (hoping to this Winter-finally-always something else getting the money including the 2 cages). With that said, Best thing I did for my saddlebags was making and mounting tethers on the lids. Guaranteed someday you won't lock it right and they can fly off. One of the things that causes the most tears on this forum.
2. Adjusted the Cruise control and replaced the handlebar switch for it. Love it now, never could get it to work right until I did those items. CC keeps me from getting tickets as the speed can easily creep up with these wonderful bikes.
3. '01-'03 are susceptible to the U-Joint bearings coming apart as the manufacturer Supplier didn't lubricate them well enough. Problem is those same ones are what are likely to be on the parts shelf (per Carl Leo - our Guru). Mine came apart at about 40k and I replaced them with a '99 with only 35k on it. Now at 64k and going fine. Symptom in my case was a rumble in the footpegs while accelerating past 40mph. Found loose bearings inside the cover when I took it apart.
4. Replaced the air shocks on rear when I had them off for #3. Amazing improvement. My only laydown was because i had too much on the bike and couldn't get to the pump (chose not too, what could happen). Country road, slow leak in shocks(very slow), 90degree corner, farmers driveway, hit peg, dirt like slick talcum powder, recipe to the front tire going out from under me like on ice as I tried to run it out on the driveway. I was almost stopped so only about $80 in damage (engine guard) and it didn't stop me from finishing the trip (another 3k). Bike is tuff.
5. Oil pan: not the bikes fault, something on Interstate punched a hole in the bottom. Got towed home, fortunately only an hour out while starting an 1800mile trip. Did the trip with a combination of wife's 97 Vulcan 800, then switched to my son's pickup (he offered) as her bike doesn't have the weather protection or hauling capability. While doing that I replaced the O'rings in the coolant manifold and most of the hoses.
6. Misc: replaced brake pads; front speedo cable and gear (on a trip, oh joy); trunk extender (recommend if you want more room for passenger or in my case a large T-Bag); New, pre-owned Corbin Seat with Backrest for only $460 on Ebay (for me, stock was 2 hour seat, this takes it up to 8-10. I have done 12 to 14 hour, but paid for it); Battery; and installed Wolo Air horns on both sides in place of the OEM. I also use Shell Rotella T-6 Synthetic with no regrets (use it in both bikes and Cummins PU). I also put K&N air filters in the same 3 and purged the Hydraulics (was like a still flowing sludge) and because of repairs have purged the coolant system twice (use better quality Antifreeze). Oh yah, forgot, DO NOT LET BRAKE FLUID GET ON THE PLASTICS!!!! I did, and wound up replacing the right dash.

There, maybe told too much, definitely wish I had done some things better and sooner.
Apparently no one else in my area, that I regret as it would have been nice to compare notes. There were others (maybe 3), but I lost contact. Progressives just ordered for the front, plan on using 10wt Fork oil (synth if available). I will be asking how to measure if the forks are still on the bike. Eventually want to get SS brake lines on her, but not yet (cost, need to fix truck first). Hope to get up into your neck of the woods this summer/fall coming up as I maybe semi-retiring (different, more flexible income source planned) where I can travel some, work some for a while. After next winter though I may have to put her in storage as I may be out of the country for a while. Really want to get to Wisconsin in June, but there are issues (always seems to be come Rally time).
Anyway, I drove truck for a while back in the 90's (even JB Hunt for a short time), so know the want to, but out earning money doesn't let to.
Just thinkin,
Ken in Phoenix (for now

PS. Merry Christmas

[cushman eagle]

Welcome,Stormryder.You found a great family in the AVA .There is a wealth of information and tips on this forum,which can be found for the asking.My first suggestion would be to research the posts on the ignition switch harness.I experienced a failure on mine, and the repair is not very difficult.

[Highway Rider]

I would post pics but for some reason it's not letting me. Screen is saying " the extension jpg is not allowed"

How are you trying to post the image: are you trying to up load it as a attachment from you computer or are you trying to post it as a image link as Broksonic explained how to do?

If you are trying to upload it as a attachment to this forum it is not allowed. You will have to go through the image link process to to do so.

[Stormryder]

I tried posting a picure of the bike. All my pics are on Dropbox. A red line appears at the top that says, "not possible to determine the dementions of the image". I share these photos everywhere else no problems. I'm not doing something right. I click on my photo to copy it. Pasted it between the two img things. So I don't know.

[Highway Rider]

Pm sent

[Lucasind]

I tried posting a picure of the bike. All my pics are on Dropbox. A red line appears at the top that says, "not possible to determine the dementions of the image". I share these photos everywhere else no problems. I'm not doing something right. I click on my photo to copy it. Pasted it between the two img things. So I don't know.

I have no experience with "dropbox"......most folks on here use "photo bucket" or
"tiny pic" it's free ....and easy to use. If you have your pictures in your computer, you have to upload them into a "host" site mentioned above.

[Jimvoyager01]

Welcome to AVA,,next summers rally is in Hurley Wis. not far from you,,there is lots of information in the 1200 at this site,,,good thing to read the old posts,,I have a 2001 1200,,,you should loosen the cable ties at the triple tree to give them more room to flex,regards

[ghostler]

Welcome, Stormryder to the forum. You'll really like the 2002 Voyager you got. I've got a 2001, it is a Goldwing class motorcycle with some of the largest storage of any tourer. Got aftermarket air shocks on the rear and progressive springs in the front. It is now a really smooth riding bike, plenty of power to tow a motorcycle trailer. It's relaxing to ride on the open highway.

Posting limits photos to a max of 800 pixels wide, 600 pixels tall even from outside sources like photobucket.com. If one rotates a photo to portrait, 600 limit still applies on the vertical. AFAIK only in Tech Tips can members upload photos. Haven't tried Look What I Did to see if one can upload photos.

[Highway Rider]

The Max Width Is 900 pixels The Max Height Is 625 pixels so if you try to post one that is 901 pixels or above in width it will tell you that the max width is 900 in red writing at the top of what you are trying top post and like wise if you try to post something that is 626 pixels or above in hight it will tell you that also. So nothing larger then 900x625 pixels. I think at one time is was 800x 600 and I may have changed it to the larger size for better viewing of pictures. Also JPG format works the best when saving. I could allow PNG but then those take a while to populate the picture, and the larger the picture the longer they take.