VanRiver

Well, check one off the bucket list! I competed my first long distance ride from Calgary Alberta Canada to Phoenix Arizona on my 1986 Venture Royale named "Walt". I have ridden motorcycles for 38 years now but never had the opportunity or bike that could really go for a long ride....so I finally got permission from the wife to hit the road!!! I was so excited and have been planning this ride for a long time.....I bought new gear, tuned the bike up to the best of my ability, and hit the road just in time for the hottest record breaking stretch in Utah and Arizona's history! Just my luck.....thanks goodness I bought a cooling vest for the trip! Walt performed like a champ over the 3 day 2518 km (1565 miles) trip, which is rather a feat in itself as old Walt was a bike I picked up for a few years back and was deemed as a "Parts Bike" by it's previous owner..and was delivered to me in a partly disassembled condition with boxes of pieces and parts, but a heart of gold, a very colorful past, and a pedigree from Mother Yamaha. After a lot of wrench turning, learning from the members here, and parts from eBay she is now a highway cruising, mile eating machine! Thanks to all for your support and sharing of knowledge over the years here on VentureRider.org that allowed me to bring Walt back from the dead and take her on the journey of a lifetime. (Yes Walt is a her). On that same note I had the incredible experience of bumping into 3 other VentureRider.org forum members at a gas station outside of Page Arizona...They were on an epic journey from the East Coast! Wow, I have so much to learn from these road tested veterans!!!!......a total great bunch of guys and such an honor to meet them!!!!!! I was able to take a quick video of our meeting: Also, here are a few pics of me and Walt on our journey! Now I just have to plan my ride to get her back home to Canada! There was a whole bunch of Harley riders at the hotel I stayed at in Fillmore Utah......I was worried that one of them might get jealous or want to "Upgrade" to a Yamaha Venture therefore I thought old Walt would be a highly desirable target..... so I locked her up just in case.......Harleys are a dime a dozen, but a 31 year old Yamaha Venture first Gen, now that is something worth stealing!

Old Walt made it all the way from Calgary to Phoenix.....2518km door to door.....that is 1565 miles for those non-metric people out there. All went well, but the last 100 miles in the AZ Desert were the hardest. I think the heat got to my TCI as I lost a cylinder at low RPM just 30 minutes from hitting the finish line (will be investigating the cause tomorrow).....thank goodness for my cooling vest and good riding gear, and of course superb MKII engineering from Mother Yamaha. That bike eats the miles! Stay safe out there @CMCOFFEY, and all those other "crazy members" that ride in the heat!

cowpuc my friend, you can hijack my threads anytime, actually I encourage it!!!!!! I'm really glad Tweeksis got the respect and adoration she deserved at the event! I still believe Tippy and you should have been in those Yamaha promo videos and brought up on stage to state the truth compared to those other couples they found! "We don't need Bluetooth I can get that for $200 aftermarket, we need the water cooled V4 engine from the vMax!" as the Yamaha executives start scrambling on stage and probably throwing real knives at ya!

Hi @RandyR, thanks! Your K1100 is a pretty sweet ride.....you always remember your first! Do you still have the K1100 or did she find another owner when you upgraded to your current scoot?

Howdy CaseyJ955! Yes, you hit the nail on the head when it comes to Function and Form. As a example, although this BMW has all the bells and whistles on her, all the controls are so simple and clean on the handle bars compared to other bikes including my MKII. Thanks for the heads up on the Telelever feel and the final drive issues! As for the performance chip upgrade, I confirmed that my bike already has that "upgrade" installed so I'm pleased with that! Check out this Stuntman and BWM professional test rider wheely this 900+LB machine (wow!!!) You will need to skip to the 9 minute and 15 second mark of the video to see him ride the big old K1200LT.......Wish my MKII could lift the front wheel off the ground like that!:

Hi @BlueSky! I totally agree, the guy in Chicago you mentioned has made some totally AWESOME videos on youtube for the K1200LT!!! I also like his Chicagoland, I'm just waiting for him to say "Da Bears" in one of his videos! I have been spending hours watching them, even before I bought the bike just to educate myself on these "strange" motorcycles. My hat is off to that guy and I think I may have to make a small donation to his motorcycle club for the value I have gotten from those videos. If I had more time (and skill) I would have liked to do something similar for our DIY Venture maintenance topics but....I always find a reason not to record when I do a job on my bike.....or what I do try to record and edit looks so unprofessional that I never post it.

