bongobobny

Yes, I remember you too, my friend!! Welcome back and I hope everything takes a huge upswing for you!!!

OK Don, as far as the seat goes, try a real sheepskin on it!! They provide comfort, keep you warmer when it's cooler and cooler when it's warmer! It may also insulate some of the heat coming up through the seat as well, but as we already discussed I don't feel that is a huge issue with the new Venture but I only rode for about 20 minutes whereas you have put a lot more time and distance on it! I have been using sheepskins for probably around 30 years now and prefer them. You can find good full sized ones on eBay for around $100 or less in various colors. You can either punch a slot into it for the backrest or cut into two which I now prefer so that way you either have a solo sheepskin or a dual when someone else is riding with you...

For me, the third thing to change, or maybe the fourth after the risers, would be those ugly and uncomfortable handlebar grips!!! To me hand comfort is important...

OK, here we go now! The stator is called a stator because it remains stationary, it does not move!! What does move is the Rotor, which is, in reality, a big magnet that is attached to the end of the crankshaft. As this magnet rotates around the stator and passes each winding a rising and falling voltage is generated. This is an AC voltage that must be converted to a DC voltage to recharge the battery. That is the job of the rectifier part of tour Regulator/Rectifier. Now, let's go back to the rotating magnet or rotator and talk about the pickup coils. Like the stator, these pickup coils are stationary, they do not move!! What does move is the rotor, and as the magnet moves it also generates a voltage across the pickup coils! There are actually 4 coils total, one coil for each cylinder. There are two coils in each housing and two housings. Notice neither the stator or the pickup coils move, they are stationary!! Therefore there ain't no way in hell the stator is going to interact with the pickup coils! It's all coming from the rotor, which is, as I stated, just a big rotating magnet! What you might as well do while you have the stator cover off is to ascertain that for some really odd reason the rotor hasn't lost its magnetism and that the pickup coils haven't come undone from their mounting position. Other than a UFO or something in close proximity of the bike I doubt the magnet has lost its charge, but I do know in some rare instances the mounting screws for the pickup coils may have come loose and the pickup coils are just dangling in space... Once you get to the point of checking things out again, please ascertain that there are 12 volts on each of the coil primaries while the bike is cranking over. The voltage may drop somewhat due to the starter motor dragging the battery down while it is turning over but as long as there is still at least 10 volts or more that should be enough. I believe it is a red/white wire that is common to the coil primary plus terminal, I'm too lazy to look at the schematic this AM to confirm the wire color... Anyway check this out and get back to me. If that 12 volts is not there, the first thing to look at is the ignition fuse and the issue may not be the fuse itself but the fuse holder as this is a very common problem with the MK1 Venture. The usual fix is to replace the glass fuses and fuse holders with blade type fuses and fuse holder. Skydoc_17 sells a nice kit designed specifically for this.

Try a different bulb, like switch the rears out and see if the problem follows the bulb. Also, as Carl suggested, make sure the socket is clean and the springs are pushing the connectors onto the bulb contacts...

Well, Carl, seeing as Honda invented the DCT system you may be right!! https://www.google.com/search?source=hp&ei=qoSKW9uBMMrIsAWAkqXwDQ&q=what+motorcycle+uses+a+dual+clutch+transmission&oq=what+motorcycle+uses+a+dual+clutch&gs_l=psy-ab.1.0.33i22i29i30.1774306.1790887..1797434...1.0..0.104.2991.33j2....2..0....1..gws-wiz.....0..0j35i39j0i131j0i22i30j33i10.QihngoHAH8A However, there are a few other brands that use the DCT... https://autowise.com/top-10-automatic-motorcycles/ Now, my question to you is, does the Spider use a DCT??? It is, after all, a semiautomatic transmission...

