twigg

That was the original plan ... and a bunch of LD Riders were all set to witness the turnaround point. That would have been a 2200 mile trip, but a friend had to back out so I have shortened it to 1560 miles .... I will turnaround just short of Gallup, NM

I wish someone would steal my wife's Credit Cards. They would probably use them less than she does!

It's worth noting that Progressive Springs can be installed either way up ... From a spring point of view it doesn't matter. However, it does affect the oil level ... More will be displaced if they are installed "closed coil" down.

You are quite correct, it is part of the collector. The good news is that if you can find a decent shield on a tatty collector, they come off and weld back on very easily. Mine had to be removed and replaced when I had new stubs welded on the collector.

Thank you Sir I am planning on sitting on that bike for about 22 hours at the weekend ... I wanted to be able to see where I was going I'll post a SPOT link closer to the weekend for anyone interested in a Bun Burner Gold (1500 miles in 24 hours) attempt.

Good post. Add to that ... The extra wiring doesn't help either. The shorter the better and if the switch only has to carry relay switching current, it all helps.

I have some similar from the same place. As driving lights they are $20 worth! However ... swap out the 55W bulbs for 35W and they make very decent running lights in daylight. Those two plus your headlight and you have the "triangle" that drivers find hard to miss.

Some time ago I added an HID Bi-Xenon kit to my 1986 Venture Royale. As kits go it has done a decent job and for $60 who could complain. It was a massive improvement over stock, but as with all of these kits, it was not coming close to the true potential of HID headlights. The light output was compromised by two main factors, the poor stock reflector and the fact that the bulb moves to create High and Low beams. Whichever way you cut it, in one of those positions (and probably both), it was not at the true focal point of the reflector. So it was time to do the job properly, and install a projector. First problem is the glass lens on the stock headlamp. It is cut for halogen bulbs. Projectors need a clear glass cover if they are to work well, and the '86 doesn't have one. However, the earlier bikes do, so first up was a trip to ebay for the front cover, rubber boot and glass from an '85. How hard could it be to make that fit over the '86 headlight bucket with the original headlight glass left off? Harder than it appears is the answer, but not so hard that you shouldn't try it if you are so inclined. It was open to me to do a full retrofit of the earlier headlight, and this may be a better way to go but I don't know how the earlier headlight mounts, and what additional parts might be needed. So ... This is what I started with: http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/1986%20Yamaha%20Venture%20Royale/Headlight%20Conversion/DSCN0292.jpg Nothing wrong with it, it's just not good enough for the amount of night riding I sometimes have to do. First up was the HID kit. I bought the Stage III Superbike Kit ($150) from theretrofitsource.com The kit comes with literally everything you need except a man to fit it all for you. The components appeared to be of high quality although there was some excess flashing on the Shroud that needed removing. No complaints. The kit also came with a Left Hand Drive Projector, more of that later. This is what was in the quickly delivered box: http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/1986%20Yamaha%20Venture%20Royale/Headlight%20Conversion/DSCN0290.jpg And the parts laid out: http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/1986%20Yamaha%20Venture%20Royale/Headlight%20Conversion/DSCN0291.jpg First job was to split the headlight. Ten minutes in the oven at 265F, and it came apart with no real effort at all: http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/1986%20Yamaha%20Venture%20Royale/Headlight%20Conversion/DSCN0317.jpg Then the whole of the inside of the bucket got two coats of grey primer and three coats of black paint. It looks good in black, but also serves to prevent any excess light from straying into unwanted places: http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/1986%20Yamaha%20Venture%20Royale/Headlight%20Conversion/DSCN0324.jpg Note ... There are two tabs in the hole where the original bulb fitted. They need removing and a file made short work of that. Also, the solenoid wiring has to emerge somewhere so I drilled a 1/4" hole in the reflector just below the projector. This will be covered by the shroud and not seen. Then we can mount the Projector, Bulb and Shroud in the housing. The projector is the smallest available at 2 1/2". The