2 Questions about my 83 VR

[Guest reddogut]

I just bought this 83 VR as my first bike. Yeah I know, 'Wow, that is a big first bike'. But it was a pretty good deal and it runs great. Anyway...

 

1. What exactly is the difference between a first generation bike and a second generation bike?

 

2. How do I tell if the front fork seals are bad? I mean outside of obvious things like leaking, because they are not leaking. What is happneing is this: When riding the bike around town, just about every time I hit any kind of bump in the road the front end bangs really loud like something is loose in the front end, but nothing seems to be loose. So I am wondering if this is a symptom of bad front forks.

[ctraylor]

You might need to change the oil in the front forks for the banging or just put some air in them. They are air shocks. This can be done by turning the key to acc and using the control panel on the right side. If the control panel is not there you may have an air service port by the key if it is not a Royale. I changed the oil in my front forks and went with a 20 W fork oil which gave me a firmer ride and no more bottoming out. There is a full service manuel in here somewhere if you search for it for directions on changing the fork oil. Call me if you have any more questions. The difference between a first and second gen is the body style. Engine hasn't changed much other than appearance.

[Rocket]

I just bought this 83 VR as my first bike. Yeah I know, 'Wow, that is a big first bike'. But it was a pretty good deal and it runs great. Anyway...

 

1. What exactly is the difference between a first generation bike and a second generation bike?

 

2. How do I tell if the front fork seals are bad? I mean outside of obvious things like leaking, because they are not leaking. What is happneing is this: When riding the bike around town, just about every time I hit any kind of bump in the road the front end bangs really loud like something is loose in the front end, but nothing seems to be loose. So I am wondering if this is a symptom of bad front forks.

 

1) 1st gen looks more like a wing to some & 2nd gen more like a harley. Different riding positions, for foot placement.

 

2) Fork springs are probably shot (bottoming out), replace with progressive suspension fork springs, change fork oil while at it. Less likely, steering neck bearings loose (feels sloppy in steering).

[GigaWhiskey]

1. Go here - http://www.venturerider.org/modules.php?name=History

• 83-85 1stGen MKI
  
• 86-93 1stGen MKII
  
• 94 1stGen MKII Europe I think and a I think remaining 93's
  
• 95-98 No Venture
  
• 99-Present are the 2ndGen's

1stGen was designed to target the Gold Wing.

2ndGen was designed to target Harley Davidson.

 

*Note - Now that you are a 1st Genner, you are required to attack all 2nd Genners with jokes and humor. All in fun!

 

2. This has been answered in the previous posts.

 

Glad you made it to us!

 

Btw, it is a big bike in many ways!

[Gearhead]

Yup, definitely fork springs. They are too soft to begin with and get tired quickly. Fork seals leak when bad. No leaky, not bad!

 

FYI, in installed Progressive springs but thought the ride was a little harsh. I ended up with:

 

Preload - about 1/4" less than Progressive recommended.

Air - min that the CLASS will put in, 7 psi, but with me sitting on bike on wheels. This ends up being about 3 psi on center stand.

Fork Oil - Stock 10 weight, 50cc less than stock amount to account for volume of thicker springs.

 

On the road it's great. I live down a mile of pot-holed dirt road. Sometimes, when I hit a big hole the wrong way, I still get the bottoming clunk from the forks. I figure, what the heck, it's an 800 lb street bike, not exactly made for dirt, so that's to be expected. If I increse preload or oil weight to get rid of that the thing rides too stiff.

 

Jeremy

[Squeeze]

.. If I increse preload or oil weight to get rid of that the thing rides too stiff.

 

Jeremy

 

How about a liitle bit more Oil. It doesn't affect damping or Rebound, but less Air Chamber means better Damping on the End of the Travel before the Forks bottom out.

[Gearhead]

Squeeze, my understanding of the situation is more fork oil makes for less air volume which makes the total spring rate of the fork more progressive, that is, the total effective spring rate will increase faster because the volume of air gets compressed a higher percentage. Is this what you are saying as well?

 

I actually put in the full amount of fork oil originally, then later let about 50cc out on advice received here. It seemed like doing so made the front end a little less harsh, which I liked.

 

To some extent, any increase in stiffness to reduce bottoming, whether achieved through more oil, thicker oil, stiffer springs, more mechanical preload, more air pressure, or whatever will be at the cost of increased harshness on small bumps, methinks.

 

Jeremy

[MikeM8560]

perhaps a little more air?

[Guest Bigin]

You first need to figure out what is banging. I have chased down banging noises from forks bottoming to speedo housing rattling, to fairing rattles.

 

To determine if the forks are banging, I use the anti dive to stiffen the front forks up by appying brakes. If this stops the banging by not allowing the forks to travel down to the stops, it is the forks.

 

If this is the case you can get by with thicker fork oil and more air but likely your springs are sagging, and need replaced. This is common for these old bikes and an easy fix. You should not have to have air pressure to ride the bike without bottoming the forks frequently.

 

Seach the site for detailed posts.

[Squeeze]

Squeeze, my understanding of the situation is more fork oil makes for less air volume which makes the total spring rate of the fork more progressive, that is, the total effective spring rate will increase faster because the volume of air gets compressed a higher percentage. Is this what you are saying as well?

 

I actually put in the full amount of fork oil originally, then later let about 50cc out on advice received here. It seemed like doing so made the front end a little less harsh, which I liked.

 

To some extent, any increase in stiffness to reduce bottoming, whether achieved through more oil, thicker oil, stiffer springs, more mechanical preload, more air pressure, or whatever will be at the cost of increased harshness on small bumps, methinks.

 

Jeremy

 

To my Understanding, such minor Changes in the Oil Level do not effect Damping or Rebound on our Forks. When you put more Oil in, the Air Chamber is reduced and the because this, on the End of the Fork Travel there's a bit higher Pressure inside the Tubes and thereby a bit more Air Damping Capability.

 

Does your Fork use the complete Way of Travel ?

 

You can check this by mounting a Tie Strap around one Leg, carefully bring the front Tire against a Wall and push it all the Way down.

 

There are two Way to bottom out the Forks, first and standard is the mechanic reaches the End of Travel, the second is to reach the End of hydraulic Travel, that's when you controlled overfill the Forklegs.

 

I for one would not allow my Max the complete Travel of 120 mm, i wanted to allow only around 100mm of Travel, so i overfilled the Tubes by 20mm. Standard Airchamber is 140 to 150 mm at a maximium Travel of 120 mm , i gave it only 120 mm Airchamber and now have only 98 mm of hydraulic Travel allowed. Which means the Fork are very stiff on the End of the Travel and can not bottom out mechanical. Of Course, this is a completly adjustable UpSide Down Fork and it's the Way i like it.