JOE MCDERMOTT

I have a 1996 Royal Star and will not shift into higher gears.. 1st ,2nd and 3rd are good.. I looked at slave cylinder and working fine. I tried playing with linkage some and Know luck.. Anyone have any thoughts..Thanks Joe

I sold this bike to a friend and he is changing all brake lines and the Front Left Brake Line tied to Rear he can not find and was told that Yamaha no longer makes this brake line. Has anyone found a replacement from some other source.. I mentioned going to a car parts and sizing up.. And never hurts to ask if someone has found one to work. From what he tells me it is close to 2' long.. Joe in NJ

6 year old paint job and putting new on.. Will tell you with 2 tone paint.. I painted fairing lower color and you could not tell. But I was going to carry the lower color over to arm rest / speaker which was the white and you could see the difference next to the rear top bag.. 2 shades different.. I painted the one bag lid edge and wow you could not see a difference. Also on front fairing I painted one third of it where chrome strip is and that was a real nice match.. And painted lower cowlings and stone chips..Wow .. Was I happy with results.. So overall was very pleased with ColorRite Paint. Very expensive but what else you going to do other than changing color of bike.. Which is even more work...

I had to do some touchup on my MM and over bought big time. I have base coat / top coat and clear.. I used so little of it and purchased it for 579.00 Willing to let it go for 200.00 plus shipping. I purchased thru ColorRite ..

Just have the paint left I have paint for 2000 MM from colorrite.. 1 pint of base and color for both colors and clear and thinner. I paid 579.00 for it and will let it go for 225.00 Joe in NJ

Want to thank everyone for there respones on this Forum and special thinks to George S and Don "Freebird". They helped me with 1st and 2nd Generation Ventures for last couple of years...Thank You. I just purchased and took a major loss on trading 2000MM on 2007 BMW 1200RT.. I will tell you all that I have owned this 2000 Mm for only 4 weeks and when I wrote this thread I was really surprised how close to being out of control and just being on edge of control that I have been and how you all say the same thing.. The 3 years I owned the 85 Venture never even once felt that way. I am always looking for a escape route on all bikes when riding and have to tell you that I could not even think ahead because any quick movement this 2000 was going down.. Other than my 2001 Hertiage Springer and still have it the 2000 MM was a eye catcher and looking at the bike trading it in I really wanted to conquer it and feel like a glove but the weight of bike was not ever going to give me that comfort and listening to all you who have owned 2nd Generation longer still say the same thing of being on edge when riding this bike.. I even was thing of BMW 1200 LT and to have a electric lift to raise it tells me this bike is the same as Venture 2nd Generation. I wanted a lighter bike I could ride and give me a sense of some control and look for a escape if needed with the roads here in NJ and drivers who give no space to anyone but themselves. Well I wish you all well and happy Venture Riding and Ride Safe.. Joe in NJ......Thanks Again for this Site

I have a question I would like to see respones. I ride 2 up and I weight 180 lbs and girlfriends wt 145.. Are most who ride these ride 2 up and are most of you heavier than I who ride these bikes.. I was somewhat sick this summer and feel a little weak but with leveling links on bike and girlfriend on bike and stopped at gas station and bike leaning on side stand and bike was few more degrees pitched from driveway I really had to struggle to get bike off side stand... Is it just me or do others really feel the weight of this bike.. Even if you hit a little sand stopping under your foot it really seems like a handful ... I do not feel this way so much riding alone but 2 up.. Would like to hear from others..thanks joe I WANT EVERY ONE TO KNOW I ENJOYED ALL OF YOU AND GEORGE S AND DON "FREEBIRD" FOR ALL THEIR REPONSES AND GETTING ME OUT OF TROUBLE AT TIMES.. I FIXED THE 2000 MM HEAVY BEAST WITH A NEW 2007 BMW 1200 RT AT 650LBS. I CAN EVEN PUT IT ON CENTER STAND EASIER THAN 1985 VENTURE.. I WILL DROP IN AND SEE YOUR FORUM AT TIMES. HOPE YOU ALL HAVE A HAPPY HOLIDAYS ..JOE IN NJ

I bought it 2 weeks ago and it is just to heavy bike for my 185 lb riding double... I put 2 new Avons on it and really very very nice shape.. And also put leveling links on bike. Does have CD player with bike Just paid 8800 for the bike I want a BMW 1150 RT any trades or offers.. Joe in NJ..

I just bought my 2000 MM and took it apart to clean. While removing top box I noticed Base plastic had some serious cracks and these round headed allen screws . I would remove them and install a Large Fender Washer with hex head with lock washer to fasten them down. All can be bought at Home Depot or Lowes. I want to make a square plate instead of fender washer to spread out the bolt torque on the plastic .. Fender washers if heavy enough will work on spreading out the pressure on plastic base ..

