My Beautiful 86VR Arrived in Germany.

[Guest Popeye]

Out side of nastalgic reasons, why would anyone buy a 22 year old bike? Not trying to be sarcastic. I just don't get it. In a couple more years , you won't even be able to get parts for them anymore. Technology has long passed them by. What is the appeal?

 

Europe has Venture groups and the older ones are more affordable & many just prefer the 1st Gens....For the first year I had mine, I understood very well why they are so popular.

 

The fellow that bought my 86VR could have bought any bike he wanted...& he did.

 

These are some sample pics, the VIN & Fed Label & much else has been verified, as sent,......except the carbs. Buyer is a retired yamaha tech & has Yamaha engineer friends, so he'll fix it like new. All parts are still available for 1st Gens.

 

[91nwl]

Europe has Venture groups and the older ones are more affordable & many just prefer the 1st Gens....For the first year I had mine, I understood very well why they are so popular.

 

The fellow that bought my 86VR could have bought any bike he wanted...& he did.

 

These are some sample pics, the VIN & Fed Label & much else has been verified, as sent,......except the carbs. Buyer is a retired yamaha tech & has Yamaha engineer friends, so he'll fix it like new. All parts are still available for 1st Gens.

 

Yeah. Yamaha still stocks all the engine and (hard) parts. The plastic is the only thing you have to worry about. There's E-bay.

[Condor]

The fellow that bought my 86VR could have bought any bike he wanted...& he did.

These are some sample pics, the VIN & Fed Label & much else has been verified, as sent,......except the carbs. Buyer is a retired yamaha tech & has Yamaha engineer friends, so he'll fix it like new. All parts are still available for 1st Gens.

 

The onus is on the guy that bought the bike. If he'd have looked into shipping a little bit more to find out how the bike would have been prepped and stored, and bought insurance, there wouldn't be a problem. If it's the same bike, and was shipped cheapest way, then he has no one to blame but himself. The sad part about it is it could have been prepped and shrink wrapped for way less than what it's going to cost him to repair the damage.

[MasterGuns]

Popeye, I think this guy is trying to pull a fast one. I shipped a 86 VR across the Pacific three times. Bought it at Camp Zama, Japan in 86. Shipped it to the US in 88, shipped it back to Okinawa, Japan in 1989, where I rode it for three years in one of the most humid climates in the world. Shipped it back to the U.S. in 1992 and sold it in 1995. When I sold the bike, it didn't have a lick of corrosion on it. Furthermore, I have worked in the steam ship business ever since I retired from the Marine Corps in 1996. That's 12 years of container shipping. In my opinion, if your bike was crated and loaded in a freight container, as mine was every time it moved across the Pacific, none of the corrosion and other damage could have occurred. Freight containers are fairly water and weather proof, except if dropped overboard, and that happens more freguently than you can imagine. I think the container had to have been submerged in sea water. Do you know what vessel it loaded to? Let me know and I'll check to see if there were any incidents involving other cargo damage and involving that particular vessel/container ship.

[FreezyRider]

Out side of nastalgic reasons, why would anyone buy a 22 year old bike? Not trying to be sarcastic. I just don't get it. In a couple more years , you won't even be able to get parts for them anymore. Technology has long passed them by. What is the appeal?

 

 

Just curious, Debelt......

 

Do you kick hornet's nests just for the fun of it??

 

:rotf::rotf::stirthepot::whistling:

[Guest Popeye]

The ship owners are blaming the truckers for delivering it, "Covered in Salt Dust" & say tarp blew off between Topeka, KS & Tampa, FL. I watched the weather close & it was all dry that week. Buyer isn't trying to "Pull Anything" since he asks for nothing.

 

The REALLY big problem is the junk carbs that it arrived with in place of the new ones I just had redone. It seems too stupid that anyone would go through the HUGE job of swapping carbs with all hookups & welds.

He was told the bike came in a container with 2 'clean' cars.

 

Too strange; The buyer is retired from the Dutch Navy & spent much time on ships.

 

The saddest part [he has an 89VR that runs great, but plain looking] is he looked for a VR like mine for years & said it was his "Dream Bike".

 

He put big bucks into that bike + had me buy many extra parts, & he ended up with junk.

[dray]

if you ever ship again over seas spray it down good with cosmoline to prevent this type of thing happening again also if it was in good shape when you sent it you did your part nothing to feel guilty about

and he should have taken pics of bike before it was completely removed from crate and as each part was removed to see what kind of shape it was in id bet hes just trying to get you to cough up some cash for his restoration or rebuild he wants to do he could have swapped the parts himself from a older bike and sprayed it with mud its hard to say

 

once it leaves me its no longer my problem as long as I'm honest in the first place

 

for get it and have a good summer

 

Dray

[hipshot]

Out side of nastalgic reasons, why would anyone buy a 22 year old bike? Not trying to be sarcastic. I just don't get it. In a couple more years , you won't even be able to get parts for them anymore. Technology has long passed them by. What is the appeal?

