Prairiehammer

It is unlikely that the 'gear unit' is bad. What is very likely is that the PO assembled the front wheel and speedometer drive (gear unit) and 'meter clutch' incorrectly. The clutch has two tabs that must align with notches in the gear unit and with notches in the wheel. It is not unheard of for the clutch to become mangled and inoperative when the aforementioned tabs and notches do not align.

If your bike is a 1983, then the cruise control is aftermarket or someone installed a later year Venture factory cruise or in actuality you have a 1984 Venture. Cruise Control was available from the factory on the 1984 Royale. What is your full VIN?

I believe those threads were referencing those in which the owner had installed a V-Max final drive. Sometimes shimming is required in that case. And to determine the need for a shim, one inserts the axle and determines if the final drive meets the swingarm properly or a shim may be required to make a good match. If you are using a MKII final drive, there prolly is no need for a shim. Just install the final drive and remount the wheel. The axle SHOULD slip right in.

And an '83 doesn't have cruise control.

Searching through the eBay listings reveals a W I D E range of prices for MKII saddlebags; from $25 to $155 for a single saddlebag. Some include lids (with chrome lid protector), some just the bottom. What color is your 1986?

They teach French up there behind the Cheddar Curtain?

I thought we were in the same time zone, but apparently Milwaukee is still living in the past.

I'm sorry, but did the manufacturer fail to take into account the simple act of coasting while in gear? I'm thinking that action is very common in everyday riding. Do you then suggest that a rider should disengage the clutch whenever slowing? Never to let the bike coast down in gear from any speed? You never downshift as you slow? Last time I had a final drive or transmission or engine apart, all the components were symmetrical, ie. capable of receiving and delivering force in either direction. Bearings are round. Gears are round. Gear teeth are similarly buttressed fore and aft. Again, I'm sorry, but your logic is invalid.

Pete, as a Mechanical Engineer, perhaps you can expound on the damage done to an engine when engine braking?

Originally and still today, those lens are made and marketed by Drag Specialties. Yours are what they call the Baron Mini Twin. Commonly available. Here is just one place to get them. Not the only place, though. Check on eBay, Amazon, Cycle Parts, etc. http://www.powerpartsplus.com/pages/Catalog/Product/47675

Consider the fact that the slides barely move (or are pertinent) at idle where most people synchronize their carbs. The diaphragms and springs are not in the picture at idle when synchronizing. The differences in spring rates CAN affect the mid to upper range of operation, but usually there is such a small difference as to be imperceptible. Some have discovered fatigued springs (too much sag) and have simply stretched the fatigued spring back to specification. You should note that the springs are of a very light rate and don't have much effect upon the slide. The vacuum is much stronger than the spring. The primary reason for the spring is to return the slide to a 'closed' position.

CV carburetors have the reputation being, unlike non-CV carbs, altitude compensating. That is, their mixture ratios do not change dramatically with altitude. A CV carbed machine can be ridden at 12,000 feet with nary an evident mixture change. That is because pressure differential, the principle that raises the slide, is the same proportion no matter than altitude. The pressures are different, but the proportions of each to each other are the same. This does not mean however that CV carburetor equipped bikes will not lose power at altitude. They will. But it is because of a lack of oxygen to fill the cylinders and provide combustion pressure, not due to any significant changes in air/fuel mixture. Obviously, if the diaphragm or slide is leaking vacuum, the pressure differential (Delta P) will be affected whether at altitude or not.

At first glance, the hole in the slide seems counter intuitive. Especially if you think the sole vacuum source is outboard of the diaphragm. However, if you consider the primary vacuum source is the venturi, then the hole in the slide becomes obvious. When there is high velocity through the carb throat, a vacuum is forming outboard of the diaphragm due to the low pressure at the throat, causing the slide to move outboard, lifting the needle. If the diaphragm is leaking, whether due to pinholes (less detriment, but still a detriment to pulling a vacuum) or tears ( a larger vacuum leak, thus more detrimental) then the vacuum pulled by the low pressure in the throat, through the vacuum port in the slide is reduced and the slide does not lift as much because the weak vacuum cannot overcome the spring. The key point is where the vacuum to lift the slide is originating. It is originating from the venturi. http://www.chinesescooterreference.com/manual_images/CV_Carb_Diagram.gif

It is not recommended to use Loctite threadlocker on fasteners near plastic. The base chemical in Loctite is methacrylate ester. This chemical will soften or deteriorate most thermoplastics, such as PVC and ABS. This ABS destruction has been well documented as a consequence when used on motorcycle fasteners adjacent to plastic parts. From the manufacturer of Loctite (I would amend their warning to read "will likely result"): Not Recommended For Use on plastic parts, particularly thermoplastic materials where stress cracking of the plastic could result

The concept is valid, but can you execute it?

Heather, I have a pair of stock Venture horns, complete with VentureLine chrome covers. Since I owe a "Pay It Forward", they are yours for the asking.

Note that there are no "chokes" as in a carb throat butterfly choke. The enricheners on the Venture carbs are just that, enricheners. Instead of restricting air flow through the venturi, the enricheners actually add fuel to the carb throat. When you say: "all 4 appear to be completely open" do you mean that the enrichener plungers are pushed in fully (closed) or that the enrichener plungers are pulled out fully (open)? One turn out on the pilot screws should be quite lean. Normally, the pilot screws are 2½ turns out or so. The further the pilot screw is turned out, the richer. Check your float bowl fuel level. It may be too high, creating a rich condition. Also, the coasting enrichment diaphragms may be defective.

Can't tell what is supposed to do, but it sure looks like one half of an inline fuse holder. Is the end opposite of the spring connected to the battery? Or to some accessory? In other words; is the coil spring energized? A fuse holder similar to this: http://www.12voltplanet.co.uk/user/products/large/glass_holder_30-32mm_8A_1.jpg

Twigg and a couple of others had the same complaint: couldn't go faster than 80-85 mph. In all those cases, the carb diaphragms (usually just one or two) were holed or ripped at the edge. One also had a sticky slide. Cleaned up and was good.

Did you download the GDT.ttf file and install it? Then I opened a new Word document and selected the GDT font from the Word font drop down list. Using the 'key' in the downloaded Word document, I was able to generate all the symbols.

Check here: https://www.lftechsupport.com/web/qualitytools/14

I've seen two brands. Swivel Safe II is the most common. I had one on my Dart cargo trailer. Get it here: http://www.openroadoutfitters.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=65_73&zenid=40vmt9pi5j4j6u36bu305tgrd1 The other isn't branded as far as I can tell, but one can purchase it here: http://www.mchitch.com/Trailer_Coupler_Swivel_Adpater_2_inch.htm

No problem for me. That's why we call you "The Boss".

Does it or does it not crank?

If the now redundant side stand was removed, perhaps the PO has also jumpered the side stand safety switch and that jumper has loosened. Or the side stand safety switch was left in place but some cobbling was performed to fool the side stand switch. And this presumed switch bypass has failed. The fuse itself may be good, but it is very common for the fuse holder clips to become weak or broken. Often these clips appear fine, but are too weak to make a good connection at the fuse. Check for voltage on either side of the fuse, probing the crimped portion of the fuse holder clip. There should be same voltage on either side of the fuse. If not, then suspect a bad fuse holder clip. Many have replaced the glass fuse block with ATC/ATO fuse block.