I have got to do something

[Venturous Randy]

For the last two years my 83 Venture has sat on the carport covered up and has not been started. I guess like a lot of people, I feel like my bike is special and to put it on Craigslist would just be another old bike for sale. I bought the bike 21 years ago and have put about 150,000 miles on for around 170,000 total. But, I don't really think of it as a high mileage bike because I have maintained so many of the wear items. And, the bad things that are generally associated with an early MKI are not an issue, because they are much better than when the bike was new.

I was sitting here the other night and started listing changes that I have done on the bike and even with a big list, there are probably several more. This is the basic list.

 

new front tire Avon

R6 calipers

MKII forks

MKII calipers

SS brake lines

Progressive springs

MKII headlight Assembly including all needed frames + Halogen bulb

LED halo ring around/behind glass

New head bearings

Radio holder custom made of metal

Radar detector with dedicated power switch built in

Fog lights wired independent of main fuse

Relay to have 12 volts to TCI that is mounted on air filter housing

MKII TCI with corrected vacuum routing

Air horns

Engine has approximately 30K miles Still have old engine that was very strong

4 brush starter

2nd gen transmission

V Max final drive makes 2nd gen trans perfect for low end acceleration and highway cruising

Rear wheel bearings replaced

Frame has gusset rods welded in at center stand support and much stronger than stock Noted in VR frame repair data

Center stand shortened 1/2 inch for much easier use

Center stand has steel wheel welded on right foot so bike can be spun around very easy on smooth concrete

Jardine mufflers

Corbin seat that has been scooped out and is very comfortable

Kuryakyn forward highway pegs very comfortable and adjustable

Bikini side panels that open up engine and make highway pegs more comfortable

Complete extra set of stock lower plastic and side panels painted to match

Custom purple pearl paint with ghost flames that with a little work could be very good

Light bars around trunk and mufflers with 18 LED lights

Speakers built into trunk lid with bottom of trunk reinforced

Trailer hitch available

As you can see, there as been a lot of upgrades over the years. My son has an 86 and my grandson has an 83 that they are not riding also. I'm open for suggestions as you guys can appreciate the changes that have been make..

Randy

[snyper316]

Why are none of these bikes being riden? Also what is up with relay for TCI?

[djh3]

Same reason Victory closed its doors, HD sales are slipping and MC sales in general are hurting. We (the old core riders) are not riding like we use to. Some are getting out of it, dont feel safe riding or medical issues cause them to think twice.

[Venturous Randy]

Why are none of these bikes being riden? Also what is up with relay for TCI?

 

Same reason Victory closed its doors, HD sales are slipping and MC sales in general are hurting. We (the old core riders) are not riding like we use to. Some are getting out of it, dont feel safe riding or medical issues cause them to think twice.

 

Pretty much me to a tee. I came to the conclusion I was just not as comfortable on my bike, with the weight, being inseam challenged, having a riding partner that was not comfortable any more and just so many idiots on the road doing everything but paying attention to driving, plus, I found another fun loving vehicle with a Miata.

 

For the relay on the TCI, if you measure the voltage that is actually going to your TCI, you will probably get a bit less than 12 volts.

If you look at the schematic, you will see it goes thru several other things first. By using that lowered voltage to power a relay, you can have 12+ volts to your TCI. It does help.

Randy

[BlueSky]

Wow! Venturous Randy that is a much loved bike with all of it mods and maintenance!

[Marcarl]

Yep,, it's a bummer for sure, but when we were younger we couldn't seem to get our head around the fact that older doesn't mean that we get more agile or even stay that way. We just couldn't believe that soon we would succumb to the ever changing life that we live. So we carry on as though we will go on for the next 30 years as we have for the last 60,,,,, and then reality hits, and we come to find out that there is a reason why retirement age is set to 65, CRAP!!! now what eh?

Enjoy what you still have, use what you still can, eat as much as possible, have a beer now and then, but most of all: love the people around you, say Hi to all the strangers you meet, and get yourself ready to meet your Maker.

About your bike though? You have an 83 and it's not going to get any newer no matter what you do to it. It has lots of extras, but some of those might not suit a new owner so they become a liability to him. The color might only suit a few or none at all. So look at it this way; you enjoyed doing the things you did to it for the time that it took, it gave you entertainment and something to do that you found enjoyable. Now that time seems to be over for you. The next person won't be able to do anything that you did, because it's already been done, so all he can do is ride it,,, which maybe just the cat's meow for him, but not for me, I would like to wrench it some to make it mine. So,,,, it's still an 83, however a real nice 83 so should get a dollar that is on the higher end of the scale, around here that would be about $1800 maybe.

Tough part is saying good-bye to the last number of years and looking forward to what lies ahead,,, less of this and less of other things as well,,,, but that also comes with mores,,,, more sleep, more doctors, more wheels, more walking help, more pills, more forgetfulness, and more things that I can't remember.

