CaseyJ955

The phrase "Tune up" sort of left the room with conventional points. Even in the 90s it pretty much just meant swapping out the plugs for a stupid high price. Heck, now even plugs last 100k, albeit not in our bikes. A tune up for a Venture is really nothing more than plugs, but these bikes do like frequent plug chances with the correct NGKs. Aside from changing plugs and making sure the carbs are synched/dialed in there isn't much under the umbrella of a tune-up. The gear ratios remain unchanged regardless of state of tune or mechanical issues (with possible exception of clutch as mentioned above).

Please keep progress posted. Also interested in your intake design.

Happy Birthday!!

I read this morning that GM is going to move the engine rearward in the Vette' for 2020. The prototype is pretty slick looking from the rear and rear-side. I'm no fan of GM by any stretch but this should be very cool move for an American auto mfr. I'm guessing they are trying to make an affordable Ford GT, which I think is likely to be a successful move. The GT is delicious but a bit exclusive and not cheap at all. They are being compared to a 911 in a couple of the readings this morning, which is brazen considering a 911 is a true born and bred sports car. Apples/Oranges. There is no way to compare a 911 to anything domestic, this is where raw numbers are only a sliver of the overall makings of a true sports car vs muscle car. Looks like early figures have the numbers comparable though, thats no small feat. It will be interesting to see where this goes and if they improve the cars face a bit before production. Looks like a very solid start and possibly quite a credit to American go-fast-ism. Cool to see an affordable domestic mid-engine rocket, the affordable part was missing from Fords equation. I definitely have a strong bias towards Porsche so I'll stop here. Just thought it was a bit of cool and long overdue news for car nuts of all persuasions. https://www.kotatv.com/content/news/New-mid-engine-Corvette-starts-under-60000-512930791.html

I've not ridden a MKI but I can confirm that the linked brakes on the MKII were in fact quite crappy. Delinking makes a world of difference. The luggage space was the main reason I looked for the MKII and I use every bit of it sometimes. Oddly a MKII will hold a lot of groceries.

Just plug it in and stick it up there with the included velcro. I used a baggie and zip ties to seal off the PC port. I've been playing with some custom maps for it. I used the included Velcro to stick it right to the top of the air box lid, and the pigtail is plenty long enough. I'm dusting off my Venture as we speak. I'll see if I cant get a pic of it but I havint seen my data cables for a very long time. I dont recall the factory coils being to terrible (unlike the OEM front two coils on a Gen1 Vmax). IIRC it is easiest to remove that steel rack that holds the coils and TCI as was eluded too up above, but it has been a couple years since I've done it.

That looks like quite a find. Comes with all the fixin's too. Dont see them in that condition often, more often they look like mine haha. E4 as I recall is a ribbon that needs to be re-soldered.

Glad he's looking better. We're thinking about him and pulling for his recovery.

I got my Dunlop E3s at Dennis Kirk, at the time it was the best price I could find but it's been more than a year. I would buy them again.

I wont beat ya up. It's cool of you to take the time to create and post a video of something that most of us will have to do at some point and were not born knowing how to do. Since I've never posted a helpful (or any) video I didn't feel qualified to pick at it. Besides, if I needed to R&R a Gen2 rear wheel this would be helpful, which unless I'm mistaken that was the purpose of the video. IMHO it has value and youtube is better off with it than without it. I couldn't help note the tire though since I've seen a few folks running around with tires just like that one . Thank you for taking the time to share the procedure.

HAHAHHAHAHAHAHA, aaawww man!! Um... HAHAHAH, oh, HAHAHAHHA, wow, just wow. A few years ago I would have immediately thought this was staged for comedic effect. But now, after having seen all I have seen I would say I believe this is very likely authentic. She's obviously put a lot of thought into this. Awww man, I wanna meet this lady and take her out drinking to see just how this onion peels. I feel like there is a goldmine there somewhere. I want to ask her about politics and and...and HAHAHAHHAA. I'm guessing shes from NY or CA, sure not here. AAAWWW, if there were a hell I suppose I'd be going Still, HAHAHHAHAHA Thanks, I did need that laugh.

I used the wintergreen oil the same way with good results. The PO tried to run screws up into the plugs to snug them up, luckily the holes did not breach the tops of the plugs. I'll give him a B- for ingenuity and a D for execution, he tried to use an adhesive also. The Wintergreen oil works for many rubber things, really decent trick. Good time to check float levels too.

Hard to tell from the photos about the forks, but if the dealer says the fender is all, then maybe it can be mended temporarily so that you may still use it on your trip. To bad they dont have another fender on the showroom they could "loan" you. I'm really sorry this happened, the disappointment is palpable from here.

