Venturous Randy

Dan, as fixit and I can attest to, it is doable without being expensive. Most of the parts you have will continue to be good for a long time. You may have to tweak some on the parts you have, such as forks and gear dogs, if you don't want to buy everything new. Just let us know what you want to do and we will be glad to walk you through it. RandyA

Ya know, I been wondering the same thing. As you may know, I did the under cut thing and it worked so good that when the soft thrust washer wore out again, it still did not skip during a hard pull. It began to rattle while on the side stand. I just wish I had replaced the soft washer with a new harder one, rather than just flip it over, but I did not know the new one was improved (and neither did the local dealer). I ended up replacing my gearset this past summer with one from an 86 engine that I had picked up and it is working real good. I also want to encourage those out there that have the 2nd gear problem that it is fixable and it does not have to cost a fortune, but it does require some wrenching. I spent about $28 fixing mine the first time and put 60,000 more miles on it and as I said, if I had spent a few more bucks and replaced the thrust washer, it would still be going strong. Again, thanks fixit, and I hope this may help some make that decision to fix 2nd gear because there is nothing like going thru the first three gears on an early 1st gen Venture at WIDE OPEN THROTTLE!! RandyA

I found this on Pashnit and it was noted as coming from another post, so I am not sure who to give credit to. It is a good story, RandyA From another forum, Great Read! The bike's passenger seat swept up just enough that I could see over my father's shoulders. That seat was my throne. My dad and I travelled many backroads together...searching for the ones we had never found before. Travelling these roads just to see where they went. Never in a rush, just be home by supper. I remember wandering down a backroad with my father, sitting on my throne watching the trees whiz by, feeling the rumble of our bike beneath us like a giant contented cat. A motorcycle came over a hill towards us and as it went by, my father threw up his clutch hand and gave a little wave. The other bike waved back with the same friendly swing of his left wrist. I tapped my dad on the shoulder, which was our signal that I wanted to say something. He cocked his head back slightly while keeping his eyes ahead... I yelled, "Did you know him?" "What?" "You waved at him...who was that?" "I don't know. Just another guy on a bike....so I waved." "How come?" "You just do...it's important." Later, when we had stopped for ice cream, I asked him why it was so important to wave to other bikers. My dad tried to explain how the wave demonstrated comradeship and a mutual understanding of what it was to enjoy riding a motorcycle. He looked for the words to describe how almost all bikers struggled with the same things like cold, rain, heat, wind, and drivers who didn't see them, but how riding remained an almost pure pleasure. I was young then and I am not sure that I really understood what he was trying to get across, but it was a beginning of something. Afterwards, I always waved along with my dad whenever we passed other bikes. I remember one cold October morning when the clouds were heavy and dark, giving us another clue that winter was heading in from just over the horizon. My dad and I were warm inside our car as we headed to a friends house. Rounding a corner, we saw a motorcycle parked on the shoulder of the road. Past the bike, we saw the rider walking thru the ditch, scouring along thru the tall grass, crowned with a touch of frost. Dad pulled over and backed up to where the bike stood. I asked Dad..."Who's that?" "Don't know" he replied..."but he seems to have lost something. Maybe we can give him a hand." We left the car and wandered thru the tall grass ditch to the biker. He said that he had been pulling on his gloves as he rode, and that he had lost one. The three of us spent some time combing the ditch, but all we found were empty cans and bottles. My dad then turned and headed back to the car and opened the trunk. He rummaged thru various tools, oil containers, and this and that until he found an old pair of crumpled up leather gloves. He continued looking until he found an old catalogue. I understood what he was doing with the gloves....but I had no idea what he needed with the catalogue. "Here's some gloves for you" my dad said as he handed them to the rider..."and I brought you a catalogue as well." "Thanks"..I really appreciate it." He reached into his hip pocket and pulled out an old chain wallet. "Lemme give you some money for the gloves" he said. "No thanx" dad replied as he handed them to the rider. "They're not worth anything and they're old anyway". The biker smiled. "Thanx alot." He pulled the old gloves on and unzipped his jacket. I watched as my dad handed him the catalogue and the biker slipped it inside his coat. He jostled it around, positioning it up high, centered, and then zipped it up. I remembered now making sense of why my dad had given him the catalogue. It would keep him a bit warmer. After wishing the biker well, my dad and I left him warming up his bike. Two