Prairiehammer

The individual vanes on the 1985-1993 side cover adjustable vents are prone to distortion, breaking and loss. I know, I know, many have eliminated the adjustable vent altogether, but I find the ability to open and close the vents advantageous from a comfort viewpoint. Closed in hot weather and open in cool weather; the vent used like that is so effective, that Debbie requests that I 'turn on the heater' (open the side cover vents) when she is chilled or 'turn on the air conditioner' (close the side cover vents, open the knee vents in the lowers and most effectively, rotate the Baker Air Wings to scoop air into the rider envelope). However, many or most of the Venture's suffer from heat related distortion and ultimately breakage and loss of the individual vanes on the right side cover vent. Yamaha supposedly modified the plastic used in the side cover vents back around 1986-1987, with the intention to improve the durability of the vanes, but it seems it was a futile exercise (if it happened at all) for even late model Ventures suffer from the plastic degradation. The cause of the distortion and breakage on the right side and not on the left side (though, I have seen some with broken louver vanes on the left as well) is that heat rises and heats the right vent more than the left vent when the bike is shut down and placed on the side stand. That's Yamaha's theory. Whatever the reason for the vane degradation, I find the adjustable vent useful enough to replace the missing vanes, if possible. Of course, the individual vanes are not available. When the side cover adjustable vent assemblies (Yamaha description: "grill, side cover") were available they retailed for $190-$200 EACH. That price apparently justifies sellers of used (but always broken) vent assemblies to ask high and unreasonable prices for their vents/grills. Thus, my opening question. It would seem to me, that the original vanes could be replicated in ABS (as are the OEM vanes) fairly easily and inexpensively. The fly in the ointment, from my perspective, would be developing the 'X,Y,Z' information for the 3D printer, ergo the 3D scanner requirement. Are there any small batch manufacturers known to any of you's guys with those capabilities?

Yes it is 'closed group'. Since it is a closed group, if you are not a paid up member of the Venturers, you will not be able to see it. If you are a paid member, and have asked to join the Facebook Venturers page and have been accepted, the link to the Facebook page is: https://www.facebook.com/groups/the.venturers/

Here is some more nostalgia for you First Gen enthusiasts: "A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing", Road Rider September 1991.

Thank you Bill. Coincidentally there was a maroon 1989 sold in April of this year. The seller was in Raleigh, NC. That bikes VIN was just two serial numbers older than yours ...27185.

Some more, including a wild VMax:

I've collected several pics of re-painted Ventures:

You don't grind the case hardened face where the cam runs, the 'Fool would grind the bottom of the shim.

My suggestion about the V-Max pistons was only intended to open another avenue of search and availability. The bore of the V-Max is the same as the Venture 1200, the piston wrist pin is the same as well. The V-Max pistons are different from the Venture piston but may interchange. Dingy or Squeeze can offer more accurate information about the V-Max. There is a seller on eBay currently offering new 1200, 0.25mm oversize Venture pistons, Yamaha pn. 26H-11635-00-00. Unfortunately, the seller appears to have but three pistons to sell. http://www.ebay.com/itm/One-Genuine-Yamaha-OEM-NOS-Venture-XVZ1200-26H-11635-00-00-PISTON-1-O-S-0-25-/281257391183 The stock '2nd O.S., 0.50mm' part number for the 1200 is 26H-11636-00. Finally, consider boring the cylinder out ±3.00 mm and install 1300 Venture pistons, pn.1NL-11631-00-A0 Edit: I just discovered that if you bore the 1200 block out to 79 mm (the 1300 bore) you should/would have to resleeve the cylinder. That involves removing the old sleeve, boring the block for a larger sleeve and finally boring the sleeve for the 1300 pistons. Lots of machining and expense. But it brings up another idea; perhaps replace the pitted sleeves on the 1200 block and use stock pistons and rings.

Consider a 'clean-up' bore and investigate over sized pistons for the V-Max. Those V-Max guys bore out their block and get pistons all the time.

The major components of the cruise control are behind the main fairings. On mine, the cruise control controller is behind the headlight, the vacuum pump is beneath the right fairing and the vacuum servo is behind the left fairing. YMMV

Thank you, Coff and Brian. If either of you want a current copy of the database, please PM me your email address and I will send it out.

