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1983 Yamaha Venture Royale

18K views 97 replies 11 participants last post by  DSUZU 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
Okay, so I FINALLY get around to starting the official build thread of my Yamaha Venture Royale. The background (from my Spacecab thread) On December 12th of 2015, this bike was GIVEN to me by my friend Mike. It had been given to Mike about 5 years ago by it's form owner. The bike hadn't been run since 1998, when that owner's wife had their first child and said "no more bike". On getting the bike, MY wife said "no working on the bike until you are done fixing stuff around the house (another potential build thread that included -started as- painting the inside, all main living area flooring - had to scrape every square inch of glue :cry:, and a host of side projects as we (are still going on) went. At some point I negotiated "Motorcycle therapy" which broke down into 30 minute (okay maybe two hours here and there) "sessions".
It started with cleaning "rat waste" out of the battery box, jumping the bike to make sure it wasn't seized from sitting (at many points there were "if this doesn't work, the bike goes" decisions. From there, all the hydraulics were frozen or inoperable (it has dual front calipers, and a disc rear brake as well as a hydraulic clutch - kind of an Isuzu on 2 wheels :D. Then came the "I have to hear it run or it goes" - covered that in the Spacer thread. Last week, I rigged an auxiliary gas tank (the main tank leaks, but I have a replacement), and got it started and running on it's own. Today, I finally decided the rear brakes were going to get bled. You think an Isuzu clutch is bad? The rear brake is plumbed from the reservoir (see picture) down to the master cylinder, then UP to the top of the front forks and down to the left front caliper :roll:. I figured a way to pressurize the master cylinder - using the banjo from an Isuzu front brake hose :D. Next biggie will be replacing the fuel tank (wait till you see the pictures of THAT, and replacing the clutch slave cylinder, and handle bar master cylinders. Time, patience, and waiting for the wife to go somewhere for a couple of hours. Tomorrow, front door and frame (of house) get replaced :( .
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#2 · (Edited by Moderator)
IIRC, I can only post 4 pics per entry, so here is the 5th. Also forgot that in the Spacecab thread, I covered the great fun of removing and cleaning the starter. I won't repost that here due to time. Here is the pic of my temporary gas tank hooked to a fuel pump that hadn't pumped fuel for 18 years. The regular gas tank is shaped like an upside down "Y" with the base of the "Y" at the top (visible in the carb picture), and the tops on each side of the rear (air ride) monoshock.
After a short bit of running, the carbs worked fairly well for having sat so long. Mike had told me he had them off and they were clean inside. They don't have chokes, but a primmer valve that adds fuel when "choked". One valve was stuck full open, and one was stuck full closed. All are freed up now.
venture work 005.JPG
. Dennis
EDIT: Oops! 1 electric fuel pump, 2 main tank, 3 aux tank.
 

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#4 ·
Those are great bikes! My dad had an 86. He was pulling a trailer on The Dragons Tail and his clutch cable broke in third gear.... Adventure!
 
#5 ·
Well look at that i'm now more jealous of your dad that I am of you....one day I dream of riding the dragon. \m/

This is my inadvertent subscription Dennis....fuel pump eh? So it's fuel injected & not carbed? Can't read everything atm on this post to catch up, if it was mentioned?
 
#7 ·
Hey guys. Thanks for the replies. James: no, it is carbureted - 4 carbs to be exact. The fuel pump is because the main part of the fuel tank is below the carbs. Like our EFI Isuzus, there IS a safety feature where if the engine quits, the fuel pump quits.
Now for the REAL news: I'm in the hospital!!! I had some chest discomfort yesterday that included my left arm. I mentioned it to my daughter, who is an RN, and here I am. The good news is so far, all tests came back good. They will probably keep me until tomorrow and do a stress test. If that's okay, I go home, if it isn't, they'll schedule a procedure. FWIW, tomorrow, is my 60th birthday :roll:. I'm actually in my daughter's wing right now, but she can't be my nurse (she's working today). She DID pull a bunch of strings and got me hooked up with some of the best doctors and one of the best rooms (now if they could only get that Yamaha up here :D). Oh the bad news: no more doughnuts :cry:. Dennis
 
