luvmy40

The only "right" way to set the idle mixture is with an EGA. The next best would be with a Color Tune(my chosen method). Some have good luck tuning by ear, i.e to RPMs, I've never had much luck tuning multi carb banks by ear myself. There are many Color Tune videos out there. It's a fairly simple procedure and easier on our liquid cooled bikes than on an air head. I found the extension tube and a small adjustable inspection mirror to work better than the mirror that comes with the Color Tune on the Venture engine. It's just not easy to get the plug extension wire and the Color Tune mirror situated in way that's visible and stable on these engines.

According to the reviews, they are labor intensive and require meticulous attention to detail, but work well if assembled properly. Just the kind of thing I love. As a kid I'd spend weeks sanding and painting each individual piece of my Revelle and Testor's model kits then painstakingly assemble them with as little glue as possible for a perfect reproduction. I quickly lost interest in them once they were finished and most were destroyed violently with explosives or launched into low orbit with rocket motors. I think I'd hold on to one these for a while though.

OK, just a little more empirical data. Here is what I have experienced with wobble and weave. 1984 Harley Davidson FXST, customized. 130mm rear tire, 4" overstock fork tubes, ape hangers and widened fat bob tanks. I never experienced any wobble or weave at any speed on this bike. Loaded up with 2 fully packed GI duffle bags, over sized saddle bags a medic bag on the forks and 2 up at 8mph on the highway and she was as stable as can be. 1981 Yamaha Seca 750, factory stock(except exhaust). I never experienced any head wobble at any speed. She did get a bit light in the front end around 65mph and was very unstable over 80mph. An after market wind screen( SlipStreamer Spit Fire) fixed that and she was rock solid up to 100mph. I never loaded that bike down heavily but the wife and I rode 2 up at highway speeds often with no issues. 2001 Suzuki GSX600 Katana, factory stock except for a bobbed rear fender. This bike had a constant slight pull to the left(probably due to frame damage from PO) but had no head wobble at all and never exhibited any weave at any speed. 1982 Yamaha 750 Maxim, factory stock. This bike has had a slight head wobble around 35-40mph since I got her. With firm hands on the bars, you don't even feel it. It's bad enough that I believe it would go out of control with no hands but it doesn't take any effort to control with even a light touch on the bars. The maxim was also a little light in front at highway speeds. Again, a wind screen made a drastic difference. She's not a 100mph bike but is quite stable with no weave up to 90mph and cruises comfortably at 80mph. 1983 Yamaha Venture XVZ12TK, factory stock w/optional rear skirt and trim. No air and (I assume) factory springs in front and 65psi on the rear shock, damper at 4. The Venture has the same slight head wobble around 35-40mph. Barely felt but there. No weave at any speed. She seems to get more stable as the speed goes over 85mph and is rock solid at and over 100mph. My longest ride to date is 150mi and about 60mi 2 up. No trip with any heavy load up yet. I have been told that my Maxim should not have the wobble at all, that it is likely due to worn head bearings or worn swing arm bearings. Evidently, some consider the wobble as design issue with the Venture?

That shroud went right back in on my gen one after pulling the YICS box. Is there something missing on yours? It doesn't bolt in, just kind of rests in place with the rubber sides.

Have you seen this one yet?

That might just be the best commercial I've ever seen!

I love Lazarus threads! I don't get so many tailgaters. Around here, it's getting cut off or pushed out of your lane on the freeway. Usually by a young girl texting or a septuagenarian that can't see over the steering wheel. Last week I had another biker show a complete lack of etiquette. I ride just left of center, mostly. A older guy an a brand new $20,000.00+ Harley squeezed up beside me at a red light and took off to get in front of me when it went green. He then rode at 10mph below the speed limit until I could get around him. At the next light he pulled up beside me again, gave me a cordial nod and smile before making a right turn. Now the turn I can excuse. I'd never do that with a stranger but, No harm No foul. Passing me at an intersection to ride slow in front of me?? WTH?

Rrriiiiight...What's a razor? Good idea, except for the razor thing that is.

