89 Venture - Mileage life span

[KIC]

Hi all,

 

New to this forum and have a question. I have a couple of friends that have Ventures. I am currently looking at one to add to my stable but have a question: It's an 89 with 65,000 miles. I know that prior maintenance and the way the bike has been treated plays a role in the whole scenario, but my question is: Is 65K miles a lot for a Venture ? What is the miles life span for these bikes? What should my main concern be with a Venture with 65K on it ?

 

Thanks in advance for helping me out.

 

Bill:fingers-crossed-emo

[RandyR]

Its just broken in. Well, maybe a few miles beyond that.

 

The engines and drivetrain are good for 200,000 miles if treated well. Probably more.

 

welcome to the forum

[GolfVenture]

I started a Thread named " How Many Miles Does Your 1st Gen Have ???". That will answer some of your question.

[bongobobny]

Yup! Just broken in! Hmmm, 22 years divided into 65K is only about 3K per year. I've put that much on in a week. Son, that bike needs to be ridden!!!

[Squidley]

Bill,

 

Welcome to the group, 65K is nothing for a maintained Venture. As mentioned 200K is not uncommon with no major work. I sold an '89 2 years ago with 110K that we rode up to Freebirds Maintenance Day in Oberlin Ohio (outside Cleveland) from Houston Texas with no problems. That same bike would eat many muscle cars should I have wanted it to. If the price is right and it is in good shape, dont be worried about the 65K on the clock....

[Yammer Dan]

All the above!!:sign yeah that:

[Flyinfool]

While you now know that 65K is nothing to worry about you can still act worried to get the price down some.

[KIC]

Thanks guys...I am going up to look ( buy ???) it tomorrow or Wednesday (depending on weather) Supposedly all it needs is the cruise control to work and front fork seals which seems normal.

 

Bill

 

Hopefully this will be me ....

[Snaggletooth]

And this is how it all starts.............

 

"Ok, forks seals,

 

As long as I'm in there I might as well do the progressive springs.

 

Good.....need a heavier fork brace.

 

Oh look! Better replace the brake lines with SS ones.

 

Ah heck! The R1 calipers will bolt on to these forks. Cool.

 

Might as well clean up those lowers and polish them while it's torn down.

 

Dang! The streering head feels a lil odd. Better replace the stem bearings.

 

Ah heck! These tires are 10 years old! Better mount up new shoes!

 

Now bleed the brakes and I'm golden..........

 

Maybe I should delink?

 

Now for the back end!"

 

And the games begin!

[Yammer Dan]

:rotfl::rotfl:

 

 

As I said. All the above!!!

[KIC]

And this is how it all starts.............

 

"Ok, forks seals,

 

As long as I'm in there I might as well do the progressive springs.

 

Good.....need a heavier fork brace.

 

Oh look! Better replace the brake lines with SS ones.

 

Ah heck! The R1 calipers will bolt on to these forks. Cool.

 

Might as well clean up those lowers and polish them while it's torn down.

 

Dang! The streering head feels a lil odd. Better replace the stem bearings.

 

Ah heck! These tires are 10 years old! Better mount up new shoes!

 

Now bleed the brakes and I'm golden..........

 

Maybe I should delink?

 

Now for the back end!"

 

And the games begin!

 

 

GEE....thanks for bursting my lil bubble of excitement...

[saddlebum]

Thanks guys...I am going up to look ( buy ???) it tomorrow or Wednesday (depending on weather) Supposedly all it needs is the cruise control to work and front fork seals which seems normal.

 

Bill

 

Hopefully this will be me ....

Before you get too involved in tearing the cruise control apart try using your fingers to gently force the clutch handle further away from the hand grip. and see if this does not allow the cruise control to activate. Sometimes the clutch lever does not fully return to its resting position and when this happens the switch in the clutch lever does not get depressed, so the system thinks you are holding the clutch and disengages.

[Snaggletooth]

GEE....thanks for bursting my lil bubble of excitement...

