Adventure Road AR_1985_04
Transcription
Adventure Road AR_1985_04
Congratulations, you are the owner of the finest touring machine ever developed, the Yamaha Venture. The XVZ is the only bike of its kind, representing years of research by Yamaha in creating the perfect touring motorcycle. And your Venture is only the beginning of a great adventure when you join the Venture Touring Society, the official association dedicated to the appreciation of this great machine. The Venture Touring Society is an international organization geared specifically to you — the touring enthusiast. Membership is open exclusively to owners of the Yamaha Venture and Venture Royale. More than just a motorcycle club, VTS is a touring society keeping members abreast of the latest information concerning their machines, accessory sources, fellow Venture owners, regional and national events, and benefits to make your touring more enjoyable. As our membership grows, state chapters may be formed, uniting VTS members across the country. The VTS will always keep in mind that each rider is an individual and should be recognized as such. These chapters are designed to be social and promote the VTS and the safety and fun of touring. The chapters may involve themselves in community projects to promote the general motorcycling image. Our official publication, Adventure Road, features up-to-date information, reader input, letters, classifieds, trips, tours, rallies, news from chapters, political actions, and much more. VentureGRAM — is a" unique" feature available to VTS members, providing an instant communication medium between the membership, manufacturers, Yamaha Motor Corporation and the home office. The Priority Dealer Network' is a select group of Yamaha Dealers across the country and Canada that has pledged special support and service to VTS members. This growing program will ensure that you stay on the road. Yamaha has designed the "ultimate touring machine" and the goal of the Venture Touring Society is to gain international recognition as the foremost motorcycle touring association. It's to your advantage to get in on the action now. You won't have to wait long for the action to start . . Upon joining the Venture Touring Society members receive the monthly magazine Adventure Road, a handsome certificate, an enameled pin, a multi-colored patch and decal, a gold plastic membership card, access to the toll-free telephone number for emergency or information, $500 theft reward and an invitation to the annual "V-DAZE" rally. You also are entitled to participate in major discount programs offered in Adventure Road. There is an associate membership available for family members, entitling them to all the above except the certificate and magazine subscription. Providing benefits for the member is an ongoing task. Future plans call for the establishment of a 24-hour message service, credit union facilities, low-cost insurance, discount directory of motes and facilities offering members special incentives, a membership directory including the Priority Dealer Network . and more. - If you are interested in improving the motorcyclist's image, making new friends, saving money, learning more about your motorcycle, and the enjoyment of touring . . . we invite you to join us in this "Venture." An application form is in the magazine. Sincerely, Joe Schaerer Executive Director Page 2 / April 1985 / Adventure Road the official publication of the venture touring ...h . USPS No. 730-250 CONTENTS ISSN No. 8750-4510 APRIL 1985 VOL. 1, NO. 8 Publisher: Joe Schaerer Editor: Ron D'Alessio Copy Editor: Kate McLaughlin Operations Director: Stan Okrasinski National Sales Director: Wayne Gales Production Manager: Vera Hunter Production Staff: Western Typesetters Contributors: The Venture Touring Society Adventure Road is published monthly by the Venture Touring Society, Inc., a non-profit organization located at 1615 South Eastern Avenue. Las Vegas, Nevada 89104. 702/457-6657. Copyright 1985, Venture Touring Society, Inc. All rights reserved. Single-copy price: $2 nonmembers, $1 members. Subscription rate: $24 per year (U.S. funds only). All letters, articles, photographs or other material submitted to Adventure Road become the property of the VTS and are subject to reprint unless otherwise requested. Permission to reprint any or all of this publication may be given upon written request and then only if source credit is given. Send all material, subscriptions, letters, contributions, notices, calendar items, classifieds, etc., to: Adventure Road The Venture Touring Society 1615 South Eastern Avenue Las Vegas, Nevada 89104 FEATURES Cruisin' Along .......................................................... 