CaseyJ955

Thank you for the update. It's still got me thinking. I have yet to break into my carbs but if they are a mess I may try a single like this. Very sweet and still watching with great interest.

It was him indeed. Hes also the guy that sent me the plate seat so I could get my forks together. I'm expecting to see the wrench in the next couple days and the price was very fair. I reached out to him on the Vmax forum and that worked. I've exchanged a few emails with him so that should work too.

Great info. I ordered the spanner and expect to see it Monday or so. This will let me get the right preload on the new head bearings and hopefuly ease adjustment later. With the new head bearings future adjustment would not surprise me as they wear in a little. Thanks for the tip. I'll at least be able to get the bike together and wait for the spanner for final adjustment.

It's a good vid but I missed how he did it w/o removal of that special washer. The tree and top nut removal makes sense to me though.

The Youtube video shows adjustment being done without any disassembly, but there is a cage piece to lock the two adjusting nuts together, does that just stay in place and the spanner moves the nuts together with the lock washer? I have the preload spec and all so I'm good with the rest of the procedure but this one thing seems odd. I dont see any other way it can work. I just ordered a spanner and I would like to get the rest of the bike together while I wait for said spanner to arrive. Thanks.

Im pretty new here also, not many miles on my 89 yet but I had only to throw a leg over it to know its more comfy than a wing for my lanky build so I brought it home. Ive had a Vmax long enough to gain a healthy respect for the Yamaha V4.im not sure where you can get a better distance bike without spending quite a bit more.

No doubt you and Dingy are the heros of the day with all the pics, info and the part. If it happens again ill know the fix and the next guy/gal with this issue should be able too use whats here. I have searched quite a bit and come up with very little so its quite helpful to have these responses. It must have torn while I was removing the lowers, they were in no way easy. Ive had the bike up on jackstands entirely to long so it will be great to get her together in time to get a few more day rides in. Thank you for all.

I just love projects. It does sound responsive, the v4 is just a musical beast! What sort of MPG are you getting with it? I have imagined my Vmax with a Dellorto DRLA or progressive Weber after seeing the supercharger kits with a small Holley. Pretty cool stuff there! X2 keep us posted.

One of the Vmax guys spotted it and had all the information and an exploded view that does have that part listed. Not sure why mine lacks it. Just in case this might help anyone else in the future, the mystery item is called a Seat Plate, Yamaha # 2WR-2318U-00-00. They are discontinued by Yamaha. Boats.net and everywhere else lists them as not available. I'll be searching out a used one so I can get things back together and adjusted. Thanks folks for all the good info and video, cant wait to get her finished up and on the road!

Its not right but when you don colors you kick the door open for this sort of thing, you need to watch where you go. I'm delighted to no be affiliated, with all due respect to the few folks I know that are patched I cant wrap my brain around why adults feel the need to behave this way, the point of it eludes me but I understand that this is just the reality of it.

Thats a great vid. I'll get her adjusted and heading into town to get the right tool, all I have is a socket to fit. Thanks for linking that, nothing makes things clearer than a good video. I'm still hanging up on this part here, I called the local Yamaha dealer and described it, he said he thinks its the "Plate Seat" and says they are discontinued from Yamaha and suggested Ebay. I see nothing on Ebay that looks even close. Stranger yet is it's not on the parts breakdown. If anyone knows where I may source these or if there is a workaround I would be eternally grateful as I'm at a standstill until I figure how to remedy this. I was tempted to reattach the rubber with silicon but I'm sure that would be something short of a lasting fix. Anyone got used ones laying around I could buy? Thanks folks!

Thanks for the response, thats exactly how I was going to adjust the neck bearings as well. I thought I had everything, both upper and lower bushings, seals, dust covers, new progressives and the fluid that probably lands at around 10 wt (synthetic import ATF/PS fluid). Figured I was good to go. I'm stuck on those little seals/cups in the pics in which one side has the rubber seal separated. Once I figure out what those are or what they do I can order them and get her all together. I really cant find any reference, photos or anything in videos or searches. Because I have not seen these things in any other videos or exploded views I'm wondering if they are necessary but I cant omit them before I understand what exactly they do and why they are in there to begin with.

Thank you guys, I got the service manual and it said 36 ft lb. Were good there but im putting the forks back together and I have run into an issue. When they came apart it was silty and sludgy, the parts sort of exploded out, probably due too the significant force it took to slide the lowers off. I used the exploded view in the book and a video on youtube to make sure I have it right so here is a pic, there is a collar there with an integral rubber seal, I think I have that positioned correctly to, seems the only reasonable way for it to be. I dont recognize the his part from the video or exploded view, perhaps its specific to gen 1.2? So Im wondering what its called, since one of them came off in two pieces it seems ill have to replace them. I also noticed some damage to the inside of one of those aluminum cups, not sure how that could have happened. Thanks for bearing with me, I found nothing in a search and none of these parts were still on the damping rod when I slid the lowers off, they all came tumbling out of the lower encompassed in slop.

I just replaced the old steering bearings and races with the allballs replacements. Is it advisable to preload the bearings before I dial in the final adjustment, if so how much? I plan to get the final adjustment using the bounce method. There was also a link I saw to an e version of the service manual and darn if I can find it, can anyone point me to that? Thanks folks!

Go here to progressive sight and start with "Select Your Bike" and run through until you get your part number. http://www.progressivesuspension.com/product/1465/fork-spring-kit We recently had quite a thread discussing fork oils and viscosity that might be a good read if your going to go and do this. I cant recall the part number for mine right off the top of my head or if they are different for gen 1 and gen 1.2. Once you have the part number hop over to Ebay and find the cheapest reputable seller. I think I got mine for $82 shipped.

