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I was recently given a 2000 Venture by a friend. He got it from a relative not working.Hooked up jumper cables and nothing. He put in a new battery and got nothing.Checked the fuses all good. The story goes the bike died after somebody hooked up cables for a jump backwards. At this point he gave it to me. I intend to double check what he did but would like some advice on what to check next.Thank You in advance for any help.
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Richard McDonald has set out several trips around Ottawa and the surrounding area also. Check out his information here: http://www.themcdonalds.net/richard/bike/rides.shtml
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My bike was missing the tool kit. Anyone have pictures of one? If you haven't seen it before....check out this checklist making site. http://www.micapeak.com/checklists/
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Pre-Owned Venture This article was written by a mechanic in 1988 who worked on all types and brands of motorcycles, but as you read it you will see the general points would be the same for all motorcycles. From a service standpoint, there are a few things to look at if you are considering buying a pre-owned motorcycle. Exterior cleanliness and mileage do not always tell the whole story. Service records are a good indication of the owner's attitude toward maintenance. If the owner takes the time to keep records of service and repair, he is most likely to have it done right and on time. Without the service record, you are just shooting in the dark and must rely on the seller's telling you the complete truth. Unfortunately, most people do not keep the best records. So here are a few things to be aware of: TIRES: Tires are the first things to check. Naturally, the depth of the tread and condition of the side walls are what you look at. Any cracking in the side walls or cuts or splits in the tread will have you buying a new tire in the near future. If the bike has new or nearly new rubber on it, always check the mileage on the speedo, and casually ask the seller how many times he has put new tires on the bike. This will give you an estimate of how much abase the machine has gone through. For instance, a Venture with 14,000 miles which is on its third rear tire but still has the original front tire is telling you the guy is into stoplight drag racing. This could indicate clutch wear as well. CLUTCH: Because the clutch is on the inside of the motor and you can't see it, you must ride the bike to check for slippage. This can be done at a moderate speed in fourth or fifth gear. Just fan the clutch a few times while under acceleration and listen to the motor. If the clutch is slipping, the rpm's will remain high after releasing the clutch lever. If the rpm speeds up and the bike does not, this machine is in need of a new clutch. The other tell tale sign is to remove the oil filler cap and smell the oil. If it smells like burned toast, this could indicate a problem also. OIL: Anyone who has any sense at all will probably change the oil before he tries to sell his bike. Nice clean oil looking at you through the sight window makes the machine a little easier to sell. But be careful even a bike with new oil may still have a little burned toast smell left if you check closely. Also, look at the underside of the filler cap for sludge or anything that may indicate what the rest of the inside might be like. With the motor cold and not running, stick year finger into the filler hole and take a sample of the scum on the inside motor case. A quick peek at the drain plug and oil filter cup will also let you know if the oil was just changed. There is usually a little oil residue left there after a recent oil change. Rear gear oil usually looks pretty clean because there is no internal combustion or clutch wear to dirty it. The drain plug has a magnet on it to collect the worn pieces of metal and such that accumulate there. Even though the gear oil is clean, the magnet will look like a dirty ball of metal fuzz. This is normal. But if any large pieces of shrapnel are found, you should look further to see where they came from. The rear drive shaft splines are impossible to check or see without removing the rear wheel and gear case. If you do buy the bike, it would be a good idea to pay for the hour and a half or so of labor and have it properly greased and inspected. This is for your peace of mind and may save you trouble down the road. A new drive shaft is only about 55.00, but the aggravation of this kind of trouble on the side of the road is not worth pinching pennies over, so if the splines are worn, replace it now. The drive shaft is not a failing part of the Yamaha Venture, but as the bike gets older and gets higher in mileage, a little preventive maintenance is a good idea. Scratches and scrapes can tell you a little about the machine's history. You may not be able to tell how many times ifs been down, or to what extent damage was sustained if the owner had it repaired, but you should check for a few things anyway. All body parts may not be the same color because they don't always fade in the sun exactly the same. But if there is an obvious difference in color, the part could have been replaced, so find out why. It could have been changed for a lot of reasons, but if it was the result of an accident, make