Story of how steve and hi 83' VR known as "Tent Peg"

[massey130]

what a great story. did you miss that thread?

anyway - what's your story on how you got your bike? lets hear yours!

 

here is how we wound up back on 2 wheels - - -

 

It is sat morn last fall. i got Lady Massey and daughter massey setup for the community garage sale. i am sitting back in my chair in the shadow of the neighbors truck sipping my coffee.

Deb comes up to me not long after i have yawned a couple times thinking "another day setup at a garage sale". she said "are you gonna look around?" I seez no cause i might find some junk i can't live without. she smiles and seez "did u see that motorcycle over there" I said "course not, i ain't looking for nuttin, besides, if it's nice and cheep, you know i will wind up with it!" She seez "Well, you better make your way over there an' check it out".

 

i get up and she points it out. well i didn't know much about ventures at the time, but it was a nice white 04 RSV. sign on it says 6500 OBO. I knock on the door and the owner comes out and we chit chat bout this that an the other. we go over the bike. very clean & all maint done. purrs like a kitten with good tires. didnt know what it meant then, but no chirp or whine. i ask just OBO number he has in mind. well, it was a good bit lower. i said i will take it, but I don't have cash, so i ask if we can deal on monday after i call the bank. he said to let him know what the bank says.

 

we part and i go tell Deb how it went. she has been watchin and while i did not see, there was a lady taking pictures on one phone and talking to hubby on another phone. deb said i may want to put down some holding cash or that lady is gonna swoop the bike out from under us.

 

I go back over, knock on the door and the owner comes back out. I let him know i am solid at the bank and feel there will be no problem, but i want to seal the deal with a few hundred bucks to hold it. he looks around, sticks out his hand. i shake it and he says, that's good enough for me, its yours. not many folks work off hand shakes anymore. i still do and you just get that feelin sometimes.

 

It's not even 7:30 AM & we are in his back yard at this point. we come around by the bike, i walk on across the street to meet Deb and the owner flips up the kick stand and starts to walk it back to his shop. the lady comes up to him and says " YOU SOLD IT ALREADY?????"

the owner says "yes M'aam" she was sooo busy working details on the phone with hubby she did not take my presence seriously. anyway, the following tuesday, I had title and keys in hand and a grin a cheep carwash couldn't scrub off my face.

 

my last bike was a used first year Kawa 1100 Ninja back in 1988 that i sold in 1990. what a difference in how motorcycles handle. i have had to learn how to ride all over again.

 

yes, it was a steal of a deal.

[Kregerdoodle]

I s`pose we have had the green beast about 2 years now, I had a 2005 Shadow Areo at the time, bought it new right off the show room floor, I really did like that bike, but Janet ( Wife ) was only good on the back of it for around 2 miles before she started doing the Butt shift.. so one day while at work, working very hard too, I might add, I was surfing Ebay and found a this bike that had these great looking seats on it, I`m thinking,man now these seats are what we need for the Areo, so I email her the link so that she can look at the seats on this bike. Well, when I got home, she asked me if I had bid on the bike??? well no, I said, I just sent the link so that you could see the seats. Well she says, that if you want them you better bid on it cause it ends in about an hour. Well, I knew nada about the Venture, but I liked the seats, so I tell her that if she wants to bid on it, to wait till there are only a few min. left and throw a number at it, as no body has bid on it. well she could wait and sent a bid, she asked me what the max I would pay for it was and I told her not to go over $8500.00 so with a few min. left she bids 8400.00, the guy emails her,and says if you really want it, the reserve is 8500.00 and its yours. So it is ours now, the bike is a `01 and had 2700 miles on it when I got it. It has the wicked whine, and am thinking the old guy that owned it thought it was all messed up. Any way, that is how we ended up here with the Green Beast, and I might add that we are very happy with the bike, whine and all, and Janet loves the seats..

[Scooter Bob]

2003, the yamy dealer in town had been sitting on a new 01 venture for 2 years already.

 

I was going to get a little more trailer towing power out of my 99 electraglide with the air cleaner upgrade. They told me I would have to spend another $175 to remap the FI to run with the $120 air cleaner. WHAT kind of racket are you guys running?

