JerryK

After he measured the gap he did take it apart and changed lube also. Took it that far down to add spacer shim.....but thats a simple task with his knowledge and set up. From a couple of responses and statements on here why are some guys taking the rear hub off to change rear tire? I put mine on my Sears lift,then remove right bag for axle to come out,take the 2 bolts out of rear disk bracket and tie it back with wire tie. Then I can remove both mufflers so I can get to the axle nut. Then pull axle and drop wheel out with hub left in place. One time I did have to remove left bag because axle was being stuborn! My 2000 venture had factory CD changer in left bag so I quickly learned not to pull that bag. I do have a factory CD changer that I'm not going to use if anyone needs one.....I'm hooked on XM now. My 2000 had the changer added at dealership before delivery so it was covered 5 years unlimited mile......they replace CD changer twice under warranty with lazer problems from chuck holes. Also when my bike was totaled I got everything off it but the short Clarion coaxil cable for yamaha. Yamaha agreed that since it was original equipped that they would sent me one no cost. I also got the Yamaha part # for the short cord for future use. Dealers told me no part# was ever available for just the cord. They told me only came in kit.....Not true! JerryK

Guys......For sure I'm not saying that a clutch noise or other things can't cause a similiar problem. I feel very lucky to have got steered to the right shop and that I didn't have the COMMON problem.......It's just like many other things......People and even Yamaha can jump to the most common trait....I don't disagree with that. I just hope that by sharing my experience I can help someone or most of all head off a situation like that poor guy who traded bikes because of it........I'm new here and pretty experienced with this bike.....but....I'm sure I can learn plenty from a group that focuses mostly on the great Yamaha Venture. That's why I'm here! JerryK

First of all let me say to GunnyButch that if yours is for sure a clutch whine it might still be their....but if it's rear end noise you have you will be very pleased. A lot of guys have a rear end noise and everyone assumes it's the clutch basket. If you take off your saddle bags,like I did,then ride it a couple days and concentrate on the noise you can figure out where it is. I know of one guy here in Ohio that Yamaha had a dealer put 4 clutch baskets in and all it did was move the noise around some.....the customer traded that 2005 Midnight in and got a new Harley. Then the rear end was shimed and fixed! I hate that situation for the guy that liked his Venture and got pushed to Harley when Yamaha wants to deny a fixable problem. Bull****! The biggest problem I see is that if one has no clutch noise at all its cool.....If you truely have a clutch noise they will tell you that it will not usually go clear away but they can get it to a more tolerable level or speed. That just tells me that on those bikes it's a crank problem not a clutch problem and they don't want to pay for that much work. Thats very sad I think! NOW HERE'S WHAT THEY DID TO MINE....... They put the bike on the lift then removed the left saddle bag. Then he left the axle bolted tight and removed the four nuts at the rear of the drive shaft tube. Then with a rubber mallot he taped that area a few time and a gap appeared at the back of the tube. He used feeler gauges to get the amount of gap. It was .020 on mine and he stated that that was not as much as he expected with my rear end noise. He made a .020 shim and installed it and rode it like I said. Then I rode it and he was on the phone with Yamaha as I stated and got auth. to replace rearend. He also told me it was a common thing to shim Gen 1 Ventures but was not on the new Ventures because of such tight machining tolerances that the new would never need it. But that ends up being wrong! If any of you have the noise and think it's rearend.... not clutch...... do as above and if it's got much of a gap [.025 or more] 1--- If under warranty make them fix it! 2--- If out of warranty make a good shim out of shim stock that size and you'll love me! JerryK

I bet the biggest change was the titres......The Ventures feel like a different bike with the Avons JerryK

