Prairiehammer

Heating aluminum enough to make a difference while straightening it is problematic. It is not the same as steel. Most likely, when you heat it, it will either break when you try to straighten it or it will suddenly melt/sag. Either way, you will have to replace the lever. I would just try to straighten it while cold by using gentle increasing mechanical forces (not by hammering). After all, the lever was cold when it was bent, right? Having said that, just go get another lever. There are some on eBay (aftermarket and used OEM) for ~$9 and up.

Rick, if you fail to find a suitable one here, there is a NEW aftermarket one on eBay for just $8.75 with free shipping. Otherwise there are a few used OEM, too. But more like $13 plus shipping. Oh. And ALL 1983-1993 First Gen clutch levers are identical.

There is a pdf of a 1984 XVZ12L/DL here. The 1983 is basically the same except for the addition of cruise control on the XVZ12DL. The 1984 instrument panel is different from the 1983, too. That switch is not OEM. Probably added by a PO for switching lighting or perhaps as a manual cooling fan control. Trace the wires to confirm it's function. The switch may be functioning, but the pilot light on the switch may be burned out or the switch wiring is incorrect to light the pilot light. If you are SURE the reservoirs are full, (Be very careful when checking the rear brake reservoir, for the reservoir fill plug boss is easily broken off the reservoir. It is best to use a properly fitted wrench to the fill plug boss and 'hold back' on this boss while simultaneously removing the fill plug.), then the switch float is probably hung up in one of the reservoirs. One cannot remove the rear brake reservoir cap (no to be confused with the reservoir fill plug) while the reservoir is on the bike. But one must remove the reservoir cap to check the fluid float switch operation. The kickstand bolt is available from your Yamaha dealer or any of the online vendors, such as Boats.net. http://www.boats.net/parts/detail/yamaha/Y-90109-10474-00.html You may also bore out the hole and insert a hardened grade 8 bolt as is done with the "Dingy Mod". http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?threadid=48342

The rear driveshaft spline is lubricated by the final drive oil. The early First Generation Ventures (1983-1985) are the only models requiring periodic application (by hand) of grease to the rear driveshaft spline.

Yeah, I have a digital 'in dash' voltmeter, but I haven't found enough vacant real estate on the Royale for it. Only caveat I can offer for putting a voltmeter on that brown wire is that it may not necessarily reflect true battery voltage due to wire and connector resistance.

David, Download Dingy's excellent wiring diagram. It is in full color and when printed out onto 13x19 paper, it is the perfect size and clarity. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=42358

The fuse box containing the ATO/ATC fuses are for the (audio) BACKUP, AUDIO/CB, FAN, HAZARD. Plus a couple slots for spare fuses. This fuse box is OEM. You should also have another OEM fuse; it is a rubber inline fuse holder that contains a glass tube fuse (and a spare) for the CLASS.

There was a resistor installed (in a clear sleeve) by the factory. Not the correct value though, if you were to eliminate the electrolyte sensor.

Perhaps. It IS a switched power source, just don't pull a lot of juice through it. A relay activated by the brown wire?

Gee! No one wants to drag this on for a bit longer? The green connector in question is where the air vent control valve plugs in. Happy now?

I told you. I know! Exactly!

And .... ...it is a green connector body with a brown wire and a black wire.

Yep! I know!

BTW, Brett, since you are contacting twigg about the farkle shelf, talk to him about the LED lights he put on his FJR. 13,000 combined lumens.

Brett, Any driving light that you install will pull watts from your battery and charging system. For the past thirty years, Venture owners have installed aftermarket fog/driving lights onto the First Gen Ventures without issue. In that time period, your choices were quartz halogen lights with 35 watt or 50 watt power consumption (each lamp). You could choose from cheap WalMart plastic housings all the way to chrome and lead glass lenses Cibie 135. In fact Yamaha offered Cibie 135 driving lights in their VentureLine catalog. You can still take this route today, perhaps even less expensive than back in the day. More and more, there are new more 'energy efficient' offerings out there, from lower wattage halogens (less light output, though), to LED replacement 'bulbs' for your old H3 bulbs, to HID (moderately less wattage, but higher lumens than halogen, bulky, hot, expensive) to the current cutting edge LED (fairly compact, potentially lower wattage, potentially greater lumens, VERY expensive). Your biggest hurdle may be finding old driving light brackets meant for the First Gens. Keep an eye on eBay. Occasionally, VentureLine (Drag Specialties) driving light brackets show there. Sometimes with driving or fog lights included.

