VentureFar

I was cleaning the bug guts off the front of my 2007 RSV and found my left wind deflector hanging loose. Nuts and bolts still attached. I took the plastic off for better access to the bracket. I discovered that several years ago I replaced one of the two bolts that hold the bracket as they were 5mm and 4 mm. What tool (Allen head obviously) will fit up in that small space and allow turning and tightening ? I don’t want to cut the head off my t- handle Allens to turn it with a spanner any tool suggestions ?

Given enough time I figure things out. The power fuse was blown and the relay was defective. Replaced the fuse and relay and I have power back to the air horns.

@wes0778 if you are still watching, I have three oem wires going to my relay brown orange and red. My compressor died and blew the power fuse and “something else”. I just want to plug the oem side horn back in. How do I do that with 3 wires? I don’t remember what I did 11 years ago to wire my relay

Which two contact or between which colors? Brown red or orange? also how do remove the relay and plug everything back in to just make the side horn work again? thanks

Hello all, haven't been around for a few years. I was really active from 2012 to about 2018. Love the group and enjoyed giving and receiving technical assistance. I got lucky and fell into a "volunteer" side gig doing reviews for Ultimate Motorcycling since 2018. In 2021 Yamaha provided me a project bike - 2021 Yam Tenere 700 and that has kept be very busy when not doing my day job.I have posted about 155 motorcycle related reviews since 2018. I have barely ridden my 2007 RSV since 2021. Now I am taking 500-800 mile day rides and the only bike to do that on is my RSV. Did 2 Saddle Sore 1000's in 2008 on it. I mounted 1969 air horns on my RSV with RELAY and wiring help from this forum. On my last ride, the compressor pulled way to many amps and blew the 30A fuse from the battery to the relay. With replacing the fuse, I can't get power to the + and - where the old compressor lived. I installed that wiring about 11 years ago when I was 61. I am 72 now and don't remember what I did. Some of the wiring is in the OEM loom. The relay does click when I press the horn button - and the front horn honks, but not power to the end leads. Here is what I have: Brown, Red and Orange OEM wires going to the relay. Good power direct from the battery going to the Relay. ( relay wiring has worked for 11 years so it is wired correctly) The Brown Red and Orange leave the Relay in an OEM wire loom and go down to the side horn. ( side horn is not connected) I have two wires that plug into the Side horn connector and go to where I mounted the air horn. I have no power at the air horn wires ( old air horn is in the trash now). The relay does click when I hit the horn button. Question 1: Could the relay just be blown? Question 2:. What do I connect to return to just the OEM side horn function ? Thanks all. VentureFar Neil Scanned Documents.pdf

No, it is a known problem with UNeven wear. At minimum you should swap the inside and outside rear pads when you change rear tires. Fyi pads are not a big deal on this bike.

Yes stock sizes. I am doing a review for UltimateMotorcycling.com and Metzler would only provide them in OEM sizes. I am not looking forward to the 150 front tire and the slow speed handling as well as the harder steering inputs. I am spoiled by the 130 front tire steering. I really won't have that much input on long term wear anymore as I also have a 2021 Yamaha Tenerer 700 that I write reviews on. I have modified this Adventure bike for comfort and it is so fun to ride that literally in the last 12 months I only put 4000 miles on my Venture. I had the original 888's when they first came out and the 880 before that. Just fyi I would get 12,000 miles on the front and 8000 from the rear. I will certainly post my review here. Honestly I think you will get more miles out of the E3 than Metz. Also, I have always liked the rain traction on all the Metz.

Raising the rear lightened my steering by about 60% and then going to a 130 instead of a 150 front tire lightened it to where it feels like power steering. I am 5'10 so I can't help with the ergonomics for you. But talking about wind and weather on your hands, get a good pair of heated /waterproof gloves and never look back. Personally I use Klim Hardanger battery gloves on most winter rides in Oregon but If I am going to be riding more than 6 hours in the winter I switch to FirstGear heated gloves. I take the power off the battery directly. Hope this helps.

I haven't been around much as I have been writing reviews on 2021 Tenere 700 that I got directly from Yamaha for press purposes. It is a fun bike, but I digress. I just got new Metzler 888 Ultras for my 2007 Venture to review and I asked the shop doing the install to check my rear brakes. I am a front brake kind of guy and had the serious wear down of the rear pads before, at about 30k miles. Now with 15k more, the rear pads are a 5%. Basically. gone. This is an issue with the 2nd Gens with uneven wear. Just sharing that if you are new to 2nd Gens, check your rear pads and check them often.

Welcome back. I am glad you back. Now I just need to come back to the forum more often. I have been writing gear, part and motorcycle reviews for ultimateMotorcycling.com got a 2021 Yamaha Tenere 700 from Yamaha to review and then purchased it from them. It is a perfect bike to explore the forest roads of Oregon and Washington where I now live. I crashed it a few weeks ago on a forest road. A quad turned into me. That put me back in my Venture. It is soooo comfortable.

Found this site - they cost $1100 plus harness - interesting. My dog would be trainable to stay and be comfortable but I worry if we go down https://www.goruffly.com/motorcycle-dog-carrier/ I don't want to go with a side car or trailer. After researching, I think I will just leave her at home like I have been. VentureFar...

Just want to confirm that I run the switched power that is turned on and off by the key, through the toggle switch to #86. Thanks VentureFar...

Anyone seen or have a way they have made a secure way to ride a Gen 2 with a big dog? ( Labrador size) I am thinking taking off the trunk and pillion and mounting a “cage”. But don’t know where to start. I am not a metal fabricator. Thanks for any input. FYI she is a fully trained service dog and I would first train her to the bike before leaving the driveway.