12 Product report: the Vetter Cruise Control Only the Oceans ....................................................... 16 A vacation adventure ITEMS OF INTEREST Peripheral Vision ........................................................................ 4 Important notes and thoughts for you . From the Reps ............................................................................ 5 Meet those people who are doing their best Mail Call ...................................................................................... 6 Notes from all over Bench Wrench ............................................................................ 15 Cold-weather starting & more, more, more ... Legal Word .................................................................................. 20 "It teas only a motorcycle ..." Woman's View ............................................................................ 21 Deadline is the first of the month, two months preceding cover date. For advertising rates and information please contact: Wayne Gales National Sales Director POSTMASTER: Send Form 3579 to: VTS Adventure Road 1615 South Eastern Avenue Las Vegas, Nevada 89104 The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the Venture Touring Society. The Venture Touring Society is a completely separate entity from Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA, and is not affiliated with any other organization. The Venture Touring Society, Inc., is a Nevada corporation. "Venture" and "Venture Royale" are trademarks of Yamaha Motor Co., Ltd., and are used with the permission of Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA. The VTS is a licensed user in Canada. Favorite rides in Colorado Steamboat/V-Daze Registration ............................................. 27 Make your reservations now! Priority Dealer Network .......................................................... 33 More dealers that ,;ire us their best Roll Call ...................................................................................... 34 Everybody who will help ADVERTISERS Bert's Motorcycles ................ Russ Brown ........................... Browns Plating ..................... Bushtec ................................... California Sidecar ................. Carlisle Tires ......................... Continental Ind. ................... Cycle Comm Radar .............. Cycle Comm 1200 ................ Hitch Co. ............................... Jefferson Insurance ................ Metal Image ......................... 23 10 7 29 31 11 26 25 6 10 5 21 Nevada Yamaha .................. 22 Powr-X .................................. 16 Road Rider ............................ 20 Romar Specialties ................ 32 S & S Manufacturing .......... 16 Spectre Oil ............................ 30 Swivel Safe, Inc. .................. 17 Time Out .............................. 8, 13 Tuff 'n' Lite .......................... 9 Widder Enterprises ............ 21 Yamaha Motor Corporation .......... 18-19 Yamaha Parts Div. .............. Back Cover ON THE COVER Magnificent Lake Mead provided the view and a springlike day gave the VTS staff reason to visit Hoover Dam Recreational Area. Bike courtesy of Nevada Yamaha. Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 3 By Joe Schaerer Executive Director Venture Touring Society CONDOLENCES We at the Venture Touring Society extend our condolences and deepest sympathy to the friends and families of Ken Downing and John E. Negus, who were both supporters of the VTS and will be greatly missed. Peace. VOLUNTEER CLARIFICATION Our request for help for this year's rally seems to be meeting with some confusion. I hope the following will clarify our position: First, you must be registered for the event. You do this by filling out the application in the magazine and sending it in with your remittance, accompanied by a written offer of help (remember, you must be at least 21 years old). If you're asked to help, we will notify you by letter so you may prepare to work the event. You must be able to be at Steamboat no later than Monday, June 24, to attend a meeting at 6 p.m. at the Thunderhead Lodge. You will be responsible for arranging your own accommodations (whether it be camping, motel or condo) and we will reimburse you $25 per day per campsite or room up to five days. (For