Brenner

Thanks Randy, and in your last line I can see you might understand what I mean when the word "love " is mentioned. After looking over the decker I am undecided whether to complete the deal or give the venture more time.... I really do not want to taint my decision by bringing home a bike that might draw my attention from the venture.

+1

I fully understand what you are saying and I suppose that I will not know how I truly feel until I ride another bike for a little while and see if I miss the venture. Well this might happen sooner than later. I will keep the forum posted.

Puc, never apologize for sharing your wisdom and thank you for your reply. I do truly believe you understand the feeling that I feel I am missing. As I have stated earlier I do not feel the venture has done me wrong and I have no regrets on my build or trying it on for size. This venture has better handling, is faster, and is more reliable than most of its competition. I just feel I have come to realize that I can only get to the speed limit so quick, then I am breaking the law. And that this bike although this bike rides and handles well to me it has no character and my journey is less enjoyed. Some riders like crotch rockets, some like scooters, to each their own and I really do not want to start a biased war over what bike is best as there is no correct answer. Too many people think they have the right answer but have little or no experience with the competition and or use stereotypes that cloud their judgement. What I am saying is the right bike for one is not the right bike for everyone. I have a vintage shovelhead decker offered to me on a trade for a vintage car I own and honestly I have a spark inside me over the thought of it that I did not feel when I put the venture together. What does this mean? Well I really do not care what others think and if an old bike who is not as reliable, does not handle as well as the venture, is what it takes for me to enjoy the open road so be it. Everyone has an opinion and they all differ and are not worth 2 cents. I am just looking for what ever feels right and that makes me crave the open road. Time will tell but until then I will continue riding my venture and sharpen my riding skills. If I end up riding another make or model and I do not miss the venture well I guess then that would be my answer. No one can answer this but me. Ride safe my friend.

Thank you kindly for your support and invite to ride. I just might have to take you up on that offer. From what responses I have received I am thinking more and more it just might be a time thing. I must confess that when I went looking for a venture I did initially want a second gen but ended up with a first gen as payment for some mechanical work done to a lexus. I have no regrets and like my bike as mentioned earlier and I honestly get lots of attention and questions from others. The bike has met just about all my expectations but I just do not feel the way about it as I did with my first two bikes. Maybe it is time or maybe it is just not as exciting as it once was to get a new to me bike. All in all I am happy I did this project and have had the experience of riding it as it has taught me a lot and I feel I have grown as a rider. I do not know what the future holds but I intend to pull a trailer with this bike and to ride 2 up before making any decisions on it's future with me. I still am strongly partial to the v-twins and have an individual who wants to barter with me a vintage FLHT for an old car I have. I am quite certain in no way will the Harley come close to compete with the yamaha as the yamaha outperforms and out handles in every way. Time will tell but I will give the venture the time it needs to show me why I should love it. In the end if I do not grow to love it I still will feel it served me respectfully and was a wise decision in my learning experience as a rider. Thanks again and I will look you up in the near future. Cheers

Please forgive me if you feel I have been comparing a touring bike to a crotch rocket as I in no way have done so nor wanted it to come across that way. I am well aware of weight considerations but perhaps my reading of many posts have set my expectation too high for this bike to meet. But I cannot really make that statement either as I find no specific fault in this bike it is just that I am not in love with it as much as other seem to be with theirs. Your example of you similar experience with a virago to mine really echo with me as I understand. I do recognize the advantages of this bike over others but it has not hit home yet as I expected to like it more than I have so far. Let's put it this way, when I built my virago I had certain expectations from a virago specific site and the bike met all the expectations positive and not so positive. Well I can honestly say that with the virago although a tight fit for me I did love the bike and wanted to keep it spotless and took pride in it. I for some reason just do not find that in me with this specific bike. No fault of the machine I just do not know what I am missing to make me feel that way. I love my Harley and keep it spotless and love to maintain it so why do I not feel that way about this bike? No rhyme nor reason and perhaps it will change as I keep riding this bike as it has been good to me and I find myself more and more comfortable in various traffic. The weight is becoming less and less apparent and I am happy that I made this step (riding) this large bike as I feel it has made me a better rider and improved my handling skills. Coming to an end, all the positive points you have made about the venture are those I fully agree on and being analytical I am having great difficulty trying to figure out what I am missing or what sets this bike apart from the others I love. Perhaps you are correct it is only a time issue and I suppose I will have to wait to see if I feel differently at a later date. Thanks for you opinion and thoughts.

Thanks for the suggestion but right now I am in between jobs and doing what I need to do to make dollars to cover my bills. Trust me I did think about it and would prefer that I had a stronger sense of satisfaction with my ride prior to attending a get together with a strong following of a specific model bike. Thanks again.

