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For us East Coast riders that live in the Northern part of the country, (except for those crazy Canuc's that seem to ride ALL year long!! LOL) it has been a LONG winter! With temps starting to creep up, and flowers starting to pop out, it looks like spring is right around the corner. Which brings me to the point of this post. It's time to take a GOOD close look at your scoot BEFORE you head off into the wild blue yonder! Tires: There is nothing between YOU and the road except two skinny pieces of rubber, my friend! Get down and have a close look at the two marvels of modern technology that keep YOU and THE ROAD separated. How's that tread look? Is the air pressure correct? What about the sidewalls, are there "cracks" in the rubber surface screaming that your tire needs to be replaced. Please don't ignore these signs that your tires need maintenance! Air Filter/Filters: When was the last time you pulled the cover on your Air Filter? Is it caked with dust and to your surprise there are "critters" living in there? Your engine can't breathe if the Air Filter is plugged up. This effects gas mileage and performance. Show your scoot some love, and change out that filter if it has been a few years. As my wife would say, "I'm Worth It"! Well brother, your bike is as well! Engine Oil/ Filter: Now, just because you only put 900 miles on your bike the last two years, doesn't mean you can change your oil and filter every FIVE YEARS! Engine Oil breaks down over time, and the result is the creation of acids that score bearings, piston walls and fog up the sight glass on the side of the engine. Most of us have a decent amount of money tied up in our motorcycles, so the cost of an oil change is money well spent, in my opinion. Please don't forget that our bikes have a "wet clutch" which means that the clutch pac and transmission gears are lubed with the engine oil. Oil for a CAR with Friction Modifiers CAN NOT be used in a Motorcycle, PERIOD! I can't stress this enough. You will send your clutch to an early grave if you put the wrong oil in your bike. Please be careful! Brakes: As much as I like to go FAST, I always keep in mind that I also need to be able to STOP! Take a few minutes and remove all three brake calipers from your bike. That's right, I said REMOVE all three calipers from the rotors. (Leave the brake line connected!) There are only two bolts holding the caliper on the mounting bracket. I suggest you blow the brake dust off of the inside of the caliper body, check the condition of the caliper pistons and seals, (Is a piston stuck, are the seals leaking, etc.!) If the pads are thin, replace them. If you have a stuck caliper, or a leaky seal, the calipers can be rebuilt. Repairing a caliper is a LOT cheaper than replacing a BRAKE ROTOR! Not to mention the difference in stopping distance between a good set of brakes and a bad set might be the back window of a soccer mom's SUV! There are also performance upgrades in the form of R1 4 piston calipers that can be added to your bikes that give even better braking action. Don't take my word on it, look into it or PM me. Fork Seals: Because the front "shocks" on our motorcycles are built into the lower fork tubes, there are two seals that keep the fluid in the lower fork tube, and not on our front brakes and wheel! If you see an oily ring around the chrome tube that comes out of the lower fork tube, then this means that the fork seal is starting to leak. There is a cleaning method to clear up a seal that is "seeping" a bit, but if that seal is leaking to the point that oil is dripping down the lower fork tube, then it is time to replace that fork seal. Now the skill level for this service is a bit higher than changing oil, and you might want to consult a local motorcycle repair shop, (NOT a Stealer, I mean Dealer) to take care of this project. It's best to be "Real" with yourself about your mechanical abilities with a job like this. But weather or not you do it your self, or have a repair shop do it, It needs to be done all the same. The money you will save in replacement brake parts if you have a bad leak will outweigh the cost of this service, in my opinion. Clutch: Next to the "Oil Debate" is the "Which Replacement Clutch Do I Use" Debate. I am not even going to address that issue here and now, BUT if you drop your scoot down a gear and roll on the throttle to pass a semi truck on the highway, the LAST thing you want to hear is the motor winding up, and your bike NOT going forward in a hurry!! Let me repeat that! If you try to pass, and your clutch is slipping, then you need to address this issue, PRONTO! I personally believe that the BEST tool that a motorcycle rider has is the ability to avoid and evade a dangerous situation. Bar None! If I "drop the hammer" on my scoot, it's because I need to be somewhere else at that moment, because if I'm not outta' there in a hurry, I'm in an accident. Clutch slippage is NOT an option for me, and it shouldn't be an option for you either. Please address ANY clutch issues BEFORE you actually need your bike to get outta' there quick. Lighting: Let's be honest, NOT replacing burned out light bulbs is just plain TACKY! But on top of that, it could create a safety issue with your visibility! As motorcycle riders, we have always had an issue with BEING SEEN! I can't tell you how many motorcycle accidents I have heard about and the first words out of the cage driver's mouth have been, "I didn't see that rider" before I ran over him, then backed up over him! (Just Kidding) Make sure ALL of your lights work, and even explore some new technology like LED Headlights or other types of accessory lighting. It may save your life! Now there are other things that you should be looking at on your scoot, but this list will give you a good starting point. The point I am trying to make here is "Look you bike over the way you looked at your Girlfriend/Boyfriend, Wife/Husband ON YOUR FIRST DATE! You didn't pull the trigger on that project without giving him/her a good "Once Over" , (Let's hope not anyway) So since everyone on this forum claims that their scoot's are their "Second Love", then don't disrespect your bike by not taking good care of her. My dad used to say, "If you take care of your bike, Your bike will take care of you! Ride safe out there! These are MY thoughts, for what they are worth. Earl

