Prairiehammer

Ya know, Don, if you had ridden the thousand miles in 24 hours (or less) on the RSV, you probably wouldn't have "Saddle Sores". Congratulations, "Iron Butter" Nelson. Or is it "Butter Butt" Nelson.

Where do you live in Illinois again? Two and a half months is the middle of December.

No ideas on retro. You are just gonna have to keep finding/buying the used OEM. BUT, there are plenty examples of speedometers that have recorded more than 100,000 miles and are still functioning. Get another low mileage speedo and lube the speedometer itself (not just the cable). Check out these threads: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=46080 http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=36254 Do a search for other threads as well.

Is this your old bike, Kevin?

So does that (signature) mean you are going to repaint the '99 BLUE?

You know, Dan now that you seem to be collecting anything that is labeled as "Yamaha Venture", they made Yamaha Venture snowmobiles, too. And Yamaha Venture PWC's as well. I suspect it snows in WV, occasionally. And that Elk River is just down the hill. Put a WaveVenture in it and run up and down the river.

Didn't Freebird include the Owner's Manual? If he did, don't be such a West Virginian. Read the manual. If he didn't, well, you've heard of the "Lemon Law", right?

I had had a heads-up on the bike three weeks ago, when the guy who owned it posted that he had traded it. But, as I was trying to figure out if I could or wanted to trek 350 miles to see the bike, the dealer put it on eBay. The deal is done. My brother, who lives in Grimes is picking it up tomorrow and riding it back to his place. I'll get it from him (my brother) later this week. I indeed bought it without a test ride, but I had been talking with the guy who traded it in on a Triumph. He has/had several First Gens and told me all about this bike that he had owned for a year. He, in turn, had bought it from another long time Venture owner (again, someone I am acquainted with), so between the two of them I had enough confidence to buy it sight unseen. Thanks for the offer to "test ride" it, though.

Hey! That looks like the roof of Yammer's infamous "One Hundred Year Build" garage. O.M.G.! Yammer, you Judas!

I have the 1983-1985 XVZ12 Service Manual on my Google Drive. It is available to download. https://docs.google.com/file/d/0BwLuLxb8qHwMdnpqT1dHZzd2bE0/edit?usp=sharing

Dunlop is apparently still making them. But, I am curious about the date code as well, since the EliteII has been in production for at least ten years. http://www.dunlopmotorcycle.com/tire-catalog/road/touring/491-elite-ii/

You guys/vultures wanna wait until I get her home and evaluate the bling up front and personal before you start parting her out? Sheesh! I haven't even seen it, let alone ridden it yet!

That's just plain mean, George.

I'm not going to keep all the bling that it has currently. I think I will remove the rotor covers and the front fender guard. Debbie is not sure she will like the passenger arm rests, so they may be removed as well.

this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=321212684856#v4-38 My apologies to any one here that I may have sniped.

Vito Found some Color Rite Alluvial Gold in a spray can. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/COLORRITE-YAMAHA-OEM-ALLUVIAL-GOLD/dp/B00BSGH1FC]YAMAHA OEM ALLUVIAL GOLD : Amazon.com : Automotive@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31Lh-zfbomL.@@AMEPARAM@@31Lh-zfbomL[/ame]

No, you are not missing something, but Color Rite IS. Color Rite doesn't have any Yamaha colors on their web site for bikes older than 1990 when using that drop down menu. FYI: the Yamaha paint code for "Alluvial Gold" is 0EM (that is a Zero). The Yamaha paint code for "Silky Gold" is 0EN. Some years ago Color Rite listed their paint code for the "Alluvial Gold" as 5305UL and for the "Silky Gold" as their number 5310U (top coat) and 1200U (base coat). Color Rite does show "Silky Gold" here: http://www.colorrite.com/product/yamaha-00en-silky-gold-skg-1789.cfm but no "Alluvial Gold" is listed. BTW: "Alluvial Gold" is the PRIMARY color and "Silky Gold" is the SECONDARY color. You can get Alluvial Gold in a spray can from the UK Amazon site: [ame=http://www.amazon.co.uk/Yamaha-Alluvial-400ml-aerosol-paint/dp/B00EII411E]Yamaha AVG/EM Alluvial Gold 400ml aerosol paint: Amazon.co.uk: Car & Motorbike@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/319lc4R2ZBL.@@AMEPARAM@@319lc4R2ZBL[/ame] An outfit in the Netherlands has touch up markers in both Alluvial Gold and Silky Gold here: https://www.twowheelparts.nl/en/paint/colorpaint/yamaha/1025758/alluvial-gold-avg-12ml-paintmarker.html

Though the wear longevity may not be as much as others, I think with the safety factor that is presumably built in to the tires, that your load is OK for that Pirelli. But you won't be able to pack much more on the bike than just the passenger. I don't know what the safety factor is for any tire, but I would (like) to think that it is at least fifty percent.

The driveshaft splines and final drive coupler on the XVZ13 ('86-93) models are lubricated by the final drive oil.Removal and inspection of the final drive assembly on these models are not necessary. (Yamaha Tech Bulletin M92-006). There is nothing holding the driveshaft into the MKII (and Second Gen) final drive except the O-ring (oil seal). As is mentioned here: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=13266 http://www.venturerider.org/vmaxrear/100_1406%20%28Small%29.jpg

I've checked the hose length on my spare 1983 carbs and the front carb hose(s) are 20½" and the rear carb hoses are 16½". Inside diameter is approximately ¼". There is a wire loop welded to a frame cross member just in front of the rear shock mount. The hoses are routed over another frame cross member and through this wire loop. On my unmolested 1983 the over flow hose ends are not visible, but they end right at the rear shock upper mount. The hose ends one sees when looking in front of the rear tire and just to the rear of the suspension linkage linkage is the battery vent line, the fuel tank vent line and the fuel filler overflow catch basin drain.

From Page 52 of the 1983-1985 Service Manual XVZDL Supplement: [ATTACH]80199[/ATTACH]

Thanks, Bob. But the OP was inquiring about passenger arm rests for the First Gen. A Google search for such an item turns up nothing pertinent or relevant.

Some have said that charging systems intended for conventional lead acid batteries will shorten the life of gel batteries. Few OEM automobile lines have gel batteries and even fewer motorcycle manufacturers equip their bikes with gel batteries. BMW is the notable exception and their charging system (automobile and motorcycle) has computer controls to prevent damage and shorten life of the OEM gel battery. The BikeMaster TruGel MG50-N18L-A has a CCA (cold cranking amps) rating of just 240, while most batteries intended for the Venture are rated at 350 CCA.

I am suspicious about this RSV presumably for sale by Freebird. Notice in one of the pictures there is a person that surely appears to be Eileen taking the pictures (note the reflection in the chrome cases). And in the description/explanation of the sale, "Freebird" (maybe? maybe not?) is wanting to get Eileen a boat. Me smells something fishy. You don't think maybe Eileen is trying to sell Freebird's beloved Venture on the QT so she can get a boat?