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NLAlston

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About NLAlston

  • Birthday 09/24/1948

Personal Information

  • Name
    Nathan

location

  • Location
    Amherst, United States

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  • City
    Amherst

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  • Home Country
    United States

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  • Interests
    Family, Photography, Woodworking, Songwriting, Motorcycling.
  • Bike Year and Model
    1983 Venture Royale
  1. NLAlston
    Timgray, Thanks man (and to everyone else, the same). I finally did get that manual downloaded and (this time) in about a third of the time that it took before. Also, it wasn't a damaged file - this time. I printed out pages 5-25 and 5-26, in hopes of them carrying me through the bleeding process, but have not gained the clarity that I had hoped for. So I see what you mean about the manual being in a deficit state, regarding detailed information on the subject. But I will certainly try my hand at some of the suggestions given here (the ones that I think I might be best able to manage), and see what I come up with. My bike looks a little anorexic, now, and (if some of you were to see me out on it) you might think..."dang, that's a weird looking venture" . Believe it or not, a strong wind blew my bike over, last season, and one of the side trunks got irreparably damaged. It didn't look right with the one trunk on the other side, so I did away with that one, too. I rode for a little while, with just the main (top) trunk on the bike, but grew with a preference to remove that one, also. It just didn't look right, to me, sitting there by itself. So now it is somewhat stripped down, and I can't WAIT to be able to get in the saddle again. We'll see how that goes.
  2. NLAlston
    Well, I went through that process of downloading the 83-85 Service Manual, that Juggler had posted up, but when I tried to access the PDF I received notification that Adobe could not open the file. There was also mention of the file (possibly) being damaged. We have FIOS broadband service, here, and I couldn't understand why this file (88+ megs) took better than an hour to download. But I would really appreciate if someone could post up the manual's page(s) that deals with bleeding the clutch system. Advanced thanks.
  3. NLAlston
    Dang...you mean that this might be all that I have to do, for that? If that's the case...WOO HOO. I don't have a manual for my bike, and will see if there is one available somewhere on this site. If not, I'll just see if I can get someone, from one of these bike shops around here, to tell me how to do that (I am not real mechanically inclined). But (whew) do I thank you for this info.
  4. NLAlston
    Hello all, Well, it is good to be back here - though I wish that the issues were different. I have something going on that I hope someone might have some helpful info on. It has been a very busy time for me, of late, and I just got around (earlier today) towards attempts to get my bike ready for its first outing. It is VERY rough starting, but I am assuming that a tune-up might be the cure for that. The largest issue is in the regards of my clutch lever. It seemed to be very loose, but I attempted engaging it (with bike running) and proceeded to shift into first gear. Upon doing so, the bike gave a lurch, and then just died out. I then knew, for a certainty, was much more than just an imaginary thing. As I think back on it, the bike was a little hard shifting - just before I put it up for the winter. Now, though, it appears that there is something definitely wrong with the clutch mechanism. Has anyone experienced such as I have explained here? And would such a repair, to correct this problem, be a real 'cost-hungry' one? If the latter is the case, there is a very good chance that I won't be riding, this year. And I truly hope that this would not be the case.
  5. NLAlston
    Thanks to all for being thoughtful enough to share this very helpful info with me. Absolutely everything given, here, has been taken under advisement, and my confidence level has already been boosted by it. I know that actually doing the job will be a much different story that reading about what to do, but I honestly do feel better armed now. We'll see how I make out .
  6. NLAlston
    Hi Squeeze. Mine is not really an issue of indecision - in and of itself. If I could find someone local - or near local - who might be setup to do this kind of work, then the determining element would be the cost factor involved. I haven't, as yet, been able to zero in on anyone who might be able to do it, so it appears that I will be applying my own hands to the task. It doesn't have to be all that good looking. I mean, I can live with job that isn't blotchy - and that doesn't show any runs. I'll just take my time with it, and live with the results .
  7. NLAlston
    Guys, I had forgot to mention that the only thing I will really have to paint "on" the bike would be the fairing & fenders. The side panels and tank cover could be painted in my basement (woodworking) shop. If I do wind up having to do the job myself, how long should I let the paint cure before I take the bike out for its first 'after-paint' job?
