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I had another appointment on Wednesday. A month ago, I got injections in my one good eye in an attempt to get rid of the fluid behind my retina that is affecting my site. The doctor was very pleased with the results so far. He said that most of the fluid is gone and he is hopeful that the treatment is. going to work. I got two Moore injections in the eye and will return in 6 weeks for another test. I may need more shots at that time and in fact, it could. be an ongoing thing. He just doesn't know yet. I really can't tell that the vision has improved but he is hopeful that it will. Even if they stop it from getting worse, I'll be ok with that. So, yesterday I celebrated by taking about a 100 mile ride. Sure felt good.

Don't know how long it will last but I'm going to ride while I can. I was looking at a BMW K1600 Grand America but the more I read, the less I wanted it. A lot of great features but it has known and verifiable stability issues. So much so that they have it speed limited to. just over 100 MPH. That wouldn't bother me really but further reading confirmed that the stability issue actually. reared it head at much lower speeds. Turbulence from trucks, grooved roads, etc. So I decided against it. BMW has actually discontinued that model. Then I almost pulled the trigger on. a 2016 Indian. Roadmaster with the stage 3 kit. That means bigger jugs, cams, throttle body, and more. Sounded nice but the owner was the second owner and he had no idea who did the stage 3. Was it Indian or some aftermarket kit. He had no idea. What really turned me off was the heat. I have to tell you the truth, I have NEVER felt so much heat coming off a bike of any brand. It was brutal. Then I did some more research and found that some people actually have blistered right legs from riding them. I decided against that one also. So, I went back to something I owned before and really liked it. The Harley Road Glide. This one is a Harley certified (meaning another year of warranty after the factory warranty expires). It is a 2022 Road Glide Limited with 11,000 miles on it. It has the 114 engine and definitely feels much stronger than any of my previous Harley's. All the bells and whistles.

OK folks. Here's the deal. I'm sorry that I haven't reported back sooner. I've been to some doctor appointments and they are working on my one eye that still works. It is NOT a detached retina but is a retina problem. I don't understand all of this but I have fluid between the retina and another part of my eye and it shouldn't be there. They are trying to get rid of it by injecting my eye with something or another. Hopefully this will work and they can save my vision but when I asked if I was going blind, they could onl.y tell me that they were doing what they can. I have to back for more injections next week. So, that's that. So needless to say, I have a lot of mixed emotions. On one hand, I've sold the trike and figured my riding days were over. On the other hand, riding is about the only outside hobby that brings me any joy at this time and I'm thinking that I should take advantage of any time that I have. That being said, I'm thinking that I should pick tip a little bike to knock around on. I've actually made an offer on one and it looks like he may accept it but we are going to talk on Monday. It's just a little BMW K1600 Grand America. Only 160 HP but it should do for short rides. Anyway, my thoughts are all over the place right now so this story will be continued later.

OK it wasn't a monumental ride but we did get a bit of riding in this weekend. It was heavily overcast here on Saturday and Sunday but the rain held off for the most part. I managed to get in about 150 miles alone on Saturday. Just a nice ride through eh country side getting used to the new bike. Then on Sunday, Eileen and I first decided to ride over into Pennsylvania but hit some rain just east of Cleveland so we turned around and then headed south for a bit. We ended up doing another 125 miles or so. More nice riding through the country and stopped for dinner at a small pub/diner that was pretty good. The bike did great. We seldom got above 65 MPH but the torque is great for that type of riding. It has a feature that they told me about but I really didn't think it was a big deal and really it's not but I found myself using it pretty often and really like it. I don't know if they call it a hill start mode or parking mode or what but when you roll up to a stop light and are on a slope, once stopped you just pull the break handle in and it locks the brakes. So you don't have to hold the brake while sitting. When the light changes, you simple squeeze the lever again or just roll on the throttle and it releases. Kind of nice. Also really enjoyed the Apple CarPlay. As for comfort, this bike is as good as I've owned. For the first time in many years, I will not have to change thee handlebars or add risers. The stock bars are about perfect for me. I've already added the riders backrest and highway pegs. About the only thing that needs changing is the windshield. The stock shield is just way too low for me. I'll likely add a new Clearview shield in the near future.