Gary, If it makes any difference, I am fairly certain the P603E-000137 engine number is from a very early 1999 RSV. I have subsequently found another 1999RSV with P603E-000667. That indicates that they started the RSV with 000101. Also, I found a 1997 RSTD and it's engine number starts with "4YE-". It appears as if "P603E-" prefix is unique to the RSV.

Go here: http://www.epgsoft.com/VisitedStatesMap/ Save the map that you create somewhere online (Photobucket, etc.) Go to your edit signature and add the map.

1UN-000220 is a 1986 California block. I don't have any info on the "P603E-000137". It does not jive with any Venture number I have. EDIT: P603E appears to be an early Royal Star block. Pinwall has a 1999 RSV block with P603E-001808. So extrapolating, I would guess the P603-000137 is either 36th RSV (assuming the 1999 RSV started with 000101) or an early Royal Star (1996). Definitely not a First Gen Venture block.

Another thought: look for some 'door edging', the plastic channel that folks slip onto the car door edge to prevent paint chipping. It may be too rigid to conform to the tight radii of the flap and the interior channel may be a loose fit on the thin flap.

Normal Seafoam dosage is 1 ounce per gallon, so with a full tank (~5gals) use about a quarter (4 ounces) of the 1 pint can. That ratio is good for routine fuel system maintenance. Use half a can for cleaning a slightly grungy system.

Perhaps split some small diameter vacuum hose and slip it on? Shouldn't be able to go any where after it is sandwiched between the 'flap' and the saddlebags.

+1 Find the smallest screen spline that the local home center has and push it into the groove. Make sure you remove the old.

I would. My preference for exhaust components is the copper based (high temperature).

As usual, Jeff has presented the most logical suggestions. Follow his advice to the letter. LOGIC is your most useful tool to possess when attempting to diagnose any problem, but ESPECIALLY when tracking down electrical issues. One other suggestion to add: disconnect the fan (ground and Positive) and the 'manual switch' completely from the bike's electrical system, for now. It may be that the fan is locked up and combined with the manual switch that may have failed ON, the fan is drawing juice even if it is not rotating.

Al, RE: the saddlebags and the trunk; if I understand you correctly, you disassembled the ABS parts from the aluminum rim that runs around the opening of the trunk and bags? I have never removed those pieces before, but it appears there are several TINY screws holding the aluminum to the clamshells. I suppose there may have been some sort of sealant in the bottom of the aluminum channel to prevent water intrusion, but that would be only a guess. At any rate, it appears the aluminum is secured to the ABS primarily with those little Phillips/JIS screws. Perhaps a SMALL bead of sealant too, acting both as a water barrier and an adhesive. Was there any evidence of such a sealant or adhesive when you disassembled the trunk and saddlebags? If you elect to apply some sealant, make sure that the sealant is compatible with the ABS plastic. RE: the plastic trim on the false tank cover/top cover; are you speaking of the black channel that is pushed onto the lower edge of the tank cover where it meets the fairing? If so, on my '83, that black trim is just pushed on. No adhesive. If your trim channel (Yamaha calls it a MOLE, sidecover 1&2) is loose and won't snap on securely, try pinching the channel a little bit so it grasps the edge of the tank cover more securely. Failing that, a SMALL bead of appropriate adhesive should work. When selecting an adhesive, look for an adhesive that does NOT have acetone, methyl chloride, toluene, or some other solvent that may damage the ABS. For some applications, I've had success with a good quality (3M products) automotive trim double faced foam backed tape. Good luck.