GregWass

1989 Venture Royale 1980 Honda CBX 1976 Honda CB750 (SOHC) bought new when I was 16 2007 Harley Davidson Sportster Roadster All run & are in excellent condition.

Back in April '01....myself & 5 friends did the 1000 miles in 24 hours Iron Butt initiation ride. We ended up doing 1036 miles total in a little over 17 hours. Did it on my '89 Venture. Never got over 80 degrees with about a 5-10 mph south wind. Done some 600 mile days & numerous 500 mile days, they were also nice days & easy rides. Nowadays, a 500 mile day is easy enough, except I now take all day to do it. No more banzai runs for this fat white child.

Just a few thoughts: Perhaps not enough air in the shocks? Leaky O-rings on the compressor side or shock side of the air hose connections? If the air is out of the shocks, front & rear, the front end will bottom out on even the softest of bumps & the rear will feel under damped. I had both the above happen on my '89, replaced the O-rings at the compressor air hose connection, everything was fine afterwards. As added insurance, I installed a set of progressive suspension springs, front & rear. The front springs are designed to run w/o any air pressure & the rear will allow you to run about 10-15 psi less in the monoshock for any given weight setting. I have heard of one or two Ventures that had a frame weld crack or break entirely, however, I don't believe it's a common issue. Hope this helps, Greg Also, my front end was also quite "flexy" especially in hard corners. A superbrace fork brace took care of that.

Appreciate all the advice....the plug is still available, I have one on hand. The only reason, I'm replacing it is the original must've gotten hit by a rock or some other road hazard, as it has a big dent in it. Since I'd never noticed it misting before, & because of the dent, I assumed the hit it took may have compromised it's function, therefore, needed replacement. I'll break out the shop manual & see if I can post a pic of it for those interested. I'll do that later this evening, I'm at work now. Hope the internet police aren't monitoring my "non-business" related postings. Greg

Nope, the final drive oil is at the appropriate level. I just figured maybe these things wear over time. Getting hot, getting cold, usual wear & tear. Actually, seeping is a bit severe. More like misting, just around where the plug contacts the differential. It's noticeable when the dust & dirt collect in the oil. Other than that, my diff is pretty much oil tight. I'd just never had this happen with this bike, so I thought maybe something was amiss. So, my question, still remains...can these be popped out easily or is it a major pain to get them out? Thanks for your reply, Greg

My breather plug is seeping on my '89....I noticed in the shop manual this plug can be replaced.....anyone done this before? Can the plug be pulled out w/ a pair of pliers or the like, or is there some special tool required? Considering how tight it feels, I wonder if I can get it our w/o breaking off a part of the plug. Thanks in advance, Greg