Crossing fingers the person who has come forward works out the way you wish. I found this site late, but having met you and so many others from here....I have come to love my friends here! Such good people.. and.... This is the only site I've found where positive human values are evident with all who live here! It's a pleasure to know you.... and all of the Venture riders! Prayers Up for your health, Don!

Pre-1933 motorcycle coast to coast ride stopped in Paducah today. I couldn’t stay until they all arrived but here’s what I saw.Oldest was the 1912 Indian Single

I thought I remembered a topic in here called "What did you do on your Venture today?" On Saturday I rode 576 miles from Palatine, IL to Norton, VA. On Sunday I rode 586 miles from Norton, VA to Palatine, IL. Got a hair up my fanny to go and I went. This may be the last time I do something this stupid but I enjoyed the heck out of it. I rode the interstate mostly as the question was, "Can I make it there and back in two days?" Kentucky 15 through the Cumberland Mountains was beautiful, 55mph and no potholes or traffic. Not sure how many miles but I was in the hills from 8am til noon. There was a big yellow dog on one long sweeping left hander that was just standing in the road staring at me. My '08 RSV, the SofaGlide, handled it perfectly. I couldn't have asked more of my pretty, gray Yamaha. The whole time in the mountains that I wasn't stopped for gas I was in 4th gears doing 55mph. The whole time I was on the prairie that I wasn't stopped for gas I was in OD with the cruise set at 75. Simply fantastic. What did you do on your Venture today? B The SofaGlide on Bart Campton's Mountain Parkway 150 past the Welcome To Virginia sign on Rte. 119

To add to my earlier comment, Don, through your hard work I have learned a lot about the venture going from knowing very little to becoming extremely knowledgeable and adapt to the point were with my Mechanical back ground there is nothing I cannot do on these bikes and I am now fully capable of assisting others with their issues. I met a ton of great people some of which have become great friends even beyond the site. For this and more I will be forever grateful that you had the inspiration and the determination to start and maintain this site.

Hello all, I've been meaning to post this for a while....too busy riding and other things. I wanted to give a huge shout out to a member who worked on my bike last winter. I met Carl @Marcarlat last years Ontario get together in Paris. He offered to work on my 84 VR and said he would do a thorough job fixing anything that needed to be fixed. I gave him a whole wish list of things that needed some maintenance/fixing and he worked from front to back adding new rubber (Dunlop E4's), four brush starter, @skydoc_17fuse kit, fixed oil leak in the front forks having had progressive springs installed at the local dealer the year previous, new carburetor diaphragms, carb sync, braided brake lines, new brake pads, added a thingey 😀(spacer) to the rear axle and grease nipple as well as Wolo air horn (loud) and PIAA running lights (bright but expensive) as well as resoldering the air compressor. I'm probably missing some fixes...Also, he bought a Plastex kit and showed me how to repair cracked fairing parts using his Dremel tools. Special thanks to his lovely wife for providing lunches for all those winter lunches trying to solve all the worlds problems. Special mention goes out to @saddlebum who provided advice and some "spare" parts for my machine. Always enjoy riding this machine but its just that much sweeter of a ride now. Planning a trip to Vermont in a couple of weeks. I hope everyone has a Carl and a Ben in their area that they can count on for advice and assistance. Thanks to you both... Mark

Hello Venture Riders. My bro in law and I went on a nice 1000-mile ride to Tenn and NC to ride the Dragon and several other roads down there. We Rode the Dragon 3 times, Cherohala Skyway, which was closed because a bridge was out, so we had to do it in sections, Over the mountain from Cherokee to Pidgeon Forge and the Foothills Parkway and through the Dragon to Robbinsville. I have done this several times through my riding years, but it was Jeff's first time on a motorcycle, a 2006 RSV of course, and he loved every mile of it. It will be next spring before we both can get back down there, but we are looking forward to another wonderful adventure. Oh, he refused to drag the floorboards on the Dragon even though I showed him how several times. 😁 Steve.