weeks later, the biker came to our home and returned my father's gloves. He had found the address on the catalogue. Neither my father nor the biker seemed to think that my dad stopping at the side of the road for a stranger and giving him a pair of gloves, and that the stranger making sure that the gloves were returned, were events out of the ordinary for people who rode motorcycles. For me, it was another subtle lesson. It was spring of the next year when I was sitting high on my throne, watching the farm fields slip by when I saw two bikes coming towards us. As they rumbled past, my dad and I waved, but the other bikers kept their sunglasses locked straight ahead and did not acknowledge us. I remember thinking that they must have seen us because our waves were too obvious to miss. Why didn't they wave back? I thought all bikers waved at one another..... I tapped my dad on the shoulder and yelled..."How come they didn't wave back?" "Don't know. Sometimes they don't." I remember feeling very puzzled. Why wouldn't someone wave back? The next summer, I was finally old enough to learn to ride a motorcycle with a clutch. Many an afternoon were spent on a country lane beside our home, kicking and kicking to start my dad's old 1955 BSA. When it would finally come to a sputtering start, my concentration would grow to a sharp focus, as I tried to let out the clutch slowly enough, and bring us to a smooth take off. More often than not, I would lurch forward.....and begin to attempt to kickstart the motor again. Eventually, I got my own motorcycle license, and began wandering the backroads on my own. I found myself stopping along sideroads if I saw another biker alone, just to check and see if he needed help.......and I continued to wave at other riders. But I remained focused as to why some riders never waved back. It left me with almost a feeling of rejection, as if I were reaching to shake someones hand, but they kept their arm hanging by their side. I began to canvass my friends about waving. I talked with people at biker events, asking what they thought. Most of the old riders told me they waved to other bikers and often initiated the friendly air handshake as they passed one another. I did meet some riders tho, who told me that they did not wave to other riders because they felt that they were different from other bikers. They felt that they were a "breed apart". One guy told me in rather colorful language, that he did not "wave to no wussies". He went on to say that his kind of bikers were tough, independent, and they did not require or want the help of anyone, whether they rode a bike or not. I suspected that there were some people who bought a bike because they wanted to purchase an image of being tougher, more independent, a not-putting-up-with-anyone's-crap kind of person, but I didn't think that this was typical of most riders. People by bikes for different reasons. Some will be quick to tell you what make it is, how much they paid for it, or how fast it will go. Brand loyalty is going to be strong for some people whether they have a Harley, Ford, Sony, or whatever... Some people want to buy an image and try to purchase another person's perception of them. But it can't be done. Still, there is a group of people who ride bikes who truly are a breed apart. They appreciate both the engineering and the artistry in the machines they ride. Their bikes become part of who they are and how they define themselves to themselves alone. They don't care what other people think. They don't care if anyone knows how much they paid for their bike or how fast it goes. The bike means something to them that nothing else does. They ride for themselves and not for anyone else. They don't care whether anyone knows they have a bike. They may not be able to find words to describe what it means to ride, but they still know. They may not be able to describe what it means to feel the smooth acceleration and the strength beneath them. But they understand. These are the riders who park their bikes, begin to walk away and then stop. They turn and look back. They see something when they look at their bikes that you might not. Something more complex, something that is almost secret, sensed rather than known. They see their passion. They see a part of themselves. These are the riders who understand why they wave to other motorcyclists. They savour the wave. It symbolizes connection between riders, and if they saw you and your bike on the side of the road, they would stop to help and might not ask your name. They understand what you are up against every time you take your bike on the road.....the drivers that don't see you, the ones that cut you off or tailgate you, the potholes that lie in waiting. The rain. The cold. I have been shivering and sweating on a bike for more than 40 years. Most of the riders that pass give me a supportive wave. I love it when I see a younger rider on a "crotch rocket" scream past me and wave. New riders carrying on the traditions. I will continue in my attempts to get every biker just a little closer to one another with a simple wave. And if they do not wave back when I extend my hand into the breeze as I pass them, I will smile a little more. Maybe their just mistaken about who is a "breed apart."