example, a single person spending $3 a day on his campsite would receive $25 per day; a couple sharing a $35 motel room would receive $25 per day — not $25 per person.) Plus, of course, you will receive a free entry into next year's rally (limited to basic pre-registration), your cap and jacket. Please list your size(s) in your offer to help. Page 4 / April 1985 / Adventure Road Your voucher will be given to you at the end of the event, or when we receive your room or campsite receipt. Since this our first event of this kind, we are still in the learning stage. Your patience will help us make V-Daze '86 even better. ❑ ❑ ❑ VENTURE SERVICE MANUALS We still have service manuals for the XVZ 1200. If you'd like one or would like to send one for a gift, then remit $22.45(U.S.) and we will ship it to you. We will save a few for door prizes at V-Daze. UPDATE Speaking of the rally, we're pleased to announce that we've been added to the AMA/Dunlop Touring Elite Series as Official District 25 Tour. All AMA members will receive a tour pin, along with an entry fee discount at the door. If you've already sent your entry in, just show your card when picking up your packet. And, AMA members, don't despair after reading your AMA March issue. Due to an error, the VTS was left out of the U.S. Clubs list. The AMA has assured us that this will be corrected in their next issue. I guess there are those who still don't believe we're here to stay! ❑ ❑❑ VENTURE VESTS What shipping charges? Yes, we know they weren't listed, but then we didn't know how many you folks would order. They will be shipped freight collect. ❑ ❑❑ V-DAZE EXPO As of this printing, the following exhibitors have indicated or committed to our rally: Dunlop Tire & Rubber Co., Yamaha Motor Corp. USA, Yamaha Parts Distributors Inc., Bushtec Trailers, California Sidecar, Cycle-Comm, J&M Corp., Jefferson Insurance, Metal Image, Harper's Raytown Cycle, Rider, and Finishing Touch. Also, for those who will want to have their bike pinstriped by the best, we have Steve Cox and Kafka coming. More to come, of course. ❑ ❑❑ BACK PATCH After many attempts at the design for the back patch using the side view of the Venture, we've elected to use the pin design, but with more detail. They have been promised to us by the end of March. They will be available at the rally along with other apparel and the new VTS belt buckle. ❑ El ❑ MEMBER PRODUCTS A few members have gone out of their way to make items available at low cost to the membership: Gus Tozzi of Florida and Bob Nugent of California — larger windshields; Harlan Skeers of Colorado — official belt buckle and trunk liners; and Truman Bennett of California — wind deflectors. Take advantage of these fine products and the savings to us. ❑ ❑❑ 50/30/20 WHAT? This was one of the most confusing parts of the application for some of you. A 50/30/20 is a cash drawing. You buy the six tickets for $10. That money goes into a pot. The winners (two) are drawn; one receives 30%, the other gets 20%. The remaining 50% stays with the VTS and is distributed within the organization. ❑ ❑ MEMBERSHIP GROWTH I am happy to report that our growth of new members during the months of December and January was great! An average of 10 new applications a day came in, due greatly to our state, provincial and area representatives, and to our growing chapter members. ❑ ❑ ❑ KING & QUEEN As of this printing, we're still accepting entries for the contest. The winners, along with the logo winner, will be announced in the next issue. You still have time! ❑ ❑ ❑❑ I NTER-OFFICE MEMO By now all the directors should have received our first inter-office memo. We hope this will help in your efforts to expand the VTS and open a line of communication with us that will enable us to assist you. We need chapter schedules, meeting places, area rides, shows, etc., for the calendar. ❑ ❑❑ CHAPTER CHATTER With the sun just starting to peek out in some parts of the country, many members of our chapters aren't wasting any ti me getting back onto their bikes. Some are setting up rides and runs, and many are planning group rides to V-Daze. ❑ [11 ❑ MEMBERSHIP DIRECTORY We have had more inquiries as to a directory of members, PDN dealers, etc. This is on our "Things to Do" list, Continued on Page 21 From the Reps... FROM SASKATCHEWAN The provincial director for Saskatchewan is Chuck Morash. He's 41 years old, and his wife, Mavis, and he have four children: Randy, 28, Craig, 19, Erin, 16, and Meagan, 13. Chuck has been self-employed in the