Numbers of 1st gens built per year ?

[Miles]

Does anyone have, or is it here on the forum someplace, the number of 1st gens built for each year...'83 thru '93 ????

 

I would like to know just how many '86 Ventures were made, etc.

 

Also...can someone enlighten me as to the second gear issue that some of the 1st gens had...and was it specific to a particular year or two ???

 

[Snaggletooth]

No idea on the total production counts but the 2nd gear issue was resolved about the middle of the '85 line. Somebody had a post on here long ago with the Serial # when the change was made to the new thrust washer that resolved the issue.

[Yammer Dan]

No idea on the total production counts but the 2nd gear issue was resolved about the middle of the '85 line. Somebody had a post on here long ago with the Serial # when the change was made to the new thrust washer that resolved the issue.

 

I wrote that # down....

[dingy]

Last 1985 that has 2nd gear problem had last 4 digits of 1413.

 

Service bulletin attached

 

One way we could start finding out production numbers of the Ventures is to post our serial #'s. That would then allow us to get a minimum production run by taking the highest # and subtracting 100 from it.

 

Serial #'s aren't a huge risk to publish in my opinion. You can walk up to almost any vehicle and read the serial number from it.

 

Gary

Edited March 3, 2013 by dingy

[iowawarrior]

i'm looking at an '83 that has no issues {i posted in the welcome area}. is the 2nd gear absolutely going to go out or is it more due to how it's been ridden?

[pmelah]

both i have an 84 with 48k on the clock and no issues as of yet but i will get the parts needed to fix this also i am not sure if this issue was fixed on my bike in the past i asked the PO and he was not sure as he also got it used so i am like the 4th or 5th owner but she does run good she needs a tune up and carb sync i havent checked the rubbers on the slides so im guessing it will need that to but thats another story for another thread time

[pmelah]

i'm looking at an '83 that has no issues {i posted in the welcome area}. is the 2nd gear absolutely going to go out or is it more due to how it's been ridden?

 

since you are looking at it ask the Owner if he/she has had work done to the 2nd gear at a shop or stealership if they are awear of it if not that may help bring the price down a bit for the purchase if your still intrested in it as for fixing it many great minds :rotf: on this site can help you out with knowledge and worth every penny of the 12 bucks for yearly member/family ship dues..... seriously great bunch of people on here and thats an understatement

[dingy]

i'm looking at an '83 that has no issues {i posted in the welcome area}. is the 2nd gear absolutely going to go out or is it more due to how it's been ridden?

 

It is not absolutely going to fail. Depends probably a lot on how hard bike was pushed in 1st-2nd shifts. Main culprit was a pair of retainer clips on the rear transmission shaft being to soft and wearing. This allowed rear shaft to offset farther than design allowed thus causing tranny to jump out of 2nd. There are other parts that get damaged when this failure is not fixed at its onset. Usual mileage number I have heard is 50,000 and higher.

There is a lot of awareness about this issue, since it isn't an easy fix. It's one of the main talking points when someone is contemplating buying an early Venture. There is probably no way of finding the percentage of failures for this issue though.

 

Even the VMax'x have a very similar issue, but not as often.

 

Gary

Edited March 3, 2013 by dingy

[Snaggletooth]

The early XS1100's had the same issue also.

[mbrood]

Early xs750's has a "soft washer" problem in the tranny as well... a long time comin' with no solution until late 84???

[Miles]

Last 1985 that has 2nd gear problem had last 4 digits of 1413.

 

Service bulletin attached

 

Gary

 

Thank you Gary. The attachment of that service bulletin helped.

 

You have answered my question.

 

Thank you,

 

[Yamamike]

I think there was also a post mentioning that the tranny case was marked if the fix was done by a Yammy dealer??

[dingy]

Attached are some pictures of the cause of failure in the 1st gen MKI transmissions.

 

1st one has a good clip pair setting on right.

 

Gary

[Marcarl]

Seeing as there is constant pressure on that split washer, I would think it's got more to do with revolutions than with how hard it was ridden. I suppose that riding it hard would speed up the process, but it will wear regardless, and I would say that somewhere before you hit the 80,000 km, 50,000mile mark, it's going to show up. It's a soft washer and that' that!

Best to replace before it rears it's ugly head, that way there shouldn't be any additional problems in the tranny. Interesting thing is, when you take off the middle gear cover you can see it sitting right there,,, looking at you and saying,, come and get me,, but the tranny has to come apart to get at it, so the engine has to come out, the faring has to come off and the exhaust has to come apart,,, and while you in there.................

[dingy]

Seeing as there is constant pressure on that split washer, I would think it's got more to do with revolutions than with how hard it was ridden. I suppose that riding it hard would speed up the process, but it will wear regardless, and I would say that somewhere before you hit the 80,000 km, 50,000mile mark, it's going to show up. It's a soft washer and that' that!