Hey, just thought of something,,, oooo what a brain wave!!!! Trade that 2 wheeler in for a trike of a new 4 wheeler. Then start your project all over new and you'll be ready to get good use of it when the time comes. Just sayin'

[cowpuc]

WOWZY brother,, I guess you know that I am absolutely in love with the MK1's and reading your "have accomplished" list almost brings tears to my eyes = well done oh Master of the MK1 = YOU DA MAN!!!!! Having followed your build, gear ratio calculations and thoughts on where it was all heading had me sitting on the edge of my chair with appreciation and amazement at what you were doing (I also STILL greatly appreciate the offer to bring Tweaks up to par in the same way Randy).

For any one who wasn't around during those build days or times of very revealing discussions about what the potential in gear ratio's is/was - what Randy ultimately came up with = it is a lower 1st gear for much better off road crawling/easier parking lot slow riding and then a slightly higher top gear for a little lower cruising rpm. Randy, you also have to know that the list that you wrote up on what you have accomplished with your 83 represents pretty much the totality of what these awesome scoots shoulda, coulda, woulda been in the 1st place had Mom Yam took a little more time to RnD em = GOOD ON YA BROTHER:bowdown:!!!

 

Ok,, on to y(our) delima.. As absolutely sorry I am to hear the way you are thinking, I do get it.. I think if you or your family members are at the point of not riding any more that you should come up a fair asking price for you and post it up on our site. Use your list in the ad here on the site to describe in detail what you have accomplished with it (simple copy/paste what you have already started and finish it out). I am not a Facebooker but I believe that our facebook thingy page probably also has some kind of classified section to it that may be beneficial too. I also think that Craigslist might not be a bad idea too, it's free and you never know!!

Now getting closer to my own heart,, and this is probably gonna come off sounding very selfish like cause it basically is just that ,, I think you should post it up here first though because you might just be surprised at the interest within the family!! Bottom line,, it never hurts to try!!! Logic would dictate that you are wayyy more likely to bump into a person who would treasure the thought of owning a "polished" machine (speaking mechanically figuratively) such as yours and be willing to pay for it in a club like ours that is dedicated to our awesome scoots than out on the open market!! Plus,, if it did sell to one of us lop eared half crazed CTFW long distance sleeping behind dumpsters far riding VR varmint buddies of yours, you would get the honor of seeing your bike get used up doing what it loves to do = straightening the curves and whoopin on Harley's PLUS - any of our members who ended up not being the fortunate one to get to own and ride such a remarkable machine would probably still get the chance to test that gear arrangement IRL and/or, be privy to some awesome ride reports = WIN/WIN/WIN/WIN (may have to many Win's in there but when it comes to these 1st Gens - they call me Mr. Optimistic!!

 

Note to self,,, Tweeks + Tweeksis + Randy's scoot = 3 Ventures into 1 or,, better put,,, = Randy and Puc's version of a 3rd Gen Yamaha Venture named - "OPPIE" (short for OPTIMISTIC)

[Venturous Randy]

Great comments Carl and you do understand where I am coming from. I hate to give the bike away, but it is heart breaking to see it just sitting there not being used and loved. It is a good bike and with a little TLC, it could be a bike that someone could get a lot of enjoyment out of. I still see people buying these bikes without a clue what a 1st gen Venture is all about and how to do anything with it. I also have an 85 that I bought for my son that is serial # 5,000 +, so it is after the trans fix. My son bought an 86, so it is just sitting in my garage taking up a lot of needed space. Here is a pic of our three bikes together.

Randy

[Venturous Randy]

Thanks puc and it is so great to see you on here. We all missed you. What you are saying is exactly what I am talking about and I guess I need to start thinking about posting it. If I was going to do that, I would probably make it a two-fer and throw in the 85 also.

MY grandson bought an 83 off one of our local members, but I am not encouraging him to get into riding as he is about 25 and has a 17 month old daughter. He also almost lost his right leg after a very bad crash on a CBR600 Honda several years ago that could have cost him his life if he had lost his cell phone. He was out of site down a bank and would have bled to death his injuries were so bad.

Randy

[mraf]

Randy if you had that listed on e-bay this spring you might be surprised what its worth. You have assembled a 83 Venture from the future. I had a 83 before I bought the 86. It would run circles around this 86 but it just couldn't haul as much. I would have bought yours in a heartbeat. Anyone that is buying one of these old tourers more than likely do some research, I know I do. It is to bad you are not riding as much anymore but your not alone in that aspect. It is looking about 3 wheel time for us. Whenever I go riding with my son I always try to dust him at least once during the ride. I have to drop 2 gears to get the jump on him. Danm V-max. LOL. The rides and races between that stable of Ventures must have been miles of smiles.

