I finally got it done!!! I rode today.

[Snaggletooth]

Been working this all winter. Danos engage clutch mod, Shydocs Clutch upgrade and drain kit, LED running lights, Sheep skin backrest cover, 4 brush starter, repaired or rebuilt EVERY cracked tab, epoxied the fuel tank, new brake pads, added chrome panels to side covers, 4 1/2" driving lights with amber lenses, did interior of trunk...........ah there too much to list!

 

Anyway I got some miles tonight. Felt real good. Yes it did. Gonna be a good summer.

 

Thanks to all the guys that provided upgrade, kits, parts and advice for me during this project. And thanks to Dingy for his tools.

 

The clutch upgrade kit was a huge improvement. Rolling down the Interstate at 75 mph and give it a twist and it's just jumps right on up there. No more slip. Nada.

Edited April 12, 2010 by Snaggletooth

[TexasFlyer]

Congratulaions! It has got to feel great when the project is complete and she purrs! See ya on the road!

[massey130]

very nice, very very nice. looks super. it feels good to get stuff done and then go for a ride. it is hard to describe that. it is nice knocking out a list of stuff.

[GigaWhiskey]

Well, I'm jealous! That is mighty fine looking bike you have too!

[Snaggletooth]

I should run a poll to guess how many Baggies it take to store a Venture for the winter.

 

Took me a while to find all of them the last couple of days. Geesh.

[friesman]

That is one great looking bike!!!! :cool10:

 

I think youll need to take it on a nice long ride by about the 1st of July ........up to Nelson BC would be about the right distance!!!! Its only about 1500 miles for ya!

 

Brian

[Sunrayman]

Been working this all winter. Danos engage clutch mod, Shydocs Clutch upgrade and drain kit, LED running lights, Sheep skin backrest cover, 4 brush starter, repaired or rebuilt EVERY cracked tab, epoxied the fuel tank, new brake pads, added chrome panels to side covers, 4 1/2" driving lights with amber lenses, did interior of trunk...........ah there too much to list!

 

Anyway I got some miles tonight. Felt real good. Yes it did. Gonna be a good summer.

 

Thanks to all the guys that provided upgrade, kits, parts and advice for me during this project. And thanks to Dingy for his tools.

 

The clutch upgrade kit was a huge improvement. Rolling down the Interstate at 75 mph and give it a twist and it's just jumps right on up there. No more slip. Nada.

 

 

SWEET BIKE, I'm jealous right now...DOWN, but not OUT!

[massey130]

ya gotta keep stuff like that organized or it can be chaos. i believe you came close. can't do this till you find that thing for that. so on and so on.

 

like when you can't do something in the kitchen cause you need your glasses. so you go into the living room to get the glasses and find the paper you were gonna throw away and see an article you wanted to read that reminds you that you wanted to put those clothes in the dryer so you go to the utility room and do that but you have to make room in the dresser so you pull a couple drawers out to do that but can't see cause you need your glasses and then your remember you have something in the kitchen but can't remember just what it was, so you head that way and - - - -

 

[Snaggletooth]

Hey Brian,

 

If I ever get my projector bulbs delivered I'll point 'em your way and flash them. Let me know when ya see 'em so I can get a heading on ya.

 

You find any yet? Mine should be here next week.

 

Mike

[Snaggletooth]

Dale....we might just be related somehow.

[friesman]

Hey Brian,

 

If I ever get my projector bulbs delivered I'll point 'em your way and flash them. Let me know when ya see 'em so I can get a heading on ya.

 

You find any yet? Mine should be here next week.

 

Mike

 

No I havnt tracked any projector bulbs down yet, but I havnt gotten the kit yet either, so I still have time...lol why rush into things.....heheh. I am really looking forward to getting the projector bulbs installed.... I hope you have taken pics at night of your oem headlight , and then take a pic at night with the projector bulbs in..It would be great for a comparison on high and low beam.