As a former member here from 2006 to 2014 when I sold the RSV and (shortly) gave up riding, I recently rejoined when I picked up my 2005 RSV Hannigan trike. Some may remember me as Ruffy or Ruffrider99. It certainly is a lot quieter here than I remember. As I went through a bunch of the older pages I see that many of the older members are no longer here for various reasons and I guess that included myself. After selling my 99 due to mainly leg strength issues and leaving I went stir crazy about a year later and bought a triumph rocket 3 tourer. It was up in Mass and Jonsey went over there to look at it for me. I bought it and had it shipped to Florida where I rode it for about a year until it became hard to support as well. Another year or so I was going batty once again and tried my luck with a 2010 Ultra. Soon found out that too was a mistake and sold it about the time I retired In 2019. Fast forward to 2021 and the bug bit me again. I bought a beautiful 2011 heritage from an 80 year old man and it was a blast until my legs and now my balance became an issue. Then along came this 05 trike at the right price. Sold the heritage almost immediately and went up to SC with the cash. Getting back on an RSV was a great feeling. Brought back so many good memories. Even those that had me tearing it apart when necessary. Still looks to be well run and there are still plenty of old timers still hanging around. Ya did good, Don. I hope to be here for a while longer now.

what I did was order a plug that goes in the lighter/accessary plug that gives you two usb ports and a volt meter reading.

Put in some methyl hydrate to clean out the water.

It’s a beautiful thing when all 4 carbs play together

After an 8 year hiatus from my old 99 and this site I picked this beauty up in SC a few weeks ago. After a few shake down rides I determined it needed some maintenance and some TLC. Put it up in the air and went front to back. Fixed the e brake, new rear pads, new battery, rear bumper hitch step, oil and filter, plugs, new air filters, new LED H4 bulb, grease the front bearings, remove plenty of road grunge, Seafoam, Seafoam, Seafoam….flushed all hydraulics and radiator. New NOS fairing (wrapped fairing will be going up for sale soon). Should be on the ground tomorrow and ready for a good clay bar and wax. Trike came with all of the goodies….reverse, aux tank, ez steer, Barnett clutch, high output stator, clearview windshield with vent, utopia backrest, passenger arm rests that swing up. Had my last Venture for 12 years. A few Harleys and a Triumph in between but I’m happy to be back on a venture again. Sold the piggy backer trailer.

Well, you beat me to it! I was going suggest Ohming out the coils and trimming the plug wires back. Ya' got the go, now check the whoa! Make sure your brakes are up to snuff and the tread is good. Don't just look at tread depth, check the date code of the tires. I never run a motorcycle tire more that 4 years, the rubber compound starts breaking down and they can get real slick. Also, when looking at the brakes, inspect the lines and hoses for swelling and cracking. There may not be a leak, but the old rubber brake lines will start to swell up when applying the breaks and cause pressure loss, thus loss of braking capability.

Very nice. Eileen has been on me for years to get a trike but I'm just not convinced. Love the RSV/Hannigan but just not ready to give up two wheels, even though I'm not riding much.

Not my videos, posting here because they're new and it's a helpful video! Helped me get my bike running for sure. Cheers all!

Awesome!

Good pics and also a good example of why I have said many times in the past, once you have the carb out due to suspect carb issues you may as well go whole hog and do a complete, thorough tear down and overhaul. It just seldom pays to cut corners.

Maybe just a touch rich, but not bad.

Few pics of bikes at Dover

I hope since ya'll let me hang around when I went from a Venture to a Harley ya'll will let me stay on my new to me 2019 Goldwing with the CSC trike kit. With Trina's third back surgery done I decided we needed independent suspension and found this beautiful bike just calling my name.

I've had two Clearview's on my RSTD's, both with vent. They are great, love the recurve top. They kept their "clear view" better than stock. But I got a F4 Customs for my RSV. The first one came from a bad batch of plexiglass. After time it seemed to frackle. Talked to owner, as I was out of warranty, he let me have a replacement at half price. Fair. It is even more bullet proof that the Clearview. Still up in the barn somewhere, took it off before I sold the RSV back to a dealer. It was good enough that when I got rid of the RSV and got a used Goldwing Trike, first thing I did was order a F4 Customs for the GW. Six years and still looks new. And you clean it with Windex and paper towles. Don't do that with the Clearview.