Thanks @cowpuc, you are the Grand Master of naming motorcycles! I think "Fee Fee" is perfect!!!!!!!! The more I price replacement parts and filters for this bike the phrase "WOW that is a high FEE $$$" is always coming to mind......but I like your analogy of "Fine Find" best! Thanks as aways buddy!!!! "Fee Fee" says Hi and hopes to meet you, Tippy and Tweeksis some day! Speaking of Tweeksis, hope she had a good time out at the Yamaha event and rubbed elbows with the new generation Yamaha's! They have a lot to learn from her.

Due to my "Mental Illness" of loving big cruiser motorcycles and my profound addiction to always watching the motorcycle section of Craig's list....I broke down and bought another bike "I just had to have". Picked up a 1999 K1200LT BMW that has been parked in a gentleman's back yard for the last 6 years. He rode it up to Calgary Canada from Florida and then just parked it and never rode again due to age, illness, and life getting in the way......long story short I was able to pick it up for a song ( 1,100 USD) from a really really nice guy who wanted his once charished BMW to go to a good home. Sorry Mother Yamaha to stray from your loving brand, but you need to build me a NEW water cooled V4 cruiser again!!!!! I think the BMW should polish up nice (since she was out in the sun unprotected for so many years I need to redo all the upholstery (seat, rear speaker covers,etc) and install a new windshield but that is expected.....everything else weathered pretty good considering the elements up here in Canada. Will be nice to have some modern conveniences on a bike, like ABS, motorised adjustable windshield, heated seats and grips etc..... which I miss on my MKII Ventures. Here she is fresh from being picked her up from the seller's house...... before any cleaning, polishing, wrench turning and loving from her new owner......now the fun starts to learn how the Germans build bikes! And to find a fitting name for her too of course.

:rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl::rotfl: Don't be surprised if that Juggler asks you to join him as his assistant (aka straight man) for future gigs! The Juggler and Puc comedy hour! Great work my friend!

Here is my version......Back to the Future to 1986's unveiling of the "NEW Intercontinental Super Cruiser"!

No Worries! Glad to hear those boards will be going to a very good home and will get to see a lot of great miles with @cowpuc and Tweeksis!

Hi @blaine1 I believe there are differences between the MK1 (your 85) pegs and linkage compared to the MK2 (your 90) as the MK1 had some additional adjustability that went away after 1986 (but I could be wrong). Therefore I don't think it would be a perfect swap between your 85 and 90. Now that doesn't mean it isn't possible it would just be "different". I personally love the floor boards and heel-toe shifting compared to the pegs and have spent a fair amount of $$ to convert over to floor boards, but that is just my personal preference. So if you are interested in trading I have a spare set of standard pegs, pedals, and linkage from my 1986 that will fit your 1990 perfectly, let me know then you don't need to worry about compatibility issues with the 85. Send me a PM if you are interested in a trade.

Hey @cowpuc (sorry to thread hijack)......but, where did you locate the Kenda for only $45 bucks? I'm cheap and in the market for new rubber for AZZI, so it is a match made in heaven! Let me know.

Hey @videoarizona glad you are safe and sound.....always scary when all goes dark on the bike while zooming down the highway. Hope you find the issue!

Great Point @Flyinfool ! I'm headed out to the shop to do that right now on my bikes just in case. Don't want to "go fishin in gas" if I don't have to.