\

 

being from california, says a lot , about your mindset.

when i bought my 1st gen, i wasn't even in the market for a bike.

this one came along, CHEAP, so i bought it.

 

now, if i were wealthy, i would probably have a garage full of different bikes, but since i'm NOT, i'll just enjoy what i have.

after all, at least mine don't look like a harley "knock-off"!

just jt

[GigaWhiskey]

Hmmmmm, now I wonder. A little birdie may have opened my eyes so I have a few questions for you Popeye.

 

Did you actually sell your bike?

If so, was it to someone in the US or in Europe?

If the buyer was in Europe, is the buyer you are talking about the same as the one you are talking about in this post?

 

Finally, is that really your bike in the attached photos? If so, were those pics taken before you cleaned her up or did they really come from the buyer (either one and not referring to you)?

 

Lastly, did you find the attached pictures somewhere and decided to blow us a bit of sunshine? I seem to remember a VR that lost all of their plastic running about 120mph recently!

[Dano]

Out side of nastalgic reasons, why would anyone buy a 22 year old bike? Not trying to be sarcastic. I just don't get it. In a couple more years , you won't even be able to get parts for them anymore. Technology has long passed them by. What is the appeal?

 

Dear Sir, I came about my 84 standard a year and a half ago. I never knew anything about these bikes before I bought it. In that time frame, I have discovered that it's technology is NOT dead, it is what all V4's of Yamaha lineage are derived from. I can go from taking a leasurely cruise with my Navigator on board, to loading my tools on her to make some money, to taking on just about any cruiser/touring and even (I dare to say) take on about half of the crotch rockets out there. These bikes are extremely durable (125 miles from home with a blown stator, overheating and 90d outside, and made it home still running), the only bike I know that will easily go 200k+ without any major rebuilding. Very easy to work on, easy on gas, will put you in the twisties with any cruiser out there. As far as parts, I'm going thru all of my maintenance items from the ground up, and everything I need is still available from the factory! When it is all said and done, I will have a grand total of 2500 dollars in her, will not be ashamed of her anywhere, and dare I say, her styling will come back in some shape or form. So, I can only deduce from your question that you are not aware of the attributes of this bike or her lineage. Oh, for reference, has any other factory designed touring bike ran a 12.05 @ 105 mph in the timed quarter mile?

 

Thanks for your time,

 

A gratefull MK1 owner,

 

Dan

[Guest Popeye]

Venture Royales are unique. I sold mine on eBay for $4400. Buy Now price, to a man in Germany. Buyer had $500. of parts sent to me that I forwarded. Then he paid an extra $2500. to have it shipped to Bravenhaven.

He could easily have afforded a 2008 Goldwing, but said this 86VR was his dreambike.

 

Too bad the transport went so bad, but he is well into restoring it to new condition & taking it into the Alps for many years to come.

 

However, I'd never ship a bike overseas again.

[debelt]

Just curious, Debelt......

 

Do you kick hornet's nests just for the fun of it??

 

:rotf::rotf::stirthepot::whistling:

 

I knew it would get a "rise" out of a lot of these guys. Just wanted to see their responses. And Hipshot, I don't see what being from California has to do with anything. Hey whatever floats your boat is alright with me. I've had a lot of great bikes over the years. But none that I'd particularly like to go back to.

[Condor]

I knew it would get a "rise" out of a lot of these guys. Just wanted to see their responses. And Hipshot, I don't see what being from California has to do with anything. Hey whatever floats your boat is alright with me. I've had a lot of great bikes over the years. But none that I'd particularly like to go back to.

 

You'll always get a rise out of 1stGen owners with a 'fishing' post like that. No matter how you wanna explain it away. We're a fervent lot, and very content with our bikes. I just don't see as much 2ndGen bashing from 1st's as I do the other way around. I'm not sure what the reason is, but I'm sure there'll be lots of suggestions after this post. I guess you have to ride one to understand...

[Thom]

:goodpost::goodpost::goodpost::goodpost::goodpost::goodpost::goodpost:

[Dano]

You'll always get a rise out of 1stGen owners with a 'fishing' post like that. No matter how you wanna explain it away. We're a fervent lot, and very content with our bikes. I just don't see as much 2ndGen bashing from 1st's as I do the other way around. I'm not sure what the reason is, but I'm sure there'll be lots of suggestions after this post. I guess you have to ride one to understand...

 

They are jealous!!!!! We know what our problems are, and know how to fix them (and we have Muffinman, our hero!!!); they are just coming into theirs. And they thought they wouldn't have to wrench on 'em!!!:whistling:

[dynodon]

Popeye, if it shipped by truck a long ways and there was no "owner" to verify what got put on the ship, did the new owner check the VIN carefully? Is it possible someone swapped bikes before it got on the boat? That is kind of reaching to have the trucker know someone that has a similar bike to swap, but like you say, it would be wierd to have them swap the carbs and hook everything back up.