OK, once again, you do not even need a charging system hooked up to just start the bike!!! Quit wasting your time looking at them when they have absolutely NOTHING to do with the ignition system!!! As long as your battery is hooked up with a full charge and the bike cranks over easily you should get spark if the ignition system is working! Get the bike running and then we can evaluate the charging system. Yes, there can very well be something wrong with the pickup coils, this was a somewhat common failure with the 1st Generation. This was that connector I mentioned earlier halfway up the frame that can sometimes get corroded. At the TCI connector on the side with 6 pins, not the side with 8 pins, look for the black, orange, grey, white and grey, and white and red wires. Using the black as the common for an ohmmeter, check the resistance to each of the other wires. each wire should read between 93.5 and 126.5 ohms. There are actually 4 coils with black being common to all. Here's a link to the schematic from this site if you can read electrical diagrams. https://www.venturerider.org/wiring/84-85%20Yamaha%20Venture%20Royale%20DL%20Wiring%20Diagram%20Rev%20C.pdf Also, here is a link to the downloadable official Yamaha Service Manual from this site, follow the link inside this link... https://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?3384-First-Gen-Service-Manuals Good luck, wish I lived closer as I would be glad to help you get it running!!!

Deal! I'll be here, and I'll try to rouse Big Tom as well! The place is BW Barbeque on Lake Avenue near Abbot Road. http://www.bwbbq.com/

Well, if you would like to have dinner and like BBQ (most likely the best around) I know a place that is just minutes from I90 in Orchard Park/Blasdell. Heck, I'll even buy!!! You can call using my home phone...

Ya gonna stop in on the way through?? Don Weaver Motorsports is a decent enough dealer, and I doubt Pioneer could have matched that price...

OK, you are correct that the oil level sensor merely supplies a ground from the engine that goes to the oil level light bulb. Now, this ground takes a sort of a detour into the Starting Circuit Cut Off relay to let the relay know there is oil in the engine before starting. I'm not sure about the RSTD but on the RSV this relay is mounted under the seat next to the fuel pump and fuel filter and is held in place by a metal tang that the rubber piece on the relay hooks onto. Sometimes this relay falls off and lands on the engine where eventually the plastic case melts and a ground can get introduced where it isn't supposed to be resulting in all sorts of strange symptoms!! You may want to locate this relay and ascertain it is still intact. So, there is a possibility there was nothing wrong with your original sensor. A simple ohmmeter test would have confirmed this. The only other device between the sensor and the light bulb is the Starting Circuit Cut Off Relay, and they ain't cheap either! Perhaps you can locate a used one at a reasonable price. I managed to get one for my RSV in a package deal of assorted relays for an RSV and if memory serves me right it cost me $35 on eBay. New ones run in excess of $100.

There's a few of us. Former WB2GBO, General class, ticket expired in the late 60's while in the military...

I haven't but a few have. It does not run as good with that swap so I've been told. You get your most power and efficiency with a separate carb for each cylinder...

Yup! What Bubber said! I certainly enjoyed the company of ALL the people at the PIP US and Canadian! As a matter of fact, there is one Canadian couple in particular (or two couples as I think about) that I wish we could get together again with!

For the kickstand switch, if you see anything more than one ohm or less that is quite possibly the problem! I had one that read 4 ohms and it was the problem. A quick test is to short out all 3 wires and see if you then have spark. A word of caution, doing this enables the bike to be started in gear which is dangerous! Make absolutely sure you are in neutral first. Of course, if the kickstand switch is bad the bike will still start in gear or neutral if the clutch is squeezed but will then die when you let the clutch out. Is your neutral green light lit?? If not then your neutral/gear selector switch needs servicing. There is a 3 pin connector halfway up the frame in the rear that carries the information from the timing coils that sometimes get corroded and will kill the bike. Test for timing coil resistance at the TCI connector to see if this is an issue. We will gladly help you out with step by step troubleshooting of the ignition system if you like. Until you actually get the bike running there is no real way to evaluate how well your charging system is, so get it running first! The bike WILL start even if the charging system is kaputz as long as the battery itself is fully charged. You should see 12.5 or better across the battery and when you hit the starter it should not drop much lower than 11 volts while the starter motor is turning over...

