New owner questions

[Trevor Heath]

Hi all,

 

We have just purchased a 1988 Venture. We are without a workshop manual at the moment.

 

A couple of the light bulbs on the rear of the trunk are burned out. Can someone tell me please how to access them?

 

Further am I correct that a Haynes type manual was never published?

 

Thanks,

 

Trevor & Janet

Casa Grande, AZ

[Freebird]

You can download the manual for free in the First Gen Tech Library. As for the lights, I honestly don't remember. It was a long time ago that I owned my '88. I'm sure somebody will jump in here and help though.

[GolfVenture]

Do you mean in the trunk or on the outside of the trunk. There are only reflectors on the outside of the trunk.

[Trevor Heath]

Thanks for the prompt replies. Which of these documents is best suited for a 1988?

 

1st Generation Ventures

83-85 Service Manual

First Gen Manual

 

2nd Generation Manuals

RSV Owners Manual

RSV Service Manual

RSV Parts List

 

Yes I do mean the red and amber lights on the outside rear of the trunk. Mine clearly are "live" but with two of the four bulbs in the red area burnt out. The amber sections on the corner being turn signals, these are currently fine. I removed the three screws inside the trunk but this did not release the lights on the outside.

 

Thanks

 

TH

[GolfVenture]

First Gen Manual

83 thru 93 are 1st gen

83 thru 85 are 1st gen MKI

86 thru 93 are 1st gen MKII

 

As for the lights, I have an 89 and 91 both 1st Gen and neithor have lights just reflectors. And mine are Venture Royales. Your lights probably are after maket or previous customers enhancements.

[GolfVenture]

When you say trunk, please clearfy. Rear Trunk Center Trunk or Left Side Trunk or Right Side Trunk.

[mbrood]

The main trunk had an optional (after market) trunk light kit that replaced the simple reflector unit. The lenses are held in with hot glue originally. You need to use a hair blow drier... slowly heat the lens by moving the drier back and forth (I put my hand just below the lens to gauge how hot it's getting... it's usually easier to heat up and pry out a turn signal lens first so you can get to an end of the red). Remember that the housing is ALSO plastic, so if it gets too hot, it WILL start to melt. High Temp hot glue is used and should be reapplied when mounting them.

 

Please don't replace these bulbs with the stock incandescent, they will burn out again and it's a repeat. superbrightleds sell some dandy (and cheap) red, side illuminating LEDs in the wedge package and although they are polarized (check that they work before putting the covers back) they will last for a LONG time... use red for the rear and yellow LEDs for the turn...

 

The saddlebag lights just plug in from the bottom.

 

You don't want Haynes, the Yamaha 1st gen, mk2 service manual is available and is great for what you need.

[Trevor Heath]

superbrightleds sell some dandy (and cheap) red, side illuminating LEDs in the wedge package

 

the Yamaha 1st gen, mk2 service manual is available and is great for what you need.

 

 

 

Thanks for the very informative reply. Do you have the superbright part number?. That way I can leave all well alone until the replacement bulbs arrive.

 

Is the 1st Gen Mk 2 service manual one of those available for download here?

 

Kind regards,

 

TH

[Rick Haywood]

Trevor,

You will find that you will want to join this forum. If for nothing else but the info. You will make friends for life with some on here and you will find when you have an issue with the bike someone will off to come over to your place and help. It will be the best $12.00 you ever spent.

 

Also wanted to say you must have bought a great "88" if the onlu issue you have a question about is lights. Enjoy the bike it will run forever.

 

Rick

[Monty]

I think you can find those same LEDs at Auto Zone, Advance Auto, etc...

[GolfVenture]

Thanks for the very informative reply. Do you have the superbright part number?. That way I can leave all well alone until the replacement bulbs arrive.

 

Is the 1st Gen Mk 2 service manual one of those available for download here?

 

Kind regards,

 

TH

 

 

You were on the right track. Go back where you found this

 

1st Generation Ventures

83-85 Service Manual

First Gen Manual

 

And click on First Gen Manual. It will then list the other years from 86 to 93.

[painterman67]

trevor are you positive that 2 of the bulbs are burnt out ( not functioning)? Reasomn I asked is I thought the same thing about mine and soon found out the 2 in the center on mine are brake light bulbs.

 

HOpe this helps.

 

DAvid

[Snaggletooth]

Thanks for the very informative reply. Do you have the superbright part number?. That way I can leave all well alone until the replacement bulbs arrive.

