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No matter which side of the aisle you're on, this attempt on his life is not ok. You can chalk it up to luck, but you can't get much closer to being whacked then this. I think the Good Lord must have intervened. And for the record, I'd be just (or maybe almost) as upset if this happened to Joe Biden.

My '10 has been on the lift stand for the last week or so. Got new tires (Shinko 777's) and while it was on the stand I added a fuse block in the fairing, removed the cassette player, cb and stereo and replaced it with an LBE-Carplay-02 unit with gps & bluetooth. In place of the stock controller is a control and amp by Memphis Audio. The new unit also has front and rear (recording) cameras too. Almost forgot... the 1.5" handlebar riser.

@N3FOL Same kind of weather here in Ontario Canada(seems worse than the last few years) way too hot(even fairly warm after supper) or way too much rain(good for farmers tho! Phantom doesn't like me ridding in rain---says I'm not as young as I used to be and she worries!) Was out Wednesday for a 125klm round trip then that night.Also out yesterday and probably today! Have to enjoy it when we can! Last 4 years after retiring not as much riding as I had hoped but making the best of what time I do ride!

On long trips where there may be long gaps of open road, I'll have a camel pack with me. When it's 100+ here in Houston you could lose a lot of water through sweat quickly. I've got about an hour ride home and several times have had to stop to get some water or Gatorade. Sometimes you just need to stop more often than with every tank of gas.

From previous posts : https://www.colorrite.com/index.cfm eg:

Hey guys. Ever since I got me a nice woman who wants to go on the big camping trips with me I’ve been thinking about storing everything. It’s never been an issue when it’s just me, but now she takes up a whole seat! We pretty much do minimalist camping, but I always bring an assortment of tools with me. We took a short, three day trip to the black hills and mounted the tent on the trunk rack but I HATE having that much weight up there. I’ve never been interested in pulling a trailer, as I want to focus on enjoying the curves and not being concerned with extra wheels, titling, and not really being able to enjoy the bike for what it is… a bike. So I’ve been kicking around the idea of having a rack fabbed for me that was about the width of the bike and maybe 18” deep. I knew I’d have to do some wiring as it’ll easily cover the turn signals. In my research, I found the Rivco quick-attach to be the most appealing but they’re so damn small. Step by step I started putting things together on the bike, starting with the Markland trailer hitch. I’ve had one for awhile but I hate how it mounts behind the exhaust bolts on the MK-II’s but I decided to bite the bullet and install it. It’s really not too bad if you take the passenger floorboard off, but still a PITA. My right muffler is also super close to the saddlebag, almost like the bike has been dropped on the mount or something. Anyway, I got that installed and found a discontinued 30”x18” Rivco rack on eBay with integrated lights and license plate holder for $170 bucks and bit the bullet. i still needed to order the billet aluminum bracket so i ordered that and decided to buy a wiring isolator from an 1800 Goldwing that came pre wired to just plug into the bike for about half price NOS. Well i got everything mounted and wired up today and id say im pretty happy with the result! I took the ball hitch off the Markland hitch and drilled another hole closer to the bike to reduce leverage. Need to either paint everything black or flake the old crappy paint job that the guy I got this from off and get chrome bolts and washers. We’re gonna put a cooler and go for a 360 mile ride with about 35-40lbs in it and see how it rides! Any way I just wanted to show off and upload some pics! IMG_6055.mov

Be mindful of sloshing water in a cooler. I threw 3 gallons of gas in a 5 gallon can on mine and you could really feel it in the curves.

Hi All How is everyone doing this Summer, down in Eastern Canada we are having Record hi temps, Mid to high 30's degree Celsius with Humidex that is between 90 - 108 degrees F. I figured I would give an update on the Venture Max HD, Unfortunately I have not been riding the bike yet this year however I have spent sometime working on the finishing touches. Over the winter I had purchased a Barnett Clutch kit , new Steels and frictions the old clutch was burned bad, I swapped that in May. I also purchased an aftermarket Signal Light controller (a direct Replacement for HD). Added Saddleman Gel inserts in the seat. Cut the Forward Controls Bracket and Raised the Floorboards a full Inch but now have an issue with the Shifter Linkage so still sorting that out, Rear Brake is Fine. I contacted Sean Morley and purchased the Ignitech Ignition Module flashed with the Latest Vmax Tune to match the Heads and Camshafts I Installed last year, I immediately heard the difference in the Engine and Throttle response. I also started experimenting with the Jet kits I ordered thru the winter and Now have the Carb adjustment where the Mixture and Idle screws are meant to be, according to the VW Carb guys, so far, I have dropped the Pilot Jet 2 steps from 55 to 45 and have increased the Main Jet 2 steps from 127.5 to 132.5., I also increased the adjustment on the Throttle pump but may adjust it more as recommended by Gary Hedberg of Venture owners on Facebook. Next step is to fix the Shifter linkage and change the Fork seals and hopefully put some miles on it. I also have a local motorcycle performance shop that does Dyno testing and carb tuning so I may look at retaining their services to fine tune the carb further once I have it dialed in i will provide the final settings and jet sizes. Enjoy the open road Herman K

