Pegasus1300

To say good bye. I have been a part of this forum since it started. In 2011 after a bad accident I went to three wheels and now a Can Am Spyder. Since I no longer ride a Venture, my comments are becoming less and less relevant. I do have many friends here and I love reading your stories, but I must move on so tomorrow when my membership expires I will not be renewing. Thanks for all your good company, technical advice, pictures, friendship. Don thank you for all you have done to advance the cause of Ventures. Happy TRAils and many pleasant miles. Hope to see some of you on the road.

Although it is moot now, for others reference here is the true reference http://www.merlinsblood.com/products.html. Scroll down to see his tire grafics

All day long. All day long

Hey that is a cool RL 250 trials bike you had there. I rode one of those in back in the day, with the aluminum tank. Lots of fun

I have been using Shell Rotella T4 for many years in my Ventures and Royal Stars. This is a great oil at a great price and available at any Walmart. I was in the habit of changing my oil every 3000mi. but that was probably overkill, old habits die hard. So ride on with that T4, you will not be disappointed. BTW if you ever decide you want to go to a Synthetic, Rotella T6 is a great oil and it is JASO MA2 rated, which is a wet clutch compatible.

I had a 69 350 GTO. It was a great bike, handled well was very fast and that 6 speed gearbox was a delight. Red and chrome. In 70 they went to solid paint and I didn't like that as well. Mechanicals didn't change. BTW sorry to pick nits but Bridgestone never made a 250. They had a 175 and then in the last days a 200.

Try tire grafixx.com, they have some very interesting products.

The Dunlop 404's look really good, but they don't last very long. I had a set on my 08 that looked really good. Metzler used to make a pretty set don't know if they still do. They worked well for me but I think they only made tire for the front. Avon made the best looking ones and as I remember a good performer. BTW welcome back, I remember you. Since I had to go to 3 wheels and am now on a Spyder, I don't spend a lot of time here any more.

Norton 750 Commando. Mine was the fastback version. 25,000 miles in 18 months, great bike.

Glad you are back on your feet. I have had good luck with Berryman's B12 in a spray can. Drain all old gas, add a little with some B12 in it. Start if you can. spray B12 into every hole you can find run it spray more run it spray more. Let sit for a day, repeat. It takes time but I have cleared out an RSV that sat for 5 years untreated.

I am finally going to retire. At 72 I decided that was enough. Open road here I come

Although I ride a Can Am Spyder now,it calls for Jaso MA2. I looked on all the bottles I have in storage and they all say JASO MA2. Are they?Who knows but if the label says its gotta be there or they risk a liability. I love the price on it right now with the rebate coupon so I guess I will continue to use it. So far no clutch slip on the RT and it has the semi auto clutch (35000 mi) which is very sensitive to oil.

So in a word NO.The brakes on the Royal Stars have nothing to do with the brakes on the old 1st gen Ventures (1983 - 1992) other then their basic function of stopping the bike.

So in reading thru your list of what you have done and in looking over your account of the mishap,I don't think you have a seal problem. I think you have a pot hole problem.Any hole bad enough to cause a set of progressives to bottom out is pretty bad. I think that pot hole knocked out your seal and you are lucky it didn't take the other seal with it and maybe a bushing or a tube. Sorry but I think you are in for another rebuild with no no ther problem then the pot hole to blame it on. 2 other thoughts from years ago. We used to make seal protectors from a piece of heavy vinyl warped around the leg and held with hook and loop.This would move up and down with the fork and keep bugs and small rocks from causing damage. It is possible to put a second spring on a seal. This would help it to seal it better. Good luck

This a great bike.I rode Yamaha V4 for 24 years both generations and loved them. I would still be on one I can't balance it any more,too heavy now.