Went for a test ride to Elbow Falls on Walt my 86 Venture Royale.....I call it a test ride as I'm testing out the bike after: - New tires - New wheel bearings front and back - Oil change and filter - Brake delinking and new braided stainless lines - Trying out my new gear of HiVis mesh jacket, motorcycle boots, modular helmet and Sena helmet cam. All of this to shake out the bugs for my long ride from Calgary Canada to Phoenix USA in a few weeks. It was a great ride with no issues...Yippie! Also signed up for the REVER app and tried it out for the first time.....It is pretty cool to map your trips. If there are any other Venture REVER users out there would be great "friend" you in the app. Here is a screenshot of my trip and a quick pic of the Falls

Worked on my 1986 Venture Royale named "Walt" over the weekend in preparation for my cross country trip from Calgary AB Canada down to Phoenix AZ USA next month. Did the following: 1. Put a new pair of Shoes on Walt.....replaced both front and rear tires with Shinko 230 Tour Masters 2. Replaced front and rear wheel bearings 3. Lubed drive shaft 4. "Installed" Ride On to balance wheels and help prevent punctures on my upcoming trip 5. Installed a R6 Blue Dot calliper on Rear wheel (front's were already upgraded) 6. Decoupled front and rear brakes 7. Installed stainless steel braided brake hoses on both front callipers 8. Changed and bleed brake fluid. Lots of work....and I'm a bit stiff and sore from wrestling with the tires and laying on the garage floor (sure could have used a motorcycle lift!). First time I have replaced tires and bearings myself....not too bad once you get the hang of it! Almost ready to hit the road to Phoenix!!!

Hi @Freebird might be a good idea to purchase the "Journeyrider.org" domain while it is still available (just in case). I'm happy to make a donation to cover the cost to keep the "Venture forum Journey continuing down the road". (pun intended)

It will be the best $12 you will ever spend! Welcome to our motorcycle "Gang"! Beauty of a Bike too! By the way, have you named her/him yet? Every bike needs a name....in my humble opinion of course.

So far I like the helmet! I STRONGLY suggest you go one size bigger in the LS2 compared to what you usually wear in other brands. I take a perfect size "large" in ALL Shoei models, but I should have gotten the XL in the LS2 (that seems to be the feedback from most reviewer of this helmet online as well to up size, but I didn't listen). It still fits, just a bit more snug than I usually wear my lids....it will take some time for me to "break in" the pads to get it perfect. Build quality is excellent especially for the price. The Flip mechanism is nice and smooth.......but I have been spoiled by past higher end helmets so I can definitely identify areas that could be upgraded including a better ventilation exhaust system out the back to draw more air out. But you can't expect the features of a $1000 helmet for $107 bucks! I do like the flip down tinted "goggle" shades. I have never had a helmet with "internal sunglasses" before and I really like the concept! I also have my Sena Bluetooth communicator installed on the left side and my Sena Prism tube video camera installed on the right, and even with all these accessories installed the helmet is comfortable, quiet, and very practical for different riding conditions. Plus if you only get one season out of this lid or don't like it, then you don't have to kick yourself too much since the investment is minimal! You can always use it as a passenger helmet instead.

Greetings @Utrun 780 from your "Venture Alberta brother from another mother" from Calgary! Sorry to hear that things have been postponed...hope all is A-OK on your side though! I was so looking forward to hearing about your adventures documented on the forum....guess I'll have to wait until next year. Hope you and your wife get to do some "practice" long haul rides in for 2017.