Best to replace before it rears it's ugly head, that way there shouldn't be any additional problems in the tranny. Interesting thing is, when you take off the middle gear cover you can see it sitting right there,,, looking at you and saying,, come and get me,, but the tranny has to come apart to get at it, so the engine has to come out, the faring has to come off and the exhaust has to come apart,,, and while you in there.................

 

Not disagreeing with you Carl.

 

The washer, however is the cause of a couple of other failures that make the transmission jump out of gear. The rounding of the dogs on the fifth gear (#13 in fiche) which engage with the second gear (#14 in fiche) is what actually causes the jumping out of gear. This wear would probably be prolonged quite a bit with a rider such as your self.

 

Picture attached of the dogs on the 5th gear wheel from a tranny that was failing. Not very obvious, but the left side of the dog is rounded quite a bit more than the opposite trailing edge.

 

Gary

[eusa1]

I was told at some point, that if the repair was done under warranty , that there would be two punch marks applied to the side case somewhere??

[Prairiehammer]

Does anyone have, or is it here on the forum someplace, the number of 1st gens built for each year...'83 thru '93 ????

 

I would like to know just how many '86 Ventures were made, etc.

 

I have been collecting VIN of First Gens that I have encountered through web searches, eBay auctions, member input, etc. I've compiled the VINs on an Excel spreadsheet. It is attached. Obviously, this information is not enough to extrapolate the total units made per model year, but it certainly will give some insight into the relative yearly construction numbers.

[dingy]

I was told at some point, that if the repair was done under warranty , that there would be two punch marks applied to the side case somewhere??

 

I remember this also, but I can't locate a service bulletin that verifies it.

 

Attached picture shows a shot of the junk block that is setting in my RSV Hybrid project. It is a 1200. Red arrow points to where I recall the blocks being center punched at. This block was marked as repaired. This is left side above middle drive cover.

 

Gary

[iowawarrior]

the 1st guy had it like 28 years and died, the 2nd owner had it 6 months and got cancer. the guy who has it now doesn't know of any thing being fixed. so i don't think it has been. i'll look on the case for marks. can anyone confirm that. i'd love to buy this bike if i can get him to come down a bit, and i might even be happy if it's a 50,000 mile thing. that'd give me a few years anyway. i know this site is incredible ,the members, but i'm not going to take the motor out of this thing. no way. that's why i thought if it's been ridden like an old woman, then maybe i'd be good for a while.

[Flyinfool]

I have been collecting VIN of First Gens that I have encountered through web searches, eBay auctions, member input, etc. I've compiled the VINs on an Excel spreadsheet. It is attached. Obviously, this information is not enough to extrapolate the total units made per model year, but it certainly will give some insight into the relative yearly construction numbers.

 

Drat, My old puter can not open a file that new.

[Marcarl]

Not disagreeing with you Carl.

 

The washer, however is the cause of a couple of other failures that make the transmission jump out of gear. The rounding of the dogs on the fifth gear (#13 in fiche) which engage with the second gear (#14 in fiche) is what actually causes the jumping out of gear. This wear would probably be prolonged quite a bit with a rider such as your self.

 

Picture attached of the dogs on the 5th gear wheel from a tranny that was failing. Not very obvious, but the left side of the dog is rounded quite a bit more than the opposite trailing edge.

 

Gary

So now what causes the wear on the gear dogs,,, the fact that they're not seated a deeply as they should be with a solid washer? or hard riding. I'd submit that all would be good if it weren't for that blasted washer which is the only thing that Yammi seemed to have changed in Mid 85. So again, little do I know, but it seems that the washer wears and so allows the dogs to slip out of their holes and so become worn. The first time this happens is under extreme pressure from a hard take off, but soon as the wear becomes evident, the dogs find their way out of the holes much easier and eventually they don't want to be in there at all.

[Marcarl]

Drat, My old puter can not open a file that new.

Try downloading 'Open Office', it's free and easy to use.

[Marcarl]

the 1st guy had it like 28 years and died, the 2nd owner had it 6 months and got cancer. the guy who has it now doesn't know of any thing being fixed. so i don't think it has been. i'll look on the case for marks. can anyone confirm that. i'd love to buy this bike if i can get him to come down a bit, and i might even be happy if it's a 50,000 mile thing. that'd give me a few years anyway. i know this site is incredible ,the members, but i'm not going to take the motor out of this thing. no way. that's why i thought if it's been ridden like an old woman, then maybe i'd be good for a while.

If you really want to know and the present owner agrees, all it takes is to remove the middle gear cover and take a look,,, it'll be right there staring at ya. See red arrows. Only have to remove small side cover and six allen head cap screws.

[dingy]

Drat, My old puter can not open a file that new.

 

Attached is a PDF I made of data Prairiehammer posted

 

See if you can read it.

 

Gary

[Venturous Randy]

Another wear item I did not see mentioned is the fork related to 2nd gear. Once the dogs start jumping out, the fork takes a beating. To do the 2nd gear fix, you will need to either replace the fork or straighten it.

RandyA