Prairiehammer

I don't know who is in charge of what for this event as yet, so Rick? Mike? check out the MTA site under their Motorcycle Roads section, for their publications where they discuss the planning and culmination of their annual "Gathering" of 2010 in Galena, IL. I believe a few of our members are members of the MTA and may have some insights to the Galena area as far as a motorcycle rally is concerned. http://www.mtariders.com/v3/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&id=51&Itemid=70

But it is NORTHeastern corner Iowa, Dano.

I assume you meant NorthWESTERN Illinois? And that is right along with my recommendation of Southwestern Wisconsin. I vote for Galena or Prairie Du Chien!

Southwestern Wisconsin has some very nice roads, too. And Flyingfool and Orlin and Straka and Bryan and maybe Bubber and ? could contribute to the International. :big-grin-emoticon:

Brian, Read this and then have your daughter and wife read it, too: An open letter to every person I meet who finds out I ride a motorcycle Let me stop you right there, mmmm-kay? I can tell by that little intake of breath what’s coming next. Thank you in advance, but I already know that motorcycles are “dangerous.” After nearly forty years of riding on the streets, I am aware; telling me now will not be a revelation. It is not an insight into my lifestyle that has remained hidden from me until this, the moment of epiphany when you shine the light of outsider wisdom on my foolhardy choices. There are ways I can minimize the risk — by riding defensively, riding sober, knowing my own and my machine’s capabilities, etc. — but I also know there are some risks that are simply beyond my control. But you know what? There a lots of risks that are within my control. We’ve become so pathologically risk-averse that for most people it is inconceivable to assume any additional risk no matter how much joy you might get back in return. You want to know what’s truly dangerous? Not taking any risks. Hanging out with like-minded middle-of-the-roaders. Absorbing the same brain-ossifying **** from media factories every day. Jogging. Putting helmets, flotation devices, and auto-deploy epi-pens on your kids every time they leave the house. Passivity. Not paying attention to where your car, or your life, or you country is going. If you don’t get that, that’s OK. I’m not trying to convert anybody, but here are a few tips to save us both a little aggravation: You don’t need to tell me the horror story about your uncle’s buddy who wiped out his chopper while drag racing at some hooligan rally. That just makes me wish I were talking to your uncle’s buddy instead of you. He sounds pretty cool. Do not — do NOT — tell me about the time you almost Sausage Creatured a biker because you “couldn’t see him” or he “came out of nowhere.” I have never known a bike to come out of nowhere, but I have seen plenty of cars pull a Crazy Ivan and turn into a lane occupied by a biker or make an impromptu unsignalled left turn in front of an oncoming me. If you’re expecting me to share your outrage at the temerity of bikers to be in the lane you want, you’re more deluded than a goldfish with a passport. I can’t make you see bikes. I can’t make you hang up your phone. They won’t let me mount a .50-caliber machine gun to my bike. So really, there’s not much I can do to change the outcome of your anecdote, so save it for your coreligionists who also have stick-figure families and giant softball stickers with the name “Tailyr” or “Flynn” or “Shyly” on their rear windows. I do wear a helmet, as a matter of fact, along with other protective gear. But, the fact that you “certainly hope” I wear a helmet is so condescending it makes me want to ride a tricycle completely naked doing doughnuts in your front yard screaming Beastie Boys lyrics at midnight. Trust me, you do not want that. My buttocks are extremely pale and unsightly, especially in moonlight. Please, do not complain about bikes parking in car parking spaces. Where are we supposed to park? If they let us park up on the curb like in Europe, we would totally do that, and precious few parking lots have motorcycle parking areas. Most cops already have a hard-on for bikes, so parking anywhere but in a designated spot is asking to be impounded. Yes, I know, some bikes have very loud exhaust. Maybe it’s obnoxious, but at least you knew they were there, didn’t you? They say loud pipes save lives. I don’t know if that’s true, because there hasn’t been a serious comprehensive study of motorcycle safety since 1981, the poetically named Hurt Report. And yes, I know, at one point you probably saw some kid riding his 600cc sport bike at 100mph doing a wheelie down the freeway. He’s a squid, and he’ll either grow up or just take care of himself. Some bikers do crazy things. Anti-social things. Unsanctioned things. I don’t represent him and he doesn’t represent me — that’s the great part of being a biker. I could be a Lowbrow Weirdo or Antoine Predock or Lyle Lovett or just whatever I want to be. If you’re really so all-fire concerned about my safety, don’t preach at me. Just do me this one favor: pay attention when you’re driving. Keep your greasy fingers off your touch-screen, put down your phone, use your turn signals and lay off the booze before you get on the road with me. You take care of your part and I’ll take care of mine. But hang-gliding, man, that **** is crazy. Carter Edman is an architect, writer, and rider in Cleveland, Ohio. He teaches “Motorcycles and American Culture” and other courses at Case Western Reserve University.