Hi mcompton1973 I do a fair amount of riding in Arizona and I find the more I'm covered up the better my body is able to handle the sun and heat. I know that sounds counter-intuitive, but if you watch all the guys and gals that have "real jobs" working outside in Arizona they are not wearing shorts and halter tops, rather they are always covered from head to toe. I'm currently in the process of preparing for a long ride this year from Alberta Canada to Phoenix AZ. Because of the diverse geographical locations, I'm trying to prepare for both chilly and HOT weather along the way. I'm using this trip as justification (or excuse as my wife calls it) to buy new gear.....but trying to find that happy medium between cheap price and high quality. Just to let you know I'm also from the "school of thought" to over protect as well as I usually spend the big $$ on quality gear in the past, so this "cheap but good attitude" is a departure from what I usually do. Example, I personally only wear Shoei helmets, but I really don't want to drop $1200 Canadian dollars on a new Shoei Neotec modular helmet if I can get a nice quality but economical modular for this trip to sweat in and abuse along the way. Here is what I have purchased so far looking for quality, good price, and coolness for those hot miles in the dessart....hope you find it helpful: 1. New mesh jacket with full armour and removable waterproof liner. Super good price and great reviews on Amazon $89.95 USD https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00X4XUEH4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 2. New modular helmet (best of both worlds of a 3/4 and full face helmet at the same time) - I purchased a LS2 Stobe - Flip it up when you are going slow to stay cool - flip it down for protection with good ventilation and built in Sunshields.....DOT and ECER 22 - 05 Approved.....Incredible price on Ebay, ordered from England for $107 USD shipped http://www.ebay.com/itm/LS2-FF-325-Motorbike-Motorcycle-Scooter-Road-Crash-Full-Face-FLIP-UP-DVS-Helmet-/190894305191?var=&hash=item2c722fefa7:m:m1X2qyd_aeIdHon-10YYpBw&vxp=mtr. For that price, I can get 10 LS2's for the price of a new Shoei! Great reviews on this lid and can go "head to head" (pun intended) with the expensive modular's anytime, check out the video review: Review of ther best Module helmets for 2017 3. Gloves......I know it is hot but if you go down it is easy to "skin a hand" very quickly! Here are some fully vented gloves for summer riding I bought for the trip for an economical price.....plus they have material on the fingers so you can still use your touch devices (GPS, iphone etc) while you are wearing them. They are the "AGV Sport Twist Gloves" and they are relatively cheap and good quality at $49 Canadian Dollars (you can probably get them much cheaper in the beautiful USA!) https://fortnine.ca/en/agv-sport-twist-gloves 4. I'm using my "Old" motorcycle boots so I don't need to buy a new pair of those. 5. I'm still undecided about pants. I usually only wear a pair of sturdy jeans, but I think those will heat up pretty quick, therefore I haven't decided if I should buy a pair of mesh riding pants, special reinforced "riding jeans" or kevlar "long johns" under my regular jeans. I would love to hear what other members recommend on this topic as well. Hope that helps with your gear decisions!

So, is that a picture of the front end headlight structure of the "New Bike" hidden in the mosaic? Looks like a "4 eyed owl" to me. Hope she is a beauty!

Hey @cowpuc, Best instructional video yet! But my bikes are 1986 MKII's, does that mean mine are not "Big Boy Bikes"? I would like to make a suggestion for the next video instalment in the series......"How to do wheelies for Geezers" bonus points if you film it on Tweeksis. I completely agree, 2nd gear is for losers! Even though my bike doesn't have the issue, I still skip 2nd gear in tribute to all my comrades with 83 - 85's.

Hi Guys and Gals, I'm always on the quest to expand my knowledge of how to keep my Motorcycles on the road....and boy, do I have a lot to learn! I have recently been enjoying this set of Youtube videos from "Motorcyclist Magazine". Although the videos are not specifically about our Yamaha Venture's, they still professionally cover some of the important topics that everyone needs to know to help troubleshoot, fix, and keep their bikes running safely down the road. I sure wish I would have been able to watch these videos years ago when I first started working on my own bikes rather than learning "the hard way". Here is a good video example about diagnosing dirty carbs and how to clean them.......something my Venture's and other bikes seem to need fairly regularly since they don't get ridden enough.....and poor storage on my part! 10 year old gas just doesn't seem to go "Boom" like the new stuff! In all my 35 years of riding I have never had to plug a tire on the side of the road....knock on wood.....Now I know how to do it! Ever wondered how your clutch works and what it takes to replace it (general info not specific to the Venture....but still education INMHO) There are tons of other topics these guys cover...hope you find it as insightful as I did.