Any one know what center to center dimension of leveling Links are...from diamond R

I Will Tell You After Owning 85 Venture And 2001 Springer Harley That After One Week Of Owning 2000 Mm Model Was Ready To Sell. I Have Corrected Riding Position On This Beast To Make Me Feel Confident In Riding This Bike And Maybe Giving Up My 85. I Have Tinnitus ( Ringing In Ears) And This Bike With 1/2 Helmet And The Motor Whine It Produces Almost Made Me Get Rid Of It. I Used A 3/4 Helmet And It Really Reduced Whine Noise I Hear With 1/2 Helmet. The Other Thing I Did To Make This Beast Not Feel So Heavy On My Skinny Arms Is Take Handle Bars Off And Press Them Wider. Went From 32" To 34 1/2" Wide And What A Difference In The Feel Of This Bike For My Long Arms. When I Purchased This Bike Compared To 85 And Harley Is That My Arms Felt Like They Were In Center Of Bike And Did Not Have The Leverage For Such A Top Heavy Bike. Will Even Say Pushing Bike Into Garage Is So Much Nicer With The Wider Bars And The Leverage The 2 1/2" Wider Gives. Will Tell You I Bought A New Bar But Was Way Off And So Decided To Spread The Stock One With Fear Of Kinking Bar. I Saw No Kinking With Flatening The Bar On Plywood. Will Also Say Do Not Go Any Farther Than This For Cable And Wires Just Make This Distance Of 34 1/2" Wide. I Am Really Thrilled With The Way This Has Changed The Feel Of The Bike And Give Me The Confidence . I Did Do A Panic Stop With Grilfriend Aboard And Scared The Hell Out Of Her But I Needed To Know I Had A Feel Of Confidence In Riding And Stopping after changes made.. The Beast Is So Top Heavy Compared To Any Other BikeS I Have Owned.. But The Ride And Looks Of This Bike Are Beautiful. But You Have To Ride The Level And Speed The Bike Is Geared For..this Bike Is Know 85 Venture But My Girlfriend Loves The Ride Over 85 Venture And My Harley Springer...lol I Know Every One Will Not Agree With How I Feel But This Has Made The Bike That Much Nicer For Me And Wanted To Share My Findings Of This Bike In One Week Of Owning It. Joe In Nj

I use a vacuum pump for brakes and fill reservior and pump vacuum pump 6 times then open bleeder on caliper.. This still requires time to do this. But it works and can do it by myself..

If you have Ringing in the ears as I do and after a 130 mile ride yesterday that my ears are paying for today with my 2000 MM and the whine. You better make sure you WEAR EAR PLUGS or do not buy this bike. The whine sure did hurt my hearing this weekend and never experienced this from my 85 Venture or my 2001 Harley Springer..

In last 3 yrs have had First Gen and Second Generation Bikes 85 and 2000MM..85 with 18,000 miles and 2000 with 30,000. Both of these bikes I decided to dive in and make sure brakes and calipers are in good condition. Taking all calipers apart on both I found dirt and corrision that would not allow pistons to travel freely as they are suppose too. This was causing a server drag and causing a noise to travel up thru fairing and a you could feel it thru frame slightly. This is on both bikes.. The 85 I have been driving 3 yrs and with clutch just decided to bleed system for I did not want to go any farther into taking it apart at start and it worked...Wrong thing to do guys Well wish I would have and over the years become hard to shift to a point this year I could not upshift or downshift. Also want to make a Point that on my 2000 MM which by the way have only had 1 week today and was ready to get rid of. I have looked at a lot of Forums and will tell you that my 2000 MM after do front brakes makes a Lot Less Noise and while driving bike last night heard some light vibration at times coming thru the frame. The rear brakes I had just change Dot 4 in them and today removed the caliper and found the same thing with dirt and corrision . Going for a ride this afternoon and will keep you informed on rear. My girlffriend loves the ride on my 2000 vs the 85 and I am trying everthing to keep this bike.. I have changed the front tire to MT 90- 16 and tightened the steering neck bearings and it has changed it 75% to make me happy. But last nights ride I still feel I need to change handle bars to wider ones for me to be comfortable. I feel I need more leverage for I am kind of thin and do not have strong upper body for the way this bike makes me feel coming to stop and low speed maneuvering with the bike being so top heavy. Happy Riding and Do Your Maintenance Work To Keep Bike Safe.. Special note I remembered taking calipers apart....if you are having sticky pistons I found that the Alum Body Forging on the back side has 3 fingers that had caused a melting and this made a really rough deposit on these 3 fingers. It had a deposit of 1/8 to 3/16"..This would be a tell tale af a problem..Sorry I did not include this earlier. Just bought this bike and trying in one week to fix this bike to like it or sell it. Also if you are a person who has Tinnitis ( Ringing In the Ears ) you should make sure you wear ear plugs or do not buy this bike because the high pitch whine really affects this problem.. Thanks for this Forum and really do enjoy all of you who are here and show interest.

I Have A 2000 Mm Venture Model But Will Be Happy To Just Get One Of That Year.. Any One Have One That I Could Purchase.. Thanks Joe