shroud appears massive, and doesn't fit at first as the diameter is too big. A few minutes with a hacksaw and it fitted just fine. The shroud is simply glued to the projector with a fitting ring and some silicone. http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/1986%20Yamaha%20Venture%20Royale/Headlight%20Conversion/DSCN0329.jpg And the rear .... http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/1986%20Yamaha%20Venture%20Royale/Headlight%20Conversion/DSCN0325.jpg I have covered the thin wires with a couple of layers of heat shrink, and they are now siliconed in place and have wire protector round them. Having stripped out most of the wiring for the old kit, all that is left is the ground from the switch I fitted above the brake master cylinder. This interrupts the ground to the lights and I use it as a manual On/Off switch. I leave this in place as I plan on re-using it. Next up is fitting the new wiring harness. There isn't much room. I found a place to install the two included relays. They are bolted to the center inner fairing behind the relays and below the instrument panel. The ballast has it's own bracket which bolted handily to the frame, just above and behind the headlight adjuster. I fitted the supplied plug to the solenoid wires (for High/Low beam) and plugged it into the harness. Connect the ground and run the hot back to the place on the Auxiliary fuse panel that was powering the original kit. All the wires in the harness are very well protected, they just need clipping in place ... cable ties rule! Now the difficult bit .... The rubber boot for the '85 was not designed to fit the larger shell of the '86. Surgery was needed to cut away quite a lot of rubber. Another problem is that the top of the front frame will not clear the two protruding brackets on the VR frame, so it had to be cut away leaving the whole part less strong. It will be okay because it is firmly held in place, but care is needed. So ... Now I have a clear front glass that will fit, but there is another problem ... Isn't there always! There is no way that the new arrangement is going to keep water out of the projector. The light is well enough protected at the sides and from below, but any water running down the screen is going to run straight under the trim and through the butchered rubber boot. Something has to be done. I decided that if I could seal the gap between the windshield and the front of the fairing all would be well. What I needed was a seal that would effectively cover the whole of the area behind the chrome front trim. What I had is an old inner tube, and I vaguely remember that rubber is waterproof This is the result: http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/1986%20Yamaha%20Venture%20Royale/Headlight%20Conversion/DSCN0330.jpg The rubber is completely sealed onto the windshield with silicone. Once mounted it was very easy to cut the lower edge to match the profile of the trim, and the whole lot is invisible. Any water running down cannot now get into the front of the fairing, or the light. It should be good enough. And the final reveal .... This is what it looks like now: http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/1986%20Yamaha%20Venture%20Royale/Headlight%20Conversion/DSCN0332.jpg That crack at the bottom has been repaired, and it needs painting to match the bike, but the bike will be painted so it can wait. The gold doesn't look too bad. I couldn't get video of the original, halogen light output on video simply because it didn't put out enough for a decent picture. I got a blurry still pic to give you an idea: http://i1092.photobucket.com/albums/i418/twigg2324/1986%20Yamaha%20Venture%20Royale/Headlight%20Conversion/DSCN0306.jpg I did get video of the resulting output. The video id decent, but it doesn't give the full impression ... It is shot 25 feet from the garage door. You will immediately spot that the beam is dipping the wrong way. That is the incorrect projector. I called the supplier and explained. They were a very apologetic and said it had the wrong solenoid shield fitted. A new one was on it's way withing a couple of hours and I'm told it's a very easy part to swap out. I have been impressed with these folk: This light, and the pictures do not do it justice, almost turns night into day. The improvement over stock is phenomenal, and the improvement over the previous HID kit has to be seen to be believed. At some point I will add a couple of HID Driving Lights ... One Spot beam and one Eurobeam, but for now I can see

If it has the original collector then there are bolts front and rear. Both are pretty easy to get at with a decent flashlight and socket extensions. I was expecting (from all the accounts) it to be hard to remove the collector, but it came off in a few minutes.

