Venturous Randy

As you can see, only size worked. This time, I will do color first. RandyA

Normally when I do a post, I will highlight script, pick comic san font, size and then color. In this post, I am going to do size first. RandyA

I changed my home page from red/tan to blue and then tried to post and now the letter size and color does not work for me as it did yesterday. I changed back to red/tan and it still does not work for me. RandyA

http://www.ebay.com/itm/87-YAMAHA-VENTURE-XVZ1300-XVZ-1300-YM318-ENGINE-COOLANT-WATER-PUMP-HOUSING-COVER-/291279414233?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item43d19b23d9&vxp=mtr http://www.ebay.com/itm/83-XVZ1200-YAMAHA-VENTURE-ROYALE-Water-pump-/171520877471?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item27ef70e39f&vxp=mtr Here is a couple on ebay. The 83 appears to be metal and if so, it has been upgraded. It also has the elbow attached and the elbow itself is going for about $50 at Yamaha. RandyA

It sounds like you do have a leak in the water pump. At the front of the engine under the radiator, you will see some plumbing and a plastic black hex with lettering on it. That is the bypass valve and the tops of the letters should be pointing toward the 5 clock position. If you twist it around, it will bypass the thermostat. You can try to see if that makes a difference, but you will still need to do something with the water pump. I would suggest picking up an MKII with the metal impeller. RandyA

I think my 83 was about typical on whine and not usually noticeable. When I changed to a low mileage 83 engine that I put an 04 RSV transmission in it, the whine was very noticeable from 2,500 to 3,200 RPM's. I later changed the clutch basket back to the one from my old engine and it helped considerably. It is now very close to what it was before. RandyA

Like many have said, been there, done that. Lost my dad 14 years ago and bought the property from my siblings. I will still be out in the garage digging for something and run across something that I know my dad handled last. I feel very lucky that I always had a great relationship with my dad and it sounds like you did also. We were both blessed. RandyA

Hey Gary, ya done good, great pictures. We need to get together and compare notes on our Time Out campers. Linda is already wanting to add the screen room, but for $730, that is more than I paid for mine, and I can do a lot of camping for that. I may be looking at adding the "L" shaped awning though. A couple days ago when it was so warm, we rode over to Kyles Ford, up 70 behind Rogersville and ate at the restaurant on the Clinch River. We had the chicken plate and it was very good. We sat outside overlooking the river and it was perfect. RandyA

Too much change. I was married 41 years and should have ended it 20 years earlier than I did, but I hate change. I have had my 1st gen almost 19 years and don't want to try anything else. I lived in my house before this one for 25 years and only moved here because both parents had passed, so it was like moving home. At least we should stay with very similar colors as we have now. Did I say that I hate change? RandyA

Looks good. Remember, if you do need a TCI, you can either use an 83 unit or an 84 up 1st gen. If you use an 84 up, just move the vacuum pickup to the manifold instead of the carb and plug the carb port. RandyA

And this is really so with Jardine mufflers on it. RandyA

Yeah, I think they are trying to start another Duck Dynasty. RandyA

Which reminds me, I will be looking for a mini AC/heat unit for this thing. Anybody got any suggestions? RandyA

We have a late 70's Honda CB125 and it is fun to ride. I started on a Ducati 125 when I was 13 and I just can not imagine it was as small as this Honda. RandyA

Camper. I have been on the lookout for a Time Out camper after seeing Venturous' at Asheville and while on Ad hunter Craigslist, I ran across one Friday night that a guy had listed as part of a yard sale. Since it was so late, I sent him an e-mail and he called me Saturday morning. He told me he was about the second or third owner and he had bought it at an auction and it had been in climate controlled storage for a couple of years and since he was not using it, he just wanted to get rid of it. He said it was in good shape and looked like new inside. I asked him how much and he said $600. But the downside was it was in Myrtle Beach, SC, about 375 miles away. I asked him if he would hold it until about 6 pm and he agreed. Since my son and grandson was just hooking up to my trailer, I asked them when they would be through. Since it was only going to be about an hour, I took that opportunity to wake up Linda and asked her if she wanted to go for a ride. She grumbled "where" and I said "Myrtle Beach". She said when and I said as soon as you ready. That woke her up. I did not want to worry about light hookups or wheel bearings, so I took my trailer down and hauled it back. We blasted down the interstate, but on the way back, we made it a two day trip and rode the two lanes and had a very nice trip. When I got home Monday afternoon, we put it up and are tickled with it. I think I done good and we had a mini vacation get away. RandyA

Just make sure that you don't turn em over on ya. RandyA

Are you talking about the brake hose that goes to the anti-dive? If so, something is wrong because an 87 has electric anti-dives and do not have this hose. RandyA

Go to "Community" above, click on "members List", Click on WV, Click on "S" and then SlowrollWV and you got him. RandyA

This may be related to the CMU in the middle of your dash. It is a pretty common problem that the circuit board may have some cold solder joints. There is a lot of info on here that shows how to fix it. You may just need to do a search. Check this out: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=33328 If you are going to keep this bike, the best investment you ever make is the $12 to join and we hope you do. RandyA

On the right side above the water pump near the plastic elbow. RandyA

Take the side bags off and there is a 12mm bolt on both sides. Remove bolts and lift rear of seat. When you put it back, make sure you have the front locked in properly. RandyA

Many of us that "tinker", as you are describing it, do it more out of need than for kicks. Many times we can not afford the OEM stuff from Yamaha. RandyA

While you have the guard off, grind about a 1/4 inch off to give you more clearance and remove the sharp edge where it is near the elbow. Also, if it is bent from the bike being dropped, you will need to pry the guard away from the engine some more. I think those elbows new now are about $50. Another one of those "fifty cents to make" parts that are outrageously priced. RandyA

Also check or replace the spark plug caps. These things get corroded inside and will definitely cause a misfire. RandyA

Two-lane blacktop isn't a highway - it's an attitude. The road is only open when you ride alone. If it can't do some dirt, why bother? In the end, it's all about the stories. You never see a motorcycle parked in front of a psychiatrist's office. Enjoying life one ride at a time. Destinations are merely excuses to ride. You might ride fast, but never ride in a hurry. Confused and Prone to Wander Everything works out in the end. If it hasn't worked out, it isn't the end. Life is short, and best savored . . . every day, hour, minute. Especially when motorcycling is involved. -- Clement Salvadori Never do less than 40 miles before breakfast. You live more in a few seconds at 150 miles per hour than most people do in a lifetime -- Anthony Hopkins in The World's Fastest Indian They cannot be built any bigger or faster without leaving the road. -- Thomas Krens Remember... It's not how FAST you get there,... It's how FAST YOU GO, getting there. I always slow down if my riding buddy in front of me disappears or launches skyward unexpectedly. My theory, you only get one chance, go full throttle all the way, all the time. When life throws you curves, aim for the apex. I come from the era when you ride for an hour, and then you wrench for three hours, so the idea that you have a machine where you just ride, well, it's not an alien concept, but I just feel I'm missing part of it.--Jay Leno