videoarizona

For my bluetooth and phone charging...I bought a DelTran Battery tender USB output. I keep it in the pouch and use the two pin Battery Tender plug to power the usb...which powers the bluetooth/phone/mp3 player. Since the bluetooth and mp3 player go all day, the phone is my biggest problem...especially if I'm using the mapping and gps functions. https://www.denniskirk.com/283934.sku?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cse&gclid=Cj0KEQjwgI6pBRDak6aRovWNqLsBEiQA8zZSLkmKVPKStyloHh-Sr-w8OZySRqzDhDhdEVtPRz9hc90aAl6a8P8HAQ david

I think it's a good idea. Anything you can do to make your scoot more visible is a plus in my book! I changed out my reflectors on my 1st gen with LED modules. Much better day and night!

I went this way...tiny little thing. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0059M4G9K/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 david

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?1393-Rear-Wheel-Removal Multiple ways of removing wheel....

Hmmm...should be since I used that post to remove my rear wheel on my 1st Gen. I'll look....

Update reminder: (as one who had a VStar 650, with both screws loose in the gas cap )...check your 2nd Gen gas caps! david

Cycle Gear nearby?

That's a hard call. If you installed it to solve a problem it should still be doing it's job. If you don't need it, then take it off. 1st gens already have a filter in the system.. Two if memory serves. You might try bypassing it and see if all goes well. By voltage you mean ????

Yikes! Hope they come up with a solution that works for you! Back issues are not fun!

I spoke with gentleman who is listing it for her. He did all detail work on it to sell it. Nice man. Would have been a good ride home for me if i could have bought it... But not to be. Think I'll wait until someone here on forum decided to sell.... Would probably get a better bike anyway. There was a trailer but someone took advantage of her and bought it for $200!! I'm looking for a black or silver one anyway!

Was going to add a 2nd Gen to my scoot pantry...but got outbid. http://www.ebay.com/itm/181702383960 Love my 1st gen but was thinking of selling my VStar and getting the 2nd Gen for 2up touring use. As I shrink from gravity, it's going to get harder to sit on the 1st Gen....at least the 2nd gen is a little closer to the ground for my feets! Ah well....I'll keep looking...

Hi Chuck, I have a 1st Gen so can't help with the coils, but I can offer an idea that solved my frustratingly "plugs not firing" issue. I went to Harbor Freight and bought a long handle curved pliers. Similar to these... http://www.harborfreight.com/2-piece-11-inch-20-offset-45-angle-long-reach-needle-plier-set-33202.html I found my problem was two fold: 1: I didn't get the wires clean enough at end to make good contact 2: didn't get the ooomph I needed to push the wires in tight enough to make good contact with coil. The long pliers, especially the curved one...did the trick for me. I was able to reach up and get a good grip and push the wire in solid. Another trick from the forum was to cut the end of the wire in a cross pattern with a blade to make it easier for the wire to push in and contact the coil pin. Don't know which trick worked but now I'm finally firing on all four! Hope this helps... david

Thanks, Kevin. That's cool to be able to see the manual of how to assemble the bike from factory. Also gives me a better idea of it's construction.

That's when we ride in early morning or evenings. Plus, it's my time for maintenance! But thanks for thinking of us who will be "heat bound"! Grins!

Really nice! Does make the bike look like a new model. I think you will be happy with your final result!

Hi Gary, My understanding is that it's a Phillips head that IS designed NOT to cam out. I have found the JIS screwdrivers do work better than SAE Phillips units...with far less stripping of the screw head. I do believe we are saying the same thing from the other side of the discussion. Didn't know about the pilot head being a flat blade design....I haven't been down in there...yet! My bad! david

Interesting you mention that. I had new tires put on in December. In February, the front tire kept going flat. I did the spit test on the valve and water spray everywhere else....nothing EVER showed up! Finally took it to the store that installed the tire. They said the valve was leaking and gave it back to me after they put a new valve on. It seems the original metal valve was worn on the seal side and hit or miss with making a seal. I never saw any air leaking... Tire has been fine since. Go figure!