No offence taken as I did ask for opinions and have an open mind to all responses I receive. I am not knocking this bike when I make my statements but only noting my observations and again I do not dislike the bike as it far exceeds others in it's class but I just don't seem to be in love with it as others on this site seem to be. Perhaps my lack of experience or perhaps because I have more than one bike and that they differ so much that I am not able to commit to one particular style? I am not sure but I am falling short of the "wow factor" that I had expected from all the other testimonies I have read here on the forum. Again I am in no way putting the bike down as I do like it but am unsure of what I am missing that would sway me to being in love with it.

Carl my friend, I am sorry I had no knowledge and that I missed the event you speak of. I have not been on the forum much and been riding/trying to become a skilled rider and doing what it takes to keep the bills paid. I will have to pay more attention in the future.

I cannot comment on the ease of getting a new key for the locks but if the bags are locked shut it will be a challenge to get them open without damaging the casing. My recommendation is if you have a set of locks with keys on your old bags to drill the rivets in the hinges on the locked bags and try to open them. Once locks are changed re rivet them together. I did this when I repainted my bags two tone BUT my locks were open. Good luck.

Well I have been riding my bike now for almost two months and unfortunately only roughly 1500 miles or 2400 kms and thought to update those who have assisted me along the way. My build in my opinion has been successful in the manner of the bike being reliable and I have no regrets on any of the upgrade and changes that I made due to the advice I received on this forum. I know I had posted shortly after riding the bike for my first time that I was unsure of it and was not overly content with the bike itself. Well as of this date a lot has changed and I see why the following is so strong on this model of bike. At first I found this bike to not be as fast as many out here have claimed but I have learned that riding with others on their bikes that I my bike is far quicker than theirs. I still do not feel it is the rocket some claim but I have come to realize for the size and weight that this bike can respectfully hold its own. I have also become accustomed to the weight and handling over this time and have no problem handling it in very low speed maneuvers and have had many tell me I look as if I have been riding it for years. I feel with the gold dots, race brace, drive line upgrades, that I have an advantage as the bike handles and holds the road very well even though I have not ridden a stock model. With my chrome delete that I performed and blacking out the bike I find I get quite a few people looking at it when I am stopped and it seems to attract quite a bit of attention and most do not believe the bike is 30 years of age. I have parked and rode alongside some real nice bikes and it is often the one that has the attention to my surprise. I have not towed with it as of yet so I cannot comment on how well it does in that aspect but overall I have no complaints. I am trying to like this bike but I just can't seem to get the same feeling I get like when riding my Harley and honestly I do like this bike but I am not in love with it. I enjoy leaving the few who give me funny looks or those that try to outrun me well behind and the ability to travel further on a tank of gas than others that I ride with can. I have learned that having a radio can be nice at times and that the bags come in handy and are used more often than I thought I would. I ride mostly with my top trunk off the bike and find the bike handles better without it on solo runs and feel the wind is far more comfortable this way and more refreshing. I am happy I stayed with the linked brakes as they work exceptionally well with the R1 calipers but I did make sure I had a R1 caliper also on the rear for proper proportioning. I have a couple of others who have stock ventures now performing the upgrades on their bikes that they have seen on mine and desire. I praise this site and advertise it but find many feel they do not want to research and look it up but rather just look at my bike and ask me questions. Oh well, their loss. I have not put my Harley mufflers on it as of yet and have become accustomed to the sound of my slash cut exhaust and will make an effort to make the change but without loving the bike I find my inspiration and motivation lacking. I am trying to figure out what I need to do to get my excitement up on this ride as I do like it but still am unsure. I still am a little too tall for it and find it a bit tight but feel I will probably feel that way on almost any bike ( almost 6'3"). I must say with the handle bars fully up and expanded my hands do not fall asleep like they did on my previous ride or like they do in the other two adjustment positions of these handlebars. I have considered riding my Harley due to this lack of enthusiasm and even had another rider offer his FLHT on trade for my 53 Chev Bel Air so I have been considering the trade as the Harley might fit me better but I am unsure of the of a shovel head on long distances. If I do pull the venture off the road and start riding a Harley again I will not part with the venture right away as I do realize with my limited riding experience and really only having rode this bike and my previous virago I may not really know what feels right, or what fits right for my needs. I really do not know what to expect and if it keeps growing on me and maybe after riding with a passenger and or pulling a trailer I will feel different about it. Again I am not dissatisfied with it but I am missing the wow factor that others on this site have expressed with their bikes. I do have a reputation of setting the bar high on my expectations of my projects. If anyone has an idea of what I am missing or what might make this ride more exciting for me please feel free to make a recommendation as I am open to consider all recommendations. I hope to hear some positive replies, Cheers.