#8 ·
Trying to make me 'spit take' my french toast and coffee? WTF is wrong with you......i'm all uh-huh interesting....carbs above the gravity cut off, interesting.......Oh look he mentioned isuzus in the motorcycle post, good man that Dennis is.......A effin heart attack what the heck!? Okay maybe just a faux heart attack, who knows maybe just weird indigestion......but STILL it was a left hook outa no where. I gotta quit associating with you old geezers.....scaring the crap out of me like this, and making me face my own mortality......tsk tsk. Hopefully this is all pretty much false alarm stuff, or maybe an early catch thing & you just start carrying an aspirin with you at all times. Maybe it can at least be a good excuse to get the wife off of you about the honey do's & you can focus on honey zu's, motorcycles, and coots.....I hate hearing this though, I really do.....I hope it does turn out to be nothing......and atleast glad to hear for now....you're doing good and in high spirits.
 
#9 ·
Hope the tests turn out negative and it turns out to be nothing.

If you end up needing help with those carbs? I have quite a bit of knowledge with the Yamaha XJ600 and it's downdraft Mikuni's. I've probably rebuilt and tuned more than a dozen sets to-date.
 
#10 ·
Jeez Dennis, here I am reading the interesting posts as I usually do, expecting to read about your cycle and here you are in the hospital. As we age we have those days when we have a twinge somewhere and have to decide, should I go or should I ignore it. It's smart not to ignore it, and here's hoping all's well so when I visit here they'll be more cycle stories.
 
#11 ·
What HB said. No matter what you think, best to get checked out. Any cardiologist will tell you that their biggest issue is with under reporting prior to any cardiac event. Too many people sit around and wait for the symptoms to go away. Good you have a medical professional in the family who insisted you get checked out. In the grand scheme of all things medical I'd much rather be taking my aspirin a day and getting my yearly physical, stress testing, and ECG, than going through the indignity of another frigging colonoscopy. Hope all is well and you are out soon! It is a bitch when you still feel like you are in your 20's...but you aren't.
 
#12 ·
Thanks for the kind thoughts guys. Yeah, this started a week ago, right in the middle of Sunday church service. I thought "I hate to make a scene" (our church has full security and medical staffing). After church, I felt fine and even rode my bike in the afternoon. A couple of little episodes during the week, but always went away. Saturday when my daughter was there... And here we are. We'll see what tomorrows tests show, still haven't seen the cardiologist - he was busy with actual heart attack patients today.
As for me... the party MUST go on! Being my birthday tomorrow, my best friend and his wife brought the party to us. My nurse gave permission to eat what I wanted and it was Cuban sandwiches and black beans and rice :D. Started in my room and we marched down the hall of the cardiac ward with me in the lead singing "There he was just a marching down the street..." The whole floor loved it. This happens to be my daughter's floor and at first she was a bit embarrassed, but soon realized "Dad's havin' fun, so EVERYONE'S havin fun!" Dennis
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#13 ·
I'm very glad to see you & everyone there is making the best of everything. Sucks there's not more info, but I understand your in less serious state, and it's the weekend.
 
#14 ·
It's always a good day when you can embarrass the kids.

Also hope your test results come back as indigestion or something like that. An actual diagnosis that included the heart area would suck. Old geezers got enough problems with some damn diagnosis...

Compound fractures or arterial bleeding... that's the only way I'm going to a Dr again.. And thanks to overseas pharmacies that's the ONLY reasons I'll see a Dr!

BOOM!
 
#16 ·
Again, Thanks for the kind thoughts. Getting a stress test sometime today. Personally, I think the Doc should prescribe a week of Yamaha and Isuzu therapy. Dennis
 
#17 ·
Holy Cow! Get well soon!

My wife works on a telemetry floor and she is always bending hers or my symptoms into a major cardiac event. My family has history, so there is reason for concern, but I always have to ask myself if it is muscular/skeletal before I open my trap and get her stirred up.

My first bike was an 83 Yamaha! I had the Virago 500 (one year only in the US). It was a fun bike, but I tired of it relatively quickly with the mediocre starting system in the viragos. I ended up getting another bike about a year later. Can't wait to read more about this one!
 