 

I had never ridden a Venture, but it looked like a great machine. I rode straight to the Yamy dealer and told them I wanted to trade for the Venture RIGHT NOW. He said sorry, finally sold it 2 weeks earlier. Bummer.

 

Fast forward 2 years...

 

Electraglide was making me nervous at 50,000 miles. Wondered when the belt would break and leave me sittin'. Started looking at every bike out there. Actually test rode a venture on Thursday night.

 

Went to the Harley dealer on Friday and told the salesman (same guy that was working at the yamy shop 2 years earlier, he knew how close I was to switching brands then) I needed a new ride. I test rode a slightly used 04 electraglide just to see what improvements were made. Didn't seem any better than the 99, and they wanted $18,500 for it and no warranty left. I asked what my 99 was worth in trade for it and they told me only $7k.

 

I stewed all weekend, and Monday I called every Yamy dealer around looking for a midnight. Found one that said he would give me $8k for the 99 without even seeing it. Told him I would be down that night to pick it up, and I did.

 

And here we are, 4-1/2 years and 65,000 happy miles later, and no worries about another trip out east in a month to get a replacement saddlebag from the deer hit last year.

 

Later, Scooter Bob

[Dano]

Well, it was a balmy fall day in 2006, working out in the garage when my brother over in Columbus OH called me up. We chit-chatted for a few then he tells me " Hey, this guy down the street (a 2nd hand crotch rocket dealer) has a bike called a Venture thats for sale for 600 bucks, think you might like it", said it started right up, has stereo and everything. So I jump online to read up on this soon to be known to me beast. Anyway, fast forward to that weekend and my son and I load up the trailer and head on over. Good chance to see the family anyway, I think. Before I know it, we're loading the bike up on the trailer and heading back home.

 

Turns out the dealer had picked up 4 bikes from a Harley dealer who took them in on trade, he had only give 200 for the Venture, but in looking back I didn't feel bad at all about letting him make 400 bucks. First bike I've owned in over 30 years, first was a 77 Kawi H2 750, so I wanted something that could approximate that feeling but still be able to carry the wife comfortably and be easy to work on.

 

Over the years, it has definately proven its abilities, like the time I was in Cincinnati on business, was heading out of downtown and it wouldn't shift out of third into 4th. Great I said, I've got 125 miles to go home in 3rd gear! Little did I realize that 65 mph was a low shift point for 3rd! Then on the way around 275 the stator went out! Hot day, fan running etc. I knew at that point I'd be calling for back-up! Well, I got off of I 74 at State road 52 down by the OH border, took it back up home stopping once for gas. I knew this bike was a keeper when I finally pulled up in the driveway, checked the voltage in the battery and only had 8.5 volts left! Never had a car treat me that well!

 

Anyways, after a complete rebuild that winter, it will always find a home in my garage, even if we update!

 

Dan

[SilvrT]

Been riding the '87 for about 3 years. Had done a complete repaint, plastic repairs and all ... added some bling, polished the engine cases, etc etc... she looked good, ran good but was getting up there in miles and with not too many years to go before retirement, I wanted a new or newer bike and have it all paid for before then. Summer 2 years ago started looking at Ultra Glides ... went on Harley demo days a few times over the years and again that summer...twice. Loved the '09 Ultra and prices were still decent so started getting serious around Sept, 2008. Unfortunately, we couldn't swing the payments unless we did the deal over 7 years which was just wayyyy too long... I wanted something paid off in 3 so, started looking at RSV's for max of about $14 grand.

 

Found one listed here on the site. It was an '06 Midnight, in Calgary, with only 1300 kilometers ... crap, that's brand new! Called the guy, got some details, had a buddy in Calgary check it out... it was mint. Made a low-ball offer and we settled on $12,900 I wanted it bad. Talked to the bank and got the financing plus a bit extra coz we'd have to travel to Calgary and trailer it back.

 

Made the trip first part of Nov, 2008 and brought her home. Unloaded about 100 miles short of home and rode the rest of the way (Nina drove the truck) ... yeeehaaaaawww!!

 

She's now sitting with about 23,000 kilometers and a lot more "bling" and we're lovvin it!

 

The '87? .... 'nuther guy here on the site is now riding her and from what he tells me, it's still purrin.

