Prairiehammer

When the remote passenger control is plugged in, the other DIN jack is for the passenger headset that is mounted in the helmet. It appears you have one too many cables and plugs.

Yes, but I would use the 'ACC' (accessories) circuit, so that power goes off and on with the ignition key switch. Any 12 volt radio of your choice will work. A marine radio would be better. A four inch speaker (again marine is best) will bolt right into the stock speaker location. Mounting the radio into the left fairing pocket will probably consume most of your time and McGivering. Back in the day, Cycle Sound made a radio mount specifically for the First Gen Ventures. I had one. Check around on eBay, maybe there will be someone there parting out a Standard Venture with a radio.

Randy, Squeeze maintains that 1999-2003 YZF R1 calipers and 1997-2001 YZF R6 calipers are assured to work. In my research, I have discovered that some FJR1300 calipers (2003-2005) should work as well as calipers from 2001-2005 FZ1. Rick Butler says that the front calipers from a 2004 Road Star are also good. Squeeze also says that the 14mm master cylinder is, while not NEEDED, a very good upgrade if one wishes to take advantage of the R1/R6 calipers.

Andy and Doug, Check out this currently running thread about the VentureLine air dam (chrome chin spoiler) where Brian posted a link to buy a brand new NOS VentureLine chrome air dam. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?90485-Help-identifying-and-finding-a-part

What Doug is saying about his '85 is that his is the fourth SINCE the factory second gear fix.

The black and white thing is a pulse dampening orifice. To check the Boost Sensor: When I was diagnosing the Boost Sensor on my 1990, I used a MityVac. I could record the proper voltage output (2± volts at rest and about 4.9 volts when a vacuum was pulled on it.) but unless the engine speed was above about 1500 rpms, there was no increase in engine speed when a vacuum was applied. If the idle was set to 1500 or more when testing the Boost Sensor, then rpms did increase when vacuum applied.

The air dam was sold by Yamaha with the intent to install onto 1983-1985 Ventures, but some folk have adapted it to the MKII. I believe it requires a change of engine guards to the MKI or removal of the mounting tab on the MKII guards where the lower cowling would mount. Here is a pic of a 1989 with the chrome air dam installed. [ATTACH=CONFIG]95306[/ATTACH]

The last time I was on the Apache Trail (2006) it was still one lane (timed one way traffic). How on earth did you negotiate the approach to the Fish Creek Bridge with that trailer?

Coff, The original lights were from Drag Specialties, PN 708503. Here is a pic of a NOS unit sold on eBay, complete with the instructions and parts diagram. Good Luck.

Jack, how were you able to mount the R6/R1 calipers to the '83? Did you swap the forks for a MKII forks?

My mistake. For some reason I was thinking Video was in Phoenix.

You mean you haul that sailboat all the way to Roosevelt via Tortilla Flats? On that sometimes one way dirt road?

Those lens are still available new. The lens are for a 'Baron Mini Twin' by Drag Specialties, PN. is DS-280168 (I think). Some over priced ones show up on Ebay, but you can find them cheaper at various motorcycle retailers. IIRC last time I saw some they were $2.50 or so.

I still find it incongruous that there are SAILORS in Arizona. Desert Southwest and all.

Nanner, nanner. You don't scare me! You WOULD NOT want to extradite me from Illinois. I WILL bring the Winter Wrath down upon your sunburned souls. (And given some warning, I could even go to Milwaukee and transport the Snowper Charger with me on Southwest carry on. Cowpuc missed the miniaturized Snowper Charger in the basement, situated next to the Bridgeport.)

I am contemplating a trip to Arizona this winter. I have to warn you, though; EVERY time I have Ventured to Arizona in the winter (that's the only time I care to experience Arizona), the Illinois winter weather has tagged along. In fact, the last time I was in Phoenix (2006), it SNOWED!! If you want me to stay away from Tucson, I will expect $1000 to be deposited in my PayPal account. Don't involve the authorities.

In the body of the 1987 ad, did you note the claim that Yamaha had sold 30,000 Ventures since 1983? I think I need to find a whole bunch more VIN.

I suffer from CDO... It's like OCD, but in alphabetical order... LIKE IT SHOULD BE!!

Yes, Debbie and I are IBMC members, although we have yet to make it to any of their camp outs.

Here are jpg scans of the RoadRider article "Minor Model Changes" about a tour test of the 1987 Venture by Clement Salvadori. If the scans are too small to read, I'll repost the scans as pdf.

Here is a 'test' post of a Yamaha Venture ad from that 1987 magazine. A jpg scan of the ad(s) is not easily readable in the size that is allowed here, so I scanned it as a pdf. We'll see how that works. Yamaha Venture Advertisement_0001.pdfYamaha Venture Advertisement.pdf

RoadRider morphed into Motorcycle Consumer News back twenty years or so ago. MCN is still being published. Perhaps they won't mind?

I didn't buy that particular magazine on eBay, because I already have it. I've eleven issues from 1987 Road Rider magazine, missing February. I'm not sure about copyright issues. Am I allowed to scan and post the article?

The floats are solid, though buoyant. There have been some reports that the float can become 'fuel-logged'. Some have attempted to dry them thoroughly and then coat with a fuel resistant sealer. Mixed results. Your parts guy is correct about the 1983-1985 floats being different from 1986-1993, but I don't know the difference. It does seem odd that there would be a difference.

Thank you, Jack for the Second Gen VIN, but so far I am limiting my endeavor to the generation I am most familiar with. I've not attempted a similar database utilizing Second Gen numbers, yet. Having said that, I do know that all of your Second Gen VIN reflect California marketed Ventures. The part of the VIN that identifies the California Ventures is 'VP04Y', specifically the 'Y'. US49 Ventures are 'VP04E' and Canadian intended Ventures are 'VP04N'. Each market has a distinct serial number range. For instance: 2004 California XVZ13TF appears to have a serial number ranging from VP04Y-0000537 through VP04Y-0000596 (59 units). Whereas, 2004 US49 XVZ13TF range from VP04E-0006870 through VP04E-0007818 (948 units). And Canadian 2004 XVZ13TF range from VP04N-0001188 through VP04N-0001583 (395 units). Like I said, the Second Gen is not my bailiwick; I have just started to decipher the VIN on the XVZ13TF and XVZ13TFS.