I bit the bullet and sold my 07 RSV trike yesterday. I bought it last fall and after a trip out west this spring, my wife and I realized it wasn't for us. We only rode it twice since early spring and it was just wasting away. We are going to keep our 2010 RSV for riding locally, but decided due to our age, we will take long trips in our convertible. Steve

Now about a little get together. I'm somewhat open on the dates. I'm also open on the location but hopefully somewhere within a couple hundred miles from me. Nothing highly organized, just get together to visit and ride some nice roads. Any interest or suggestions?

Kris and I have been buying and refurbishing older Kitchenaid stand mixers. A surprisingly fun and rewarding hobby! When our youngest saw the powder blue bowl lift mixer we are keeping for our own use, she was "Jelly" So, we tracked down a heavy duty bowl lift for her as a birthday present. She doesn't have room in her small town house kitchen for it to live on the counter, so I made a rolling storage stand for it. The stand/cabinet is made from recovered oak plywood( a legacy entertainment center the PO of our home left behind). The butcher block top is part of an industrial work bench top that I salvaged. Cut down, routed and refinished.

I also have learned a lot from you and everyone on the site that comments or gives helpful information! Have also received good deals on part etc. I have also met many people I would not have met that I hope I am considered a friend . I have learned a lot here and hope it continues.

She is back home now in Northern IL and in very good spirits. 4 broken ribs, fractured shoulder blade, road rash, and a huge hematoma on her hip that needed surgery to be drained. She'll recover. It's a good time of the year to be sidelined as the bikes will be put into hibernation soon. She says that it is highly likely her helmet saved her life.

Beautiful morning too. Letting off some overnight chill

Beautiful roads in that area. Any biker should ride the dragon but once you’ve done it, you’ve done it. Many other nice rides all around there though.

I was saving for the new Venture TC or the new Goldwing after I saw them at the Toronto bike show back in 2018. I thought I’d treat myself to a new bike after owning my 84VR since new. I finally realized, I can’t afford a 30k motorcycle. With the money I saved I bought a 99 Honda Valkyrie. My wife was on board and prefers the Valkyrie when travelling. They’re just more leg room and luggage space although it’s a heavy bike when all loaded up. It gets lots of compliments when it’s all shined up. Most people don’t realize that the 84VR is more comfortable to ride with the air suspension and more nimble. It’s nice to have multiple bikes but as Saddlebum pointed out, there’s no break on insurance when riding multiple bikes. Adding the Valkyrie to my stable made me realize….I had the perfect bike for me. It makes me appreciate the Venture even more. Now, I also bought an 86 VR a few years ago. It was in mint condition and I couldn’t say no to the price offered….. that one appeared in the driveway one day to my wife’s surprise. That one I had to ask forgiveness…. she doesn’t like to ride that bike for some strange reason…🤔 It was more of an impulse buy. Mark

Forgiveness is easier than permission, look dear what followed me home

Hello Venture Friends. I have a Time Out Camper, 16 cu ft. pull behind camper for sale. It's in very good condition with new tires, spare, canvas recently coated, new Serta queen self inflating mattress. New plywood in foyer and beds. swivel hitch, steep, outside table stand. air conditioner stand, no AC unit. Large storage bag to strap to top of camper for camping gear and clothes. It very sturdy, but light enough for one person to move around. Price $2,850

Well, I’ve heard great things about them but have been running Clearview since 1999. In fact, Rick Butler and I made a template for the RSV after it came out and sent to them to make the shields and we got the first two made. I know that Clearview uses polycarbonate which is superior to the acrylic that many use. But Freedom uses a modified acrylic that may be as good as polycarbonate. I just don’t know. Both companies are 3 to 5 weeks out on delivery but I talked to Clearview and they really stepped it up for me.

How's about Hocking Hills?

Her first name is Shari. She is in good spirits. Injuries are not life threatening but she has a lot of healing to do. Thanks for your support everyone.