I've had the Clearviews on the last 4 scoots. All had the vents. Air flow does depend upon the bike, but both the 89 VR and the 05 RSV give me air flow. The RSV has really nice flow into my chest with vent open. Needed in Arizona! I don't have the plastic chrome pieces on the sides of the front fairing.... Maybe that's the difference. P.O. took them off I guess.

It seems a lot of events like this including tool shows, wood working shows and home and garden shows etc. are fading, even before covid. I am thinking things like you tube and online shopping may have a lot to do with it as well as the lack of interest by a younger generation that are more interested in a virtual life than a real one.

I don't get much airflow through the vent, but I didn't expect to. My knowledge of fluid dynamics (us wonderful engineers!) knew that, in certain conditions, it's just enough airflow to break up the low pressure "bubble" behind the fairing a quell buffeting of the high speed air going over the windshield. This was the #1 reason why I went with a Clearview in the 1st place, having tried various other brands & heights that just didn't work for me.

If Carl is going I'm sure he won't mind you being a passenger. I know you two are "close".

Hey Folks, Interesting topic! I have both the gauge type, and the CarbTtune. The amount of Vacuum that the gauges read is irrelevant. It's the difference between each cylinder that needs to be balanced. I sync my Carbs. every spring, but I have OCD! (And I own the Gauge!) Either gauge will do the job as long as you can VERIFY that all four gauges read the same value an a given vacuum. If you are finding that your Carbs. are out of sync many times during a riding season, then the BUSHINGS in the linkage are worn, and need to be replaced. Keeping in mind that the last model year for the Second Gen. was nine years ago, and the first year of production for the MKI Venture was 39 years ago, it would be safe to say that these little tiny nylon bushings have seen a LOT, even if you have a newer bike! A metal rod pivots on these bushings every time you roll on the throttle, and they are under spring tension even if you are cruising at the same speed for an extended period of time. These parts have a crucial job, and are often overlooked in my opinion. Ownership of the gauge set is not mandatory, Checking the sync yearly IS! Just sayin', Earl

I’ve seen an agm show great voltage until it’s hit with a load then it drops out.

A quick hello to my new tribe. Today I became married to my new love...... her name is Bertha, 17 years old and she's 868 pounds of the most beautiful liquid silver I ever laid eyes upon. Bertha and I have great plans of WV mountain meanderings, smokey camp sites, cool fishing holes and too much greasy roadside eats. This is going to be an epic summer! Bertha and I are happy to be here at the Venture Riders Org. Your info has already been a huge help.... and I suspect it will continue being so. Ride Safe, Pete and Bertha of WV

Always a great reminder of good advice. Maybe even more so for seasoned riders since we sometimes get to comfortable and overlook whats important. BTW who you calling crazy?

Great post Don. I've been to most of the rallies you've mentioned at one time or other. We've enjoyed and attended almost all of them at one time or other with some being yearly. I believe the biggest, attendance wise, was Fort Collins, Colorado with well over a 100 bikes there. We really can't say which ones are our favorites as several rallies have been attended multiple times over the years. Meeting folks here from this site is what has drawn us to these rallies as much as touring the country. While I no long own a RSV I still try to attend 1 or 2 rallies per year just to touch base with people I've met over the years. A couple rallies not mentioned we've attend was Don & Patti's (B2Dad & B2Mom) meet & great and the Root Beer Run put on by Mike & Cheri Eykamp.

The float needles and seats problems are more common than the floats themselves. Make sure they are clean and floats set correctly.

It scares me when I encounter riders that ride for noise and speed. Those attributes seem to negate common sense and safety all too often.

Welp, figured it out. Turns out my Cruise Control Switch connector pins were coming loose. Spliced in new connector and all good!

Good to have you back, hoping you can enjoy riding for a while longer.

A big Thankyou to Ron and his wife not sure how it's spelled. We had a great time. Just got home not a bad trip home. Was a fun time catching up with everyone and got some nice rides in. And of course as usual plenty of good food. We even had some ice cream. Definitely a place we would like to explore more lots to see. Thanks Ron for a great time. Joe and Debbie

What trike? I just see a garage floor cleaner than most of my dinner plates! congrats on your new machine!