I spoke with Scott over the weekend. He and Tip are alive and well and visiting their family right now. He told me that his motorcycle riding days are over. He has decided to leave the Venturerider forum. He won't be reading or posting. His wit and wisdom will be missed on this forum but know he and his wonderful wife are both fine and enjoying their next chapter. VentureFar... reporting on our friend Cowpuc. sorry couldnt' get this photo to land right side up so here is a link to my favorite photo of Puc and Tip at Venture West in the Dalles. https://photos.app.goo.gl/Wff4ZrPpkh6pdBNY9

Reda and Giant Loop had to pull their current models due to CARB restrictions. They are both trying to get their new designs CARB approved and get back to selling them. Both Reda and Giant Loop are excellent products for what they do. VentureFar...

Hi all, For us older riders, to include my brother @cowpuc I did a review on the Copper Joint compression socks and knee sleeve. Seriously, the FDA and the CDC both recommend them for people that sit a lot, like we do gas stop to gas stop. I don't know about you but I get light headed getting up from the ground after playing with my grandson on the floor. Here is my review. Copper Joint has an interesting twist that worked for me but I also bought other brands now that I know compression socks work for m https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2021/08/21/copperjoint-compression-socks-and-sleeve-review-riding-tested/ Hope this helps, Comments always welcome. VentureFar...

To start with, thanks for @djh3 for the ignition relay I bought back in 2014. It definitely saved my ignition switch but gave its life in the process. I was in Yellowstone this week in a thunderstorm downpour, pulled over to the shoulder on a narrow road section and my 2006 RSV just shut off like the key was turned off. Literally getting buckets poured on me and in an unsafe place. I, of course, channeled my inner @cowpuc for guidance. My buddy waved traffic about two feet away from my butt as I checked the Ignition fuse and battery connections. After that I just knew that something was amiss with the wiring to the ignition switch. I was in a very unsafe place to be pulling the tank off and totally getting drenched at the same time. Had to call for a tow out of the part to West Yellowstone - $520 - and using my Somewear satellite hotspot ( no cell service of course) I was able to ask my daughter to find me the ONLY motel room left in the whole town. As soon as I was unloaded off the tow trailer as the motel I pushed the bike under a bit of covering and took the tank off. We don't always get so lucky to see such an obvious solution yelling out - ITS ME ITS ME ! but that is what I saw see photo. That red wire burned up and came off the connector. Had the ignition power been running though the ignition switch directly - as stock- this would not have had such a happy ending and quick repair. I stopped to have dinner since I could relax. After dinner I had to cut off and cut out the DJH3 ignition relay wiring, Plugged the now open blade females ( had to cut them out of the ink connector ) back into the stock connector and I was ALIVE again. So thank you to the ignition relay and thank you to djh3! Now I need to contact djh3 to buy another ignition relay and an extra male connector. I suggest that everyone with the relay check the relay wires every time you have the tank off. VentureFar

I ran the MT 66 and did a review for ultimate motorcycling on them. The were very low price but I only got 8000 miles on them and interestingly both front and rear went at the same time. Normally my front gets double the rear. Here it is https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2018/06/18/pirelli-mt-66-route-tire-review-an-oldie-but-goodie/ VentureFar...

It is. You will have to figure out ways to cool yourself. On my ride coming up shortly, I will be just placing a bag of ice on my lap. I only recently changed to ice bag inside my jacket but can’t do that will any air bag. VentureFar…

I was fortunate to be assigned to test the Klim airbag vest. Spoiler alert: I will never ride without it. I am sure my brother @cowpuc never needed one on his trusty steed Tweeks because Tweeks kept him safe but the rest of us don’t have a Tweeks or a motorcycle named Trigger ( wow am I aging myself) Here is my review. I hope you seriously consider this new level of protection whether it is this automatic one or one with a tether- consider it. As always I welcome your comments. https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2021/06/26/klim-ai-1-airbag-vest-review-with-inbox-detection-module/ VentureFar…

Last time I checked, in South Dakota their law says that motorcycles can ride side by side but not pass. Can you imagine if you had to ride single file around Sturgis the line would stretch to Chicago. VentureFar..

Thanks for that. I try to make my reviews a personal account of my experience and not a list of facts. VentureFar...

Semi-retired - beats the hell out of me but I listened to the experts. Rick Butler in particular. He came up with the leveling links mod and the 130 ( narrower front tire). I did both immediately after getting the bike and never looked back. Went from top heavy feeling, horrible balance at slow speeds and needing Popeye arms to muscle the bike through long miles of twisties to power steering and way better slow speed handling. It just works. as for lowering the front forks for handling -that is the same as raising the rear. the leveling links added 3/4 inch to the seat height. In fact Rick Butler told me to get a piece of 3/4" plywood and set the back tire on it and see if I could still touch the ground, before buying or making the leveling links. I brought my seat to him to modify for Waaaaay more comfort and the first thing he did was narrow the nose of the seat to make it easier to reach the ground when at a stop sign. There you have it, the sum total of all my knowledge on the subject. @cowpuc do you have anything to add ? VentureFar...

I have scorpion and HJC Rpha 90 They sound the same to me. wear ear plugs 🙂 VentureFar…

Excellent write up. Thanks for sharing. Just curious why you didn’t jump to a helmet mounted Bluetooth communications system from Sena or Cardo to connect your phone and Zumo and passenger ? I have posted several of my Sena and Cardo reviews on this forum and yes you lose the fun of saying “breaker breaker I am putting the hammer down” on your CB but you can still listen to them. VentureFar…