For several years I have been compiling First Generation Venture VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). I've entered the accumulated VIN into an Excel database. It is rather an OCD thing I suppose, however, the database has proven useful to me and other Venture owners by providing some insight into such Yamaha vagaries as annual production numbers, export market differences and accurate model designations for the purpose of obtaining the correct parts for a specific motorcycle. Perhaps you would be so kind as to forward me your Venture's full VIN, the manufacturing date and the Venture's current mileage, so that I may enter it into the database? The VIN is located at two locations on the First Generation Ventures. The VIN is stamped into the frame at the steering neck, but that location makes it difficult to read the VIN on the Venture. However, there is also an applied white label on the lower frame rail beneath the rear brake pedal, that contains the VIN. The VIN is easily read there. The VIN consists of 17 characters and digits and starts with 'JYA'. On the same label, the manufacturing date is shown. The manufacturing date is formatted as month/year, i.e.: '04/83', '08/87', etc. I will send you a copy of this database if you wish. If you want a copy, include an email address where I can send the Excel file. Thank you for your consideration.

Shameless bump. Thanks.

One more important note to add to Clive's. You will need a 32 mm socket to rotate the crankshaft. Do not be tempted to use the rotor bolt. http://www.venturers.org/Tech_Library/attachments/412/412-g-modified.jpg Also: check on eBay for '25mm' shims. The 25mm shim is the correct diameter for the Venture and many other makes and models. http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_odkw=xvz+shim&_from=R40&_osacat=0&_from=R40&_trksid=p2045573.m570.l1313.TR2.TRC0.A0.H0.X25mm+shim.TRS0&_nkw=25mm+shim&_sacat=0

Mea culpa is Latin: an acknowledgment of one's fault or error.

I have done it to two different Ventures. The only 'bad': depending on how you mount it to the airbox, to check the air filter, the TCI may interfere with removing the top of the airbox. I used a 3"x3" square of Velcro to attach mine to the air box lid. Easy to pull the TCI off if desired, however, the harness to the TCI is long and flexible enough to allow the TCI to remain attached when one flips the airbox lid out of the way. I also sawed off the original TCI mounting 'ears' after removing the TCI from it's stock location, only because it made the TCI more compact. As for removing the TCI: 1. Remove the airbox 2. Remove the plastic and rubber deflector on top of the forward head 3. Use penetrating oil on the TCI mounting screws 4. (the most important) Use a #3 JIS crosshead screw driver to remove the TCI mounting screws. I used a one inch long, #3 'Phillips' insert bit, inserted and taped into a ¼" socket driven by a short handled ratchet.

I saved this from an unknown source (so your mileage may vary): For the painted areas of the engine and swing arm assembly, Dupli-Color #DE1650 "Cast Coat Aluminum" paint is a perfect match for touch ups and can be bought at your local NAPA store.

Of course, that would make no sense. I should have added a 'smiley' at the end of my "I suppose either would work if you held them depressed all the time." comment. Since I do not possess the remote switches that you have, I did not realize that one of the switches was ON/OFF. I presumed both switches were momentary. Mea culpa.

I believe those switches are momentary switches, not ON/OFF. I suppose either would work if you held them depressed all the time. The 'other end' should be in the audio panel where the radio/cassette unit plugged into the console.

Um. The panic stop was the first time you noticed the metal on metal?! To wear through the pad backing plate AND into the caliper piston takes a fair bit of 'waiting'. Wowser!

If the fluid you observe is actually brake/clutch fluid, then you may, (but unlikely) have compromised steel hydraulic line or the hydraulic hose from the steel line to the slave cylinder is leaking or the slave cylinder is leaking. However, the fluid is probably just residual DOT3 from previous attempts at bleeding the clutch hydraulic system.

The Internet is that old?

A suggestion for those who want to power your device from the bike's electrical: consider offering the SAE 2 pole connector common to the various battery chargers/tenders. A lot of people have that pigtail wired into their bike already.

Here is 1984-1993 reed switches. I'm sorry, but of the 'headlight' reed switches, I don't know which one is 'HI' or 'LO'.

If you hold throttle open at a higher than normal idle rpm, say 3000 rpm or so, do the rear cylinders then become hot? If so, then the pilot circuit of the carb is likely plugged. Be cautious when pulling the spark plug wires from the running engine. The spark should be grounded to avoid damage to the TCI. IS there spark at the rear cylinders?