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I'd have to say this whole covid thing has thrown a monkey wrench into countless areas of our lives. Hopefully we can get back to normal with logic and good old fashioned common sense. The other thing that is affecting riding, is the recession we are currently in. Had a friend with an RV and trailer for bike tell me he was leaving them home, driving his car to Florida and getting an Air B&B ? as it was a lot cheaper than driving the RV. People will have less money for extras and I believe the companies are anticipating this...

For those of us that shop in the big n tall shops smaller bikes just don’t work. I had someone tell me a few years ago my bike looks too small for me. I’m not comfortable folded up on a smaller ride.

What I look for is burned contacts, not necessarily burned together. What happens is they arc long enough that the contacts get enough icky built up on them that they can no longer get continuity thru the contacts due to resistance. The current thru the contacts is what energizes the solenoid in the pump that moves the fuel. Yes, when you get 12vdc across those contacts they are suppose to "click" as the solenoid is energized over and over to pump the fuel. There are interlocks in the fuel pump electrical system though that will interrupt the current flow to the pumps. One is your kill switch, with the bike turned on and the kill switch turned off the pump will not "click" or run. I use the kill switch interlock all the time to fill my carbs before trying to start it. I do that by toggling the kill switch on and listening to the fuel pump cycle thru one cycle, it will along run for a couple seconds. Then I toggle the kill switch off and back on again to make the pump run for another cycle. I keep doing that until the bowls are filled and the float valves shut off the fuel to the carbs and the pressure builds in the system and turns the pump off. If you listen carefully the "clicking" will slow down greatly before it shuts off indicating that the bowls are full. I have found my bikes start easier on cold start with the bowls full. All that said, you should be able to short across the contacts with a screw driver and hear/feel the solenoid engage if you have voltage there, this would check to see if the solenoid itself is locked up. If the solenoid fires cleaning the points with a points file (I am an old school points/condensor guy that has found sand paper and contact points never worked well). By all means, replace the points before going with a different pump @Pop, like I was saying, these early pumps have proven to be VERY durable. Yes,, over 1 million miles on Yamaha MK1 Ventures. Been on them since 1987. It has taken six (6) of these 1st Gens to get there though. My kids did a LOT of touring with me when they were little and after they grew wings and flew the coup my wife, Tip, began riding with me. If you do go to youtube, click on my name, go to my videos and sort by "oldest 1st" as they are hundreds of vids there that are so old now they wont show up on a normal, newest 1st run. Be glad to have you, hope you find something there to enjoy! Puc heres one to get you started lol

I got a call today and my cabin is full now. Looks like Joe from WV and Dan from Chicago will be joining me. Let the fun begin!

I think there is more to the failure of the Gen 3 than just people getting out of touring. I think there would have been a lot more interest in the Gen 3 if Mom Yam would have listened to our club, BUT,, she didn't and here we are. On the same token though, yep,, the touring bike world has gone somewhat stagnant hasn't it. I do know the people that own the Harley shop in town personally and know they are not doing to bad. They have sold a TON of used bikes and don't seem to be doing to bad on new stuff, when they can get them in. It will be really interesting to see how the Sturgis Rally does with attendance this year. In the past, during downturns in sales that rally also shows downturns. On a whole different thought, I have for many years (since the greeny movement got out of hand) thought a Hybrid Motorcycle might just be the thing now that will be the future of touring bikes. If I were CEO of HD or Polaris I would be pushing this, especially now. Our little Hybrid car maintains +60 MPG on the highway with its combined total of 140 hp electric motor/gas engine. I think the 1st company to take a serious shot at doing something similar with a touring bike and breaking into +100 mpg in so doing will be paid in big dividends. Of course, this all hinges on basic economics now though. If this recession is not dealt with head on we may all be walking and eating deer taken from the state parks. Country boy will survive! Puc

Not today but yesterday Tip and I climbed on Tweeksis and away the 3 of us went!! We went all the way up to Baldwin Michigan (about a 1 1/2 hour ride, took us 3 hours to get there though cause we played on the back roads) and had an ice cream cone at Joneses HOMEMADE ice cream. Waffle cones no less! Tip had "Mango Dole" and I had "Banana Pudding" and Tweeksis ate her fill at a BP Gas Station/a full tank of 87 octane at $4.99 a gallon. Tweeksis's treat cost way more than ours, hows that for "what I did for my Venture today? LOL" I figured this still fits this thread because, in me and Tweeks line of thinking, the kindest, most compationate, best way to show your bike you are doing something special for her is to ride her, Tip even agrees so the Puc home is a happy home. THE END, for now

WOW,, I missed sooo much while I was down and its sooo good to be back @Freebird. Thankfully they caught that nasty return of cancer when they did my friend, God is good. You KNOW you now have our prayers too as the follow ups on your treatments continue. Back when I was in College I studied "Group Dynamics" and ironically, there are some interesting comparisons about what "professionals" have to say about groups like ours and the reality of living them. I gotta tell you brother, our site has actually done VERY well, statistically speaking, and that is due in a huge part because of the type of people the site attracts due in huge part to your leadership and passion for it. I have a gut feeling that VR is far from over or dieing. Slow spells are common in Group Dynamics as life change happens for people and its more common for things to end than pop back up and keep growing BUT, cohesiveness does have its rewards cause of the strength it provides as a means of survival. THATS where real leadership shows up! As I get back on my feet and more involved with, hopefully, being able to make YouTube vids again I will once again be encouraging people that see my vids and ask questions to give VR a peek. In the past, because I like to yap lol, I was always telling people on the tube to "go check with the GURU's on VR" or "you think I am crazy, go check VR out" and I have no intent of changing that because VR is one of the few really healthy spots left on the internet IMHO. THANK YOU for hanging in there Don, VR has created a TON of great memories for many many people and hopefully it will continue to do so for many years to come! Puc

Now I seen it! Thing of beauty,,,, way tooo clean and shiny to ride!!😉

Ok, finished! IMG_2012.MOV

Took the fairing off, took pictures for the insurance company. Both fairing halves have minor damage, but I’m afraid they’ll want to total it since the inner isn’t available anymore. Add on the windshield, chrome trim, and labor it won’t be cheap. I’ll repair it all myself if it works out right.