I don't think I've ever owned a bike where the manufacturer doesn't do something that makes you ask WHY? The new Road Glide Limited is no exception. The Harley does have a pretty nice sound system. The 5. 1/2 inch. speakers do. a pretty decent job. This model comes with Apple CarPlay which I use all the time in my truck and really like it. Though the bike, just like my truck, has Navigation I actually prefer using the Apple Maps through. CarPlay. It's much easier to. just click on. an address on. the phone rather than enter all. the information into the vehicles navigation system. Also, you never have to worry about updating your maps. So, I was happy to have it on the bike but then Harley did something really. crazy. Though it has Apple CarPlay, it only works if you are using headsets. That makes absolutely no sense. I seldom use headsets in that I ride alone most of the time So it's just crazy that it won't work unless you. are using them. It's an easy fix. You go to. Amazon and order a simple $12.00 jumper that just plugs into. an empty socket on the harness and VOILA...it works. The only issue is that the socket you plug it into is inside the fairing. So yesterday evening, I removed the fairing and installed the jumper. Not difficult to do but time consuming. Much like the RSV, you have to remove the windshield and on the Harley, the speaker grills, a couple of air deflectors, turn signal bolts, etc. Simple but time consuming. Oh well, it's done and now CarPlay works great.

Yea I picked up over on the Victory site. Reminded me of a joke from many years back when I bought a Vette. Went something like Got a good deal on a Vette only paid XXX. Dozen roses to break news to wife X. Dinner when took wife for ride in said car XX. New scarf, sunglass XX and so on so the total went up.

A lot of changed on this Milwauke 8 motor. Standard Road glide ultra comes with the 107 engine but this limited is the 114. It.runs strong. Certainly. not a drag. bike but around 100 HP with 122 ft. lbs or torque and you can really feel the torque. And though some hard core Harley riders might not like it, they reduced vibration about 75%. I was initially looking at a 2018 mode but all the research told me that there were some initial problems with their motors having to do with oil sumpping. In 2020, Harley corrected that issue with a new oil pump and some crankcase venting. I'm not sure how widespread the problem was but decided that I didn't want to chance it. Didn't find a good deal on a '20 or '21 model but did OK on this '22.

@Freebird. Don, I am very sorry for what you must be going through on a personnel level and truly hope something can be done for you to ensure your quality of life does not get compromised more than it already has. My prayers and thoughts are with you and wish you only the best no matter what. As far you handing over the reins of a horse you raised from birth, it will definitely be a big pill for all of us that know, love and mostly respect you, to swallow. Finding someone with your convictions and dedication, to this site will not be easy. This site has always been unique and superior in so many ways and in comparison to so many other web sites, not just because of the caliber of its members but mostly because of you and your dedication to it.

Interesting thing I wanted to ask about…my bike sometimes has struggles to start mainly because I need to do some maintenance on the choke. In the cold morning my buddy was like good luck getting her running, to everyone’s surprise half a crank and she purred like a lioness. Left it idling for like 1.5 hrs charging my phone and packing up. Shut her down to access the key and the battery didn’t have enough juice to kick back over. What would cause this? Weak stator? I did in hindsight also have the heated grips running, and playing music.

Could be your Regulator Rectifier, Stator or the connectors at the R/R or one under the battery box going to the stator. The R/R is just below and behind the radiator. You can find a good T/S procedure here: https://venturers.org/Tech_Library/index.php?action=article&cat_id=002007&id=400

It got a bit chilly overnight but the right mummy bag did it’s job. Met at a Harley shop in Logan Ut. who supplied an awesome breakfast. Did an organized ride with the Vagos up to Preston Id for a day of motorcycle rodeo, food trucks, raffle, live band, camping and of course drinking among other things. Great time! My first moto camping.

We were in Maggie Valley the first of September and rode up to the dragon, we did ride it again on the Goldwing it hasn't changed but everyone should experience it at least once we have been enjoying those roads at least once a year for the past bunch of years our next trip to the area will be the Asheville get together August 2024

I will bring my axe.

⬆️ This!! I hop on the bike to get rid of human noise, other than the bike, and the breeze… 🤔😜

Remove the Seat Remove the gas tank Remove the spark plug wires. Blow out the space around the plugs to avoid any debris getting into plug holes. Use a 18mm deep well spark plug socket and extension, remove the old plugs. Inspect the old plugs for any signs of improper wear. Gap and Install new plugs, tighten plugs to 13 ft-lb. Push plug wires on firmly. You should feel a snap when they are on all the way. GAP: 0.8-0.9 mm (0.031-0.035 in) Re-install the upper engine supports (46.1 ft-lb), gas tank (11.5 ft-lb rear bolt, 62 in.-lb front bolts) and driver's seat (62 in.-lb). Last Update: 11:03 AM Friday, September 1, 2006

I wish they operated in NC. At one point, I was insuring 3 bikes and two vehicles and in NC they price it like you can drive/ride all 5 at the same time. We need to be talking to our legislatures.