 

TH

 

Superbrightleds has a large variety of replacement bulbs to replace the standard wedge types.

 

http://www.superbrightleds.com/cgi-bin/store/index.cgi?action=DispPage&Page2Disp=%2Fmini-wedge.html

 

I used the WLED X5's for the light bar on my MKI. Made a nice differnece. Note the two lights on the top left corner of the pic. Same type of LED should fit fine in your MKII.

 

Remember to order lights in the same color as the lens over then.

 

Mike

[Snaggletooth]

There are also sellers on eBay with service manuals on CD similar to this.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/YAMAHA-VENTURE-ROYALE-XVZ1200-XVZ1300-REPAIR-MANUAL-CD-PARTS-LOOK-UP-/390362315838?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&vxp=mtr&hash=item5ae3683c3e

 

Item# 390362315838

[Trevor Heath]

Hi all,

 

Yes indeed all I have questions on right now is lighting (and the manual

 

We purchased the bike locally last weekend off Craigslist for 2500 USD just three weeks after moving from Seattle to Casa Grande, AZ. We looked at about 6 1200 Goldwings and one Voyager. None of which came close in terms of condition and service history.

 

The bike is a 1988, first registered in 11/89. It is two tone silver, garage kept it's entire life with 70,400 miles on it.

 

While the price was a little high based on KBB. The seller was however, able to show me dealer receipts for servicing for the past 4 years including 1200 USD in the past 12 months for a monster service plus a new water pump, battery, clutch and starter motor.

 

The only thing the dealer receipts indicated the bike needs is a set of fork springs which I'm sure progressive can supply.

 

I've ordered a HiD headlight kit and will also order a flashing brake light kit.

 

Without starting a huge debate (please) I would like to know if owners are using Mobil 1 oil (bike predictably has Yamalube in it at the moment) and what brand of tires are known for giving a long service life in the high temp basically straight road environment of the South West (Bike has Dunlop K491 at this time).

 

I'm a life long motorcyclist. Most recent bike (which we still have) is a KLR650 which we rode to Panama and back two years ago. Past bikes include two BMW RT's a Royal Enfield. BSA's and 30 years ago a 1100 Gold Wing that I stuffed into a Deer near Rock Springs, Wyoming at 60 mph and walked away (The Deer exploded).

 

Images of past bikes here http://www.trevorheath.com/livesteaming/motorcycles.htm

 

Slide show of the Panama trip here http://www.trevorheath.com/

 

After the Deer incident I did not own a street bike for several years. We went road racing instead including one race meeting on the high banks of Daytona in October 1982. I was a better manager and tuner than rider though and we had much success 1983 -1986

 

Again thanks to all for your input.

 

Kind Regards

 

Trevor

[Condor]

If you haven't already found it.... and they are still doing it.... that resturant in front of the Motel 6 in Casa Grande has the greatest fish and chips on Friday nights....

[dynodon]

Trevor. Only real rule for oil is make sure it is for a motorcycle with a wet clutch. Don't put anything in it that says energy efficient, fuel mileage improvement etc. (there is an official term, I forget it at the moment). The reason being that auto oils intended to help get the manufacturers an extra .5 mpg have an additive that can cause a motorcycle clutch to slip. the clutch in most (but not all, for sure in our Yamahas) motorcycles is bathed in the same oil the engine runs in. That is another reason not to run the oil for extremely long times. The additional wear of the clutch will contaminate the oil sooner.

 

Most major brands of motorcycle oil will work just fine in your bike. Yamalube is a fine oil, but I personally run Amsoil motorcycle oil. But there are many others that work well, and many examples of people having different experiences.

 

I have the same accessory trunk light as mentioned here. I used a small screw under the lip of the frame to screw into the lens to make sure it didn't come out. I didn't glue the lens back in, I used a dab of silicone tub caulk, which is kind of like a glue, but just a few dabs to hold the lens in till I could get the screws in.

 

I also went through the bulbs available and found basic bulbs (not LED) that are brighter than the stock ones. I am not a fan of LED because their light is so directed. I find LED's don't light up the entire lens like a regular bulb, and also they aren't easy to see off-center, like in the corner turn signals. Maybe some of the new ones solve this but I haven't seen any that really are visible from any angle like a regular bulb.

[Yammer Dan]

I use Dino oil. Castrol 20/50 for the last 45 yrs. Never had a oil related problem that I know of. Blew a few engines in my younger days when they wouldn't do 15,000 RPMs.