Hey Brad, we got one cat too many. Can I UPS you one? Just kidding, I think? It is a tough thing when losing a family pet. RandyA

Good luck Lowell. Just keep in mind that smoking is not a natural thing to do. You had to teach your body to smoke. That being said, I need to do something about this eating thing!!! RandyA

Thanks for posting this article. I was evidently posting one at the same time, but a little different. I also joined their site and posted a note and a picture of my 83. We also need to have a link to our web site noted on theirs. RandyA

This is a link to an interesting article and pictures about taking $1000 bikes on a 1000 mile ride. The author chose to take his 83 Venture. There are some very nice pictures available. Enjoy, RandyA http://www.pashnit.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1751

As Fred said, you can do it and it is a big improvement over the 83/85 unit. I did it to my 83 and have been very pleased with the improvement. RandyA Note this post I did earlier even though the ebay parts are gone. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=17820

Hey thom, say you had a orange o-ring problem? Was it pushed out or was it broken? Mine was broken. Hate to hear about your head gasket problem. If you do have a head problem, let me know as I have a spare off an 86 engine. RandyA

Well, thom, I figure if it is real real slow, you might have a chance at beating it!!! RandyA

I had gone the Silverstar bulb route and then the PIAA bulb, but the best was the upgrade. I am still looking at doing a parallel wire with solenoid. I know there is a significant voltage drop thru the CMS, which can be a problem with enough voltage pull to cause cold soldier joints. I have been wondering what I am going to do for a winter project and this will give me something to work on. RandyA

In the 12 years I have had my 83 Venture, I have tried several things to improve the headlight situation. The best thing I did was to upgrade to the headlight assembly from an 86 up. It is a big improvement. On ebay right not there is a 90 1st gen being parted that has good starting bid prices on these parts. For someone wanting to do a headlight upgrade, this might be a good oportunity to pick up all the parts needed. I am going to post the link to the headlight bucket and I hope I am not stepping on someone's toes by posting this, but this is the 1st time in a while I have seen these parts available. You will need the; headlight bucket adjustment assy headlight ring upper frame that holds the dash left side frame that mounts the adjustment assy bottom strip the connects the upper fairings that the headlight bucket sits in. If you could do a little welding and have a late 1st gen to go by, you could modify the frames off the 83/85 to accept the headlight mounts and the adjustment assy. RandyA http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=013&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWA%3AIT&viewitem=&item=230204705320&rd=1

If you would like to do a patch on the diaphragms before you decide to do the big purchase, there are several options available. I have had good results out of a product called "Liquid Tape", that you can get at about any hardware store or even Wal Mart. The trick on using this is in the preparation. You will need to get both sides of the diaphragm real clean, like with brake parts cleaner and alcohol. Take something that comes to a point, like a scribe and put the Liquid Tape on both sides. The next step is to let this stuff dry real good before reassembling. This is the trick to having it not break down with the gas fumes. Laying out in the sun for a while works good. I have tried several different things like silicon and Yamabond, but this stuff is the only thing I found that stays plyable and stays on. RandyA