It’s a wrap. Small turnout but had a great time. Dave Hannigan led the tour of the trike shop, did some riding, saw a little history of the area, lots of eating, and tons of visiting and laughing. It was pretty windy but good weather until rain Saturday evening when we just sat in the pavilion and talked. It was good to catch up some since it’s been two years. Thanks to all that attended and hope you enjoyed it as much as I did. With retirement around the corner I’ll have time to plan next year a little bigger and maybe a few days longer if interest and attendance warrants it. I didn’t take pictures so hopefully y’all will share yours. Safe Travels home.

Added a basic radio today and upgraded the speakers to some JBL's. Nothing fancy but works better than the factory did at this point. Now to decide how to maybe get a little bigger speakers or something in the back.

On another look at your tool, I think I see little valves at each gauge do I not. If you close those valves down they will act as restrictors.

Just ordered the Polk DB402 will update once they are installed

My son has a similar 3 burner outdoor stove and he loves it. He uses at home as well as car camping trips. His only beef is that its a tad heavy for canoe and back packing trips

There are two other things to look at: 1. The carb floats are set wrong. Yea, I know that shouldnt effect mpgs, but it does. Weird. Lean those floats. To much fuel 2. Carb diaphrams are holy! If the diaphrams have even the teeniest holes or are not supple or installed properly will ruin the mixture to the carbs. Suggest you think small things first. Forget plugs, etc., Unless she's not running in all 4. Easy test. Check exhaust temps just after start.

Ahah omg -- I've just read that I want to back the choke off immediately as she starts... ok let's go play. It's only 10pm shouldn't piss off too many neighbors or wake the kids -- WORTH IT ahah. Just weird it was running BEFORE the carb clean on choke, and now barely at all with the carbs cleaned. Was expecting her to fire right up!

ALSO! This entire process was done WITHOUT the air box / filter, which I am seeing now makes the bike run funny? It's on there good and sealed now while the battery is charging.

DON"T BUY CHINESE GASKETS!!!!!! Probably should stay away from Chinese slides as well.

Drew come on down. 😄 be glad to have you.

You shouldn't have to tune very often. Why you need to do a tune is to balance the in going air into the cylinder and that is controlled by the carb linkage. So in fact what you would be doing is adjusting for wear in the linkages. I would say that if you did it once every 2 years or 50k km you should be good. Now if you rip tearing at things under the tank and adjust the wrong screw, then to get things right again you will need a carbtune.

I've got a few things brewing over the summer, so waiting to see how the summer schedule shakes out. In any case, how does late Sept/early October work for everyone interested? Would give us more runway for planning. Somewhere in the Lake Shasta, CA area (very northern CA)? Mount Lassen, Burney Falls and a few other great day rides can be done from that area.

Thanks for posting. We all need this.

Welcome to the group, hoping that you can make yourself part of this family. Good to have you on board.

You may have dirty fuel with maybe some really fine rust. Check inside the fuel tank and if there’s any sign of it, flush out and replace the fuel filter along with draining float bowls

OKAY, but only because it's a Wing,, and because of Trina of course. NICE looking machine, I'm sure you will enjoy the ride!

Gonna be an interesting series to watch from start to finish.

The truth is, like most such organizations, our membership is way down. Maybe as the weather gets better it will pick up a bit. I think that there are numerous reasons. Platforms like Facebook have made it easy for people to set up a group. Though I hate the format and the fact that you can't have different areas for different topics makes it more difficult to organize posts so that they it is easier to find what you are looking for, if you don't mind all the ads and tracking then they are a cheap and easy way to form a group. Another issue is that many of us are getting older and not riding as much and some not at all. Some stay just for the friendships after they quit riding but many don't. I had hoped that the new Star Venture would take off and that would help but it doesn't seem to have done so. Many groups are losing membership. I just recently learned that Star Touring has shut down their site and is no longer an active club. Some of the chapters are attempting to pull together to keep things going in some manner but they had lost a lot of chapters and members. I am told that Alan Cease, who was the leader there, is in bad health and I believe at home on Dialysis. Though I never really knew him and we had a bit of a spiff early on, my prayers are with him and I wish him nothing but the best. All this being said, not everybody puts themselves on the community map. I just looked and we have approximately 350 supporting members at this time. At one time, we were up too nearly 2000. Will it ever come back? I have my doubts. Will I shut down this site because of it? No way. As long as there is interest, we will continue to move ahead and maintain the many friendships that have been made here.

Just can't kick this habit. Bought an 03 Midnight RSV in 2011, had it for a year, sold it to help pay for my sons wedding. Then in 2021 I bought a 2008 RSV had it only for 6 months, loved that bike, but had to move from Kansas to Nevada, so bike helped pay for the move. Now I have found another 2008, beautiful bike, 22k Miles, just got it from Arizona Saturday. Its going to be a beautiful 2022. BTW, the only ethanol free gas I can find here is 100 octane race gas. I used to run 91 premium. What's best for bikes in the desert?