Getting rid of the CLASS

[dna9656]

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I have the 83 royale (so it says on the title) but the model is XVZ12DKC2 making it an 84 in the parts catalog.

I think I will have to ditch the CLASS and go to the manual style due to controller issues.

What's involved in converting the front forks?

I will eventually overhaul the forks as is so strongly recommended in the forum; just not right now. I will (now) if it's required to make the conversion however.

Thanks in advance!

I need a parts list and any advice would be a good thing!

[paysaw]

Before you convert,Have you tried the fix for the controller? It involves just taking it apart and re soldering specific connections.It brought mt controller back to life. Are you getting the E4 error.Look on the help forums to see how it is done.

[dna9656]

I had a guy that's trained in fixing circuit boards for the military look at and repair the solder joints. He also fixed a crack in a circuit board. I get the codes 1 and 4 for one unit and code 4 from the 2nd unit I have. So I don't know what's left to do besides replace th esensor?

[Neil86]

From what I recall you have the 83.5 and a 85.....does the CLASS work on one of them?

 

If so...try the repaired boards in a known working system....should tell you.

 

Sometimes its the connector in the bike harness...inspect it...and try gently wiggling to see if you get the same codes.

[greg_in_london]

I must admot I'm a bit confused about what you mean by 'converting the forks'. Beyond making a new adaptor to inflate the forks manually, what would you want to adapt ?

 

If you have to do without the air assistance, then it can be worth adding a little pre-load to the spring (ie another or a longer spacer) or deciding on a stiffer spring. I used a heavier weight 'Sonic' spring (because I have a sidecar fitted and wanted more support) though others like 'Progressive' springs. They came with a spacer that I had to cut to length to meet my needs, so now the air assistance is for fine tuning and I don't have to rely on it.

[dna9656]

I was wondering if I can get a few parts and make the royale forks inflate manually VS. using the on board compressor. If I knew anyone in my local area with a royale I would ask them to test the controller but alas I do not know anyone in my county that does.

[paysaw]

Before you give up I had the same problems.I looked in the help files and went specifically to the recommended re solder points.There is a pic of which ones to re solder.I had done the same thing as your tech did first.After reviewing the notes and correct soldering I fixed my problem.Other wise you are in installing Zerk fittings.

[OrlinEngh]

If you knew of someone with a Standard Venture parts bike you can get the lines you need, I have done that with a couple that I had, got tired of messing with the contoler,

You can take your lines out of the front forks and make a your own a line to eack fork with a tee fitting in it so you can inflate both forks the same.

Try ebay maybe find the parts that you need, I will dig threw my parts and see what I can come up with may have the line that you need for the rear.

If I have it just pay the shiping and its yours

Orlin

[OrlinEngh]

If you knew of someone with a Standard Venture parts bike you can get the lines you need, I have done that with a couple that I had, got tired of messing with the contoler,

You can take your lines out of the front forks and make a your own a line to eack fork with a tee fitting in it so you can inflate both forks the same.

Try ebay maybe find the parts that you need, I will dig threw my parts and see what I can come up with may have the line that you need for the rear.

If I have it just pay the shiping and its yours

Orlin

You can also take the seat off and find your line from the front forks that go to the compresser and the line that goes to the rear shock and cut them I was able to get a compression fitting with a air valve to put the air in that was a easy and alot less work I just run the lines out next to the side cover and had one for the front and one for the rear.

Orlin

[Trader]

I believe you are talking about putting progressive shocks in the front.

Many folks run without any air with progressive shocks....but not all.

 

If you want to eliminate the class controller I would go the route suggested and replace the lines with those from a standard.

 

Why not just keep an eye on ebay for another controller?

[dna9656]

EPIPHANY

 

I just had one!

My '83 (though it's an 84) XVZ12DKC2 is a Royale.

When I had the rear wheel off I didn't really pay attention to the air shock back there.

Now that I have an original equipment one on my bench I notice the one on the bike is different.