I agree with cowpuc, as a Harley owner I think it is unfair to use the stereotype "Harley rider" due to the actions of a few idiots. I come across all kinds of riders and drivers on different bikes and different cars, everyone thinks they are always right and think the world revolves around them and that they are special. Dirt bag? Yup lots of them, but not all of us. I try to think of it as their ignorance and bad attitude make me look more professional and respectable in a positive manner. I know it isn't much but it is just too easy to look at the negative of the world and people and not see the positive or good. I am trying to change myself from a pessimist to an optimist with the knowledge of knowing what I can change and what I can not. Life is too short.

In my opinion I think this relates to almost everything in life and not just the posts found on this forum. Lots of knowledge and experienced people on here, they may not always be right but a point of view or opinion is not right or wrong. Again in my opinion it would be the loss of the person posing the questions if they do not want to have an open mind and at least consider the sincere replies of assistance they receive. I like to think that in the last winter months those who have assisted me in my build right or wrong are the reason my current ride is reliable and as good as it is. I kept an open mind and considered everything that was mentioned to me and even jumped in deep in the modification/upgrade aspect and as a result have a bike that I have recently found to handle and perform better than the same stock model and vintage. I am not in love with my bike but it is ever growing on me and I can fully understand why the venture has a strong cult like following.

Progressive springs and a fork brace like I did? If either cranks slow when warm the 4 brush starter upgrade works wonders....

I did my 86 lowers on my 85 uppers for the brake conversion. Exact same fit for me.

I agree with the comment on progressive springs. My bike leans heavily on the side stand and I have to make effort to pull it up once mounted to kick my side stand up. I have actually been considering lengthening the side stand. My rear suspension is stock and I am running progressives in the front without the spacers and keep my pressure as low as I can in the rear.

Again I admit I do not have a lot of experience in the motorcycle swap meets but I too was there last year and met a few people I still talk to and ride with the odd time. Harley or Metric the people I met just want to ride and those are the people I prefer to catch up with. Update on my cold/illness I will be taking a cage and going with another person who I am assisting build another venture from the frame up. He wants to modify his so it does not look original and to each their own I am just happy to see others take an interest in projects like these. We need to support others in return for the support we have received and pay it forward to those who need assistance.

Now if I have broken the rules by posting this please forgive me in advance as I was unsure of where to post this. Just a reminder to those who may be local enough that the Fort Erie Motorcycle Swap Meet is this Sunday May 3. I am fighting a dang cold/illness and am hoping to be well enough on Sunday to attend. This is claimed to be one of the larger motorcycle swap meets in Ontario but I have not been to many so it is hard for me to judge. I do know they claim they will have a "Metric Hall" as well as a "Harley Hall" so there should be goodies to look over for all kinds of riders. If I am feeling better you will see my synergy green venture (clearly marked with venture rider decals) in the parking lot if not I will go by cage. Hope to see or meet another member of this forum.

Happy belated Birthday Puc, maybe just slap a few stickers on and you'll be good to go? Nope? They say after awhile the ride and rider resemble each other? or was that pets and owners? husbands and wives? Anyhow take care and hope to see installments of all the riding and ground you will cover on this years adventures. Just crest the hill and coast like you show so many times in your adventures...

I do not want to confuse the situation but one might consider using the transmission of a second gen (1999-2013) as I did after it being recommended to me here on this site. I found the second gen transmission to have a wider cut gear assembly and I had no problems with the install as it fit right in the first gen engine cases with no problems. It is an option. I have my original good functional 1985 transmission that one can have if they want just for the price of shipping. I only changed mine as I decided to run a vmax rear end and wanted the wider gears for pulling a trailer.

Dang Prairie you beat me as I was responding... lol... you are good my friend.

Yes the 1985 has a larger top trunk that was used from 1985-1993. The side bags are different also as the 1985 uses the same from 1983- 1985 have grab handles and feet and are removable with the ignition key and the 1986 -1993 side bags are "fixed" (mounted) to the bike and are not removable without the use of tools. I have a 1985 so I quickly learned the difference. If one wants to use a 1985 top trunk on a 1983-1984 bike they will require the lower mounting bracket that is 1985 specific and need to use the 1985 and later antenna if equipped with a radio as the earlier bags were smaller and the antenna bracket in a shorter position. If I can help any further please feel free to ask.

Lol.... I didn't try to taste anything from either tank afterwards so I really can't comment.... Thanks for sharing it gave me a good chuckle.

Carl which ever way I go I will be keeping the exhaust all chrome just for you as I remember your opinion on my build and the black out process when you came to visit me. Funny how things tend to stick with you after good conversation.