1st. Generation Lock Up

[Ga Dawg]

Has anyone had a drive train lockup while in motion on a 1st. generation? Or a brake lock up that caused loss of control. Mine is ok but getting age on it. Bike runs great and I am starting to venture on longer trips and may end up on a several week trip next year. The scoot is a 87 venture with 35000 miles on her. Every thing works great. Ideas???

Thanks!!

[skydoc_17]

Hey Scott,

I too, have the 87'VR with more than double the miles you have, (80,000 miles) and the only lock-up problems I have ever had were a rear caliper lock-up due to over filling the rear reservoir and the left front caliper lock-up due to the brake fluid not being changed when I first got the bike. Since then I have rebuilt all three calipers, I flush the fluid in the brake and clutch lines every winter and I make sure to NOT over fill the reservoirs.

By the way, I would like to tell you how nice your 87'VR looks but I didn't see a pic on your Profile Page! Ya' need to fix that!

Earl

[painterman67]

35,000 miles is just getting broke in. My 91 has 71,000 on it and I have no worries about climbing on and going wherever I want.

 

 

Good luck and keep the shiny side up.

 

David

[yamadawg]

I had the bright idea once to adjust the pedal height on my '83. The result was that the pedal was not releasing quite enough for teh fluid to return to the master cylinder reservoir and the rear brake locked up... TIGHT. We barely got into a parking lot, giving it all of the gas we could. Then it was totally locked up. When cool it was fine. I returned it to its' original position and everrything was fine after that...

 

Good luck!

Don

 

Go Dawgs!!!

[Guest HdHtr]

Mine is pushing 185000 miles and no problems. I think you can take a trip or two on yours yet!

[Squidley]

Ride it!

As long as you keep up on your maintenance, you wont have issues. When I have had the brakes lock up on my 1st gens it was because it was the original brake fluid in it and it crystalized and plugged the return orface to the master cylinder. If you haven't replaced the fluid in your brakes make that a point to do.

[83VR3711]

When I have had the brakes lock up on my 1st gens it was because it was the original brake fluid in it and it crystalized and plugged the return orface to the master cylinder. If you haven't replaced the fluid in your brakes make that a point to do.

 

I can vouch that:missingtooth:!! Squidley found this to be the root of a lot of my VR issues. Thanks again Squidley.

[scotty]

The only lock up I have had on mine was when the cement truck ran the stop sign.

[CdnDave77]

Locked mine up too... front & rear calipers were right on tight because the fluid return to the resevoir was clogged.

 

In my post about it, I commented that having a 8mm wrench, a short length of hose and a rag in your tool kit will ensure that you can quickly bleed off any excess so you can get home.

[86er]

At 137,000 (and 90k of that is since 07-04) my starter clutch finally cracked and I had to replace that yesterday! (Thanks for the help Landon!)

 

Like Squidley said, keep up the maintenance and you can ride a long ways!

 

 

 

[gscbertrand]

I purchased my 84 over the phone then took 2 years to get it on the road. The first year I had drained the rear end then put the plug on so I wouldn't get dirt in there. I finally finished the paint job and finished the build on the bike. I was soooo excited to go for my first ride that I jumped on it and took it to our perimiter highway. At 60 mph the rear end heated up and locked the rear wheel. All I could think of was my new paint getting all scratched up in the crash. I managed to steer of the road and called a tow truck. With some old parts from another rear end I rbuilt mine and went to Yellostone for my first ride. Everything has worked well since then.

[Ga Dawg]

Thanks Everyone for the information...