GuardsmanUSA

I will take one also

Wanderer does it have enough vertical lift to also function as a transmission jack? I need to replace the transmission in my XJ8. my days of horsing auto transmissions around manually are long over. Howard

If you are planning this around Christmas, Jaylyn and I could possibly attend. We will be visiting family in lower MI. Howard

I have had a Honda ST 1100 and currently a Goldwing neither bike has noticeable torque reaction upon engine acceleration. Howard

Handyman I am your age and was beginning to have the same problem. Solution was three times a week, squats with light weight and a general light weight high repetition program for my upper body. I have a gold wing as well as a couple of Ventures and it worked for me. When I ride two up, our combined weight with gear approaches 500 Lbs. Darn I hope she doesn't see this. Howard

Guys Jaylyn on her VR and I on my Goldwing (with passenger) transited the section that is torn up. They have a truck that leads you through the broken up area so there is no chance of a head on if some one gets by the flaggers. The road surface was reasonably packed, BUT it had been dry for at least one day before we rode. I would advise caution if you are not an experienced gravel road rider. Jaylyn hates gravel and her "pucker factor" was high, but she negotiated it without too much drama. Howard

I suggest that you use it a bit before you decide to modify it. I have had an 1988 Goldwing for almost 20 years and it is stone stock. That said I would hop on it and go anywhere on it without hesitation. It is a smooth ride and almost too quiet. It doesn't handle quite as responsively as our two Ventures but it will handle some canyon carving. I have fresh Dunlop E3s on it. It does require lots more attention below 5 mph in the parking lot. I used to have a Ninja (ZX-11); I likened that Ninja to a Maserati, the Goldwing to a motorhome. The Ninja is long gone, but Goldwing will stay til I expire. Occasionally when we have non-riding guests who want to experience the Blue Ridge Pkwy on a MC, I put them on the back of the Goldwing, it rapidly inspires confidence. So give it a trial run or three, especially with a passenger on the back before you sell it. Howard

Weather Permitting Jaylyn and I will come down to the M&E to meet some VA Venture Folks and to honor Gunboat. Howard & Jaylyn

No Squidly I don't think so, it has been too cold here to pull the bike apart but based on the way it misbehaves I am almost certain that the big spring has some of it's coils broken, beecause the bike will drive acceptably until you really put a load on it or get it up above 4500 rpm and then it will shudder and scare you half to death. Backing off on the throttle instantly stops the problem. Given that I wanted to try Venturous' idea of putting in the late RSV gears in conjunction with a VMAX rear end, when I saw the parts availble at PINWALL for only $125 I just went ahead and bought the entire gear set with all the parts to make the shift mechanism work. I expect in 30 days or so to be able to get to work. Howard

After much research and email conversations with several of you and a phone consultation with Venturous, I went ahead and buought an entire gear set and output shaft from a low mileage 09 RSV. And thanks to some of your posts I ensured that ALL the bits needed to make it work were in the package. Since I have to pull the motor I am going to freshen it up with VMAX heads and Cams which I was going to put on my 84 project bike. I will be adding a VMAX rear end also. I picked up this high mileage bike cheaply enough to make spending a few buck worthwhile. While I am at it I was impressed with PINWALLS responsivness. I will be reaching out I am certain for some hand-holding when the weather finally warms up enought that I can start using my detached garage, which is not insulated and has no heater. Howard

just do simple search on Ebay and you will the vendor that makes them. howard

Jaylyn and I got out for a 90 minute ride today with a Starbucks stop in between. Weather here featured a cloudless sky, 45 degrees, no wind. It was glorious. We sat outside at Starbucks as we were dressed too warmly to be comfortable inside. Jaylyn has appropriated my 1984 VR, forcing me to ride my Goldwing. My recent purchase, a 1987 VR is going to be my preferred ride as soon as I get her mechanical difficulties attended to. For all of you who must wait for weeks or even months to start riding again, well you have my heartfelt sympahies. Howard