I haven't taken the wheel off yet to be sure.

It has an exposed RED coil spring on it.

So this tells me it's NOT original equipment?

I noticed on the 2nd gen that the spring is exposed (shocks offered for sale on EBay)

So can you guys tell me what it is?

Is this shock connected to the CLASS?

Edited April 22, 2014 by dna9656

[Prairiehammer]

EPIPHANY

 

I just had one!

My '83 (though it's an 84) XVZ12DKC2 is a Royale.

When I had the rear wheel off I didn't really pay attention to the air shock back there.

Now that I have an original equipment one on my bench I notice the one on the bike is different.

I haven't taken the wheel off yet to be sure.

It has an exposed RED coil spring on it.

So this tells me it's NOT original equipment?

I noticed on the 2nd gen that the spring is exposed (shocks offered for sale on EBay)

So can you guys tell me what it is?

Is this shock connected to the CLASS?

 

From your description, your rear shock has at the very least an aftermarket (possibly Progressive®) rear spring. It may have a Progressive® shock as well.

 

Here is a pic of an OEM Venture shock with an unknown aftermarket spring:

 

 

Is this shock connected to the CLASS?

Only you can tell us that. Does it have an air hose connected to it?

 

I do know, if you have a Progressive® rear shock, that it will not be an air assisted shock. Mechanical spring pre-load is all Progressive® offers for the Venture. Follows is a pic of a Progressive® rear shock for a MKII:

 

Just to clarify: the 1983 Standard Venture shock has an internal spring (you can't see the spring when you lift the rubber boot), however, the 1983 and on Royale has an exposed external spring.

Here is a pic of a 1983/1984 Standard shock with the rubber boot removed for illustration:

 

And here is a 1984 Royale OEM shock:

 

 

BTW: As far as I know (I am no Second Gen expert), all the OEM shocks for the Second Gen have an internal spring; you can't see the spring, even if you lift the rubber 'accordion' boot (similar to the early Standard shocks). Here is a pic of a Second Gen shock:

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTE5NFgxNjAw/z/x8oAAOxy0bRTDQnn/$_57.JPG

Edited April 25, 2014 by Prairiehammer

[dna9656]

we'll be findin' all that out this week with pics! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and pics!

I have parts for the front forks on the way from EBay.

When I last checked there were no controllers on eBay...

[paysaw]

I purchased a 1986 Venture with a non working class unit at the time.I did not know much about it but when I looked it a super brace.When I rode it it handled like a sports bike.I suspect it has progressive springs.The CLASS unit is fix and I wonder how that will affect the ride now.Good luck with repairs and mods!!!

[dna9656]

The shock/spring assembly says YAMAHA on it and it has a hose connected to it that leads to the on-board compressor so I think it's a 2nd gen sock spring assembly. I have the parts to modify the forks for manual airing up and WILL have the parts or the rear soon. I THINK I'll be able to ride it sometime next week. I got the title transferred and the registration completed this AM so I can test ride it legally.

[Prairiehammer]

The shock/spring assembly says YAMAHA on it and it has a hose connected to it that leads to the on-board compressor so I think it's a 2nd gen sock spring assembly.

 

Doug, are you speaking of the shock that is on the bike now? A Second Gen shock assembly does not have an exposed spring as you previously described as visible on the shock that is on the bike. Did you mean to say that you think it's a First Gen stock assembly? The red spring is not stock in either case, while the shock is likely to be stock. A Second Gen shock assembly will not mount on a First Gen bike.

[dna9656]

Ok... I got a rear spring/shock from eBay; looks like the one shown in

Yamaha's 84, 87, & 92 year parts catalogs (I think that covers the 1st and 2nd gen bikes) so I don't really know what the different years look like.

I didn't really pay attention to what was installed on my bike

when I had the rear wheel off. The illustration of the shock is the same for all THESE (84,87, & 92) years; a bellows covered polished cylinder, no visible spring, an aluminum top. I did not read any descriptions of the shocks in the catalogs.