Thankfully you were not injured, also glad you have good support form the dealership. The OP is also a better man than I, I fear my reaction would mirror yours. You are starting to sound like my thoughts. I dont have to ride in town for very many minutes before I turn into a seething bubbling cauldron of contempt for the blithering stupidity, apathy and inconsideration that is all to common in a shocking number of motorists, including a great many unskilled arrogant t*ats (oops, I had to manually censor that word or it would have flown) around here that consider themselves motorcyclists. I will spare you the next three long paragraphs on why I agree with you so much and focus on the good news that the OP is safe and that his new steed is in good hands. Damn though, I'm feelin' ya, and I admire the restraint and proper course of action by the OP, it is commendable considering what happened.

Thank you for unpacking The XVZ/VMX hybrid engine is not entirely new territory, there are a few guys running these on the Vmax, I guess all other things being equal if tuned right it gets you to the 130+ rwp club (on the Vmax with Vmax final drive and wheel diameter). That extra 100cc is pretty cheap and the next best thing to buying the 1500cc Tourmaster block $$$$$$. Your point is well taken on spark curve, duration and timing. I installed an Ignitek in anticipation of this and got a few maps from others that have successfully done the hybrid, on both Vmax and Venture models. I assume I'll have to do some fudging but it should be a great jumping off point. I did it not necessary because I'm an experienced engine builder, but more because i know others have had to do it to get the best results. I love forums! Never sick of hearing about these units being designed for touring. Your stating a fact and factual information is not frowned upon, at least not by me. If I were doing a bike to take to the strip and be competitive I would absolutely not choose a Venture of any year, and probably not a VMax either. My goal is to simply take advantage of a very cost-effective way to add considerably more power and zing to an outdated overweight touring bike. My expectations are to considerably improve passing power and grin factor. And also for serving up humble pie to the HD guys, but it already does that. I do not expect this bike to launch or get down into the 10s. No matter what I do to this bike it will still be a Venture. In some regards that is part of the fun of it all. My goal with the exhaust is to find some way to get something comparable to the Kerker system designed for the VMax, as the diameter is already proven to work awesome for the Vmax heads. The rest of the exhaust system design is where the $$ comes in, as I need to have a proven system built or enlist the help of someone who knows more than I about exhaust system design. I know blindly going bigger and backyard collector designs can defeat a lot of what I'm going for. Some backpressure is necessary on a non-turbo street driven vehicle. As with all things, realistic expectations are important in my experience. I really enjoy your posts and respect your knowledge so anytime you chime in I'm grateful for your input. I hope you continue to share your wisdom, it really is appreciated and one of the main reasons to have a forum in the first place. I hold my own when turning wrenches but I'm also grateful to be able to ride the coattails of those that have different and more knowledge than I. I am glad you took the time to compose a thoughtful response, thank you.

The Vmax engine redlines at around 10k-ish, and the XVZ engine at a lick over ~7.5k. IIRC, I've read about guys with the 1300cc XVZ engine with the Vmax top ends running up to the 10k-ish redline, not done it myself yet. I would collect from that that the redline indicated on the Venture is not to prevent mechanical failure, but because it wont flow enough to have any meaningful pull beyond that. If I'm wrong and there is another reason the Venture redline is lower I hope someone will correct me. On the Vmax the Vboost opens up at around 6k, and from there it will sweep on past the 10k redline in the absence of any OEM rev limiter. The Vmax IS subject to catastrophic failure above the 10k-ish redline, and according to folks who tune them 10k is the point of diminishing returns anyway. So yea, thats a redline that means business. My 99 max has stock internals with COPs, Kerker 4-2-1, and the Morley's jet kit/filter lid. Once I got that all jetted, dialed in and sorted so she could breathe I found that she pulls hard and fast right on past the redline. I've done it once or twice inadvertently and she DID NOT appreciate it, but she had mercy and did not grenade, just protested. Now I am mindful to back out or up shift as it reaches 10k. I'm going to slap an Ignitek in it just to get the rev limiter. It's just so easy to overdo it. I've never ridden a Vmax with stock exhaust, so maybe the smaller downpipes make it less eager to fly past the redline. On a stock Vmax with stock exhaust, it is said that the diameter of the OEM downpipe is the bottleneck to further tuning being effective, so the Venture exhaust probably even more. The main obstacle to making my Venture run like a Vmax (after I install the Vmax engine hardware) is drumming up an exhaust that not only outflows the OEM Venture exhaust, but the OEM Vmax exhaust as well. WHEEEEEEE:mo money: A Venture that revs and howls like a tuned Vmax would be just eerie. I'm not sure why a Venture couldnt enjoy a 10k redline IF, in theory, it could flow enough to make the extra revs. Could it?