Gents don't discount our Ventures, my lady (a new rider) has been riding a 1980 Suzuki GS850L. It took sick and at the time I didn't have time to fix it. So I encouraged her to ride my 1984 VR. Bottom Line she will not give it back. She said that at 50 mph the Suzuki felt like a bicycle, wheras the VR feels stable and very comfortble. This of course compelled me to acquire another VR a similarly colored 1987 VR. I do need to stipulate that she is 5'8" tall and pushes 200lbs (i hope she doesn't see this). I have been encouraging her to weight train with me so she has adequate strenght to right it if(when) she drops it. My previous wife, a smaller lady, rode a ZX 6 to accompany me on my ZX 11. When she got tired of long trips on her ZX 6 accompanying me on my Goldwing, we went looking for a touring bike for her. We looked at the entire range of options, so it was a very considered decision she chose a VR as it fit her very well, she is just under 5'7" and 150 lbs and never had a problem handling it. So for what it may be worth, in two cases woman have successfully taken to Ventures.

There is no doubt that it is her weak hold of the pistol that is causing the malfunction. If you cannot coach her to her to stiffen her hold (is she using both hands in the Weaver Stance?) then you will have to move her to a lighter calibre weapon. If she is holding the pistol with one hand then employing a two handed grip will be of benefit. Here is a link to a description of the Weaver Stance: ttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weaver_stance

I am also a GW rider

This Study has profound implications for us, it turns out that "they really don't see us". I always ride as if they are either intentionally or unintentionally trying to kill me. This approch has served me well since 1965.

Thanks I will pull it apart as soon as the temperature here (Earlysville VA) gets out of the low 20s and confirm that it is the problem.

I rode the bike again a few days ago. The Seafoam has helped somewhat to the point where it is rideable but backfires like mad upon deceleration. I will be redoing the carbs. But unless you really put it under load there is no indication of a problem. So Squid I think your assessment is correct. When you repaired the bike with the broken output shaft were you forced to source it as a used part or was it still available from Yamaha or the usual "new old stock" sources.

Thanks all for your responses I will be pulling it apart next week and I will report back. GuardsmanUSA

Perhaps I should have stated that the bucking is defineately drive train not an engine issue. The event is violent and jaring but backing off on the gas stops it and you are still in the same gear. The more i think of it the more suspect is the universal joint. Has anyone experienced a similar problem GuardsmanUSA

Well after an oil change took her for a ride, she seems to "buck" in any gear when put under very heavy load, if you let up on the throttle she remains in gear. Is it possible that the universl joint could be so worn that wen heavily loaded it locks up? GuardsmanUSA

Understood, have a gallon of 15-40 Shell Rotella ready, just need to get a filter. GuardsmanUSA

I just got it this weekend, and I haven't been able to ride it much as I have a serious carb problem one or more of the carb's are not functioning runs very rough and oil smells like gas. It has been sitting for most of a year and the PO (who suffered heart attach) told me about the problem and I noticed it on the one short drive that i took with it. I have given it a heavy seafoam treament and we will see what that does. But I am resigned to pulling the carbs and going through them. GuardsmanUSA

Greetings, my new to me 1987 Venture Royale with 100k miles, jumps out of 2nd gear under heavy load. The motor appears to be well cared for as it is much cleaner than my 1984 VR which only has 33k miles on it. And the oil level sight glass is very clean. In searching the archives it appears that the transmission's shifting pins can come loose and/or bend and cause problems shifting, could this also cause insufficient gear engagement such that the transmission would jump out of gear under load? Incidently the reason that I had to buy another VR is that my significant other, had been riding my Suzuki GS 850L, she took my 84 VR for a ride and now won't give it up. Anybody want a GS 850: GuardsmanUSA 1988 Goldwing, 1987 VR , 1984 VR, 1984 VR project Bike, plus several Suzukis 1100 and 850s