Ay_Dee Posted July 13, 2016 #1 Posted July 13, 2016 G'day fellow adVenturers Have had my 'new' 2003 Midnight Venture for about 3 weeks now. Have done an oil filter and oil change. Bike has 45000 miles and is running great. Two things and life would be even 'greater'. One, the guy I bought it from dropped the bike, needs a left engine guard crash bar - it has half of one right now, so the bike is rideable and there is no visible damage you can see, in fact the bike looks great - looking for a left engine guard crash bar for a 99-13 Venture if anyone has one. Two, the bike's geometry is just weird, front end seems squirley, especially at slow speeds, coming to a stop feels like it wants to fall over. I'm thinking of getting the leveling links or dropping the front end a little. I can't believe the previous owner rode the bike like this for 7 years! BTW, I'm 29 on the inseam, so I don't want to have the bike to high. All in all, its a beautiful bike, was well maintained, kept indoors all its life - so it is very clean. I think I'm going to like it. BTW, the oil change was sooo easy, oil filter out in 30 secs, drained in 1 minute, all done in 5 minutes .... and they charge how much for this at the workshop ?!!!
bongobobny Posted July 13, 2016 #2 Posted July 13, 2016 Howdy!! Crash rails can be found on Ebay, or try Pinwall parts, a huge motorcycle boneyard in Ohio which will have what you need, but IMHO prices just a teeny high. Along with the new crash bar I HIGHLY recommend getting in touch with member Carbon_One as Larry makes a set of reinforcement brackets which make the crash bars a whole lot stronger!! Here's the link to his classified ad... http://www.venturerider.org/forum/photopost/showproduct.php?product=12&title=carbon-one-crash-bar-braces&cat=15 Now as far as low speed manners, yes lowering the front end helps a lot! Two things to do, replace your front tire with a 130 series, and lower your front forks about an inch by loosening the pinch bolts and sliding the forks further up into the triple tree. Try to be as precise as possible when doing this. While we are on the subject of the forks, make sure the air pressure in both forks are equal!! There is no equalization plumbing on the RSV so it needs to be periodically checked. This is more so for handling on bumps than low speed but it doesn't hurt to check. You can also install a kit on the rear end which actually raises it in the rear making the bike more level and helps low speed handling. After a while, though, you just get used to the RSV's top heaviness and low speed handling but yes it can be helped out somewhat. I'm sure others will chime in on the subject and offer different and varied opinions... Myself I like to let the old oil and sludge drain for a couple of hours before I install a new filter and put the plug back in and put the new oil in, but you are right, real easy job!!!
slowrollwv Posted July 13, 2016 #3 Posted July 13, 2016 If you do not find the crash bar on ebay try Partshark.com. They will beat most shops for OEM parts.
RedRider Posted July 13, 2016 #4 Posted July 13, 2016 Welcome to the asylum. +1 on the crash bar support brackets from Carbon_One. Worth their weight in gold (well, at least their weight in beer). RR
MikeWa Posted July 13, 2016 #5 Posted July 13, 2016 Is the crash bar badly damaged or just bent? If it is just bent you may be able to straighten is by applying pressure with your foot. Mike
Ay_Dee Posted July 14, 2016 Author #6 Posted July 14, 2016 Crash bar was cut in half so a new one is needed. Guy did not bother taking time to straighten. Pinwell don't have a left guard in stock. Missed one by a day. I'll remember to take my time with the oil change in the future. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Yammer Dan Posted July 14, 2016 #7 Posted July 14, 2016 I'm pretty sure the brackets by Carbon One kept mine from being totaled last year!!
Ay_Dee Posted July 14, 2016 Author #8 Posted July 14, 2016 $280 shipped from partshark.com anyone looking for a trailer hitch, wiring and ball?
djh3 Posted July 17, 2016 #9 Posted July 17, 2016 I think the best mine felt stability wise was lowering by 3/4" (should have went the full 1") and the 130/90 front tire. I went with Michelin commander 2 but other make them in that size.
videoarizona Posted July 17, 2016 #10 Posted July 17, 2016 I should have gone 1 inch as well. I still have normal tire on front..... And will try the narrower 130 next time.
slowrollwv Posted July 17, 2016 #11 Posted July 17, 2016 I have had my RSV for 11 years now and have not lowered it yet but it seams that it is getting harder to keep it up at stops. I am thinking about putting in Progressive springs and lowering the front end over the winter. And if it feels like it does not help I will be looking for something else to ride.
Ay_Dee Posted August 23, 2016 Author #12 Posted August 23, 2016 woo hoo, found a used left crash bar, am busy fitting it. I have run into an issue. There is a cable that runs through a loop in the crash bar to the right side of the bike. Before I start pulling things apart, how do you get this cord out without cutting it?! I'm thinking of cutting the loop, and not run the cable through when I reassemble, just zip tie.
XV1100SE Posted August 23, 2016 #13 Posted August 23, 2016 Does it look like a cable a previous owner ran? Or original from the factory? Can you tell?
Ay_Dee Posted August 23, 2016 Author #14 Posted August 23, 2016 (edited) Does it look like a cable a previous owner ran? Or original from the factory? Can you tell? Its an original electric cable in a rubber hose. There is an enclosed metal loop at the bottom of the crash bar and the hose runs from the right side of the engine through this loop up to some cylindrical electrical thingy (I'm not a mechanic) - Anyway, I got the crash bar loose, but now have this hose/cable to deal with - why oh why design something like this?! I'm guessing its the vacuum actuator?! Edited August 23, 2016 by Ay_Dee
Holly Posted August 23, 2016 #15 Posted August 23, 2016 if you can put up a pic, I don't know of anything looped in or around the crash bar
Ay_Dee Posted August 23, 2016 Author #16 Posted August 23, 2016 if you can put up a pic, I don't know of anything looped in or around the crash bar On the underside of the metal tab is a solid metal loop. The cable runs through this loop up to what is I assume to be the vacuum actuator (cruise control?). It runs to the right side of the bike. I need to dismantle something to get this cable unhooked.
Holly Posted August 23, 2016 #17 Posted August 23, 2016 If you can't get to one end or the other of that line, then I would cut the loop very carefully and twist open to slide the line thru.
Motiv Posted August 24, 2016 #18 Posted August 24, 2016 (edited) Just some input on lowering the front. I lowered mine 7/8" and hit a hard bump last year, this dented the bottoms of the fork covers by the lower fork fender mounts. I just cut away the dents with a die grinder. Sent from my SM-T900 using Tapatalk Edited September 3, 2016 by Motiv
Ay_Dee Posted August 25, 2016 Author #19 Posted August 25, 2016 there is so much crap on these engine guards its unbelievable ... anyone know of chrome covers for the air boxes?
Ay_Dee Posted August 31, 2016 Author #20 Posted August 31, 2016 Well folks, that 'cable' was the vacuum tube for the cruise control actuator. It pulls of the actuator quite easily. Got the crash bar replaced, it was not too difficult - just tedious. One word of advice, fit the plastic shroud first before tightening the crash bar bolts!
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