Lots of camping around here. Nothing like Hocking Hills but plentiful.

Looks like I won't be able to make it. I'm just too swamped in the shop to justify the time off. I hope the weather holds and everyone has a safe weekend.

Harley Davidson must have changed a lot in the last 20 years or so. My last HD was a 1984 FXST and it would run all day long at 90mph. It would do over 100mph, it just wasn't a comfortable ride that fast. Aside from a couple freak incidents(after I abused her for too many miles without proper PM care) she was reliable and well mannered. I'd never buy another HD after the corporate changes that have transpired, but I never had any real issues with the ones I've owned in the past. I do like my Yamaha's better:cool:

Well, they fit nicely and look great but they leak worse than the old gaskets did. Leaking from every D and a couple other places. Enough that I had to add 1/2 a quart today after pulling the sump down to half window a couple weeks ago. Maybe 200 mi. I put new bolt cushions on at the same time and re torqued twice. No luck. I'll get factory gaskets and redo them this off season since I'm going to do a full on rebuild of the carbs anyway.

I'll be arriving Thursday and only able to stay one night and head home Friday evening. The only primitive sites at the camp ground are a long way from the reserved sites. Would anyone attending be willing to split the site cost and let me pitch my 2 man tent in a corner of your site? Camp Ground rules allow for this.

Puc, Best wishes and a speedy recovery to you.

Yamaha's factory service manual specs 3.5L/3.7Qt for oil change with filter. Obviously that's too much, though someone stated earlier that it would probably be correct if the transmission galley was drained as well.

Thanks!

They were probably more old and busted than yours! Every time I think I see a body plastic on ebay that I need, it turns out to be in worse shape than what I have. I did talk to a fellow out west who posted up on craigs list that he had a full plastic kit in purple for sale. He swore it had no breakage and he wanted $300.00 plus shipping. He never called me back with a shipping quote though.

Does that change anything in the rebuild kit. I'd think not as only the No.2 carb has the sensor port.

That's what I was hoping to hear. Nothing wrong with the float valves in mine.

Has anyone tried this ignition module? http://www.regulatorrectifier.com/catalog/1984-1985-1989-Yamaha-XVZ12-Venture-1200-CDI-Ignitor

I was able to get good color tune on all 4 cylinders so it is hitting on all four at idle. I seems to be even smoother at mid to WOT.

I found these carb rebuild kits ob fleabay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/4x-Carburetor-Carb-Repair-Rebuild-Kit-Yamaha-VMX12-V-Max-XVZ1300-Venture-18-2879-/311680431557 Any idea what may be different from the 83 1200 carbs? I.e. will any of the components fit my carbs? I can't seem to find any rebuild kits that are speced to fit the 83 carbs.

Found the rubbing noise. It was not the brakes. Not sure if it's always been there and I just did not notice it or what. I can't imagine what could have changed to bring it on suddenly as I have done nothing at all to the front end since getting the bike. It was the mounting screws for the front fender chrome extender rubbing on the tire intermittently. There's a nice groove in the tire right at the tread line. Not deep but certainly there. She seems to running fine now except the fuel efficiency is terrible. 33mpg on the last 2 fill ups. I'l probably do a proper rebuild on the carbs this off season. All I've done to date is a thorough cleaning with new pilot screws and bowl gaskets. I hope it's not the TCI. Would the Boost circuit effect the mileage this drastically? I haven't checked to see if that is working properly.

So the electrical issue was indeed a blown fuse. Fixed(and new horns installed[no relay, too lazy today]). I also pulled about 1/3L of oil to get to about 2/3 sight glass. She's not smoking anymore so it must have been oil burning on the exhaust as suspected. I'll take a good long ride tomorrow to verify that all is well. Next issue. I topped off the rear brake reservoir as I had been getting intermittent warning lights for it and now the front brakes are dragging just a little. Just enough to make noise but I can't feel the drag. Here we go again.

Well, I keep at least 5 gallons of oil on hand. Usually in gallon jugs but with 3 bikes, 5 gallons is a slow season.