[snyper316]

I am one of those guys who had no clue what he was buying. I didn't want a bunch of chrome, no passenger seat, I wanted something that didn't look like something else. The Kawasaki was to sharp and I found it kind of ugly. Tinker just from the get go kept calling me, I looked at several bikes. I kept going back to that little 83 that was almost as big as my jimmy. I had no clue on how much heart she had until this year when I got brave enuff to take her on trips and trust me I opened her up and everything has been a blur from then on. My friends c×××× brother thinks he got a bike and called tinker a moped. Then tells me he has a Harley that has a 1500cc I told him Harleys don't measure in cc. But we won't go to rest of conversation told him talk to me when he gets a bike that goes faster then 35 in 2nd gear...[emoji23][emoji23]

 

Sent from my LG-K371 using Tapatalk

[skydoc_17]

Hey Randy,

The journey doesn't end just because you sell your bike! The knowledge that you have can now be shared with the newer members of this forum. Ninja's can't be Ninja's forever, there comes a time when the older Ninja's TEACH the younger Ninja's how to be good Ninja's! TIME is a beast that no one escapes. It gets us all. It sounds like you have found a vehicle that will take you thru the next part of your journey, my friend. GOOD for you. If this new vehicle allows you to enjoy the road with your sweetie, then it's all good. I have ridden many thousands of miles with my wife Jean, but since her heart attack, she doesn't feel comfortable on my 87'VR any more. All of the riding I do now, I do alone. I do still enjoy the ride, but miss my dear Jean. A change is in our future, I just haven't had the courage to address it yet. The other posters are right on the money with posting your bike on this forum and if you wait until spring, and polish that bike up a bit, you will get every penny the market will bear for your wonderful machine. Because this is YOUR motorcycle, you get to decide who will be the next owner. There's a LOT of power in that. I am sure you will choose wisely. I have turned down "brain dead" money for the sale of one of my motorcycles because I knew in my heart that the person buying the bike didn't have the skill or the attitude to own the bike, or I just didn't like the guy! In my opinion, one of the coolest things about life is that we get to try things, and if we live thru the journey, we get to try something new. I have always been genuinely impressed with your mechanical ability Randy, and now I am even more impressed with your ability to embrace you change in attitude, something I personally have not been able to do...YET.

Please consider sticking around the forum Randy, I can personally think of a thousand questions I would love to ask you about Ventures, and Life! Maybe not in that order!

Earl and Jean

[mraf]

Randy after reading your write up again I was wondering if this was ever a problem. "Center stand has steel wheel welded on right foot so bike can be spun around very easy on smooth concrete" I usually put mine up on the center stand every night when we are on our trips. Sometimes I've seen gale force wind thunderstorms blow through. I would hate to see DOT leaving without me across the parking lot. If no problems, I would definitely like to install this on DOT since turning around in my workshop is a b---h.

[Yammer Dan]

Now maybe I understand why I wander out to the garage and sit and look....Maybe!! But admit I'm done??? Not YET!!!

[Venturous Randy]

As far as the center stand, the mods I made have worked great. Shortening it makes a big difference on putting the bike up, and especially since I did not run max air pressure in the rear shock. As far as the steel wheel on the foot, this goes back many years ago when I had the shock support/frame collapse. I have no doubt that the poor welds on the 83 frame and the fact that I used to walk the bike around while on the stand caused the problem.

I was fortunately to have a good friend that builds race cars that is a great welder help me out. He welded a rod on the side of the foot that with a steel wheel that is about 1/8th inch or less lower than the foot allowed my 10 year old grand daughter to pull down on the trunk rack enough to lift the front wheel and easily spin the bike around. It is also not enough to cause the bike to lean any. As far as rolling off, I have never had any issues with feeling it was not stable. Somewhere on here I have several pictures of this mod, but I don't know if I can find them. As far as the frame repair, there was a write up in the 1st gen tech section.

I would take some more pictures, but the bike is on the center stand sitting up against the house in a tight spot.

Randy

[mraf]

Thanks for the reply. If you find the pics I'd like to see them. No rush, the car needs fixed first then the dump truck bed needs repaired so the centerstand wheel wouldn't be done for a few months yet. Winter will be here for many more months anyway. Oh the inhumanity!

[Venturous Randy]

This is the thread about the wheel mod on the center stand, but it no longer has the pictures attached. Maybe Don can pull them up if he sees this.

Randy

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?27026-cjg004-centerstand-wheel&highlight=centerstand

[cowpuc]

This is the thread about the wheel mod on the center stand, but it no longer has the pictures attached. Maybe Don can pull them up if he sees this.

Randy

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?27026-cjg004-centerstand-wheel&highlight=centerstand

 

This may help.... Hey CULLIGAN MAN @Freebird

[Freebird]

Pictures restored.

[Venturous Randy]

Thanks Don and puc. Another thing you can see in the pictures is the weld line where the legs were shortened. One other mod you will need to do on shortening the legs is to deal with the spring tightness. The way to fix it is to put the "C" shaped metal strip in a vice and hammer on the end of it making the distance between the holes a little closer. BTW, this can also be a fix if your center stand is not pulling up tight enough.

In reading the old post, I remember that we did not weld a stud on the side, but put a sleeve through the leg with a bolt through the sleeve and wheel. We felt this would give more strength and for as many years and times it has been used, it has worked.

Randy