VanRiver

Been at our vacation home for less than 2 weeks and I have already purchased 2 motorcycles....Yes, I have a problem. The wife is MAD, but always easier to ask forgiveness than permission. I need to block the Craigslist website from my computer!!!!!! I need a support group...."Hello, my name is VanRiver.........Hello VanRiver.......I have a motorcycle Addiction......it has been 2 days since my last motorcycle purchase!" Anyway, bought a nice project 1990 Honda Transalp XL600V last week, and today I picked up another BMW K1200LT. She is a 2005 with only 27,000 miles on it. This beauty has been sitting outside for the last year, unloved, and ready for a new owner. She runs and drives great, just needs TLC and general love, for some maintenance and to make her shiny and pretty again....as well as a few odds and ends here and there. Got her for $1800 bucks, I couldn't say NO!!!!! I already have a 1999 K1200LT in my collect and love it so much! I'm very excited to have an even newer model in the herd. Here as some pictures directly when I bought her......all dirty and unloved.......Also, I tried a new motorcycle pick up service here in Phoenix today and they were awesome!!!! They had a really cool pickup vehicle that I thought I would share some pictures of as well. I look forward to washing and polishing her up tomorrow (will post some nicer pictures then).....I think I will name her "Goldilocks"

I have personally swapped out 2 Vmax diffs on to my First Gen MKII 1300cc Ventures. It is a great upgrade and was completely plug and play. They just bolt right in. I don't believe the first gen MKI 1200cc Venture diff can be swapped into an MKII 1300 Venture. The Diff case design is completely different, but I could be wrong. To be safe for your project I would recommend that you get a replacement Diff off of eBay from another First gen MKII 1300 Venture or spend a few more dollars and get a First Gen Vmax diff which will give you a different gear ratio with a bit more power off the line. It will save you a whole bunch of problems and make your swap much easier rather than fiddling with different diffs requiring shims or changing ring gears etc to make them fit. Just my opinion of course.

I need to stay away from Craigslist! Found and bought my next "project" a few days ago. The poor girl was dying a slow death in the Hot Hot Arizona sun. She has been parked in the previous owner's backyard for the last 13 years and hasn't moved since 2005. The previous owner had a flat tire at high speed on the bike back in 2005....scared him so much that he parked it and never rode it again.....and never even put a tarp over her to protect it from the killer Arizona sun and monsoons! She is a 1990 Honda Transalp with 23,000 miles on the clock. A rather rare bird here in North America as they only were sold in the USA for 2 years (1989 and 1990)..only 1 year in Canada I believe. To be honest, I have never personally seen one on the road in the wild before.....but they are more common over in Europe where they were even used as police bikes. I guess you could call this bike the Great Grandmother of the new Honda Africa Twin. I actually had a Honda dealer propaganda poster of this bike hanging on my bedroom wall back when I was in Highschool....a teenage dream bike for me. So mark another dream bike off my motorcycle bucket list as she has officially joined the herd. Let the restoration begin!!!!! Lots of work to get this one back on the road......but the type of work I really enjoy! Here are some "Crime scene photos" of the poor girl sitting neglected in the previous owner's backyard before I saved it! Such a shame, but from this day forward her life will change, including always being stored in a garage. She already looks happier in her new home Garage!!! Now I just need to recruit the help of my buddy and professional motorcycle namer @cowpuc to giver her an official name. But that will have to wait until he gets back from California. "She" will have to wait!

How about putting a Yamaha 1300cc Venture motor on that lawnmower? I've been thinking about doing that if and when my Kubota zero turn engine gives up the ghost! Nothing beats having 5 gears of lawnmowing power, could cut my 5 acres of grass in 17 minutes flat! Ha HA! Here is a guy that used a Yamaha R6 motor! https://youtu.be/0Of-1cM3bXM

Thanks for the "Guidance" guys!!!! gaj1917 videoarizona My friendly neighbourhood Lowes store sold me a 1/2" "E clip" today. It appears I have been misusing the term "Snap Ring" instead of the proper industry standard name of "E Clip".....my bad! The 1/2" clip seems to be working so far. Although I live in the land of snow, maple syrup, and metric measurements (aka Canada) no one appears to have told our local hardware stores that they also need to carry a larger selection of metric bolts, nuts, and assorted metric mechanical sundries! I think I might write a letter to the government about how our "Canadian Identity" is being jeopardized by being forced to only buy "Imperial size" hardware!!!!! Hash tag #MetricLivesMatter Join the movement!

Well I was buttoning up "Walt" my 1986 Venture Royale today after replacing the Starter clutch......all was going great until I was installing the Gearshift shaft back into the side cover. I was ever so gently tapping the snap ring back into the groove of the gearshift shaft when I slipped and heard a faint "Ting" "Ting" in the far corner of the garage. My shop has a reputation for eating tools, bolts, and nuts.....once they hit the floor they are never to be seen again. So after a futile search, I have come to the realization I need to procure a new snap ring before I can move forward getting Walt all back together again. (notice how I blame my shop, not the hack mechanic who slipped and lost it in the first place.....My wife calls this "denial and avoidance", all of which I'm an expert in with only "procrastination" being higher ranked on my list of skills) Long story short, a question to all our Experts......What size snap ring do I need to buy for the Gearshift shaft? It is the one that retains the shaft on the front of the side cover: Thanks in advance to all the experts that will once again bail me out after a mistake I made.