Jeff, where do you dispose of old brake fluid? Guess I can call AutoZone or an automotive store...

Progress report Take 4: Found 4 more broken traces! Magnifying glass is my friend! Wired them point to point. Not pretty but at least there is progress. Left channel works...no right. The traces for right channel and common channel and ground all look fine. Real paying work has come to this retired guys edit system, so I have to leave my fun work for real work! I did re-install everything with VentureLink connected...so now have radio, 1/2 of tape deck, phone and mp3player plus bluetooth capabilities now. So I guess I'm ahead on points! Grins. OutKast, nope. You will need to make a dummy plug with two pins connected to let the radio know it's ok to play. A few bux for the DIN plug and a few minutes of time. I don't remember which two pins...but it's in the previous messages in maybe a dozen places...and I'm sure someone will jump in with the answer as well!

LOL! There is that!

Progress report Take 3: Found two traces broken on the circuit board of the cassette. What clued me in was after taking out the three screws holding the board down, I started to gently pull up on board and it flexed! So I took a magnifying glass and found near the top center of the board there is a solder joint holding the board down and the board was cracked there across two traces. I put the screws back in and was able to drop some solder in the teeny gap of one trace. Had to run a wire from one solder point to the next nearest. Obviously, one of those traces was 12volts! When I did that the lights on the radio remote panel came on and the radio worked. The tape deck also now runs but I obviously have another trace broken as no music comes out, just a feedback type low sound. I'm fine with that for now. I've heard that problem before somewhere back in the distant past...I can trace that later. NOW...I knew the audio signal had to route through the tape deck for the radio to work. I did NOT know the 12volts had to run through the deck and back to the radio section for it to work as well. I'm not so sure about Yamaha's thinking behind that...but for now I'm going to leave that thought be. Weird for the system to break like that....considering how clean the electronics are. The P.O. did take care of the bike for the most part...I'm thankful for that! So partial success! And guess when I thought of taking pictures, after I buttoned up the cassette. Sorry... david

Kelly, yes...both the radio and the tape deck have power as long as the power knob is turned on.

Went to EBay and put in "Yamaha Radio" as a search string. After trying Venture Royale type words... Found five pages of stuff...but some real gems in there. For anyone looking for parts for their 1st or 2nd gen Venture, there is a lot of stuff there...just scroll through all the obvious Yamaha radio stuff and newer handlebar mount stuff that doesn't pertain to us. But no Venture radio mounting panels from third party vendors.

As long as they are JIS screwdrivers...that would work to.

Ok....take 2. Non-progress report: 1: No 12 volts to the radio display or the tape deck. 2: Green light that indicates panel power is on. 3: Of the three modules, tape deck, radio control and amp control...only amp control and intercom work. 4: If I unplug tape deck and add the VentureLink module, the mp3 player can be heard through the system amp and the volume/tone controls work fine. 5: Lacking a 12 volt power supply to bench test each unit but found I can run the system while connected to bike if I take off the panel the removable audio system screws to. I can lift this away enough to keep the main connections on, supplying power, etc., while I test the main components. BUT...not fun trying to test while holding the whole thing. So...not much can be tested. Checked: 1: Main two multi-pin plugs. No bent pins, no pushed in pins. All clean. No broken wires underneath. Doubt this is the problem. 2: Took tape deck apart. Nothing broken or fried that I can see. Clean inside. Dual capstan unit...well built! 3: Took radio control apart. Little circuit boards looks fine, no broken parts can be seen. 4: All connectors between the three modules are clean and look fine. Bottom line...can find no reason why 12 volts is not getting to the radio control or the tape deck. No additional fuses found in system. Trying to follow schematic....but that isn't easy without a high quality printout for my eyes! Scrolling while trying to follow a signal path isn't much fun. I'm reasonably good with electrics...having built a radio station control room and a few other fun things in TV as well. But this has me stumped... so far. Another Cup-O-Joe and back to the drawing board...