construction field since 1960. He's a member of the Saskatchewan chapter of the Retreads and has an '84 Venture Royale, which he and Mavis ride about 30,000 kilometres a year. They are both lifetime members of the VTS. (And in answer to your question, Chuck: No, this is not enough information! Please write again and let us know how things are going there, your plans, meetings, activities, etc. —Ed.) FROM TENNESSEE I received my state director's material in December. Because of the busy season, area rep W.C. and Janet Whaley and I decided to get the holidays behind us. We are now getting "on a roll again." Our first chapter and organizational meeting was scheduled for January. My plan is to build the Cleveland/ Chattanooga area into a very strong chapter that other chapters might pattern themselves after. We plan to make the Yamaha Family Affair June 14-16 in Pigeon Forge, Tenn., a big event. We're having a spring poker run and several members are already planning the trip to V-Daze in Steamboat Springs. The Yamaha area sales rep, Eugene Moore, has shown an interest in our chapter and plans to attend our meeting. Please send me additional information that becomes available about VTS. I personally feel it will be very important to keep a good line of communication open. Sincerely, Roy Maples #01385 Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 5 We will be in touch with any new information. See you this summer! NO TROUBLE Enclosed is registration for V-Daze. I must be fortunate because after 10,000 miles last summer I haven't had any trouble with my Venture. It seems after every long trip, I had a letter from Yamaha to get the Venture in for factory work — stator, front end, etc. The timing must have been right because everything worked well (beyond my expectations). I noticed the right side panel and battery cover were loose. After some looking I found the rubber gasket that fit on the metal loops lying loose. I put these back in place with some silicone glue and did the same with the other rubber gaskets — no other problems. I must compliment Gary Reese and his staff at Sioux Valley Sports, Mankato, Minn., for his prompt and concerned service. I'm sure he will help anyone in the area who might be having trouble and get you back on the road ASAP. Thanks to Ron D'Alessio for his prompt reply concerning a whine I had in the front. The noise went away after I fine-tuned the air pressure in the tires Mail Call! and suspension. It wasn't necessary to change tires. Thanks for a fine magazine. Thain Dikkers #01047 Madelia, MN LET IT SNOW Thank you for making the VTS what it is today and best wishes for continued success. I'm looking forward to spring so that I can put my Venture on the road again. During a normal winter I go .snLoawtmebilgIpu20 miles in mid-December before the snow melted. It is now mid-January and it refuses to snow around here. The southeastern corner of Minnesota is by far the most scenic portion of the state for snowmobiling and motorcycling at their respective times of the year. —Bob Vogel #00705 Rochester, MN SEE YOU TWO TOO! CB TRANSCEIVER "Remote Control Panel" FEATURES • • • • • • • • • Perfect fit for Venture Fairing Panel ( Only 3 /4" W x 2 /8"H x 2"D) 40 Channel Digital Readout Up/Down Channel Selection Channel 9 Emergency Switch Distant/Local Switch Volume - On/Off Control Squelch Control Transmitter Indicator 3 Only 7 $269 = /1 Available options include remote push-to-talk switches, automatic relay for stereo speaker switching, and interface cables for Yamaha, Honda, and others. CYCLE-COMM 938 Saint John's Road Woodstock, Illinois 60098 815/ 337 0790 - Page 6 / April 1985 / Adventure Road Enclosed is our V-Daze application. We look forward to attending this event. Also enclosed is my brother and sisterin-law's application. They own a 1985 Aspencade and will be coming with us. We plan to share accommodations and travel together. Since they are not VTS members, we are enclosing their application with ours. We hope this will not create any problems. We look forward to seeing you (and finally meeting you) in Colorado. If there is anything we can help with, just let us know. We have sent out letters to VTS members and all Venture owners in New Jersey (97 of them) and are trying to promote the club and V-Daze. Hopefully V-Daze will be a "happening"! We hope to get many replies to our letters and start a chapter in New Jersey soon. —Tom & Cathy Gitto #01336/01336-01 Browns Mills, NJ ■ Tom, judging by the new members you've signed up