 

Ah man, don't let it get ya down. To me it's part of the enjoyment of owning an older bike. I get a few months of down time here every year when the snow sets in and I kill a lot of time tearing the old girl down just to clean it and check it over.

 

Most that stuff is just if ya want to. Except the Progressives. Those are a MUST DO! You'll know why right away if you need them when you hit the brakes and the forks bottom out. Best change you can do for the suspension.

 

 

 

Before you get too involved in tearing the cruise control apart try using your fingers to gently force the clutch handle further away from the hand grip. and see if this does not allow the cruise control to activate. Sometimes the clutch lever does not fully return to its resting position and when this happens the switch in the clutch lever does not get depressed, so the system thinks you are holding the clutch and disengages.

 

Saddlebum is dead on with that issue. Sometime the simple stuff can send you chasing ghosts. Over the years the levers wear and the switches don't line up right anymore. Same thing on mine. I was ok up to about 40 MPH then the cruise would kick off. The connections with levers was the problem. Just the wind against the levers was enough to knock it out.

 

Mike

[Keemez]

Saddlebum is dead on with that issue. Sometime the simple stuff can send you chasing ghosts. Over the years the levers wear and the switches don't line up right anymore. Same thing on mine. I was ok up to about 40 MPH then the cruise would kick off. The connections with levers was the problem. Just the wind against the levers was enough to knock it out.

 

x2 on the cruise- I solved mine by building up a little ramp of JB Weld at the lever to plunger contact point so that it would make the switch close (or open, whichever it is) more easily in the resting position. Works like a charm.

[Yammer Dan]

Cruise on my 85 wouldn't work at all. Got to playing with it and it came alive. It had never been used enough to keep it going.

[Pegasus1300]

And this is how it all starts.............

 

"Ok, forks seals,

 

As long as I'm in there I might as well do the progressive springs.

 

Good.....need a heavier fork brace.

 

Oh look! Better replace the brake lines with SS ones.

 

Ah heck! The R1 calipers will bolt on to these forks. Cool.

 

Might as well clean up those lowers and polish them while it's torn down.

 

Dang! The streering head feels a lil odd. Better replace the stem bearings.

 

Ah heck! These tires are 10 years old! Better mount up new shoes!

 

Now bleed the brakes and I'm golden..........

 

Maybe I should delink?

 

Now for the back end!"

 

And the games begin!

The the most dangerous words in the English language "While I'm there":rotf::rotf:

[KIC]

Hi guys...I have another thread in the watering hole that I started after I originally started this one..and then lost it. Anyways...I wanted to thank all you guys for the information and support. I thought I was coming home with an empty trailer, but late today the guy called, said that the other (higher) offer fell through and accepted my lower, but firm, offer.

 

Here's a few cell phone pictures taken on the way home.

 

Thanks again.

 

Bill

[RandyR]

Bill, Looks like a good find. enjoy the ride.

[greg_in_london]

Bill, you've got a lot of bike for the money and it should have plenty of go to keep up with or stay well ahead of most modern cruiser stuff.

[KIC]

Just thought I would post a few of the picts of the bike. I posted these in another thread in the Watering Hole that I started after I "lost" this thread right after posting it. I thought this thread didn't upload. Anyways, I appreciate all the info and support on buying the bike. I am excited to start my new Venture in life..

[KIC]

Would the speedo needing the bearings greased ( it started whinning like a stuck pig) cause the cruise not to work from any type of friction in the speedo ?

[Pegasus1300]

Check out the tech section, I am sure there is an article there on servicing the speedo.It is not bearings but a bushing where the cable screws into the speedo

[Yammer Dan]

Never thought about it but my cruise was acting up and not wanting to set on my 85. I lubed speedometer and cruise does work better. I thought it was not setting from lack of use.

[Flyinfool]

The cruise picks up its speed reading from inside the speedo head. Your self canceling turn signals also get their signals for time moving and distance from the speedo head.