Yamaha didn't spend the money to update the illustrations in the parts catalogs as the years went by.

I learned that you can't go by what the sellers in EBay say they have, at least with starters and shocks.

I have a shock on the XVZ12DKC2 (M/N found only in the 84 parts catalog) that has a RED exposed spring. I got one from eBay that has a bellows on covering a huge polished chrome cylinder. It's apparently non-functional (I got a refund for it) the gears in the dampener control have broken teeth. There is oil in the pneumatic fill hose and I can't get any air though this hose in to shock. I have seen shocks with exposed BLACK springs ONLY on EBay, I have seen springs (only a coil spring) offered for XVZs as well.

 

I apologize for any confusion I caused.

[Prairiehammer]

Ok... I got a rear spring/shock from eBay; looks like the one shown in

Yamaha's 84, 87, & 92 year parts catalogs (I think that covers the 1st and 2nd gen bikes) so I don't really know what the different years look like.

I didn't really pay attention to what was installed on my bike

when I had the rear wheel off. The illustration of the shock is the same for all THESE (84,87, & 92) years; a bellows covered polished cylinder, no visible spring, an aluminum top. I did not read any descriptions of the shocks in the catalogs.

Yamaha didn't spend the money to update the illustrations in the parts catalogs as the years went by.

I learned that you can't go by what the sellers in EBay say they have, at least with starters and shocks.

I have a shock on the XVZ12DKC2 (M/N found only in the 84 parts catalog) that has a RED exposed spring. I got one from eBay that has a bellows on covering a huge polished chrome cylinder. It's apparently non-functional (I got a refund for it) the gears in the dampener control have broken teeth. There is oil in the pneumatic fill hose and I can't get any air though this hose in to shock. I have seen shocks with exposed BLACK springs ONLY on EBay, I have seen springs (only a coil spring) offered for XVZs as well.

 

I apologize for any confusion I caused.

 

(I think that covers the 1st and 2nd gen bikes)

 

That is why I am confused. The First Generation Ventures are 1983-1993, while the Second Gen Ventures are 1999-2013. So when you said Second Gen, you meant First Gen, MKII? The MKII is 1986-1993. The 1983-1985 are MKI.

 

Review my earlier post with pics. ALL First Gen (1983-1993), Standards (no CLASS) will look like the shock you described with the rubber bellows and like my pic of the 1983-1984 Standard. On those bikes, the spring is internal (inside that big shiny cylinder). ALL First Gen (1983-1993), Royale shocks have an external spring.

 

The Second Gen (1999-2013) Ventures all have internal springs. Further, Second Gen shocks have a fork type lower mount (see the last pic in my previous post), as opposed to the rubber bushed lower mount on the First Gen (1983-1993).

Edited April 25, 2014 by Prairiehammer

[Neil86]

I think doing the conversion back at the trunk rack is the simplest method.

 

Leave the rear shock as is unless you discover it will not hold air.

[JohnT]

Where did everyone find the parts to eliminate the CLASS change to fill valves? That is the route I want to take. I have tried 2 auto parts stores with no luck.

I have other plans for the dash area the (now non working) CLASS controller sits. And the area under the seat occupied by the compressor may just make a nifty spot for my amp and head unit.

[Prairiehammer]

Where did everyone find the parts to eliminate the CLASS change to fill valves?

 

EBay. Check the posts above where I linked to a few different eBay offerings to accomplish the conversion from CLASS to manual.

Really, it's just as simple as installing a Schrader valve in place of the compressor. Short hose for the front, same hose as from the compressor for the rear; just install a Schrader valve. No need to swap forks or shock.

[Neil86]

Kevin...

 

didn't Progressive at one time just sell a heavier spring for the Yamaha monoshock in addition to a complete monoshock....maybe thats what Doug has on the ebay find.

Edited April 25, 2014 by Neil86