recently, you must really be doing your homework! Thanks! LOCK-UP FOLLOW-UP Thank you for taking care of my request for an associate membership for my wife. I am really enjoying my Venture and had just passed 15,000 when we put it away the first of November. I am surprised with the failing of the stator and low-mileage brake pads. They claimed to have tested it all those miles and must have had the same problems with test models. Also, could a follow-up be printed concerning the rear-wheel lock-up one member had? That really bothers me. Best regards, Richard Torrey #00233 Bennington, VT ■ We called Yamaha and they said their field representative inspected the motorcycle and determined that a defective radiator cap was at fault. On the other hand, Mike Gipson, our member who was experiencing the problem, had his own inspections made and determined the problem was a casting imperfection in the waterjackets. This caused a hot spot in a specific area of the engine, thus causing it to seize. Yamaha did take Mike's evaluation into consideration. To erase any doubts and to satisfy their customer, they did change the cases. At last report, Mike was very happy with his Venture. A PERFECT TRIP I just received a copy of Adventure Road from my dealer. Enclosed is my membership and associate membership dues. My wife and I surely enjoy our Venture Royale; it's the most comfortable cycle we have ridden. Congratulations on a job well done getting VTS on the road again. After reading your Mail Call in the Oct. '84 issue, I just wanted to tell you that I purchased my Royale in the last part of June 1984. Within two weeks I started a cross-country trip which included stops in New Orleans, Memphis, the Painted Desert, the Petrified Forest and Las Vegas. As I was combining my trip with business, my wife met me in Las Vegas later and we toured Hoover Dam, Flagstaff and the Grand Canyon. My work took me to Ridgecrest, Calif., where I remained until Dec. 15. At that time I made the return trip via the traditional southern route for weather reasons. All in all, I racked up over 15,000 miles without a hitch, thanks to expert service from my dealer, Yamaha Sports Center in Marehead City, N.C., and from Desert Sports Center in Ridgecrest. Both dealerships kept my Royale updated and in top running order. I think the Venture is the top machine in its class and am anxious to help further the VTS. Keep up the good work. Anything I can do to help, please let me know. —Wally Jaillet #01687 Havelock, NC ■ Wally, thanks for your support. Our N. C. rep is Johnny Perry (see list of state directors). Give him a call and perhaps the two of you can get together for a cup of coffee and put a ride together. I realize you live about 300 miles from each other, but if you meet halfway it would be a nice ride. Sorry we didn't get a chance to meet you when you were here in Las Vegas. YAMAHAPPY Just a little note about me and my family. I got the first Royale in Burlington in 1983 and I love it. I have added just about all the Ventureline that has come out, and also have had very little trouble with it. My wife rides a 1981 Maxim. She bought it herself after trading in the 400 I first bought her. When we first rode together, her on the 650 and me on the Royale, nobody seemed to see her bike, just the Royale, so I full-dressed her bike — fairing, lowers, bags, trunk, extra lights, radio, etc. Now people see them both — one gold and one silver. My boy turned 16 last year and I got him a 550 Vision with fairing and lowers. He loves it. We also have two dirt bikes and a snowmobile, all Yamaha. Our next-door neighbor is the Yamaha dealer, Leo's Yamaha. Got to go; thanks for everything. —Robert McAllister #00240 Burlington, IA ■ Now, that's what we call a Yamaha family affair. MADE FOR HIM I' m sending you a copy of the Venture survey printed in Road Rider magazine. I also sent a note to Road Rider along with my survey form telling them how great I think the Venture is. I've been riding for 42 years and my Venture is the greatest bike I've ever slung a leg over. I never enjoyed riding anything quite as much, and I have been on quite a few different makes. Harley, Triumph, Indian, BSA, Kawasaki and Honda are some that I have owned. The first time I sat on a Venture I knew it was made just especially to fit me. It's the first bike I've ever owned that didn't require a custom seat immediately after purchase. I certainly enjoy the Adventure Road and I thank you for the work you are doing to keep it going. See