sure it was replaced correctly. You may want to check with the repairing dealer to make sure no corners were cut to keep the cost down. A bent sub frame or mounting tab could cause a painted body part to crack later on. If it has been down on the right side, always check the water pump joint between the thermostat case and the pump itself. It's an L-shaped silver plastic piece and is very vulnerable to being damaged by the right case guard. Also on the right, make sure the throttle does not stick or bind up because of damage on the end of the grip from a fall. Ventures don't have a history of things going wrong with the radiator hoses. With that in mind, they have probably never been replaced. Check carefully for cracks and to see if they are still pliable and not brittle or hard. The coolant itself should be clean and free of dirt or sludge, never milky or brown (that color could indicate internal engine trouble). A sheepskin seat cover is nice, but look under it; it could be hiding a real mess. If you are partial to the stock leather cover, make sure it's fit to sit on. Trunk repair on early Ventures is not uncommon. Look at the bottom of the trunk for cracks around the mounts and lock assembly. A fiberglass repair kit is not a lot of money, but you will want to consider it when talking price. Light bulbs are not expensive either, but the instrument bulbs are not very easy to get to and some after market accessories have bulbs that are harder to find in stores. Brake pads are easy to check because they can be seen without removing anything. The rear pads can be viewed by looking between the right saddlebag and rear fender or from under the bag on late models. You may need to use a flashlight to get a good view, and if it has all the Venture accessories you may need to remove the right bag on early models. Once you have spotted the end of the brake pad, you should check to see that there is at the very least one millimeter of brake fiber between the rotor and the metal back side of the pad. One millimeter or less and you should replace the pads before they begin to damage the rotor. The front pads can be seen easily from each side and the same measuring specifications are used. If the Venture has rotor covers and caliper covers, don't worry, just look through the wheel at the pad on the opposite side of the bike to check the wear. The rotors themselves are almost impossible to destroy unless they were bent in an accident or run for a long time with brake pads that were completely worn out, and were metal-to-metal. If the rotors are blue and obviously were very hot at one time, spin the wheel and check to see if they are warped. An improperly adjusted brake pedal or lever will cause pressure to build up and the brake pads will drag on the rotor, causing it to heat up enough to turn color but not necessarily warp the rotor. Brake and clutch fluids should be clean and clear or a light color. If fluids are dark and have a lot of black "gook" in the bottom of the reservoir, they will need to be changed and flushed. This is caused by heat. The clutch fluid will turn dark faster because the clutch slave cylinder is bolted to the engine cases. This heat from the engine is transferred to the clutch fluid and turns it to a dark color as it is slowly cooked. The brake fluid used for the brakes does not get this hot unless the brakes are not adjusted properly, as explained above. it shows a good or even strong reading,. Battery: Because we change batteries about every two years their is not much to see here except to check the cables for corrosion this could mean having to replace them. One thing that's almost always overlooked is the fuse box. It has to be moved to check the battery but most people never look inside. "Why?" you might ask. Well, if there are no spare fuses under the lid, they had to go some where. If this is the case, ask the owner about it and you will probably get some interesting stories about what happened. If the Venture is covered with lights and accessories with all the bulbs burned out, look for bad grounds or dirty bulb sockets or even a loose accessory causing the bulbs to vibrate them selves to death. Electrical problems are something to avoid when buying a used bike. The fact that there is a problem is bad enough, but it's a lot harder for a mechanic to find the problem if you can't give him any of the history of the bike (or the problem) you just purchased. These thoughts on electrical problems may help to keep the sparks from flying after the sale! I hope these last three months have helped you to make the right choice. Of course, these are not all the things to look for. Any whine, grind, squeak or knock should be investigated, and if it's hard to roll or the levers and pedals are stiff or bind up, you should make sure they just need lubrication and not some new parts. Bill Daly
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http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/motorcycle-luggage-racks-backrests-tires-saddlebags_W0QQitemZ110066658505QQihZ001QQcategoryZ84146QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
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Can anyone tell me how to get to the CB module under the trunk? I want to check the connections on the module and it looks like I'm going to have to take the trunk off to get to the module and connections. Is this right? Thanks Peeps.
