VanRiver

Wow, looks amazing! Gives me the itch to buy a Gen II now! Thanks for the pics!

For only 20K might make a good engine swap candidate into AZZI the 86 Venture Royale! Too bad she is a chain drive....owner must have sold the V-Max diff to a fellow venture owner to raise some cash for all that chrome! @cowpuc if I did buy it I would be too scared to ride it!!! So I would be happy to drop it by your house so a more skilled rider could get some seat time while the NOS is flowing! But you would need to buy all the Mother's wax and cleaning products to keep all that chrome pretty when you were done with it.

Since I got my Venture's I have been hooked....as with all addictions I'm always looking for my next fix...and a V-max is the next logical step in my path to full Yamaha 4 cylinder water cooled addiction. Anyway, to serve my addiction I'm always looking on Kijiji up here in Canada or Craigslist down at my other home in Phoenix AZ. Well lookie what I found here....a fully blown 85 V-max that dreams are made of. Do you think I could put a blower and NOS on my Venture too? I can only imagine what this guys has invested in this bike...let alone what he is willing to sell it for (asking $20,000). It was so pretty and super fantastic I thought I just had to share. Here is the Ad if anyone wants to buy it: http://flagstaff.craigslist.org/mcy/5668970929.html And some pic's for those to drool over just like me. Hey @cowpuc I bet this one could have given your dear old "Crud" a run for it's money in a street race!

That is a pretty sweet trailer design, I sure could use one of those in my Broom closet! Oh and very nice bike too....best $350 you will probably ever spend.

Yup Kevin beat me too it.

Hi Larry, Yes they are required to worn at all times while riding a motorcycle in Ontario, and in every other Canadian province to my knowledge. The Helmet must also be a CSA, Snell, or D.O.T approved.....you can not wear a non-certified helmet or one that has been modified in a way that would jeopardize it's original protection standards or you can be pulled over and ticketed by Canadian law enforcement. Here is the link to the Ontario Highway Traffic act specific to the Motorcycle Helmet laws: https://www.ontario.ca/laws/regulation/900610 Plus they keep your ears warm up here on the Canadian Tundra!!!!

Hi @bryckman, welcome to the forum......Unfortunately that is NOT a 1987 Venture in the AD.....This is my opinion for a couple of different reasons: 1: All first generation Ventures 1986 and above had 1300cc engines.....1983 - 1985 had the 1200cc 2. That back trunk is from a 1983 - 1984 Venture. If memory serves me correctly Mother Yamaha changed the rear trunk design in 1985. Sorry @GAWildKat but I need to disagree with your assessment, that IS a venture trunk and NOT one from a Goldwing....just the older design from Mom Yamaha. 3. It has the MKI older style single piston brake calliper on the rear in the ....can't see the front as they are covered with the chrome calliper covers. Long story short, to confirm the age of the bike or at least of the frame there is a sticker on the right hand side of the bike on the lower frame support under the engine near the exhaust header pipe and it will give the manufacturing date. Here is a picture of what that sticker should look like, this is from one of my 1986 models (which was manufactured in Dec 1985 as a 1986 model): Now, if it were my money I would be very careful with this bike. For that price you should be able to find a pretty nice First Generation Venture scoot in very good original shape! From the pictures, this bike looks highly "modified" and it is missing the rear bags. But of course I have a soft spot for ALL Ventures, and this bike might be the most fun you have ever had on 2 wheels. But hold out to find something you like and in the shape that you want as well. I personally have only paid $1250 for all three of my 1986 Ventures COMBINED, and they are all in great shape, mechanically sound, and provide joy whenever I ride any of the 3 of them. But if you think this is the right scoot for you, all the great guys and gals on this forum got your back to provide help and insight to get her running and driving like a charm! All the best Buddy!

Thanks for the pic's Doug....She is very pretty! Glad you got the flywheel of with the "BFH".

Sounds like you are really making that new scoot yours...which is awesome! But we need some pictures please!!!!