It may have been cracked even before you bought it! They can be repaired easily using a good ABS 2 part epoxy and depending on where the crack is it will be invisible as long as there is no missing plastic. Due to the location of the lower fairing and IMHO the less than perfect way of mounting it, it is very easy for them to get cracked by road debris, etc... I agree with everyone else, eBay or possibly new from places as Partzilla or Boats.net, etc. Pinwall is just a tad pricey IMHO but a good dealer none the less. You might want to check with Mike Eyecamp, the Diamond Cut Guy here on the site (EUSA1) as sometimes he has good ones available. The most cost-effective way is to fix it yourself though!

I'm clear on the other side of the state, John. It's an 8-hour trip minimum to the city but if it was REALLY important of course I would help!

We spent hours inside there, Pucster!! Sure, it is a tourist trap of sorts, but a really cool place to wander through anyway. Of course, I had to have the traditional bumper sticker which is adorned on one of my tool boxes, but we also bought a couple other souvenirs as well! Becky picked up some jewelry and I picked up a nicknack and a snack. Of course, we would stop in again if we are ever in the area!!

Saw this on Facebook today, Motiv and his wife were returning home from a trip and had a tire blow out in Corning, NY. They are busted up a little but seemingly nothing life-threatening. Here is a link to the ventureriders group on Facebook where it is posted. Hopefully, the link will take you there, but might not as that group is a closed group... https://www.facebook.com/groups/144033808988878/?fb_dtsg_ag=Adwv5yyS-xESxjWS1SZFgbmUAzeduTcfQ3VuJnjY0u9VdA%3AAdyMr9vWfm8x2sJbRk-uNrmdxHjC-9dhlx6tkz9WZ9RfhQ

Lots of possibilities, but, my first guess is going to be a corroded battery terminal or ground connector from battery to frame... It could be your ignition switch as well, the best way to determine this is if your radio still works even if everything else is dead. If the audio still works then your main connections on the ignition switch have gone bad. I would start with a voltmeter directly across the battery right on the actual battery terminals. You should see around 12 volts.

Say it isn't so, Stan, say it isn't so!!! Oh well, at least you have another Venture to ride and fall in love with...

***SIGH*** In order to properly set your mixture screws, you need to use either a colortune plug or a CO sniffer. There is a reason the factory put those caps on over the adjusters. Just turning them out some arbitrary amount will most likely unbalance the mixture making the bike run less efficient and emit more pollutants into the atmosphere...

Yes, two are mine! I couldn't get over to the site until just after everybody but Jonas left. The blue with a white top hard cooler is mine, and the blue soft shell cooler is mine also...