My first new bike (I still have it) was a 1974 CB750K4. I had never ridden anything so big and powerful. The dealer's parking lot was big, on a hillside and gravel! I thought I would dump it before I could even get onto the street. I was so nervous and glad to get to pavement without incident, that I promptly went the wrong way on a one-way street.

You didn't ask about the following, but I think your bike had them. Markland Trailer Hitch: $61-$152.50 Trunk Rack: $20-$70 Chrome Accent Panels (covering rear master cylinder and left side above middle gear= $20-$65

Brian, I happen to record all First Gen Venture accessories transactions from eBay. On January 16, 2012 a very good example of the Chrome Fairing Intake Grills, PN.ABA-26HDCD-28-00 sold for $29.00 plus $11 for shipping for a pair. If you need any other accessory historical pricing, post an inquiry here.

Jack, I am saddened to hear of Nadine's passing. My condolences to you and your family. Forty-five years! Lots of reminiscing in your future. Prayers are sent for you and Nadine. May she rest in peace.

V-Boost! Is it functional? Nothing to do with your pilot screw issues, just noticed that your Venture has V-Max V-Boost. Did you put it on?

@Mike Krug: The OP was an inquiry about the MKII First Gen. The trunks on the '86+ are substantially bigger than the '83.

Does sound like a good time, but that's the same weekend as the Pork in the Pines. I'm pretty sure I wouldn't manage both.

Whoa, that's scary, Jeff. Couldn't catch the guy? Once I was passing a pickup that was hauling washed 1/2" stone in the bed with tailgate down...spreading that rock down the highway. Broke my windshield, headlight, BOTH driving lights and punctured the radiator. I pulled a "U" turn and followed him (at a discrete distance) to the next stop sign. I chewed his ass and found out who his boss was and followed up on it immediately. The Boss cursed his "stupid" employee and handed me $250 cash and asked if I wouldn't report it to the cops. A rock like that could have killed somebody, though! Egads!

See above comments.

Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything. I was incorrect. Thanks for the correction Carl.

Merlyn, There is no "vacuum pump". There is a vacuum servo/actuator that uses engine vacuum to modulate the throttle. Perhaps the servo/actuator diaphragm is holed? Or the throttle cable at the actuator needs adjustment?

Here's a thread I started a couple years ago about my high hot idle. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=52794

Damn, Brian! That's terrible news. And it's too bad about YOUR injuries as well. Get well. Your Royale needs you to save it from the wrecking yard. What happened?

A 1983 VIN will be JYA26H00(x)DA(xxxxxx) Standard, or JYA31M00(x)DA(xxxxxx) Royale. A 1983½ VIN will be JYA47R00(x)DA(xxxxxx) Standard or JYA47T00(x)DA(xxxxxx) Royale. A 1984 VIN will be JYA41R00(x)EA(xxxxxx) Standard or JYA41V00(x)EA(xxxxxx) Royale. A 1985 VIN will be JYA59J00(x)FA(xxxxxx) A 1986 VIN will be JYA1NL00(x)GA(xxxxxx) etc. Bill, I am collecting VIN of all First Generation Ventures. If you wouldn't mind, could you PM the VINs of all your Ventures? Thanks. I currently have 148 Venture VIN in my registry. Fifty-five are 1983s.

Paying it forward, then. Thanks.

Frank, Make sure that the muffler clamp bolt isn't running interference with the link. Several examples of the mispositioned bolt catching the link and resulting in a bent link or in my case, the bolt caught the link fully and the spring was stretched too far when the center stand was deployed. Ruined the spring. The link showed some scrapes from the clamp bolt. Speaking of the ruined spring: KIC, I received the spring and link this afternoon. Thanks very much. PM me with your PayPal account address and I shall send you the postage costs.

See my comments in red, George. And Jeff beat me to the punch. I was formulating my reply while he was answering. So don't think I was second guessing you Jeff. LOL

Oh Kay!? So which is it? Loveless Cafe: "ok, but not great" or "the best food u will find anywhere..." ?

Sounds like Yoop fell over, eh? He has a 1993 (correct, Yoop?) VR.

Pretty funny! But please note that this was a parody or satirical piece, not a real life incident.