[dunvilsteev]

My wife had always poopoo'ed the idea of getting a bike, then a co-workers husband died at only 47, she got a picture of Rick riding a Harley on his tombstone 'cause that is what he always wanted. I had always said if we won any money I'm buying a bike, you can spend the rest. Then her coworker tells her if there is something your husband really wants you should let him get it, she feels bad Rick didnt get his bike. This coincides with the mortgage being paid off. I get told if I want to get a bike, AND I take all the safety courses, go get one. Ran to the local store for the Bike Trader before she changed her mind! Checked out the insurance, and since I never bothered with insurance or license when I was young, I now had to go through the Graduating License System. Figured I better get something smaller to start so I had a 04 VStar Classic for 3 years. After a year and a half wife finally climbed on the back. Then she agreed we needed something bigger. When I went for my M2 Exit test one of the fellow testers husband had an 05 Venture in liquid silver, I was in love with the bike!! Got the Bike Trader and started searching. I was all set to go to Windsor (5 hour drive) but the guy was funny about riding it, and he wanted $16,500. Then I found one online at Barrie Harley, we wife and I drove up on the Monday, they dropped $1000 down to $14500 eventually!! Had passing lamps, rear light bar, new floorboards, chrome etc etc.

Sold the VStar on the Wednesday. Planning to go up on the Saturday to pick up the Venture but Friday was July 13th so Dunnville was full of "iron" passing on through to Port Dover .... drove me nuts. So I called up and asked if it would be ready and they said ok. Next called Greyhound and figured if it could be done, and so off I went on 5 hours of connecting buses to pick up the new baby. All the way up I'm passing bikes going south to Dover .... then the last bus I get on is a city bus and people are ringing the dinger to get off .... OMG... last minute into Barrie bus depot, flying off the bus for a cab shouting "Harley Dealership Fast!!" a la Amazing Race!! Got there in the nick of time, had a very brief this-is-your-bike-tour and few circles in the court in front of the HD dealership, and then onto Hwy 400, through Toronto all the way home.

Everything was great until I got home and then backing it up in order to park under my back awning I proceeded to lay it down!! Had a heart attack! Thank God for highway pegs, floorboards and saddlebag rails!!! No damage (except for 5 years off my heart)

And thats how she came to be ....

[sgn]

Amazing how each one of us has a story of how we came be "together" on this forum.

 

One common thread - the enjoyment of riding.

 

I hope more will tell their story!

 

Steve & Tent Peg

[Guest seuadr]

My venture story isn't as interesting as some.. I guess i should start by saying that i do civil war re-enacting. I had some friends who also re-enact and one day i was in their garage and saw this (as i remember now, i was wrong, it was blonde) white motorcycle with all the fairings and such. I commented on how it was a cool bike, and the guy said ya, i just got that a couple years ago (this was in 1999) so in 2006 i decide i want another bike. knowing nothing about them, i do so research. I find out that i want a japaneese bike, because they are cheap, and typically easy to work on. this 1982 GS1100G basically falls into my lap for 400 dollars. i put about another 400 dollars into it and ride it for a few years.

 

I met my wife, she decided to ride with me, but the gs was too small to be comfy, since she is like 5'10 or so. So i start to research into touring bikes. I decide i want a concours. bad. it's like, a sport.. goldwing.. right?

So i start looking for a concours, can't find any for a price that is in my range. I propose to my wife, and she mentions to my civil war re-enacting friend that i'm looking for a bike.. she says, i have a bike i'll sell you cheap. it's been sitting since 1999. same bike i admired 8 years previously! I went, looked at it, with nothing but new gas and a new battery the bike turned over and started after sitting for nearly 9 years!! at this point, i'd been a member here and tracking prices and values, and i knew that i would be really lucky to pick it up for under 2 grand. i offered 1800, and my friend said no. My heart sank while he did a little calculating in the air. Expecting the price to be beyond my means (we had agreed that 1800 was tops we could afford!) he looks at me and says, i couldn't possibly take more than 1200 for it. :sun: This last winter i spent going over everything in it, replacing and rebuilding what i could on my budget, repairing the plastic (garage tipover, i expect) hairline fractured alot of the plastic, but was not visible.. and here we are!