Those are some great ideas, I'll pull the line out today and see whats what, it looks fine except for that one crack. I'm OCD enough that if it doesnt work it will bother me

I've read everything on fluid levels from 5.5" to 6", I see the inlay that came with the springs says 5.5" so thats what I'm going with. Unless I'm way off here I dont think the amount of fluid will change fork behavior unless its full enough to blow through the seals or too low to offer damping through it's full travel range. Since I had progressives in it before I started I'm guessing the horribly cupped/feathered tire and shot neck bearings were responsible for the crappy ride. I cant see how to post in classifieds but if anyone here has a parts bike or any bits/pieces laying around I really could use the fork air line that supplies the left air collar, it looks like a knuckle buster to replace with the bike together so I'm sort of waiting until I can find one to complete reassembly.

Cool, thanks. I'll put an ad here and give that a day or two before I go to Ebay.

The supply line that goes to the left collar is cracked right before the metal crimp, the line that links them appears fine. I dont think it was leaking but it really needs to be replaced. Is there a universal solution for this or do I need to find someone with a parts bike/Ebay? I've yet to slide the fork uppers out and get the bearings done, would love to get it sorted while everything is apart.

I didnt quite know where to slip this in, but I finally got back and am doing the forks, head bearings and progressives. I'm stuck on removing the forks, or the lowers. I had to use an impact to run out the cartridge bolts (?) from the ends of the forks and I know I have to use the lower as a slide hammer to remove itself. I've been out there banging on those darn things for quite a while and they will NOT budge. I know not to hammer them upward, only downward, but it's having no effect. What could I be missing? EDIT, they finally came off, took quite a bit of fudging. Oddly enough I do believe it already has progressive springs, aside from being around 0.25" shorter they are virtually identical to the new progressives. Oh well, in they go anyway, I'm assuming these that came out have all the value of used dental floss, also I believe when they put them in they ignored any other fork service.

I doubt anything is in the works, they would have been making a big deal about it to psych it up, especially with the bike market being so soft and the economy looking so precarious. I know Indian and Victory are making a damn decent bike if you want a twin but I'm not sure they come much cheaper than 23k. IMHO once you get away from twins it's hard to go back when there are so many better balanced choices. Just like cars it would be a hit to buy new and there are some exceptional machines already out there so I wont hold my breath for Yamaha to come up with something. Probably the poorest value in the motorcycling world is a new HD, but used are getting much MUCH more plentiful and cheaper if the big twin is acceptable for your riding style. But look what else you can get for around 16k used. https://denver.craigslist.org/mcy/5765905573.html I dont know this seller and it's not local to me, I just pulled it as a random example of something that would be an outstanding bang for the buck mile eater for the performance minded. Because of bikes like this and Wings, Yamaha would have to come up with something exceptional to command >20k without hordes of them sitting on showroom. I find it odd that not so much as a spy photo has been leaked, I also find it odd that they would pick a release date that would have snow over a good part of the USA.

Then I could buy a 71 LTD to save fuel and commute haha. Actually that sounds pretty sweet, I like it! if we can keep it under 1000lbs I think we might have a winner. Alternatively if wt/size becomes a factor we take the new vmax 1700 engine, retune heads and cam for low end and MPG as that engine is a thirsty pig, and we use a compact biturbo setup, sort of a minature version of what we see on the current generation 3 series. With such tuning to get decent mpg when conservatively riden we could focus on tear-jerking low and midrange torque under say...8lbs boost. Turbo A right off idle for reduced lag and turbo B from about 3500 to a redline of around 7500. So bulky, yes with the intake plumbing, variable length intake runners, hefty radiator and intercooler. Under the skin of a fully modernized but retro styled skin to pay homage to the gen1 but aesthetically integrate the functional scoops harkening back to a gen1 vmax style but bigger. One side would house the intercooler and the other forced induction to the airbox. So 85mph at 2200 rpm pulling down 40mpg, mpg goes to hell with the flick of the wrist but your one sneeze away from 140 with a gear to go, if the sound of turbos bothers you than this is not a bike for you haha.. They will be available in pearl white and gunmetal with MPG, normal and white knuckle efi/engine control maps. In power mode MPG would be dismal but 225 hp at redline and 190 tq from 2000-4500rpm would be the reward. MSRP would be about that of a fully decked out CVO roadblock. Ill get my paypal up here later today for investors to help me get it going

Ive had a few bikes that could have used new needles/seats and there was always a strong fuel funk when the carb/s overflowed. Seemingly anywhere its going if its leaking > 1gal/day it would smell of raw fuel. Are we absolutly sure the sender and gauge are reflecting acurate levels in the tank? Maybe park it with a full tank and measure physical level q4h with a flexable dip stick. At that rate of leakage its going to be wet somewhere. To rule out leaking through the carbs use a hose pincher or disconnect/plug the line feeding the filter and carb rack and see if your fuel loss is unchanged, with this you should be able to rule out carbs, hoses and filter and isolate it to the tank.

I had an XS11 that did exactly that if I didnt turn off the petcock when not riding. I didn't know the Venture tank was high enough to gravity feed the carbs and drain out like that. I stand corrected.

Even if a tiny hole fails to shed light you can see if there is a corrosion problem, im away from home working so not sure if you can see the bottom of the tank from the filler neck. The next tool I buy will definitely be a borescope! Im new to the VR so not sure how tricky it is to access the tank or what particulars are involved in pressurizing it a little and spraying the outside of the tank with a squirt bottle containing 4:1 water:dawn to spot pinholes in much the same way we find slow leaks in a tire. The tank should be dry for that and im not sure but maybe there is a fuel drainplug as on the vmax. Not sure if those or sending unit ports are subject to leaking. Theres no possible way your the first to deal with a suspected fuel tank leak so hopefully someone else who has can get more specific.