Looking for 1st Gen owner

[lwinders]

I've put a few hundred miles on my '83 VR but I'm really haven't built my trust in the bike yet. It sat for several years before I got it and I don't know anything about its history. I spent almost a year working on it in my spare time just to get it running. It's very easy to start. It idles fairly smooth and runs really smooth. But something just doesn't seem exactly right when riding it. I really can't put my finger on what isn't right, but it just feels a little off. What I'm looking for is someone with a 1st Gen., preferably and '83 model that lives near Henry County Tennesse. I would like someone to ride my motorcycle and tell if it is running like a 1st Gen is suposed to. I really enjoy riding it but until I can build trust in it, I'm afraid to wander too far from home. Do we have any 1st gen members that live near here?

[Black Owl]

Have you done a search of the members in TN? That should give you some idea if there is anyone living close to you.

[lwinders]

I've started searching but haven't finished yet.

[sgn]

Some of the North Georgia or Southern Kentucky guys are closer - your about 6 hours from me in upper east TN

 

 

I've put a few hundred miles on my '83 VR but I'm really haven't built my trust in the bike yet. It sat for several years before I got it and I don't know anything about its history. I spent almost a year working on it in my spare time just to get it running. It's very easy to start. It idles fairly smooth and runs really smooth. But something just doesn't seem exactly right when riding it. I really can't put my finger on what isn't right, but it just feels a little off. What I'm looking for is someone with a 1st Gen., preferably and '83 model that lives near Henry County Tennesse. I would like someone to ride my motorcycle and tell if it is running like a 1st Gen is suposed to. I really enjoy riding it but until I can build trust in it, I'm afraid to wander too far from home. Do we have any 1st gen members that live near here?

[lwinders]

You're a long way off Steve. Maybe some of our members will be coming here on vacation. We have some really good fishing here.

[Snaggletooth]

Wish I was in your area to help ya out. Went through that with my '84 when I got it. It had been stored, and cared for during that time, but had not been ridden for nine years. It wasn't running when I brought it home and a lot of parts in boxes.

 

I had it running the next summer and spent a year rebuilding and replacing parts until it ran right and felt safe. But like you, I had no confidence in the bike for long road trips for over a year after that.

 

With the help of the folks here I got to know what was what and started trusting the bike. Today I'd take off and head out anywhere and never give it a second thought.

 

If somebody can get together with you and give ya the old "this ain't" and "this is" calls on the condition of the bike I know it would help ya out.

 

But until then, what are the things you are concerned about? Maybe we can help ya out a bit that way.

 

Mike

[lwinders]

Mike,

 

Like is said in my post, it's really hard to pinpoint exactly what I'm not comfortable with. I know that doesn't make sense. I know I have small issues with my brakes that I'm still working on. And sometimes when I'm at about 70 mph or more, it doesn't feel real stable. This doesn't happen all the time though. Also, even though the engine seems to run very smooth, it always feels like its holding back. I really don't think I have any serious problems because it runs too well. Maybe I just need to ride it more and just build conficence in it. But it really would make me feel better if I knew how it compared to other 1st gens.

[Snaggletooth]

I hear ya. Stability can be any one or a combination of tires, neck bearings, swing arm pivots and or road surface, or even the frame issues on an '83. Hard to pin point them through a description.

 

I hope you can hook up with a local and find out rather or not you have a problem to deal with or even better, not find a problem.

 

Hope you are able to get the bike to a condition that you are comfortable with soon.

 

 

Mike

[Monty]

Lee,

 

I had an '83, before I bought my 2nd gen. We could get together sometime, and I could ride it for you, and see if it runs like it's supposed to. Just give me a call. My next day off is Tuesday. 642-5091

 

Patrick

[Black Owl]

If all else fails, you could consider a short (1000 mile) run up to the Pork in the Pines Pig Roast over the Labor Day long week end. There will be a lot of folks in attendance who have extensive experience with the 1st Gens.

[Venturous Randy]

If your 1st gen is running right, you will not feel it is holding back, you will be holding on.

What brand of tires do you have and what pressure are you running? My bike, and a lot of other 1st gens tended to have a tail wag at 70mph and up with an Avon Venom rear tire.

If you stick around here, we can help you with most anything. I also wish I was closer to you and I would be glad to help you out and have you ride my 83.

RandyA

[Condor]

Mike,

 

Like is said in my post, it's really hard to pinpoint exactly what I'm not comfortable with. I know that doesn't make sense. I know I have small issues with my brakes that I'm still working on. And sometimes when I'm at about 70 mph or more, it doesn't feel real stable. This doesn't happen all the time though. Also, even though the engine seems to run very smooth, it always feels like its holding back. I really don't think I have any serious problems because it runs too well. Maybe I just need to ride it more and just build conficence in it. But it really would make me feel better if I knew how it compared to other 1st gens.

Have you added an after market forkbrace??

[friesman]

Have you added an after market forkbrace??