I share some of the OP's frustration with eBay, but overall I think the site has brought so many advantages that the odd issue is bearable. In over 600 trades I have had one very bad experience, and maybe a couple of unsatisfactory purchases. In the meantime, I have saved thousands of dollars by buying carefully. Some traders are exceptionally proud of their items, which makes me smile because they just wasted a listing fee. It gets annoying when it is that one part you need though, and you are willing to pay a fair price. Sometimes a message to the Seller will work wonders. When I restored my 1958 Matchless G11CS back in the 90's, the only option for spares were small ads in magazines, owners clubs and autojumbles (swap meets). I would spend many hours at the latter trying to find that rare part. Since I arrived here in the US I have rebuilt two bikes. My 1977 Yamaha XS750 Triple and my 1986 Venture Royale. Despite the frustrations with shipping costs and delivery times, ebay has made the job fairly painless.

I would think the Police find them very easy to ride The Busa is a very good handling bike with blindingly fast acceleration a useful top speed!

The SNELL rating means that it has been independently tested. DOT is a manufacturer cert. that the item is compliant. The other good mark is "CE". There are issues with SNELL ... but they are minor. The Modular helmets normally cannot pass SNELL because SNELL puts a double blow on the hinge area. They usually fail on the second blow. DOT should be okay, but as regulation is rolled back who the heck checks what the manufacturers are doing? SNELL and CE are not necessarily safer, but they are tested. It is also complicated by discussion around "brain acceleration". Generally the better protection of SNELL helmets means that the brain accelerates more than in the "softer" DOT type. We are talking here about hundreds of G-forces for fractions of a second. That argument is ongoing, but what is sure is that the road cracks skulls much more easily if they are not covered by a helmet, whatever type you choose.

Cards on table ... I do not know anything about trikes, other than they have one too many wheels for me, right now. I will admit to thinking that some of them look stunning, and I never talk smack about other folk's rides (well maybe ... I'm not a HD fan). I do, however know quite a bit about fuel capacity. Get the extra tank. You will never regret having it, and you might very easily regret not having it. My VR manages about 35mpg on a run. If I use five of the 5.3 gallons available that gets me a range of 175 miles .... however .... I am never quite sure if I have ridden too hard, too fast .... If my consumption has fallen to 30mpg then I have only 150 miles available and can often find myself looking for gas at somewhat less than that simply because it is now "on my mind", and why pass a perfectly good gas station not knowing how far it is to the next? So in practise, you might not need to stop before 150 miles, but you usually will. Stick 4 extra gallons in the back and you never have this concern. You can run right to your range on the main tank and stop when you want to. You never worry about having enough gas, and you will rarely actually use the spare (use it occasionally to freshen it up). The peace of mind, plus the range when you need it, is a complex calculation, but I now have at least 8 gallons available and I never worry about where the next gas station might be.

My sister, as far as I recall, is not fully glazed before she has consumed three bottles of wine ... so you are probably correct

The thread that will not die. Seems like we should add Spark Plugs to "Which Motor Oil", or Car Tyre discussions. Simple fact is that for decades I used nothing but Champion Spark Plugs, and never had any more or fewer issues that friends who used any other brand. Now I use NGK because they are under $2 each and the local parts stores don't carry Champion .... and I don't have issues with these either. If a spark plug fouls it is because there is something else wrong. Plugs do not foul themselves. In a well tuned engine I can't see why there would anything other than marginal differences whatever the brand. It's a plug, with a gap ... it is not rocket science. However, the plot thickens .... In the good old days, plugs used to have a fully glazed insulator. Probably not so great for heat transfer, but wonderfully resistant to gasoline should the engine ever flood. Then a miraculous thing happened ... We got computer controlled electronic fuel injection, and they quit glazing the insulators because those engines (most of them now) do not flood ... ever. The computer will refuse to deliver fuel until it detects that the cylinder has fired. No more flooding, no need to glaze, cheaper and better plugs. Until we put them in carburated engines ... Then they flood, and when the gas finally burns it leaves carbon on the insulators, which tracks to ground and they don't perform so well. What is worse ... you really can't clean them. Remember the older plugs that you could fully dismantle for proper cleaning? If you can find older stock plugs that still have fully glazed insulators then whatever the brand they will perform better than modern ones in our low-tech engines. Don't bead blast them! Meanwhile .... keep the engine well-tuned and your hand OFF the throttle when starting. You might not have the most suitable plugs, but you can give them the best chance of a decently long life ... Remember ... we would consider 15k miles a decent life for a plug, but in a modern car engine they are perfectly capable of running 50, 60, 70 thousand miles. In the end ... "my plug is better than your plug" doesn't get us very far. If the bikes are well-maintained, the plugs are the least of the problem.