Hello Guys and Gals, I have noticed that so many of you have very creative Forum names, and I know there is probably a reason, hidden meaning, or story behind that nickname and I thought it would be neat to hear about them. So to get the ball rolling, I will start. My forum name is "VanRiver" and here is my story. I have been a "big dreamer" and entrepreneur all my life. I have started and run several companies over the years....and as most people know, starting and making a business successful is hard work and very risky. And it was something that my parents could never relate to when I was first starting out, as they were of the mind set that I should get a safe and steady job, work there for 30 years and retire.....which did not fit with my way of thinking. So when Saturday Night Live had a skit with Chris Farley as an out of work "Motivational speaker" that would always say that kids would fail at their dreams and would "have a steady diet of government cheese and live in a Van Down By the River" that resonated with me and always became my joke with my wife, family, and friends that if my latest venture failed we could always live in a "Van down by the river". That is still my "Back-up plan" today, it would just be a very nice 45' diesel pusher Van on a beautiful river lot! So that is how I became VanRiver on the forum. Here is the late Mr. Farley in the classic SNL skit: Now enough about me, I would love to hear about all the rest of you and how you came up with your forum names! Looking forward to hearing from you all!

Hi @PSTERLINGJR - There is currently a "tested and working" 1983 TCI on Ebay for sale.....They are unfortunately asking $205 for it....If you are looking on Ebay also search the term "CDI" as well since there are some folk that call them by the wrong name. Here is the listing if you are interested: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1983-Yamaha-XVZ12T-XVZ1200-Venture-Y548-cdi-ic-igniter-ignition-unit-TID14-17-/231995697610?hash=item36040569ca:g:Vr4AAOSwnNBXYs~h&vxp=mtr

Hey @Yammer Dan Please don't let Trump build a Northern wall!!!! My pole vaulting skills are not what they used to be!

Amen Brother!!!!:amen:

I was surfing the old web tonight and bumped into a really nice Yamaha Venture dedicated website from the Netherlands. Some really nice pics and graphics of our bikes: http://www.yamahaventure.nl Glad to see Mother Yamaha's Venture children are revered and being taken care of all over the world! Hope the builder of this website is a member here as well....if you are, please raise your hand.

Hey @KIC, thank you so much for the bolts! No worries, I will not be in Phoenix until July 16th, so there is no rush. Either way is fine with me...I don't want to impose too much on you or David since you guys have been so kind and are already really helping me out. I usually have my mail service turned off until a few days before we arrive in PHX, so if you do put them in the mail please wait until closer to July 16th.... that might be better to save David a trip. I'll send you some cash to cover the postage. I'll also PM you my mailing address in AZ. Thanks again!

Wow @BlueSky you sure have been through the ringer with the kids accidents! So sorry to hear about the crushed metal over the years and especially the lawsuit! I bet that put a few grey hairs on your head! What a nightmare! I'm glad to hear that your kids weren't hurt in any of those accidents...cars can be replaced, but not kids!

Good for your girls!!!!! And to you as well for giving them the skills and confidence to not let a brake pad replacement stand in their way. I think the world would be in a much better place if more people thought that way!!! But that is just my opinion. Very disappointing that the Brake shop closed up for the night and left them in a lurch! But I agree, a worried Momma Bear is a challenging creature when the perceived safety of thier clubs is in question....but that is what makes them good Momma Bears. Plus "I'm just a silly Man" that thinks differently then girls as I've been told several times before. Puc, similar to your girls, my daughter has her sights set for a carrier in medicine (specifically wanting to be a surgeon). So I tell her that mechanics is very similar to being a doctor, and if you're unable to open a car hood, troubleshoot, find and fix an engine then how will you ever be able open a chest with a scalpel and fix a human ticker someday? But she is much better with the blood and guts part then me....the sight of transmission fluid makes me queasy!