As the title says, I heard on the news today that a motorcycle rider died from the excessive heat in Death Valley. Be careful guys. Drink plenty of water.

So where is everyone?

Just 5 weeks!

Happy Sunday ! I feel like a dunce. RSV is up on the lift for past month. Waiting until I can enough free consecutive time to do an oil change, new rear tire and pull carbs for cleaning and adjustment...and check the valves too. Thats OK as its summer and we dont ride much in the Arizona heat. But I fear my ability to remember where everything goes if I space out this service! So the scoot sits...... But I'm still here.....lurking on the site and enjoying the memories putting faces to the words I read... Hi to all! david

Get Ready to PARTY! Dan just confirmed he is coming to Asheville. He’ll be staying with Joe & I in cabin #8

Now that our local weather has settled down a little, I got the chance to ride my RSV to work. What a great feeling! It has been a few days since my last ride. Ride safe all.

On MC tires I always got one front to two rears. Weight and the acceleration wears the rears faster. Now that I’m darkside I get two or three fronts to one rear.

Best 12 bucks you'll ever spend

There were Inner & Outer seals on mine, but its been a few years since I've been in there. I bought a complete rebuild kit from All Balls when I did mine https://www.allballsracing.com/18-3194.html

I'm staying here again... Comfort Inn Asheville, 1435 Tunnel Road, Asheville, NC

Look good . Let us know how it rides loaded. Be safe.

I hear that once you start to feel thirsty, it is already too late...dehydration already has set in. Definitely hydrate all day long. Be safe not just on riding, but also for your physical well being.

Probably take more than a toggle switch, some of the wires carry a lot of current and the heat produced would likely destroy a toggle switch, in cases like that best to use a toggle switch to actuate a relay that is rated for the current. On my 98 Royal Star Tour Classic the ignition switch was located on the left front just behind the radiator so it got plenty hot. My ignition switch went bad while the bike was under warranty so the local shop replaced it for free. I am not sure if new switch modules are still available or not for that year bike, if they are I would replace it, if not look up Dion Hinskey here on the forum, he makes ignition bypasses for the 1999 to 2013 Ventures, he may be able to help with one for your year and model. Here is link to his profile, https://www.venturerider.org/forum/profile/6542-djh3/

Check the fuel pump and the fuel filter. The fuel pump should come on when the ignition is first turned on, there should be several noticeable clicks as the pump pressurizes the system. When the bike dies on the road, open the gas cap and listen for any sound like air rushing into the tank, that would indicated the vent tube is clogged. Sometimes when bikes sit for a long time, critters can make nests in the vent tube and plug it up causing there to be a vacuum in the tank that will prevent the fuel from flowing out. Also check the electrical module on the back of the ignition switch, they have been known to over heat and go bad.

I flipped the tire it made a night and day difference. One of the guys I work with laughed at me he did the same thing. So excited to get back on the road didn't look at the sticker or part number just mounted it. he also suggested flipping and trying it.

16” front-15” rear.

Sometimes it happens but not by choice. You can run a rear on the front, just remount the tire on the rim so that the direction arrow is backwards to the direction the tire is actually turning. Or, since you have to remount the tire anyway, get a new Front tire, mount it correctly, and save the old one for use on the rear.

Has new clutch, new clutch slave cylinder and clutch master cylinder just rebuilt. Tires 2 years old, battery 1 year. Brake pads 1 year. Oil filter converted to spin on several years ago. Runs and rides good. Located in Jacksonville, Ar.

The last time I heard about Beryl is that he is headed toward Mexico as a Cat 2 hurricane. My prayers go out to all those that are affected by this terrible hurricane.

I need a vacation!

The Same Happy 4th to You also

RSV just had an oil change a few days ago. Just riding to and from work errands and some occasional rides to visit friends. Swapping every two days between the RSV and SVTC.

@Marcarl I agree it does have a lot more on the sides. Once I was aware that the tire had a little over 16K, I said to myself....it is time.

None. But this is the third one somebody broke for me.

