MikeWa

Call or e-mail when you get close. My number is in the rider assistance list. About the only place left is Hinshaws in Auburn. You might want to call ahead and make sure they have what you need. HINSHAW'S MOTORCYCLE STORE 253-939-7164 Mike

They are not machined for the speedo. When converting a venture you swap the gears and set up the rear end. Or machine the casing. Or go to the tech section here http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13266 There is contact info for the guys that swap the gears and set up the rear end for you. They normally put together and sell whole units but since you have both the v-max and your original you might call them and see if something can be worked out. Mike

I have in my life removed a few thousand of these pesky things. They almost always fall into the block. If there is room you can use a piece of wire to fish the soft plug up to the opening. Grab the top lip of it with an inverted channel lock pliers. Then as you push the large end of the pliers down against the block it will wedge the old soft plug out of the opening sideways. You can leave it in. And I have on occasion done this. But there is a risk of blocking a critical coolant passage. Or of the plug continuing to desegregate over time and contaminating the water pump or thermostat. Best of luck. Mike

When batteries are first filled with acid they are fully charged. Topping off with a charger is not needed. Your battery sat unused for five years. First check with a volt meter it to see if there is any charge left. If there is even a little you may be able to bring it back to life. A long slow charge might work. Try it. Then test the battery. Run a small load on it for an hour or so, recharge and test it again. If it reaches at least the same level as it did after the first charge it is probably ok. Mike

Thanks Lewis

+1 It is pretty easy to bump the switch to the off position. Mike

They are an excellent value for the money. 6.5 inch bbl, stainless steel, 8 shot revolver. Very nice gun. Well built and rugged. Mike

Best wishes for a speedy recovery. Mike

Thank goodness you didn't get hurt. Mike

Welcome to the forum. Mike

The cruise will only move the throttle cable a limited amount then it will switch off. That is why it is important for the cables to be properly adjusted. That is also why the cruise will sometimes kick off on a hill. The cruise is not temperature sensitive but moisture in the vacuum line could freeze and block the system. It is tied in to the TPS. But a problem with that will usually set a code. When your cruise kicks off does the dash indicator switch to yellow? If yes the cruise is still active just no longer engaged. And the problem is probably just adjustment or moisture. If no then there is a probably an electrical issue. During operation try pushing the set button then the accel button in quick succession. This should cause the cruise to engage immediately. No delay. Good Luck Mike

Nope. Never had that feeling. I even put riser extensions on to push the handle bar back a little. So it would be easier to reach. Mike

While you are looking check out the Bridgestone Exedra Max. The Max is quite an improvement over the old Exedra. Mike

Barry That was true for a long time. Then in 2008 they came out with the charcoal silver. Now it is the fastest. Mike

Nice looking bike. All shocks will eventually wear out and require service. Some are repairable.The stock Venture shock is not. Replacement is not too difficult when required. There have been some reports of premature failure. Some of these have been repaired under the 5 year warranty. I have a 2008 Venture similar to the one you have pictured. It also has 20K + miles on it. So far the shocks have been just fine. I see little difference between the Venture shock repairs and those of other bike manufactures. Mike P.S. Charcoal silver is the fastest color.

Welcome. These are a fantastic two up bike. They are also a joy to ride cross country. I really really really like mine. That said they are a little top heavy. But it is very manageable once you get used to it. A valve adjustment is due at 24k miles. Otherwise maintenance is not too bad on these bikes. Most people run through tires each 10 to 20k miles depending on the rider. Grease the drive shaft splines on occasion. Keep your fluids changed and everything should go just fine. Some transmission / clutches get noisy. They seem to be fluid type sensitive. But there is no consensus on which oil is best. If I use synthetic oil mine gets very noisy. So I stick with Yamalube. Others like the synthetics. Go figure. If yours gets noisy change the oil right away and run it for a couple of thousand miles and see if it quiets back down. Again a very sound and reliable motorcycle. Best of luck to you. Mike

Congrats on the new bike. Mike

It sounds like the speedo sensor is faulty or is making a poor connection. Mike

I don't know about you guys but I never put the kick stand down. I just get off and lay the bike down on it's side until I am ready to go....... Oh wait. Thats the other bike. Nevermind. Mike

It's on the way. Mike

Miles Good to hear you had a safe ride and that your bike is doing well. Yes I am also a proponent of the v-max gears. Mike

Here is how it went. Getting on and off felt like someone was poking a hot branding iron through my leg. Moving my feet to and from the running board was extremely painful. I was not able to reach the running pegs at all. Those things being said. Physical therapy is supposed to hurt and I had a great ride. It was 60-65 degrees and sunny. It felt great to be back in the saddle. I only put on 50 miles but it was fantastic. Mike

08 Can you say warranty? Depending on when it first entered service there may still be some warranty left. I would have a Yamaha dealer check out the noise. If it is something abnormal he can fix it under warranty. Mike

I have been running around singing Little Orphan Annie's song all day. It has been six months since I fell and injured myself. Since then I have been in a wheel chair, on a walker then crutches then a cane. All the while the Venture has been patiently waiting, na actually it has been sitting there nagging me without end. Finally today I aired up the tires and started her up. She coughed right to life with two cranks of the key, sputtered a little then smoothed out. Tomorrows weather forecast is for warm temperatures and sunny skies. So tomorrow will be my first ride in six months. I feel like a newbie about to get his first bike. Mike

I really like the new bike smell. Mike