I think the answer is in the question. Because he can . Most of the HD guys know they cant touch a max, I think he has one of those too, but there is nothing more fun than serving a tall frosty mug of humility to a big $$$ CVO owner with a 30+ year old morbidly obese Japanese touring bike. Good times!! Good to see you on this side of the fence Sandman.

Very sorry to hear of this tragedy. Happy that he did get to savor the awesome dream ride and achieve what he set out to do. Condolences to his family and friends.

Thats actually very tastefully done, looks great. It's hard to argue with that price either.

Not a bad video for someone having to do the job and not familiar with the procedure, this would have been a great time to pop a new rear tire on.

Last sept when I went down and hit Cripple Creek, (I'm a big fan of The Band so I recognized it's name) Beautiful but far far to many people on the roads. Still just stunning. I went through Hartzel looking at acreages over there, but again, too much traffic. This was odd because it looked like the dead and forgotten nowhere land that I'm looking for. I spent a couple days around Ft Garland and really liked it, and the few folks I met were cool. I took quiet a fancy to the 160 heading east from there. I'm heading back down this sept after PIP and will drop down into Taos and around the NM high desert. I hope to spend a few days wandering and maybe finding the right 10+ acres. I could be on the road for a couple weeks anyway, I hope the mighty Venture is up for it again. When I was in Ft Garland I stayed in a (the) motel and got to have a great time with some off-gridders (what I'll be doing) and cultivators (much less likely). They were all nuts and pretty cool to hang with. CO has a great feel but ya gotta be at the extreme southern/southeastern parts to escape the masses. The wide open spaces with the mtn backdrop are very soothing. I think it's the right place to go from here, plus my riding season would be considerably extended and great for solar and wind power. As usual I'll probably return to SD through the panhandle and avoid the 25. Nebraskans are always really cool too, had a good time in Scottsbluff last time I went through, and got a very impressive job offer. It's all a great adventure, I wish it never had to end.

Oh, believe it. It's just beyond spectacular but it's time critical, just like the Black Hills here. Right now the hills are largely unusable. During Sturgis this whole region fills up with industrial grade arrogance and stupidity (actually its pretty full of that all year now). I stay home for the entire two weeks around Sturgis or ride on out of the area. This is an amazing place but it has become overpopulated and quite unpleasant. It's time for me to walk away. Southern CO looks pretty solid right now, I really liked many of the folks down there. Just gotta get way south of Co Springs and it's pretty darn alright. I'm going shortly to check out NM too. 7 bears, count me impressed, but your thumbs must be a real mess by now

QUOTE=Chaharly;1064341]It is gorgeous with tons to do but you're right about the traffic killing it. Crazy amounts of people who shouldn't be on the road to begin with. It started making the sound again though. Idk i think I'm just gonna keep riding it Scenes like that tend to awaken my inner child, which would be fine but my inner child is an empathic, misanthropic, hyper-vigilant, judgemental, intolerant, angry, cynical *******. Best to let him sleep through it if possible haha. I would have probably had a meltdown if I were there, unless I could bolt an IV pole to my bike and keep a continuous Haldol drip going. My normally good nature can go dark fast if I fail to see the signs and retreat to higher ground pronto. Knowing where you live and seeing the video I could deduce that you may not be enthused about the hordes of maniacs up there either, I would be remiss not to try and help out. I'm really glad you got away, hows the fluid in that final drive? Perhaps you could get some 140wt gear oil to offer a little more protection until you get home? It may quiet it down a little too. If your passing this way again and it's looking iffy then shoot me a call and we'll see if we cant get it sorted. There is plenty of room to camp and a shower if parts need to be sourced. I have a lot of paying forward to do so your well covered if you need to make a repair stop here.

Its a seasonal melon that can be carved into a scary face with a knife or a small caliber handgun, or the final drive unit of a motorcycle, or more accurately, the final drive unit that goes into a differential housing of a car/truck. Not the whole diff, just the carrier and R&P assembly.

No problem. I used to ride through Yellowstone and the Tetons in the off season. It's just too amazing for words, so much beauty. I was there during tourist season once and it was not a good time! It's no big deal to pull and ship a pumpkin to save someone else from that experience, even though I know almost everyone copes with traffic/crowds better than I. Besides it's not like we can buy these pumpkins at NAPA. Glad your back in the saddle and underway. Enjoy!