[skydoc_17]

I had just finished the rebuild on my third Honda V65 Magna, a 160 horse powered, frame twisting "Monster" that needless to say, Jean was not to fond of riding on. At the time, I was riding with a small rag tag group of guys with different bikes. Our friend Bob had called and invited us over to unveil his new Honda Goldwing Trike, we knew Bob but had never ridden with him but had heard rumors of his dreadful "accident". We arrived at Bob's early Saturday afternoon, and there is the new bike, in all it's glory! (to the tune of $38,000.00) It was a beauty, but not my style. So we are enjoying the BBQ, tippin' one back and slappin' old Bob on the back and tellin' him what a nice bike he has when Jean tugs on my shirt sleeve and says, "what's that in the garage"? I peer into the garage and do a double take and sure enough, under a bike cover is the rear end of a First Gen. peaking out. Jean and I had a 1986 VR out in California and put over 110,000 miles on that bike before moving to Pennsylvania, where I got into muscle bikes and Jean stopped riding. Well I hooked old Bob under the arm and drug him into the garage to hear the story on this beast. Bob hung his head, and said he had totaled his Venture earlier that summer and he was so embarrassed, he couldn't even trade it in on his new Honda. Now old Bob was 72 at the time and I could understand him being a little "shaky" holding up an 800 pound motorcycle so the Goldwing Trike made perfect sense to me. I pulled the cover off and walked around the Venture expecting to see the front end folded up under the frame or the one side of the fairing broken like an egg from skidding down the blacktop.

I saw none of this, in fact, I could find nothing wrong with the bike until I looked over at old Bob and he had the left side mirror in his hand as it was hanging down from the side of the fairing. Bob's eye's welled up as he told me the story of him riding into his garage and the bike had "gotten away from him" and he snapped the mirror off of the left side and the edge of the fairing had skinned down the sheet rock in the garage. He sniffed and said he never rode the bike again and went to the Honda dealer and got the trike. As gently as I could I ask him if he wanted me to get rid of the "remains" of the Venture and he said that for $800.00 I could haul it away, after all it was causing him such great pain every time he looked at it and he needed the room for his new bike. I spoke with Jean, hit the ATM and was back later that afternoon with my truck and trailer. Loaded up the "totaled" 87'VR and a $25.00 used mirror from Ebay later, was back on a VR again. And wouldn't you know it, Jean started riding with me again. I have since sold the V65 Magna to a collector in Philadelphia Pennsylvania, and that bike most likely will never be ridden again. (that's a good thing, too fast!) But I still have the 87'VR and hope to be riding for many years to come.

Thanks for listening to my story,

Earl

[Aussie Annie]

All these stories would make a great book :thumbsup2:

[massey130]

what great stories.

it is so interesting how things come together.

like a holly wood movie where boy barely meets girl simply cause he stops for a soft drink instead of moving on with the buds.

 

a peek in the barn, a friend who says "are u still looking for motorcycle?"

 

AND a seller who says 1800 is too much, i'll take 1200.

 

good deals and square deals. even when one of us pays a bit more, it's not really about money, but the time on the bike with our own mind or riding with those we love.

[Venturous Randy]

Right before my 14th birthday, my dad surprise me by taking me by the motorcycle shop and I ended up with a 125 Ducati. Fun bike I rode until I got into cars and then as I was getting out of the USAF, got a great deal on a Yamaha 250 DT1. I rode it for awhile then no bike for for about 20 years. Went to the Bahamas and rented a scooter for two days and had a blast. When I came back I was telling my dad about it and he sid he had a friend that desperately needed to get rid of a bike. It was a Yamaha 850 Tripple Special with fairings and hard bags. Bought the bike for $550 and ended up putting about 7,000 miles on it. The problem was the seat was real high. One day while at a gas station, three guys pulled in, all on Ventures. I asked if I could sit on one and fell in love. I started looking and there were three locally for sale. One was at best a parts bike, one needed a lot of work and I ended up buying my 83, with 23K miles for $2,100. The previous owner had it a little over a year and had put 109 miles on it. It had a lot of extra stuff, but the carbs were in such poor shape that I barely got it home.I sold the 850 for $1,100.

I now have over 130K miles on the bike and still love it. I have done a lot to it over the years and at the moment getting ready to take off for a day of riding. I just hope with what I an going thru on this divorce, I will be able to keep it and a place to keep it at.

RandyA