Thank you everyone for your insight and experience on the subject, I always know I'm walking down the path that so many of you have already blazed the trail! That is why I know I can always turn to my "Venture Support Group"! @Flyinfool and @videoarizona - Yes I couldn't agree more, the invention of the Cell phone is such an amazing thing for situations like this compared to the "old days". Times are so different compared to when I was her age, I was teaching her how to change a tire on the car the other day and both Mom and her said "why would she ever need to do that, can't she just call the auto club or use the the Auto club app on her iPhone to have someone come out and do it for her?".....I was a bit miffed by that way of thinking....but really didn't have a good comeback aside from "well what if she doesn't have cell service and actually needs to get her hands dirty!" @cowpuc - thanks for 8 "Rules" they will be passed along and are already being enforced! @djh3 - yes don't even get me started about the cost....only break I got on the insurance cost is because she is a girl. Boys can't be trusted as far as you can throw them with a motorized vehicle!!! Ha HA! @zagger and @BigLenny - Thanks for the pep talk about "She's going to wreck it"! I know you are right on the money with that statement.....that is why I have her driving an old 2005 Ford Escape Hybrid instead of a fancy new vehicle. So many of her friends got fancy new cars right off the bat which totally baffles me why some parents would do that as the first car needs to be safe, earned by the kid, and not a big loss when it gets damaged. I will try to follow the "Don't Freak out" part.....as for her Mom I'm not sure if she will be able to if and when the time comes!

"Walt" my black 1986 Yamaha Venture Royale rolled over 100,000KM last month....and it continues to serve me well and run strong. Here is a quick video of the official rolling over to all zero's again:

Please keep me in your thoughts and prayers, today was my daughters 16th birthday and she successfully passed her drivers license test. She is now a fully licensed and insured driver with wheels.....but with a whole lot of "Dad rules" to follow. I'm reaching out to my "Venture Support Group" to keep me from worrying too much as I would assume many of you have already crossed this bridge with your own kids. I'm very fortunate as she is a great kid and a pretty good driver...but a Dad always worries...right? I find it so ironic that when you are old like me 16 sounds too young to be driving a car.....but when I was 16 it felt like an eternity to finally drive.

Hi @PSTERLINGJR congrats on the new 83 venture!! I concur with Mr. @Flyinfool (as always since he really knows his stuff).....sounds like your bike is running on only 2 out of 4 cylinders when you give her gas. I had a similar problem on one of my 1986 Venture's when I first picked her up from the previous owner. She would appear to idle fine but had no power and my novice ears at the time didn't know the difference between a mighty Venture motor running on all 4 cylinders compared to 3 or 2. I would let her run for awhile and then test the temperature of each of the exhaust manifolds exiting the engine.....careful, as all 4 should be crazy hot and the same temperature on a properly running bike....if you find that 1 or 2 pipes are cooler then the others then those are the cylinders not firing properly and should be your focus. Long story short, my problem was a bad TCI module after I checked and cleaned all the connections. Those TCI modules are rather expensive to replace and almost impossible to test outside the bike (also a 1983 has a unique TCI compared to other Venture years too) so I strongly suggest you follow the process of cleaning all the connections as well as put fresh plugs in the bike as well before you diagnose it as a bad TCI. Here is a pic of what a TCI looks like just incase, since you might be learning all the do-dadds on your new fantastic motorcycle from Mother Yamaha.

Wow Todd......It looks fantastic! Great work and thanks for sharing!!!! Beautiful bike too by the way.

HA Ha @SilvrT.....You are right on the money about the wind! I didn't mention that part as I'm trying to up-sell to our American friends so they come visit....Since Oil prices are down, tourism is our only other option here in Alberta before the province goes bankrupt! Not like you British Columbia folk who are rolling in the dough! But if you are lucky enough to get a tail wind, you can turn the key off and let it push you home. Just flip open the rear truck lid on the 1st gen and you got an extra sail!

I bet the insurance companies pooped their pants seeing this one as well.....not just for the car damage, but Mr. Leno's personal insurance as well. I bet he is heavily insured by the show, and if he were injured during the shooting of the show that would be big $$$ for the network and production company. They will probably be adding a clause to his coverage that will prevent him from doing any further dangerous "ride alongs" like that in future episodes. Back to just boring driving a multimillion dollar Duesenburg at 35mph on the streets of hollywood like usual.