Kybronco

It is the middle case on the left side I was going to drain the oil at some point and take it off and have a look. Is there maybe a cam chain under there? Or what chain is he maybe talking about ? I need to start looking at the service manual.

So my local dealership won’t work on my bike because they say it’s too old 2004. But they referred me to a guy they said did their overflow and had been in business 18 years. Bonus points for being even closer than the dealership. So here’s where everything goes sideways. I wanted a new front tire and all fluids changed. I also had a problem with the shifter where it had a broken bolt. So I drop my bike off and he calls me in about a week and says bike is done 600.00 he tells me he had to remove the exhaust and some other things to get to where the bolt broke off and then drill it out and retap the hole, thus the extra labor. So ok I don’t care I just wanted my bike so I could ride. I rode it home and parked it in garage. That night my wife sends me a picture of the bike with a puddle of new oil underneath. Next day I call the mechanic and he says it needs a gasket that he will order and put it on while I wait no problem. 2 weeks of telling me the gasket hasn’t come in yet. I ordered it myself and be here in 3 to 5 days. Now he tells me I don’t need gasket, he says the case cover was damaged maybe by a thrown chain at some point? And I’m like dude you been telling me for 2 weeks I need a gasket. I say I just want it fixed and now he won’t Respond so WTF I guess I’m gonna have to figure it out. What the hell is wrong with people providing good service these days?

While I’m thinking about it I recently took the basic rider course sponsored by Harley Davidson and they took us on a tour of there dealership. Upstairs were sales and parts and clothing and accessories. Downstairs was service with 4 techs who had all 4 bays with bikes on lifts so what’s different about Harley than Yamaha ? They were working on old bikes and new.

These stories just boggle my mind! The fact that you could get a job at a White Castle here starting at 14 bucks an hour and go to school and become a highly trained technician and not get hired. Something is definitely wrong. I guess my vision of what a dealership is doesn’t come close to reality. However I you want to be a truck driver you can get your certificate in a few weeks and easily pull down 50 to 60 k your first year . Like I said it boggles my mind.

I have been thinking about this and listening to others opinions. My career has been a trucker for over 30 years. In that time I’ve owned my own trucks and put a million miles on them. Service was only a issue because of the time it took just to get it in the garage to be diagnosed. With my trucks parts were plentiful . It seems to me a dealership could make more money off repairs and services than whatever they could make off the sale of a bike. I know with Covid 19 sales of anything with a motor in it have gone through the roof. Seems to me dealers should invest in hiring and even maybe training techs themselves. That would of been my dream job to work in a bike shop when I raced motocross. Isn’t there money in repairing bikes , atv ,utv ? Just seems short sided of them to turn business away. Sooner or later all the bikes they sold during the Covid boom are gonna need working on and they are not going to be ready . There are vocational schools and trade schools that teach this so dealers you need to buck up and start hiring cause the wave is coming soon.

So today I was told by the Yamaha dealer that did didn’t work on older bikes. About a month ago the same dealership said bring it in but the only free day I had were Saturdays. Finally it was nice today and I called ahead just in case but this time I was told they only had one tech and had to take care of newer bikes and customers that had just purchased bikes. Luckily they did have a number for a guy that does work on older stuff from his home . I went out there this afternoon and was very pleased with what he had to say and I left my bike with him. I was wondering how you guys have dealt with dealerships that will no longer service your bike ?

Most definitely count me in !

Just completed my beginner rider safety class held by Man of war Harley in Lexington Ky. It was challenging and on the last day it rained and the wind almost blew me over . Now I can put my motorcycle endorsement on my license and practice practice practice! Spring is here and like all of us I’m anxious to get out and about after a difficult year . I got my second COVID shot today! I know everyone wants to put this last year of this virus behind us and get back to some kind of normal so stay safe everyone and I’ll see you on the road!

Well it’s not stripped out but it is broken off of course just enough where I can’t get to it to get it out. The zip ties were holding the broken screw in the shaft so it would shift .

Thanks !

Does anyone have the online version ? I could put it on my tablet. Or watch it from my tv screen in the garage. Was wondering if it’s Amy different from the paper bound service manual or may even better it might have more info . Thanks!

Got some parts on the way but you just made me think about that part in the diagram number 28 I might be needing if indeed it stripped out . I’ll put it on the jack this weekend and post some pictures in case anyone else had this happen.

I thought he said the screw had maybe vibrated out . But looking at the pic I took it looks like there’s one in there. It does look as if the boot is not in line with the linkage on the front side. It was shifting as I rode it home that day but it doesn’t look like anything I want to leave like that.

I’m posting some pictures and maybe someone can tell me what I’m looking at and how big a job is it to fix. So when I purchased the bike the previous owner said he had rigged the linkage one day after going for a ride it had stopped shifting. He used a zip tie from what I can tell. So did it loose a screw or what actually holds it in place I can’t tell from looking, but it doesn’t look like I would trust it for long. So I’m gonna post these pics and say it’s at the end of a long rod connected to the shifter linkage in between the frame and exhaust.

Here’s the video with the product I was thinking about. I didn’t know if something like that is available for the Yamaha.

Don’t know if you guys ever saw his videos but these bolt onto the bend in the crash bars and stop it from laying completely over and doing more damage. But the ones he showed are for Harley. Just wondering if someone makes them for our Yamahas.

No pics of the deed lol but I did have to ask my wife to help me get it back up . That was enough shame for one day!

Hi guys ! I just saw a YouTube video with Jerry Paladino advertising drop guards for Harleys . Are there similar products for the venture 1300 midnight star? I haven’t had it long but I already dropped it in the garage and I’m unsteady with the massive weight of the bike. Just don’t want to damage anything if I can avoid it. Thanks!

Hi I’m James I am a Trucker from Frankfort Ky. I purchased a 2004 midnight star this past fall. I just got my riders permit in 2020 and am waiting to take the Harley rider course in the spring.