Getting another Venture, a few questions.

[Silverado6x6]

First off I already own an 83 that has been in storage for 17 years after a house fire, I am fully restoring that one and its coming along at its own pace but i chanced upon a beautiful 1989 Royale which I believe is the Second Generation?

Have not seen it up close or heard it but the owner is giving up trying to make repairs, he says the engine smokes too much and the clutch is out.

My guess is the MC has a problem, well I just bought one for the 83. As far as smoking does this engine which I think is just a 1200 does it have a history of valve seal problems?

I am bartering with him for the bike, I am not expecting it to be perfect and I can fix just about anything on bikes, this actually could be my 7th bike in the herd.

[Trader]

an 89 is still a First Gen....but Mark II (83-85 are Mark I)

A lot of parts are inter-changable but there are quite a few differences

[M61A1MECH]

An 89 is not a Second Gen, that is to say it is not a Royal Star Venture. I don't know much about the GEN Is, but maybe what you mean is that it is a MKII, because I think the original GEN is are called MKIs. Somebody will correct me I am sure.

Anyway, Use this link to see a history of the Venture on this site.

http://www.venturerider.org/modules/history/index.php

[Flyinfool]

Clutch coud be anything from shot to just needing to be bled, or just need a new spring. Bleeding and bad spring are very common and simple to fix issues.

 

AS for smoking, that could be major engine issues to a bad seal.

[Caveman]

As far as smoking does this engine which I think is just a 1200 does it have a history of valve seal problems?

I think it is a 1300.

[Silverado6x6]

The owner sounds like the type of guy who once a problem arises relies on other people to repair ir, manage it or dispose of it, he says he does not have the skills to go into it, me on the other hand have been turning wrenches for 50 some years, at 6 years old I was playing with daddies tools. I have nearly $100,000 of Snapon, a section of a shop where I work as a maintenance supervisor for a concrete batch plant here in Alaska, I pretty much built the place so they give me some slack. Because they could never find another person with my skills to come in and maintain the facility I built.

Plus I am a fabricator and machinist, I already own 6 other bikes, two restored, one new and others under restoration.

I plan on forming my own business soon, Steel Horse Restorations.

 

I just picked up a fire damaged 83 that had been in storage for 17 years, been working on that one for the last week or so.

[bongobobny]

OK as mentioned, the '89 is still a 1st Gen MK2. The primary differences are the NK2 has a 1300cc motor, improved 4 piston brakes, and the hydraulic antidives are replaced with electrical antidives. In general neither engine is really known for smoking as their longevity is excellent. The clutches are hydraulic master/slave for actuation and have the typical issues with any hydraulic system. The clutch assembly itself is easy enough to replace. You mention the owner was complaining about smoking which leads me to think he may have added friction modifiers to the oil such as STP, etc which is a no-no with a wet clutch.

 

The bike sounds like parts bike status to me...