  8. NLAlston
    Carl, Thanks much, man. More info than needed? Perish that thought . You provided me with some very helpful information, and I am truly grateful. I surely would have messed up, because I would have let all coats dry completely - before applying additional coats. Not was your info against doing that very helpful to me, but so was everything else that you gave to my attention. I don't know how this bike is going to look, when I finally get into the job & finish it (if, indeed, I have to do the job myself), but - as I told Squidley - it's all about me getting back to riding again. With the trunk and side bags off - as well as the part under the front of the fairing, which wraps around the bottom of the radiator (that is cracked, and will have to go) - my bike is going to look rather anorexic . That's also another reason why I think that the black color would look a lot better.
  9. NLAlston
    Thanks Suidley. I appreciated your thoughtful offer, which means as much to me as if you had lived close enough to help me with the paint job. I have no experience with painting, and do not have proper equipment. So I may have to go the route of spray bombs. I do happen to have a Porter Cable Pancake Compressor, but it isn't sufficient enough for spraying paint. I know that professionally-painted bike jobs can run well in excess of a thousand dollars, but I wonder if such cost outlays would be indicative of an owner having specialized/custom work done. With someone wanting just a straight-black paint job done (minus trunk & side bags), I wonder how much cheaper it might be. Oh well...I'll work it out somehow. The important thing is that I get rid of this color - as fast as I can, so that I can get back to riding - as soon as I can .
  10. NLAlston
    Thanks Muffinman, but I've gotten rid of both those side bags. The bike was on supported by the kickstand, and was blown over from that side of the bike. Consequently, it was the right-leg side bag that was damaged by the fall. I really had a very hard time getting the left-side bag off, and really damaged the the two support lengths, which served as the means by which to secure the bag to the body of the bike. The trash man took both of them away, this past Monday. So now I am left with just the main trunk. But I appreciate the offer, and definitely would have considered buying it from you - had I not messed up the one bag.
  11. NLAlston
    Hi again. I am getting rid of the main trunk that was on my '83 venture. We had a bad period, this past winter, and my bike (outside, but tarped) was blown over by the very strong winds. One of the side-trunks was damaged, in the blow over, and its twin was damaged in my efforts to remove it. My bike doesn't look right with just the larger/main trunk behind me, so I am letting it go. I am open to cash offers, or even willing to trade for a fairing windshield that is in better shape than my pitted one. The color of my trunk is pinkish/red - and I can try to post a picture up, if anyone shows interest in it. I live in Amherst, NY, and wouldn't mind traveling a 25-mile radius (before I start painting my bike).
  12. NLAlston
    Hello all. I have decided that it is time to paint my bike. I don't know if many of you remember, but my '83 Venture is pinkish/red in color. It was the only first-Gen Venture I could find, and it just happened to be that color (which I really don't like). Anyway, I am going to paint the bike black. The concern is over my having to paint the certain components of my bike, while yet intact (particularly the fairing & fenders). I have no other choice, and realize that the painting will not look (in any way) even near professional. But that's all right. Being that I have to go about the job as described above, what might be your opinions as to the type of paint that I should use. I was thinking of some spray cans of Enamel (or Urethane, if it comes in such cans) by which to get the job done. I have never attempted such a thing before, and any help in this would be much appreciated.
  13. NLAlston
    Hey man, I wish that I could do just that . The winters here can be brutal, and I can only remember seeing ONE rider who rode his bike through the winter. As long as the streets were relatively clear of snow, this guy would (no matter HOW cold it was) would ride his bike to work. I am sure that this was born out of necessity - as he owned no other vehicle. This fellow worked in Orchard Park, NY, and was living in Buffalo, NY. He had no special riding gear, and would often pull up to the filling station (where I was employed, at the time) with just a short leather jacket (and not a thick one), jeans and a knitted scull cap. It would be so cold, just opening the window to receive his fuel payments, so I don't know HOW IN THE WORLD he did it. That's some kinda work ethic, isn't it? .
  14. NLAlston
    Thanks much, guys. You have all been so very helpful to me.
  15. NLAlston
    Thanks, Squeeze.
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