Replaced the Starter clutch today on my Canadian 1986 Venture Royale named "Walt".......Popping the flywheel off wasn't that bad....did bend my "quality" puller which supposedly has a "Lifetime Warranty". Guess my impact wrench is more powerful than the "Quality China steel" of my puller. We will see how good the "Lifetime warranty" is when I try to get it replaced! Typical wear and cracked clutch like so many others have had.....hope the replacement makes the horrible "gravel in the case" sound stop when you hit the starter button!!!! Ran out of time to put her all back together again as I need to get ready to catch a flight, so old Walt will need to sit on the lift with her innards showing for the week until I can get back. Inside of the case looks sparkling clean and almost brand new...wish the outside looked as pristine!

Very interesting statistics! Thanks Kevin for recording all this information over the years!

My Dad had both the Gas and Electric version of the Flymo back home in Canada when I was growing up. As a kid I had to use these to do my weekly chore of cutting the grass. They were fun to use as I could get very artistic with the cutting pattern in the yard, but I have to say it was alot easier to run over the electical extension cord with a mower that easily flowed in all directions without the safety of wheels keeping it in a straight path, especially when my teenage mind would wander while cutting. At the end of the summer our extension cord had more splices and black electrical tape then orange insulation on it.....but I did learn to solder and patch cords very well so I guess that was a positive! Thumbs up for the Flymo!

Welcome to the wonderful world of the MKII Yamaha Venture. They are totally awesome bikes! But be careful as they are addictive.....I now own 3 of them...and you too may be enticed to pick up a "spare". Your bike is a beauty! Very interesting Grey seat and arm rests you have.....never seen one like that before. Is it reupholstered or did they change the colour of the stock black seat? Ride safe, and enjoy the new scoot!!!

"Moby" was my first "big cruiser" style bike that I ever bought....aka "Moby the big blue whale of a Motorcycle!". She started it all for me when it came to touring bikes as I was a dirtbike only guy before her. Moby began her life out in New York state back in 1984 and eventually made her way to Arizona after many different owners and 64,000 miles of adventures over the years. And finally fell into the hands of a Canadian that liked to escape the winter and ride on the many fine desert roads here in AZ. Unfortunately, I got addicted to Yamaha Ventures rather than Honda GoldWings, and Moby was put in storage and did not get the attention and CTFW that she deserved. It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye today, as she was in storage for almost 5 years while I was "distracted" by my MKII Venture Royales. Time for another nice new owner named "Mike" to put some miles on her odometer and give her the care and attention she deserves. Moby, thanks for the great memories and I wish you all the best cruising the Highways for hopefully many more years.

Double Done!

Hi @ShinySideUp (I like your forum name by the way!) I totally agree buddy! I can only imagine what would possibly happen if that Snap Ring worked it's way off the hub!!!! I will be replacing it ASAP once I get my hands on my Spare sitting in the hot garage down in Arizona. Not worth the risk.

Thanks Puc for the insight, and I agree the damage must be from a previous owner who prefered using a 15lb Sledgehammer rather than a rubber mallet for "tapping things". For the life of me I cannot associate the chipping to friction or wear during regular operation. I really appreciate the offer of a swap/replacement, but I too am already "all set up". I have a spare sitting on a shelf in Arizona, just need to bring her home on our next trip. I would so love to swing by your place and take you up on the offer of some quality 1/3 pound hot dogs! Work has been really cramping my style and schedule. Was in London UK last week, Moline IL this week, and will be heading to the airport tomorrow to be in Montreal CA this next week. I'm totally jealous that my buddy @videoarizona is headed your way! I asked him to take lots of pictures and say "hi" to you and everyone else along the way......so I can live vicariously through his adventures!

Hey @cowpuc ! Ever seen rear hub wear like this before? Here is a pic from my bike "Walt" when I changed the tire last year, the lip that holds the snap ring is chipped away. How the heck would that happen? Should I be concerned enough to replace the hub? Everything else was rock solid.

Great video @joeke3el !

Sent you a PM a few days back about your TCI's, are they still available? Haven't heard back from you. Please let me know. Thanks!!

Royale with Cheese!!!! :rotf::rotfl:Shout out to all those Pulp Fiction fans! That is one pretty scooter! Well Done!

Not a Venture related question but since we have so many experienced and mechanically inclined guys and gals on the forum I thought I would ask an Oil Filter question. I've been watching some youtube videos about additional oil filtration systems and supposedly there are aftermarket oil bypass filters that actually use a standard roll of toilet paper as the filter media!!!!! Wow! And supposedly a toilet paper role provides 1000 ply filtration down to 2 microns of particulate filtration! Do these things actually work? Is this fact or just another snake oil marketing scheme? Is there anyone who has ever used one of these things? http://www.frantzfilters.com https://youtu.be/bKGH6zTZitc

I vote for the K1600b first as that is the one I'm interested in! I've kind of already striken the 2018 Venture off my "next new bike to buy" list (sorry Mother Yamaha)! I look forward to reading your reviews!!!!!!!! Thanks!