 

could a dunk in the ocean have warped the carbs somehow?

[FreezyRider]

You'll always get a rise out of 1stGen owners with a 'fishing' post like that. No matter how you wanna explain it away. We're a fervent lot, and very content with our bikes. I just don't see as much 2ndGen bashing from 1st's as I do the other way around. I'm not sure what the reason is, but I'm sure there'll be lots of suggestions after this post. I guess you have to ride one to understand...

 

 

Strange, I have always felt that it's the other way around. Maybe that's because I had a 2nd Gen, and it seemed that every time I had a problem or asked a question, the very first response was "Buy a 1st Gen and you won't have that problem." Got to the point that I hated to post anymore.

I guess it's all a matter of perspective......

:stirthepot:

[dynodon]

I would like to believe it is a friendly rivalry that causes the little jabs back and forth on both sides. I have noticed it pretty much even both ways!

 

They are both great bikes, and I know people that love them both, had have them both. I have never ridden a 2nd Gen, so I don't have a frame of reference, but I know that for my first true touring bike, the 86 VR is a dream. I may want something newer eventually though, so I keep looking. Keep hoping Yamaha makes a 3rd Gen more like the 1st Gen, but I am not holding my breath!

[mraf]

Likewise on the jab department. I've watched the two appropriate places to post questions {First gen tech & Second gen tech} and their is always a little over 100 more posts in the First gen tech section. The pouncing on a new to the site member is detrimental to say the least if you don't know that it is all in fun. Which if you think about it is not really that bad considering that the First gen is so much older. The questions are quite repetitious on both bikes.

[debelt]

Dear Sir, I came about my 84 standard a year and a half ago. I never knew anything about these bikes before I bought it. In that time frame, I have discovered that it's technology is NOT dead, it is what all V4's of Yamaha lineage are derived from. I can go from taking a leasurely cruise with my Navigator on board, to loading my tools on her to make some money, to taking on just about any cruiser/touring and even (I dare to say) take on about half of the crotch rockets out there. These bikes are extremely durable (125 miles from home with a blown stator, overheating and 90d outside, and made it home still running), the only bike I know that will easily go 200k+ without any major rebuilding. Very easy to work on, easy on gas, will put you in the twisties with any cruiser out there. As far as parts, I'm going thru all of my maintenance items from the ground up, and everything I need is still available from the factory! When it is all said and done, I will have a grand total of 2500 dollars in her, will not be ashamed of her anywhere, and dare I say, her styling will come back in some shape or form. So, I can only deduce from your question that you are not aware of the attributes of this bike or her lineage. Oh, for reference, has any other factory designed touring bike ran a 12.05 @ 105 mph in the timed quarter mile?

 

Thanks for your time,

 

A gratefull MK1 owner,

 

Dan

 

Thanks for the intelligent, rational response. I now have a new perspective.

[hipshot]

I knew it would get a "rise" out of a lot of these guys. Just wanted to see their responses. And Hipshot, I don't see what being from California has to do with anything. Hey whatever floats your boat is alright with me. I've had a lot of great bikes over the years. But none that I'd particularly like to go back to.

 

don!

being from california, has NOTHING to do with anything, but I wanted YOU to read and reply!

sometimes , "bait", has to be "formulated", to the task!

no offense meant.i hope none was taken ,for very long.

lol

 

just jt

[Guest Popeye]

Since when is loving to own/use a classic vehicle anything but excellent.

 

I recently sold my '66 Mustang that was fully restored.....& I'd love to have a '56 Vette.....A 71 Norton 750....etc., etc.

[KeithR]

I have a 1977 Honda 750K that I bought new. I plan to rebuild it one day and I had to store it outside for 5yrs before I build my garage. I had it covered in a crate that mostly consisted of a plastic tarp and just the bare ground on the bottom. I sprayed everything with a product called LPS 3 and it looks just the same as when It was stored. Good stuff and I believe its commonly used by the airline industry. Thought I'd Mention it in case someone is looking for something to use when storing.

 

Keith

 

http://www.lpslabs.com/product_pg/corrosion_pg/LPS3.html

[sarges46]

I'm not sure if I am reading you right Popeye...but I am getting the feeling you are feeling like would feel about the whole.....absolutely sick. I know I would feel so bad I would try and help if I could. But then again, in good faith you delivered a very nice bike into supposedly capable hands and they wrecked it. Still, it would be troublesome.

 

Back in 81, I shipped a car from Germany to Vancouver Canada. It took 3 months but the car was spotless when I got it....a little dusty but otherwise good.

 

What a shame...that bike was beautiful.