We have had a couple of different video games over the last few years, but this Christmas the 16 year old grandson got an X-Box 360. I have never gotten into these things much, but I am amazed at the graphics on this thing. The amount of detail is phenominal. We have been racing the different cars on the different tracks and it is almost like being in the drivers seat. One of the cars is a late 60's Shelby Mustang and the sound is just like the Mustang in the movie Bullet. I could not have imagined how life like this could be, especially when I remember the first interactive video game we played at home was "pong" or something like that. RandyA

Actually the tilt of the earth's axis starts on the first day of winter to start back toward the northern hemisphere. It will take several days until there is even a minute added to the day period, but this is still better than just saying that the first day of winter sucks. RandyA

the days are now getting longer and longer. RandyA

Lewis, from Laura and I, we wish you and Charlene and your family a Merry Christmas and a truely good and happy New Year. RandyA

One suggestion Terry is to get ANOTHER set of plugs. 1st gens are very sensitive to spark plugs and once they are fouled, they never seem as good as new ones. I have had very good luck with Autolite's from Advance Auto and they are cheap. One other thing to consider is the sparkplug caps have a resistor in them that occasionally get corroded. RandyA

For many of you this will not mean much, but for a few old hot rodders out there, it may. I have a 79 El Camino that was my dad's for many years before he died in August 2000. It had a 305 with a Quadrajet that ran ok but did not run very strong and seemed to use a lot of gas. My son needed an engine to go into his Chevy pickup, so he, my 16 year old grandson and I got the parts together to build my old 327 for the El Camino, so he could have the 305. We bored it .030 over, ordered a new cam that is the same as the old L-79 327/350 HP version. I had an Edlebrock Performer series aluminum intake and we put a 650 Holly double pumper on it. I also put full length tube headers on it. I even put the same aluminum Micky Thompson valve covers back on it that I put on 35 years ago, with a little polishing. After primeing the oiling system and getting some gas into the carburator, we cranked it up, open headers and all. It exploded to life, especially with it being inside a garage. Boy, does a cammed up small block Chevy with open headers sound good. This is the same basic engine I built and put in my 1964 Chevelle in 1972 when I was in the military. I rebuilt (basically re-ringed) it again in 1983 and put it in a 240Z Datsun. I put about 100,000 miles on the 327 in the 240Z. Now, all these years later it is back together and sounds real good. I can't wait to get the complete exhaust on it and be able to take it out and see how it runs. It may not get any better gas mileage, but I bet it runs a lot better. RandyA

I think you have over filled the rear reservoir and when it gets warm it is causing the brakes to engage. RandyA

And this is with the bike sitting on the center stand. I know you said you checked the diaphragms so you are saying you see no holes when you hold them up to a bright light? And as noted check the spark plug caps as they have a resistor in them that can get corroded and breakdown. RandyA

The steering wheel is actually on the lawn tractor the camper is hooked to. This was the first time we put it up when we brought it home. You also may notice I painted the ABS tub a creame color later on. The cat thinks we got the camper for him as he always climbs up in it as soon as it is opened up. Here should be a better picture of the cat. RandyA

I picked this one up a couple of years ago and we have had a great time with it and my 83 Venture pulls it fine. There are a lot of campgrounds along the Blue Ridge Parkway that are inexpensive and have hot showers. You may have to get a little off the BRP because most on the parkway are almost primitive camping. I payed about $150 bucks for it. We have a full size air mattress in it. RandyA

For many years it was a big deal to go to one of the tree farms in the mountains and pick one out and cut it down. Then we started getting one from one of the tree yards and after one year when the wife brought one in that lost its needles before we could get all the decorations on it, she went out and bought a fake one. That last real one looked like a Charlie Brown tree when we finished with it. RandyA

My dad joined the Navy at 16 years old. He had not been in long and was in Times Square when Pearl Harbor was bombed. He ended up in Guadal Canal as the war ended. I look at my 16 year old grandson, who is a pretty good boy and I just can not imagine him having to endure what my dad did at that age. I really regret that I did not have more talks with my dad about what he went thru. I do know that he was proud of me when I joined the military and ended up in South east Asia. RandyA