 

 

I am betting theres a coincidence here,,......

 

 

Brian

[spitfire9]

When I bought my 85 in April it had old dunlop elite I tires on it, and it was all over the place, even on the freeway going straight. New tires made it much more stable and me more confident. Like was said, if running properly it should just scream with power. When new that thing was rated at 10.6 sec, 106 mph in the quarter mile, numbers that many a muscle car would be proud to post. It should not feel like a dog in any way.

 

One thing I had to get used to as compared to my Vulcan v-twin was where the engine is most happy in the rpm range. If you are cruising 50-65, it will be happiest in 4th gear and will feel sluggish in 5th. 5th starts getting way happy at 75, at least on my VR. 40mph curvy up and down roads demand 3rd gear on mine. Seems to wake up good around 3500-4000rpms. Maybe you are lugging it and trying to run it like a v-twin? Just my guess if it's running right and smoothly. Good luck!

[OrlinEngh]

What kind of brake issues are you having , I have been working on my other 84 Venture and going down the road it just didnt feel like it should, put diffrent tires on it checked all of the bearings forks ,frame and what I found was that my left front caliper was hanging up I took it apart cleaned it up and now it feels like it should going down the road. It would only give me a feeling that something wasnt just right once and awhile I found it by haveing the front end up so I could turn the tire by hand and I noticed that it would spin free and when I would use the foot brake and let off it would spin free do it again and then it wold be just a little harder to spin the wheel and then it would free up again.

My wife even noticed the diffrence when we were going around the corners to the right that it was smoother

Orlin

[van avery]

At 70 MPH it might be the tires need to be balanced. You might try a oz. of dynabeads in each tire. It helped the vibration I was getting in my 87. Good luck.

[Monty]

Lee,

 

I forgot, I am not off Tuesday. I have an interview to go to. I am off Wednesday though.

 

 

Patrick

[bull463]

Hi I just sold my 83 VR this spring. I had the same thing holding back, I had to rebuild the rear break master cyl. and clean the bleed off holes. This may be your problem. I really liked my 83 but I was looking for a bit bigger body style.

Bull463

[lwinders]

I haven't had a chance to be online all weekend and am just now finding time to check my computer. I have had many many responses to my post. Thank you so muck. I am reading through them now. As soon as I read them I will respond to them. It's great to know there are so many willing to assist me.

[lwinders]

I just finished reading the responses to my post. Now I will try to answer some of the questions. First of all I'm just put a new set of Shinko tires on. They now have about 300 miles on them. I'm running 40 psi in both front and rear. I have not added an aftermarket fork brace. Several have mentioned that brakes could be causing problems. My brakes do seem to me dragging a bit at times. The rear brake rotor seems to be a little hot but not so hot that I can smell it burning. Also the right front rotor is hotter than the left but not as hot as the rear. Someone said I may be lugging the engine a little. This may be true. I do tend to run in a little higher gear when crusing down the road. Usually in 5th gear at 55 - 60 mph. I'm so used to riding my 1100 that I'm having trouble making myself run in lower gears to keep my rpms up. And to Monty, I will be contacting you so we can set a time a time to get together.

[DragonRider]

The venture is a heavy bike, you need to run the max air pressure as listed on the sidewall of the tire, on my Venom it was 50 on the rear and I ran 45 in the front, that made my bike handle much better. These engines are built to run at high rpm, I never get out of 4th gear until at least 60. 5th gear is more an overdrive. Up your pressures in your tires and take it for a spin then let us know how it feels.

 

I just finished reading the responses to my post. Now I will try to answer some of the questions. First of all I'm just put a new set of Shinko tires on. They now have about 300 miles on them. I'm running 40 psi in both front and rear. I have not added an aftermarket fork brace. Several have mentioned that brakes could be causing problems. My brakes do seem to me dragging a bit at times. The rear brake rotor seems to be a little hot but not so hot that I can smell it burning. Also the right front rotor is hotter than the left but not as hot as the rear. Someone said I may be lugging the engine a little. This may be true. I do tend to run in a little higher gear when crusing down the road. Usually in 5th gear at 55 - 60 mph. I'm so used to riding my 1100 that I'm having trouble making myself run in lower gears to keep my rpms up. And to Monty, I will be contacting you so we can set a time a time to get together.

[Venturous Randy]

My 83 runs fine at 40 to 50 mph in 5th and is not lugging. In fact, unless I am going up an incline, my bike will accellerate fine from 25 mph in 5th.

I have put 132,000 miles on my bike and if I had a buck for everytime it has seen 8,000 rpm's, I could probably buy a 2nd gen, so it has been ridden at a lot of different rpm's.

As far as tire pressure, I run Elite 3's and 40 psi on the back would be low. Also, how good is your pressure gauge?

RandyA

[lwinders]

I'll try increasing my tire pressure and see what happens. Venturous asked how good my tire pressure gage is. That's a good questions. I'll try a couple of different gages and see it they read the same.