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Found this motorcycle safety forum on net, and there is a lot safety tips and tricks. Check out by yourself. http://www.msgroup.org/TIPS.asp
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Starter This article should help the do-it-yourselfer understand the probable cause and cure for the starter. The starter is a high speed DC motor that uses carbon brushes much like the ones used in a rechargeable drill motor and can have the same or similar problems. If your starter drags (runs slow) when you try to start the bike in cold weather or when the bike is at operating temperature, you have one of two possible problems: You will need a battery or you need to fix the starter. If the battery is okay, you are going to have to remove the starter from your bike to find the problem. To remove the starter, I would suggest that yon start by removing the radiator and the thermostat housing. I have found the best way to remove the radiator is to take all the hose clamps and four 10 mm bolts on the side, loosen, then pull the top hoses off; then take the bottom ones off using great care with the small hose in the center of the bottom tank. This tube is the only one that is NOT SOLDERED! It is a press fit and if You pry too much or slip and hit it as I did, you will find yourself on the way to the local radiator shop to have it fixed. To remove the thermostat housing, remove the two 5 mm cap head screws at the bottom of the unit and remove the small metal tube; then the large plastic pipe from the housing or the pump. Now remove the two 10 m bolts holding the rear of the starter to the motor and remove it from the motor. NOTE: It's a tight fit, so spray some WD-40 on the front of the starter where it fits into the motor and carefully pry it out. Now that the hard part is done, you should clean the outside of the starter and look for a scribe mark on the front and rear covers where they meet the center part of the housing. Now, remove the two screws that hold the starter together and tap the rear cover off. Note there is an O-ring seal at this joint, so be careful not to damage it! You can now see the rear bearing and the brushes; check them for wear. Carefully remove the front cover and the armature from the center part of the housing. Note this cover also has an O-ring seal. Inspect the parts for rust and wear, use #600 emery paper to clean the corrosion from the commutator. A dirty or corroded commutator is the most likely culprit for a dragging starter with a bad rear bearing running a distant second. If the bearing is stiff when you turn it, try a thin oil or WD-40 on the back of the bearing until it turns freely. This should work unless the bearing is damaged; and in that case, it will have to be replaced. Yamaha does not have a part number for the rear bearing, so take the number off of the bearing and go to your local bearing outlet, then go down to your dealer and have the bearing changed. Check the armature shaft where it fits in the front cover and the gear at the end of the shaft for wear. If you find noticeable wear, the starter will have to replaced. Next, you should check to see that the coating on the copper wires of the armature is not damaged. If you find exposed copper wire, cover it with a coating of shellac, varnish or clear fingernail polish. The last thing to check is the commutator itself. To do this check the spaces between the copper bars to be sure they are free of foreign material and that they are slightly lower than the copper bars. Most starters will only need cleaning, but if the commutator needs work, Page 7-4 of the service manual covers the necessary steps to be taken. If you have decided to replace the brushes, install them before you reassemble the starter. If you found rust inside the starter and you have used the high pressure water at the car wash, you know what to do, or should I say you know what not to do. Reassemble the starter and remember to line up the scribe marks before tightening the screws, and you could also use some non-adhesive silicon to help the O-rings do their job. Test the starter before you install it by using jumper cables and a battery, then test it again after you have it bolted in place. If it passed the tests, reassemble the rest of the bike. Fred Vogt, #01037
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Frame Front Suspension Fork springs: At the 1985 V-Daze I attended a seminar given by Yamaha Motor Corp. and during that seminar, I asked this question "why do my front forks bottom when I stop on ruff pavement?". The answer "If you have more then 24,000 miles on the bike you should replace the fork springs" I left the seminar and rushed to the Progressive Suspension both and got the last set of after market replacement springs. I have over 176,000 miles on those springs and have been pleased with their continued performance. You can find a link to Progressive Suspension's web site on the links page of this web site. Fork seals: The fork seals on your Venture are tender and if you get even a small neck in the fork tubes they will start leaking! So before you replace the seals be sure to check the tubes for nicks. If you do find nicks, feel them and if you can feel it so can the seal, with a small fine file VERY CAREFULLY smooth only the high spot of the nick. Zerk fittings This article appeared In September l988 Issue of Venture road on page 15 and In 1991 Yamaha installed grease fittings as standard equipment There has been a lot of talk about installing zero fittings on the mono shock assembly and I have heard that at least one Priority Network dealer is