[Snaggletooth]

Now I'm going to ask this, In the pic of the rear of the bike you might notice how rounded off the mudflap is. Wasn't that way when I got it. Is it just me and the way I run the twisties or does anybody else have the same wear?

[Snaggletooth]

Brian.

 

Never got any pics before with the old headlight but since I had to put it back in for the time being I'll try to get that done before I install the projectors.

 

I'm thinking.....God forbid......that I might put a Batman logo on the high beam. That might be interesting.

[friesman]

Mine just never sees mud, so, no mudflap to get in my way, I have dragged a peg once in a while while doing left corners though. Never dragged it going right though, I guess I really am left handed!!!

 

Brian

[Snaggletooth]

We used to put tugsten bolts on the bottom of our pegs. You drag that on concrete and it's like the 4th of July.

 

I'm looking for some new bolts for my VR. heh heh heh!

[bongobobny]

Absolutely LOVE the mirror mod...

[GigaWhiskey]

The pic of the mirror became my wallpaper - on ALL 5 screens!

[Ponch]

Sweeeeeet!

[Flyinfool]

Lookin good.

I know the feeling of getting it going after a winter of work.

Glad everything worked out so far.

[Snaggletooth]

And thanks Ponch..........You painted the mounts that I sent to Brad to beef up with gussets so my 4 1/2 drivers wouldn't shake.......(as bad) LOL!

 

If everybody that contributed in some way to this bike would sign it I wouldn't need to paint it!

 

Mike

[Bill W.]

It's been nice enough around here to get out. I'm still waiting for the battery cables...

 

 

 

Oh, well. It's still only the second week in April!!

[friesman]

Yeah it sux Bill, but the wait will be worth it. When it starts good without having to cross your fingers, youll like it...

 

 

Brian

[Grandpagak]

NICE!!!!!

[Bill W.]

Yeah it sux Bill, but the wait will be worth it. When it starts good without having to cross your fingers, youll like it...

 

Always had to sit after filling up to let the engine cool a bit. It will be good to be able to gas and go!! I guess I'll go out and pull the rear shock and put grease fittings in the linkage. One less thing to do later!!

 

Nice ride, Mike. It still amazes me that these bikes can look and perform as well as they do as old as they are. Just goes to show what a little TLC can do, eh????

[Snaggletooth]

The hot start problem was a thorn in my side....and lower and to the rear......for the first year after I got the bike. A starter rebuild came first......with the extra ground wire and new brushes. (more on that in a minute.) Good improvement. Cranked better. Then the cable upgrade. Much better. Fired right up after long hard rides in the heat after gassing up.

 

Then the DEKA AGM battery.....Major power supply in a box.

 

Then the starter engage clutch mod. Oh yeah. No more chatter. Perfect.

 

Now on the brushes..........I bought a set off eBay at the time. Think it was $5 to $10 bucks a set. I was even involved in a thread searching out cheaper sources for brushes as the stealers get what ....$25, $27 for a brush? One brush!

 

Now as I was finishing up the bike last week, just buttoned up the motor after the clutch upgrade kit was installed and the bike started a few times and quit. Just quit cranking. After everything I had done that just blew me away. So to keep a long story short the problems was the starter.

 

It was fried......I mean crispy critter. Only future for it was the trash can. The new brushes (3 years old) were burned down 50% or better. The 24 year old brushes I took out had been in better shape. I was talking to Skydoc on this and he felt, as I do now, that the cheaper brushes are a softer compound. From the looks of it......he's dead right about that. No more cheap aftermarket brushes for me.

 

I also found a bad connection on an end of one of the 8 ga cables that probably played a part in the failure to.

 

NOTE: These were not the ones that lonestarmedic makes!

 

So Skydoc saved my bacon.....again.....and sent me a starter. And even better.....it was a four brush setup. How much could a fella ask for. The bike fires up like it was hit by lightening again.

 

But keep the quality of the cheaper parts in mind. Save a few bucks....great...all for it! But in the end it could cost you more.