After my 2000 Venture was totaled I bought 2003 to replace it. The 03 had a whine that I knew was probably the notorious clutch whine. As I rode it more and more I figured out that it was definitely a rear end noise not clutch. I took it to 3 diff dealers and was told clutch basket. The dealer I liked best for the fix told me that would help but not fix the noise. I assured him I would not settle with that knowing I had 86k on bike that was totaled with zero noise. I told him I didn't want him or any dealer doing it if they were promising that it would not fix it! To shorten this long story a little......Yamaha got back to him and told him....WE DON"T HAVE A REAR END PROBLEM WITH THE VENTURE BUT.....If he don't mind taking it to dealer in Seymour In. he could fix the problem and they would pay him to fix the problem it does'nt have! I live 3hrs from there in Ohio but always up for a ride...Gen II Yamaha's deny needing any shims because of great machine tolerances......The Dealer is Dan's Cycle Sales Yamaha and they build Venture and other Yamaha trikes. I was told that the Venture Trikes they convert would lose the Yamaha whine when the rear diff was gone. Within an hour I watched him take it apart and shim it and then test ride it. Gary ask me to test ride it too....I came back hating to tell him that the noise was much less but still their....but he was on the phone and I had to wait to tell him......when off the phone he ask me what I thought and I told him....He then told me he was on the phone with Yamaha getting auth. to install new rear end......DONE FIXED NO NOISE I did learn from watching him how he figures the amount of shim needed to fix most whines. JerryK

You are right.....when I come your way it has the same result........My problem is that I ride 25 miles each way on "The Super Slab" to and from work. JerryK

I've put a total of 140,000 miles on 2 different Gen II ventures and made an interesting discovery at deals gap 3 yrs ago. I had Metzler 880's on my 2000 Venture and knew that I would probably replace them after the trip. The center flat spot was getting to annoy me when turning. But after spending the best part of 2 days running up and down deals Gap the edge was gone. I had a better trip back to Ohio than the trip down! So what I have learned is that when the tires get flat spotted from the TOO MANY highway miles I ride that all I need to do is find a nice big blacktop lot [preferrably new sharpe black top].....I run about a 25-30 mph nice lazy figure eight and run about 20 minutes or so with some cutting tight enough to put some pressure on the tires but not enough to get scary and you will be very surprised when that annoying little step is gone! JerryK:Venture:

I'm new here but have had a 1983,2000,and now 2003 Venture. It's well known for plugs not firing right away if it's cool or cold out or been setting for a while. When that plug gets in the mood that cycle will warm and be fine. The 2003 I have now was running on 3 cyl. when I picked it up with 7200 mile on it. The guy thought he had a problem when I told him I came from Ohio to Tn. to buy this bike and it's running on 3 cyl......he started studdering and saying it's OK been that way and I had him touch the cold pipe....he was in a panic.....I was laughing inside and ask him for a D tag and a little open road.......A 5 min ride and all was well. I had the bike started today........It started on 2 cyl and in a few seconds went to 3 cyl then after about aminute later then right rear cyl picked up. My friend you have a very normal bike and need plugs maybe but no worry's OK? Jerryk:Venture:

I'm new here and on board now with Don's help. I have 2003 Midnight Venture now after 2000 red venture was totaled Halloween night 2005. It had 86K on it and would have easily went 200k I think. I bought this Midnight used....it original owner was a good guy I've got to know from Chatanooga Tn. [Cliff Herbert] He's head of Yamaha Marine testing in that area of Tn. I bought this one March of 2006 with 7250 miles on it now it's 52k and climbing. I have a cool 650 V-star Classic hot rod that I love too. I'm 60 yr old and I'm old Yamaha MX rider from 1969-1973. Always liked my JAP bikes and have had Goldwings and others along the way. I ride lots and have plenty of storys and tech experience. I :Venture:was telling Don that I run Avon Venoms and get great Mileage and handling with them...I ran Dunlops,Metzler 880's,and now love the Avons. Will be glad to see what's going on here. Jerryk

I had 2000 venture that I bought used. It had Yamaha Clarion installed when bike was new at dealer. At 3 years old I hit rough pothole and wiped out Lazer. My local Dealer said 2 years on CD was all the warranty because it was accessory. I then contacted yamaha myself and they looked up Vin and when they were told that Cycle Springs in Florida had installed at delivery it was covered for full 5 year. I did lose one more Lazer and they replaced it to. Then that bike was totaled in 2005 and I got changer off crashed bike but could not get Yamaha short wiring coax. I got with Ian in yamaha customer service and after checking my situation and backing up with warrantied changers he got me a new one for my current Venture and gave me the part # for that cord that every dealer tells you only comes in a kit. I'll look to see if I can find # or contact Ian if he's still there at Yamaha. But I now enjoy my XM and the extra space in the left saddle bag more than CD that would skip at times and die as mentioned above. Jerryk