Tires are another thing. When you find a rear tire you can get 5,000 miles out of please let me know....

 

AND WELCOME!! You will find all kinds of answers to any question you can ask here. Sometimes even right ones!!

Edited November 6, 2011 by Yammer Dan

[Snaggletooth]

I also went through the bulbs available and found basic bulbs (not LED) that are brighter than the stock ones. I am not a fan of LED because their light is so directed. I find LED's don't light up the entire lens like a regular bulb, and also they aren't easy to see off-center, like in the corner turn signals. Maybe some of the new ones solve this but I haven't seen any that really are visible from any angle like a regular bulb.

 

Hi Don,

 

LED's have improved a lot. The ones that are shown in the pic of my lightbar on the upper left are I think, 220 degrees beam and are facing sideways in the housings, not to the rear and the silver reflector was removed from the housing. They make some higher power ones that are a 360 beam.

 

The only drawback I have with the LED lights is they don't generate any heat so the snow don't melt off like a standard bulb. Don't ask, I live in Nebraska.

 

And Trevor, on the tires, I'll throw in for the Avon Venoms. I'm sure road surface temps are higher in your area but I've done a lot of long days in 100 degree temps and the Avons have done very well for me. This last set now has 23,400 miles on both front and rear and haven't hit the wear bars yet.

 

The Avons Venoms have one of the highest load ratings out there and that was what sold me on them. Big bike, big rider, heavy duty tire.

 

Mike

[Trevor Heath]

 

 

Trevor, on the tires, I'll throw in for the Avon Venoms. I'm sure road surface temps are higher in your area but I've done a lot of long days in 100 degree temps and the Avons have done very well for me. This last set now has 23,400 miles on both front and rear and haven't hit the wear bars yet.

 

The Avons Venoms have one of the highest load ratings out there and that was what sold me on them. Big bike, big rider, heavy duty tire.

 

Mike

 

 

 

Mike,

 

Looked up the Venom. There appears to be two levels of specification for the 140/90-16

 

I assume you are discussing the "WWW" for the higher load rating. Is that correct?

 

Thanks

 

TH

[Trevor Heath]

If you haven't already found it.... and they are still doing it.... that resturant in front of the Motel 6 in Casa Grande has the greatest fish and chips on Friday nights....

 

Now this is interesting because we LOVE Fish & Chips and then we thought "we haven't seen a Motel 6 in CG so I looked it up.

 

Do you mean the one in Eloy about 8 miles to the SE?

 

Motel 6 Casa Grande #1263

4965 S Sunland Gin Road

I-10 at Sunland Gin Road Exit #200

Eloy, AZ, 85131

 

Thanks

 

TH

[Snaggletooth]

Mike,

 

Looked up the Venom. There appears to be two levels of specification for the 140/90-16

 

I assume you are discussing the "WWW" for the higher load rating. Is that correct?

 

Thanks

 

TH

 

If ya like Wide White Walls ....... Well, yeah.

 

H-rated for speeds up to 130 mph

V-rated for speeds up to 149 mph

 

The Avon AM42 Venom Rear Tire is tire you would be looking for.

[GolfVenture]

Really enjoyed your trip pictures. Made me feel like I was along for the ride. I recognized the Air Force Academy Chapel in Colorado Springs. I spent a many Sundays there. Just a trivia. The 17 steeples represent the 12 Disciples and the 5 Air Force Chiefs of Staff.

[Trevor Heath]

If ya like Wide White Walls ....... Well, yeah.

 

H-rated for speeds up to 130 mph

V-rated for speeds up to 149 mph

 

The Avon AM42 Venom Rear Tire is tire you would be looking for.

 

Ha.....you can tell how many WWW I've purchased in my life.

 

AM41/42 combination it is then

 

Thanks

 

TH

[Shorty]

Trevor,

You have un-knowingly purchased the fastest color Venture....... Silver!!!!!!

Is your's a Standard or a Royale?

My 88 is a Standard, and the color is Salt Lake Silver/Anthony Gray. I've only seen four of this color combination and I've owned two of them. Does your's look the same?

Here are two of the bikes, the front one is actually a 93 with 88 plastic on it; me and my bike are in the back.

My bike has 127,000 miles on it and doesn't use any oil. Me and the other two owners have only used YamaLube 10w/40. Dunlop 491 Elete II is the ONLY tire I'll buy..... I've had Avon's and hate them.

Tom