A total of FOUR 1986 Yamaha Ventures have come into my life over the years....as I'm a rather "thrifty type of guy", all have been purchased on the cheap and paid me 1000000000 fold in fun, learning and adventure! My first two were purchased in Canada.....great previous owner sold me a Black and Brown pair of bikes for $1000 Canadian dollars.....plus he delivered them to my house free of charge. At the time I had no clue about the pedegree of these bikes, I just wanted to add a big cruiser to my colection and the price was right so I took the chance and bought them. Sometimes it pays to be ignorant and in the right place at the right time. The Black one was deemed a "parts bike" by the previous owner but I fooled him and turned it into my main bike and rode her all the way from Calgary Canada to Phoenix Arizona and back last summer without a single mechanical issue. Here is a picture of "Walt" my Canadian Black 1986 when I bought it and after I finished "tuning her up"....also she is connected to my trailer which I pickedup for $100 bucks.....did I mention I was Thrifty! Here is a picture of the Brown 1986 that came in the pair for $1000 CND bucks......I restored it and put a trike kit on it for my Father to ride. My Next Venture purchase was a real steal! I bought it down in Arizona from a gentleman who had a wife that put her foot down one day and insisting the bike needed to be out of the Garage by the end of the week (it was in her way when she parked the car).....so he sold me this beauty for $250.00 USD.......yes that is $250 for a running, driving, and complete 1986 brown Venture Royale. Her name is AZZI as she is my Arizona ride when I'm down there. This picture was taken the day I picked her up before a polish and some "tuning". My final Venture was a parts bike which I got for $100 or $150 USD....can't exactly remember. She was some guys failed attempt at a Chopper conversion. I wanted a spare motor for a V-max upgrade for AZZI my Brown Arizona bike......that V-max motor upgrade project is still in progress unfortunalty. But still kind of cool to see a Naked Venture trying to look like a chopper next to one fully clothed! Love these bikes.......and I love the price point that you can still purchase them at! Thanks again Mother Yamaha and to everyone here that taught me how to "tune these bikes up" along the way!!!!

Hi @cowpuc Yes I've always wanted to find a "Gyro" for the collection, but they are a hard one to locate (especially at my cheapskate price point). Sounds like you have had almost every type of bike role through your shop over the years....so cool! I'm really looking forward to seeing your video review of the Wing and BMW!!!! Your review means more to me and my purchase choice than any of these other "Professional" magazine or Video reviewers! No pressure! Can't wait for this Darn winter to be over!

Howdy @Marcarl ! Yes I was a bit disappointed when I saw the kick stand down in the last few seconds of the video too.......but I guess you can't cheat physics.......Can't be flexible and rigid at the same time with a 800-pound scoot. Probably some smart guy could engineer a locking mechanism that would prevent pivoting when in "Park Mode"........or a big old locking pin.....or the passenger in the sidecar holding on with both hands to keep the bike upright while you parked!

Hi @BlueSky , great to hear from you! I'm really loving the K1200LT!!!!! Although it is still an "old bike" (year 2000) it sure feels like a space-age rocketship compared to my Ventures. Please don't get me wrong, I still love my Venture's too.....but having a power adjustable windshield, heated adjustable seats, heated grips, onboard computer that calculates mileage etc.... are totally awesome! But the K1200 does have it's quirks and weaknesses too (like every bike). I have to say, I think my next "new" bike will definitely be a BMW (sorry Mother Yamaha) If you get a chance to take a BMW (especially one of the K1600 models) out for a test ride I think you will be pleasantly surprised!

My father was a Police Officer all his working life. Although he served many roles on the force over the duration of his carreer, he spent many days and months in the saddle of a Police Harley. As a kid, I really never got to see him "in action" on a Police scoot aside from riding in parades or doing escort duty, but he had some cool stories of high-speed pursuits, chasing bad guys on dirt bikes in local parks etc..........Riding those old Police Blue and White Harley's which would usually overheat on hot July parade days going 5KM per hour behind a marching band or a float from a local business. But he had some really great stories including how difficult it was to pass the Police Motorcycle training qualifications. He taught me how to ride motorcycles since I got my first one at age 5, taking me into sand pits, learning to "dismount" at speed without getting hurt etc. Based on this video, I now have a better appreciation from where Dad was coming from with some of his teaching. Although he is a frail version of the strapping Policeman I grew up with as he soon enters his 80's, I can only imagine how it felt back in the 1960's or 1970's on your Police scoot patrolling the streets of Calgary Alberta Canada on a warm summers day. Here are a couple of Videos that give some insight into what our "Boys in Blue" need to master to qualify to sit in the saddle of a Police bike. As you will see from the video, the moral of the story is: 1. A well-trained Police officer can make a big fat police bike dance like a ballerina.....but if you don't know what you are doing it can be like dancing with an elephant! 2. A Police Harley can jump and catch air! 3. Avoid purchasing a "used" police bike that lived it's life as a trainer bike! No matter how good the price is!