While at the WNY Rally we all had the opportunity to try out a new 2018 Venture! Now, keep in mind that I have not been on 2 wheels since 2011 when I went 3 wheels on my Venture, so it was quite an experience! Before I filled out the paperwork I asked to swing a leg over and see how well the balance felt as with my diabetes and health my balance is nowhere near what it used to be. I was very surprised to find out a bike that is just a mere 25 pounds shy of being a half ton of weight felt quite comfortable and controllable so I signed up!! Although the bike is not quite what I would be looking for, I do have to admit it is a pretty decent ride! There are several plusses and minuses but overall the positives outweigh the minuses. I was a bit apprehensive about riding it and all that went through my mind was "don't forget to put your feet down, don't forget to put your feet down..." The 3rd gen is a big honking bike and I actually felt it was too long but nowadays I only go five feet eight so that may have had something to do with it! The actual handling of the bike is quite nice for something that big and heavy, and unlike the 2nd gen has very good low-speed manners. The big V-twin has gobs of torque at the bottom end and has very good throttle response, perhaps too much when the throttle control is in the "sports" mode. There are two throttle modes, sports and touring, and what each mode does is electronically modify the response curve of the actual mechanical twist of the throttle. To me, the sports mode actually made the throttle too jerky for normal operation, I have not been a hot-rodding teenager for several years now, but if you like that sort of riding then, by all means, rock on! One thing I noticed is when I was putting along in 5th (it's a 6 speed) at around 2 grand I thought I was doing maybe around 50 to 55 MPH but when I looked down I was doing 72 in a 55!!! This bike is smooth at higher speeds so I know it will cruise effortlessly on the interstates! I did have it in 6th but at 1500 RPM it didn't really lug it down but it was a rather annoying putt-putt feeling, not to be confused with but similar to the Harley potato-potato effect. I also took it over some rough back roads and the suspension seemed to handle it quite well! The new Venture has a parking assist function that works very well! When in neutral you engage the lever and use a push button on the handlebar to move the bike either forward or backward at 2 MPH via a separate motor hooked up to the final gear drive for the drive belt. As I mentioned, the bike's balance is excellent and this is an easy bike to duck-walk especially using the park assist, but by the same token, it is just as easy and faster to just plain walk it without the assist. There is also a ton of bells and whistles supplied with their entertainment and information system but I'm not going into them. Now for the ugly side. Yup, being air-cooled, at a stop you could just feel the heat waves blasting you right in the chest. Other riders complained that they thought the heated seat was turned on but I did not notice that quite as much as they did. I'm thinking a good sheepskin would fix that complaint but have no ideas what to do about the heat wave at a stop. I absolutely HATED the shifter as it was way far forward and actually had to look down to physically find it more than once. I did find out there is a heel/toe shifter available but did not get a chance to try that out. Although that big 1800 cc twin has lots of power, I am a firm V4 (or 6) fan and like the kind of response that higher RPM's brings. If I owned a 3rd gen perhaps I would get used to it after a while as the acceleration is quite ample and as previously mentioned you seem to be going a lot faster than you think you are. Also, the shift indicator plays tricks, if you go up in gears for a few and then go down the indicator gets confused for a second or two. For example, I went 1, 2, 3, 4, and then back to 3 but when I went back to 3 the indicator read 5 for a second or two and then changed its mind!! This was confirmed by an actual owner of a 3rd gen who was at the rally and stated they saw the same thing but the dealer thinks they are crazy... By the way, we had a total of 33rd gens there not counting the demo one!!! So overall I will give the 3rd generation Venture a passing grade! Yes, just like the rest of you I was totally disappointed with the new Venture being an air-cooled belt drive V-Twin, but I have said in the past I would reserve my final decision about the bike until I swung a leg over and took it for a ride. My decision is that it is a sweet-looking bike that is technologically light years ahead, just like the original 1st generation was when it came out that handles and performs quite well! Not the perfect bike for me but I will certainly not reject it! Now, in conclusion, I would like to address the 800-pound gorilla in the room. I hear time and time again, "It's not a water cooled shaft drive V4 so don't call it a Venture!" Well, just what does the word "Venture" really mean?? What was the first one designed to do in the first place?? The Venture was, and still is a luxury TOURING bike designed to be driven for miles and miles and miles at a time in comfort with many extra conveniences normally not found in the average motorcycle. As far as I am concerned the new Venture does exactly that, and maybe if I was younger and in better health, I would seriously consider buying one. Others complain about the price being so much higher than they used to be but let me ask you, do you still buy a new car for the same price you paid 10 years ago, or for that matter last year?? An unfortunate fact of life is vehicles continue to cost more and more. Try comparing the new Venture's price to a compatible Harley, Beemer, Wing, Indian or whatever...

Yup!! The '83 uses vacuum for the advance from the carb as opposed to '84 on up using manifold vacuum, so the advance works backward. As mentioned, all you have to do is switch the boost sensor vacuum from the carb to the manifold and all will be well. Right now yes, the engine will start and rev just fine, but when you drive it and go to accelerate it will bog down and run like crap!!