The First Time I Rode a Venture

[tz89]

I was visiting family in Minnesota. My brother had bought a 91 to be his 2-up bike. His wife wouldn't ride on his Stratoliner.

 

He just bought it to ride; he didn't pamper it.

 

Out to the countryside around Rochester we went. Very pretty around there. I rode the Venture. A few miles out the top radiator hose started spraying. We let it cool a bit, released the pressure cap, and limped back to town.

 

We loosened the bottom of the radiator, tilted the top, pulled the hose, and headed to the auto parts store. Nothing else was open.

 

We handed the clerk the hose and asked him to find a right-sized hose with a similar bend in it somewhere. We bought that, a hose cutter and some hose clamps.

 

It was easy to cut out the chunk we wanted and get it installed. Topped off the fluid and we had a couple of days riding together for the first time. We weren't young. He was on his 3rd wife and family. He is the youngest.

 

"Make your own parts," we said with much satisfaction the next few days.

 

Our dad was the respected mechanic in our little town. I spent a little time in his shop during various school vacations. He made his own specialty tools if he needed to. Navy machinist. He said he didn't think I should carry on as a mechanic. He was right. But I did absorb some good lessons that proved useful.

 

I am thankful for that.

[DMW]

Made me go to thinking, 1st bike Honda CB160, then Honda CB175, next was a Harley Chopper hard tail home made and Triumph 500.

Stopped riding for 20 years raising family.

Then rode old Goldwings (70's)

Was looking for a newer bike, something reliable, found a 2003 RSV in Cycle Trader went to look, rode, fell in love.

Still riding it!!!

[jeromeb]

My first bike was a 1955 Harley K model with a locked up engine. The engine was still locked up when I sold it about two weeks later. (teenager with high ambitions and no money.) Then a '73 RD350, '74 Suzuki GT 550. '75 Honda CB 750K, '76 Honda GL1000, '76 Kawasaki KZ900 LTZ. Sold my Wing in 1983 and didn't ride again until I bought the RSV this past August. Beautiful riding bike. But man is this a heavy bike. I dropped it 3 times in a month or so. Never in motion, always at a standstill. Some folks pump iron for exercise. Me?, I pump Royal Star Venture.;) The last couple of months have been all good though. I've adjusted. It sure is fun on the road.