#18 ·
Happy birthday Dennis !! I'm so sorry to hear you're spending it at a hospital but by the looks of things you're making a good show of it !!

I hope everything checks out and you get to go home buddy .. I'll say a couple prayers for you anyway , just because :)

Nice hat !! The outfit could use a little work though ...
 
#19 ·
Well, like the Eveready bunny, Still going! Stress test came out fine, so they released me and I went home. I am headed off to work today, and will update more after I get home. Dennis
 
#22 ·
Great news man !! Did you have a memorable birthday :) guess it'll be a good story to tell on down the road anyway ..

Hope that's the end of it ...
 
#23 ·
I echo everyone else's sediments this is awesome news......Means you're fit enough to get down to the lawyer & get that will updated. I Dennis in sound mind & (mostly) body here by bequeath my 4wd Isuzu Spacecab pickup truck to my greatest friend -88-.

Something along those lines should do it. :D

All jokes aside I really am glad to hear you're alright & it was basically false alarms. My wife can bare witness....I was down in the dumps sunday, or was it Saturday when the news broke........I wasn't Eeyore or anything, just a little off I think is how she put it. Thankfully she understands this ain't just Internet car guys, but alot of real & true friends. :D Seriously glad you're okay, don't do that chit to us no more.
 
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#24 ·
Heck James, forget the will (of which we have a really good one), you need to contact my WIFE. She'd probably have you haul ALL of my crap off :D. If you'd caught her Sunday morning, it might all be yours now. On a more serious note, in the event of my passing, I have my kid brother and my best friend who would step in and take care of anything my wife needs (not to mention my church). My kid brother regularly runs estate sales and if he doesn't already know what something is worth, it don't take him long to find out. This was a sobering thought. About 18 months ago, my bro did a sale for a deceased mechanic / car guy. Huge 30 x 40 garage shop full of stuff, but scrambled everywhere. Welder "Dirty Dan" (like me) from work and I were given a preview (and pre purchase) showing. As we were going through the stuff I said "Man, this could easily be your garage or mine". I'm thinking about tagging all the various parts boxes to the Yamaha, Coot, and Spacecab, just so everything could easily be rounded up. P.S. thanks for the concern. you guys are more than just posts on an internet forum. Man how I wish it were possible for there to be a gathering of folks here.
On a different note: A vendor brought TWO boxes of doughnuts to work today. I didn't eat nary a one :D. Tempting, but you have to start somewhere. Dennis
OH, one more thing. Yammer has a small coolant leak. Apparently the O-ring around the plastic thermostat housing. Probably nothing will happen over the next week as I have spring break company coming down, but then again....
 
#25 ·
I was travelling most of the week for work and just able to catch up here on the Planet this morning... a belated HAPPY BIRTHDAY Dennis, and I'm so glad to hear that you're doing OK, my heart sank when I read that you were in the hospital. :( Take good care of yourself!!

Jonathan
 
#26 · (Edited by Moderator)
Motorcycle day today. The whole day (it rained off and on). I decided to tackle the "big project" - R+R the gas tank. And some of you think dropping an Isuzu tank is bad. Half the frame has to come apart. Got the tanks swapped, fuel lines run, air cleaner and battery box back on (fuel line hooks to the carbs under the air box). Then I decided to tackle the front brakes. Got tht master cylinder swapped out then I had to take the headlight out for access to the wiring. 4 wires hoof to the brake master. Two for the brake light, and 2 for the low fluid warning light. The brake light was plug and play, but the warning wires had to be fed through the fairing and front forks. Then I swapped out the clutch master. Only 2 wires on this one for clutch safety, again, plug and play. Still have to change the clutch slave. It won't be fun because you have to twist and turn it a certain way to remove and worse to get the new on back in. That will be a different post. Also have to pull the thermostat housing as the O-ring is leaking coolant, exhaust pipe and hopefully not the radiator again. After that, maybe some gas and a test ride time :D Side fairings, bags, and the other "bling" will not go back on until everything is shaken down good. Dennis
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