doing just that. I decided to start with a set of arms off the wrecked '83 I have in the garage. Although this bike only had 14,000 miles on it, I could see some wear or pitting on all the metal surfaces and after some thought, I set off for the local auto parts store to purchase a 1/4-24 tap, a 7/32" drill, 2 long zerk fittings (11/16" overall) and 3 short ones (9/16" overall). The bill was $5.35 for the lot and as I drove home I could have kicked myself for waiting so long. Procedure... With the bike on the center stand, remove both mufflers and place a board under the rear tire to take the load off the assembly. Then remove the four bolts and the two bearings at the bottom of the mono shock. (Note: There are dust caps on each side of these bearings and they are not all the same, so make a note on where they came from). After you remove and clean both arms, you are ready to get started. I took my time with the first hole between the bushings marked "A", starting with a 1/16" drill, then a 7/32" drill and keeping the tap straight, I tapped the hole and installed one of the short zerks. The bushings marked "B" were not as simple because the '83 Venture has a metal bushing about .030" thick and I felt that the zerk was too long to go straight into the arm, so I used part of the weld to gain a little thickness but a thin washer would also have done the trick. Remember to drill the holes as close to the center as possible so the drill goes through the groove in the center of the bushings. (Note: 1984-87 Ventures have the thicker fiber bushing in the "B" position, so you only need to drill and tap through the one side of the bushing so that the zerk extends a little into the fiber to hold the bushing in place). The last two bushings marked "C" are drilled and tapped through the raised portion and then counter sink the holes with a clearance drill deep enough so the zerk extends into the fiber bashing. After you thoroughly clean the bearing surfaces, re-install the arms back in the bike and use enough grease to insure an even coating. Wipe off the excess grease. Now each time you change oil, give each of the fittings a little shot of grease for a smooth ride. Fred Vogt, #01037 On later models the procedure is the same and on the "C" bushings you will notice a flat spot where it looks like a grease fitting could go. http://www.venturerider.org/pictures/swing.gif Venture Rear Wheel Service You may ask, "Doesn't my dealer do that?" NOT UNLESS YOU TELL, HIM THAT YOU WANT IT DONE. This service should be completed every tire change or 10,000 miles (16,000k) or at least every two years; but in most cases it isn't done because we don't always have a dealer replace our tires and/or we don't tell him to do the work. So if you just bought the bike or you are not sure it has been done, it would be a good time to think about servicing the rear wheel of your Venture. The procedure is fairly simple to do on bikes without a trailer hitch and only a little harder if your bike has one. Remove the rear bags, right muffler, rear brake caliper and deflate the tire; then remove the rear wheel. If your Venture is a 1983, 84, or 85 you will need to remove the rear drive or differential and remove the drive shaft. Clean the drive shaft and coupling, then grease both ends before putting it back in (note: make sure that the shaft goes back into the u-joint. If you are not sure, remove the spring on the boot covering the u-joint and check it. Next clean the spline or gear on the rear drive and grease it with a good quality grease, personally I use a medium Moly based grease. Now find a couple of 2" x 4" and place the rear wheel spline side up on the boards. When you clean the hub and splines off you will see the spring clip or circlip that holds the hub in place; remove this clip and before you remove the hub mark the possession of the hub so you can replace it in the same holes it came from. Now clean the hub and inspect it for wear then apply grease to the inside of the hub and to the six posts that fit into the wheel. Check the o-ring on the wheel to be sure it is in place before you replace the hub and circlip. Check the bearings inside of the wheel and check the bearing movement; if they are rough or worn replace them. Now for the mono shock pivots place a jack under the rear drive to take the strain off of the mono shock then dissemble. Clean and grease all of the pivot points and reassemble (if you have a 90 - 93 or you have had grease fittings installed, just give them a squirt). Before you install the rear wheel take the axle and put it back through the swing arm into the final drive to check the alignment. If you find that it is in a bind you will have to change the wedge shim between the final drive and the swing arm. Check the oil level in the rear drive or replace the oil if it has been 10,000 miles since it was serviced and check the brake pads for wear. You can now reassemble your bike and have another year or two of trouble free riding. Fred J. Vogt, #01037
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At the Large White Plug, with the 3 #14 wires comeing from the Alternator: Do the following: Measure the AC voltage on each wire. You can stick the meter probs into the end of the White Plug. ( located just behind left rear cylinder, White connector, with 3 white wires thru it ) With Engine running, you should Read 9 to 15 volts AC, ( thats AC, not DC ) on each wire. If the voltage on " one" wire is substantially , Lower then the other two, then your Alternator is failing. This is a much better way to check it then useing the Resistance reading method given in the Service Manual.