I traded my 2008 RSV in toward a 2023 Indian Challenger. I loved my Venture and wish Yamaha had properly updated it to keep me on board.

Installed a new(to me) right rear header pipe on Black Cherry. Thanks RDawson! No more popping on deceleration. Now I can practice my MIG skills on the old header.

Check the fuel pump points.

On September 1, I enjoyed the company of 300 or so bikers who met up in Puerto Penasco, Mexico for the annual Three Flags Classic Ride! I was the only Royal Star Venture rider and I had lots of fun. I wish I could get more RSV'ers to participate in this ride next year. The document attached has URL's of the many pictures taken by all of the riders. We rode from Mexico, through the United States and ended up in Canada. 3-4 days of riding, depending on your style. Beautiful countryside, great people, and just plain fun times. I have to admit, I had some troubles along the way, primarily a flat tire.....but also, I had to replace a fuel pump too. It was truly my fault. I had purchased a CHEAP unit 2 years prior and it caught up with me on the road. Replaced it with a very nice all electric unit that actually gave me better gas mileage. Stopped at lakes, rivers and more to put my toes in the water! Next year, it will start in Canada and ride to Mexico! SEE MORE PICS in the attached Word Document. 2023 TFC Photo Albums Links Email.docx

Just in case anybody is looking for one. Here is the Hannigan user manual for the Yamaha RSV. https://www.venturerider.org/hannigan/hannigan.doc

Was just looking at Yamaha's website. I am totally amazed that they no longer have any touring bikes or even cruisers. Have they completely given up on the big bike market? Most of you know that I had bought a brand new 2018 Star Venture Transcontinental. To be completely honest, I actually loved it. The only reason I sold it is because I just wasn't riding. It set here for over a year and I finally just put enough miles on it to do the first oil change. I know that most here weren't crazy about the fact that Yamaha went with an air cooled V Twin but it was truly a great bike in my opinion. It had about everything a person could want on a bike. Yes, there were a handful of folks that had some small issues and even fewer had some major engine issues but few new models are introduced with no issues. That being said, and I wanted to make sure that I wasn't bashing the Star Venture because it's certainly not my intention. But, do you think that if Yamaha had listened to us. The long time proponents of the Yamaha Venture, and come out with a new Venture with a modified version of the 1700cc Max engine that it would have done better? I don't know but I feel that it would have. Imagine that new Star Venture with the Max engine. Water cooled, abundant HP, ability to REV like most here enjoy, it could have been an amazing bike. Unless Yamaha has something up their sleeve, we will never know. My real question is. Do you think that Yamaha is completely leaving the large bike market or do you think that they are at the drawing board, deciding what mistakes were made, and will be coming out with another line in a few years? It will probably be to late for most of us old codgers but I have to wonder what they are thinking. Last thought on this, at least for now. I feel that Yamaha and most of the other Japanese bike makers have tried too hard to emulate Harley and to some extent, even Indian. I feel that the V Twin is essentially an American Icon and the majority of riders who want a V Twin are going to go with Harley or Indian. Let's face it. V Twins are certainly an old technology. Some of us actually like the low RPM torque, great sound, even a bit of vibration but you simply can't provide a great argument that they are as technically refined as the 4 and 6 cylinder bikes that are on the market. With electric vehicles, even motorcycles, that are being brought to the market, I seriously wonder if any manufacturers will be dumping large amounts of capital into big touring bikes. That's sad and to me, virtually signals the end to the cross country riding that many of us have enjoyed. I wonder how much money Yamaha lost on the development of the Star Venture and Eluder. There is no way that they recouped their investment.

I just can't give up with Yamaha just yet. SVTC bikes are loved by many and off course has some issues as well, but easily addressed with Yamaha's 5 Year warranty. I remain optimistic that Yamaha will continue to innovate and put out fun bikes for us to enjoy.

As mentioned a lot of variables go into tire wear as do certain trade offs. The pressure stated on the tire is the max load the tire can take at its max pressure. The bike manufactures tire pressure is the recommended tire pressure for that specific bike based on what the manufacture considers would be an average load or weight place upon the tire. One can vary on the pressure based on what he is carrying. Constant highway driving and at what speeds or constant twisty's also effect how a tire wears. Measuring the tread depth across the face of the tire is the best way to judge if the pressure in your tire is right for your style of riding. For example if you do mostly highway riding and the tire shows more wear on the sides than in the middle you need to raise your tire pressure (NOTE too low pressure also causes more side wall flex creating more internal friction in the tire casing raising tire temperature and premature tire failure ). If the tire shows more wear in the middle than your pressure is too high for your situation. This also creates less contact area between tire and road surface. adding to excessive tie wear mostly down the middle of the tread. Another thing to consider is the fact that in most cases (and there are exceptions ) that tires that wear faster generally have better road grip due to softer compound versus tires that produce higher wear miles. I have run dunlop E3 and E4's through my last several tire changes and got amazing millage out of them. BUT I always ended up changing them before the tread were down to the wear indicators, because once they reached a certain point they became slippery in the corners. So if your doing a lot of twisty roads I would probably stick to the 777's But if your primarily doing straight highway driving specially two up and/or with extra payload I would recomend giving the E4's a try.