Most of those reasons, while sensible, don't apply in practise. No-one with a brain rides with the front flipped up, however hot it gets. That is asking to have your head ripped off with the wind blast. When you are riding they stay firmly shut and like a full-face, use the visor and the vents. I drink all the time while riding. It is perfectly safe if you find a safe way to do it. In my case I have a one-gallon cooler and a drinking tube. I do not have to lift the front to drink. They fog up the same as full face helmets. Modular helmets are probably better compared with open-face than full face. However many ratings your open-face helmet has, a modular will provide significantly more protection. They are convenient ... You do not have to remove them at gas stops, stores, even most banks. You can eat and drink while wearing one .... You can get it on and off while wearing glasses (a major plus). Nothing beats a decent full-face helmet for protection, or an open-face for convenience. The modular helmets, for many, provide an acceptable compromise. It's horses for courses really.

It is $99.99 for the basic service and $49.99 to add tracking. I took advantage of the Best Buy $80 price a little while back. If you want SPOT, and are happy with silver, $50 is a no-brainer really. You can't get then that cheap second hand.

It's always good to find a reliable mechanic. They are not as plentiful as we might like. The three things you mentioned out-sourcing are going to be cost-prohibitive. It would be cheaper by far to buy a replacement engine than have a shop rebuild a broken one. Carb work is best done yourself, or sent to a true carb specialist. Most shops struggle to do a decent job on carbs, and it's time consuming (hence the horrible cost). Carb work is straightforward and fairly easy, but it is not cheap. Labour and parts add up very fast and you can do it with basic tools and some spare time. As for diagnostics .... Most dealers haven't a clue what can go wrong with these bikes. Twenty years ago, maybe. Now not so much. You will get better diagnostics from people here, and suggestions of how to fix things. I am not "down on dealerships" ... just realistic. Give a BMW Dealer your newish K1200LT and the chances are they will do a fine job of repairing it ... at a price. Maintenance days are worth their weight in gold.

The good news is that there is very little wrong with your bike. Start at the beginning because guessing at the problem and altering things hoping it will work is a recipe for frustration. All the symptoms count, including the fact that it ran fine when it was put away. It still runs fine after half throttle or so and if the rear pipe headers are not glowing red then it isn't too lean (which more or less rules out intake air leaks). Start with what is most likely and eliminate that first. Get it running and use a timing light to check for a regular spark on each plug in the lower revs (we know it's okay higher up). Use the same light to check the advance, but it's not a major concern because it runs better when spinning fast. That just leaves gas. If it runs well on the main jet, then the problem is with the needles, the diaphragms and slides, or the pilot circuit. When you have eliminated everything else, what is left is the problem, however unlikely it seems Good luck with it and don't use that shop again.

I would think that any decent upholsterer should be able to match and replace missing studs and buttons.

An Heir and a Spare ... I like it

I have a Vega Summit II, and it's just fine. The Summit III has an internal sun visor, and it's the right price. Some think you get what you pay for. I say get what fits!

You questioned their authority. No one likes that, and in my experience, American bureaucrats like it less than many others.

One of the best noises ever to be heard from a motorcycle is the whine as the gear-driven top end of a Honda VFR750 goes to the redline. I loved mine It's all in the ear of the beholder

Mine arrived today. It was running the bike at idle about 15 minutes later. There is a minor issue to resolve with the plug to the MAP Sensor which is no one's fault then I should be able to run it properly. So far, so good ... Gary has been awesome over this Group Buy.