Totally Agree! I have had various motorcycles, really like my Harley's, Goldwing is good, V* was also good, but my wife has always Loved the RSV the Best!

Getting closer, class is still not right but will run now

Might be an easy way to get hit by a cooking pan on the head.

Wow ! A rally I could actually get to !!! I wana go !!??

Thes Kitchen appliances are getting heavy too. Maybe a flip top for say the mixer and air fryer. LOL Just orient the appliances so the side panel flips to cover the bottom one.

Yamaha Royal Star 1998, black and chrome. 11,665 original miles on 6-10-2023, original owner. ME 880 Marathon tires with ~1,000 miles. Use non-ethanol recreational gas whenever possible. Garage kept with Yamaha cover daily. Heated storage in winter. Extra windshield. Extra seat (custom Corbin). Extra exhaust pipes (Jardine slash cut). Yamaha shop/service manual. Stebel horn (and original horn). Yamaha rear back rest. Yamaha saddlebags. Yamaha handlebar pouch. Yamaha winter storage stand. Yamaha lower wind defectors. Various Yamaha chrome pieces. Yamaha chrome rear fender storage rack. SAC luggage case. SAC duffle bag. Two Shoei XSP helmets with cases and extra face shields. Two sets of rain gear (used once). Two black leather riding jackets. Two pairs of black leather riding chaps. Wife no longer interested in riding for ice cream. Collectively, $5,000 (wife not included).

Since it is close to Thanksgiving, I have been looking at the Pumpkin Spice Mobil

The Midnight Venture was sold today and a new owner has it. It was a great bike and I wish him many more miles down the road. I got to ride it one last time to meet up with him. I removed the ad from the site.

Freebird I am so thankful you founded this wonderful site that I have been a part of and used so well for many years. I am thankful you have decided to keep it going on and staying with us as a fellow rider. I will pray for your health and pray you are able to receive excellent treatment that will secure your vision. Steve

Well.... I pushed hard tonight, installed the replacement capacitor and the NPN coil transistors, and did a function test. The good news / bad news. The good news is that I didn't kill the black box. It still functions. The bad news is that the spark, though better, didn't improve as much as I hoped it would. Qualitatively, the spark has gone from 10% of what I wanted to see, to about 25% of what I wanted to see. It clearly is better though the " arc welder " spark I saw seems to be an anomaly. I see a hot spark from time to time, but not consistently. I really wanted to report an awesome victory to impress the one or two people who will see this post, you know, get a ticker tape parade and the key to the city, a statue and so forth. Alas it is not to be ! I have really run out of ideas / options at this point. Far be it from me, not to take this last opportunity to continue beating the subject to death. I do want to warn people who would like to replace bad capacitors, that most of the capacitors on the board are polar. They have a + and a - wire. The board is marked with a + for the + wire. The negative wire will be marked on the body of the capacitor. Just an FYI. My statue will forever rest off in the boonies, far from the Venture Hall of Heros !

Yep! I knew this time was coming. I'm more of a futurist rather than an historian, and we all get older and loose some of the things we hold dear. Loosing the leadership of this site would be a real downer for you Don, you've done a wonderful job of keeping things on track and moving. Those of us who are or have been members can be nothing but super thankful in being able to share together, guide each other, feel sorrow and happiness, develop friendships and help out with misunderstandings. Through your dedication a lot was accomplished. I, for one, would hate to see this site go down or anywhere else, but I also full well realize that all things will come to an end. Blessings my friend, as you dig through this one, it won't be an easy task. Seek much guidance from the Leader, the King of kings and Lord of lords. Romans 8:28

I would have bought a new Venture if it had been a 4-cylinder, liquid cooled, but settled for a used Venture. I am not really into the V-Twin, I prefer more cylinders. Since I am pushing 70 real hard, I will keep riding my Venture bike and trike as long as I can.