So now that you have all that info, dig deeper. Accurately measure your tread in 3 places around the tire, center and sides. Write it down and maybe even mark the tire were you measured so that down the road you know exactly where to measure again. Sometime from now, re-measure and see what that tells you what the contact patch is. That might come into play as well.

Ignition Relay Ordered and Received. Bought TWO Ehdis 30amp/40amp 5-pin relays (two to a box) for $9.73 off ebay. Installed to replace original relay and now all is well. Posting this if it helps anybody in sourcing a replacement Ignition Key Add-On Relay (or just a 5-pin relay in general). VentureRelayInstalled.mp4

Hi all..Been off the grid for awhile.. Got the sad news of Bob's passing. He was one of the happiest guys I have ever met. Always willing to lend a hand.... You will be missed big time buddy... Prayers to Becky and the family..... Here is a couple of my favorite memories of Bob from MD 2011...

The funeral was small but quite the ceremony as Bob Was first honored by the military for his service to his country followed by a respectful tribute by the Patriot Guard riders as they paid their respects and finally an organized tribute line by the rest of us as we paid our respects to a Man that was a friend a patriot and probably one of the most helpful people I ever had the pleasure of getting to know. The funeral procession was all that he deserved as his glass motorcycle drawn hearse was led by a motorcade of motorcycle riders both Patriot guard followed by Venture riders and then followed by friends and relatives in cars. I was glad I was able to be there as we laid his body to rest. Fare thee well Bongbobny as you take your promised place by the Father above.

Tip and I really wanted to make it too but life got in the way. Thank you for posting this up in a more permanent location Boss, Bongo was truly one of kind and his love for our club and his fellow man will never be forgotten. Rest in peace Bongo as you enjoy the presence of the Lord you loved and served brother. Prayers Up and condolences for Becky, family and friends as they/we work thru the grieving process.

It was an amazing funeral for a very special guy with huge turnout of Patriot Guard Riders:

To remove the tail light you have to remove the saddlebag lids, the panels above the saddlebags and alongside the seat (3 #2 phillips screws), and the seat. Next remove the rear trunk and the frame that supports the trunk. You need to unplug the connector under the left side panel wire for the trunk light and pull the wire back through it's routing. Unplug two different connectors for the passenger intercom in the same location. On the bottom inside of the trunk there are four locations of attachment with a total of 6 small acorn nuts and lock washer that require 10mm socket. Clean out the trunk real good while it's dismounted. Remove the six bolts for the trunk frame using a 12mm socket. Notice that on each side two bolts are similar length and the third is extra long. With the right (8mm) tool you may have been able to remove the two nuts that secure the tail light to the frame without removing the trunk frame but it's a tight fit so you may as well. You'll also want to use your 10mm socket to remove the two acorn nuts that hold the plastic cover over the CLASS unit at the upper rear of the rear fender. When all of this is off the bike it should be easy to remove the tail light but even though I didn't remove the tail light myself, I did remove all of that other stuff. I know my bike better for having done this. I thought there had to be problem in that area due to wiring done by the PO but I was wrong and the rest of you were right because the tail light fuse had slid over and was no longer making contact. I did find something interesting there though and I hadn't seen this done before but it does make sense. The bike has a Markland trailer hitch and wiring and the PO had wired in 4 relays, one for each signal and installed a switch allowing the trailer connection to be enabled only when desired. The ground lug was broken and it wasn't working, but it was a kind of neat idea. Not having much experience with MC trailers I wondered if it was common to do this? Here's the dirty pics:

They gave up on cruisers all together. Last I looked you can only get the bolt and the V-Star 250

I am sad to report that we lost one of your own yesterday. Many of you knew Dan Gamble, Campfire here on the forum. I just learned that he died yesterday as the result of a single bike motorcycle accident. Police report said that he failed to navigate a turn. That's about all I know at this time. He and him wife, Deb, came a month or so ago and spent the weekend with us. He was truly a great guy and will be dearly missed.