you down the road. Braking System to the conventional braking system with stainless steel lines? They're not for racers only. Q: Who makes adjustable windshield "wings" that work? I'm sure that, like myself, a lot of Venture owners are waiting for the 1985 Venture microfiche to arrive at their local dealer so they can check to see if the new side panel vents are available as a separate part. If they are, Yamaha may soon find themselves back-ordered on them as '83/84 owners will be snatching them up like hotcakes to save their roasted legs. A little Bondo here, a dab of Crazy Glue there .. . —Craig Addy #01152 London, ON ■ We know of only one person who has converted the brakes; Tom Wilson #00001 of Florida is going to write an article on how to do it. As for the adjustable wings, go call Accessories Unlimited in Newhall, Calif, 1/800/ 235-3443. —Van H. Witt #01410 Fort Smith, AR ■ Thank you for your copy of the survey. When Road Rider compiles all the statistics they're going to send them to us. SHORT BUT SWEET I am the proud owner of an '83 gold Venture Royale, which I love. This is my first touring bike and I think it is just great. I would like to compliment you people on the fine job you've done on the magazine. I would like to thank Art and Lyn Rea, Dave Stewart and all the members of the VTS in Ontario for making the 1984 season a great one. —David McCutcheon #01159 Hamilton, ON ■ We're glad you love your Venture! We agree that the Ontario reps are doing a great job. See you in Steamboat? Q&A Q: How about a do-it-yourself article on how to convert the Unified (beginner) Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 7 FAITH RESTORED Keep up the good work. Jean and I enjoy every issue of Adventure Road. Schedule permitting, we look forward to meeting many Venture riders at Steamboat Springs. Enclosed are two photos taken of our matched 1984 Venture Royales. Our dealer, Burnsville Sports Center of Burnsville, Minn., swapped colors on two Venture Royales with two Orion Silver 1984 Ventures. The result is that we are the proud owners of two 1984 Orion Silver Venture Royales. The machines function and operate beautifully. Our first season on the Royales produced 14,000+ and 16,000+ miles for Jean and myself. We are waiting for the 1985 riding season to begin up here in Minnesota. On a recent visit to Burnsville Sports Center I discussed the Priority Dealer Network (PDN) with sales manager Mike Dolney. He was under the impression that their dealership was a member. However, I told him I didn't see their dealership listed in the PDN section of Adventure Road. Mike said their dealership is interested in joining the program. Can you please send a PDN application to him? Thank you. Burnsville Sports Center must be commended for their dedication to the motorcycling sport. Mike, Matt and Jim M. in sales, Hank and Frank in parts and Rich and Gene in service have all been very helpful when called on in scheduling routine maintenance, purchasing accessories or oil filters and spark plugs (the only parts we have needed). After a bad experience with another dealership our faith has been restored with this swell bunch of individuals. We are looking forward to our next issue of Adventure Road. Best wishes for a successful 1985 season and beyond. Yours truly, Arlo & Jean Bertsch #01354/01354-01 Bloomington, MN ■ Thanks for the kind words. We've sent Mike a PUN application. To all our friends in the north country: we know you've had a rough winter and you have our warmest wishes for an early spring and lots of pleasant riding! Beauty times two. WAITING FOR THE WARM The TIME OUT Tent Camper by the TO Corp. P.O. Box 2028, Elkhart, IN 46515 Phone: 219-294-7671 The Best Towing, Roomiest Camper on the Market Hi! Here it is, 12" of snow on the ground, temperature is 5°, and I'm polishing the accessories on my Venture. Maybe I've suffered brain damage — I' m not sure! Anyway, still no rep for western New York yet. What I'd like to know is, what is involved in being a rep? Also, I'd like to know about starting a western New York chapter of the VTS. —Patrick J. Connolly #00101 Williamsville, NY ■ Pat, we forwarded your request to our directors in your area and they will be glad to show you what's involved. By the way, you're not alone when you polish your bike in the dead of winter all over the continent your fellow riders are petting their bikes and dreamcould peek out ing of spring. And if the window of the VTS offices, you'd even see Joe polishing HIS bike — and it's 65 ° and sunny here . . . . . Write for our Free brochure on our new deluxe model with dinette, luggage rack, shock absorbers, motorcycle hitch and swivel coupler, 20 cu. ft. of storage, and 61/2' of headroom. We also make a Fiberglass Cargo Trailer Page 8 / April 1985 / Adventure Road NEED HELP IN NY? Just a line to let you know I think you are doing a magnificent job restoring the CHA-OS of the Florida camps. Enclosed please find our renewal application for Byron and Chris. We do have our patches and decals and one pin. The only problem I've had in 9,000 miles was the alternator and plug wires. The first item was taken care of; the second is still waiting. Back-ordered! As per our phone conversation of Dec. 29, 1984, I wish to thank you for the service offered on the plug wires through my dealer. I am very satisfied with the general service and one-day service I've received from C&R Cycles, Route 5, Canastota, N.Y. I don't blame them for the back-order problem on wires. They have always been courteous and prompt whenever I have visited them for any reason. I would like very much to see them listed as a priority dealer in Adventure Road. At nearly 9,000 miles the alternator stator went, so 30 days later it was replaced. I also replaced brake pads all around but the new ones squeal on the rear and tend to grab at slow speed. I usually stop by going down through the gears before applying the brakes so it doesn't bother me that much. I'm hoping they will wear in. Disks were in fine shape! The week of January 1 I took my Royale into C&R Cycle and had the plug wires which they received from you installed. I rode the bike home on January 4 and it was 20° above zero and after dark. My face got cold but I enjoyed every mile of it. Of course there were a few of my friends who thought I was crazy. I really appreciate your help in getting the wires so fast for me and it did not take long to have them installed. his or her services we will try to list it for the benefit of other members. A LAW WE CAN LIVE WITH? Recently, I have thought to myself that it sure would be nice to become a law-abiding citizen again. I'm referring to the double-nickel speed limit. It's not that I'm a speed freak by any means, but I do seem to find myself traveling at 60 to 65 mph on many occasions. My observations in traveling (professionally as well as for pleasure) around Kansas and other western states has shown me that many other travelers exceed the 55-mph speed limit on rural highways: Most people, like myself, would not even think of breaking other laws, but they make an exception when it comes to observing the national speed limit because they apparently consider the limit to be an unreasonable one. Congress will likely be considering a modification to the national speed limit, so those members of VTS who feel that such modification is needed should let their congressional representatives know that they support higher speed limits on rural highways. —Steve Koons #00008 Topeka, KS ■ We agree — thanks for writing! PRAISE & A QUESTION I've been reading with interest your Adventure Road magazine, which has increased in quality with each issue. I feel obligated to respond with some words of praise for your efforts. Also, I have a question regarding tire options for the Venture that I hope some of your readers (or Yamaha) might be able to answer for me. In February 1983, after much research into the early and scarce articles about the Venture in the cycle magazines, I decided to gamble and be one of the first Venture owners; now I own Venture serial number 328. From the moment I rode the bike out of the dealer's shop, I knew it was one of the finest machines I had ridden. Although I had no doubt about the bike's quality and performance, I knew I had made a gambler's bet. I had no guarantee that the Venture would be a marketing suc- Please add our name to your Help Column: Byron & Chris Westcott, BRREoxr67i-,ed1vl.,NY 13061, 315/662-7055. We will help you find service if you break down, and help you find camping areas, give directions, food or coffee, overnight accommodations for one or two couples, or just plain tire-kicking. If you don't get us we may be out there two-wheeling ourselves. —Byron Westcott #00545 Erieville, NY ■ Byron, we are printing your address and phone number so that if any of our members wish to make a note of them, they may. We haven't got a Help Column started yet, but if a member offers Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 9 cess, or that Yamaha would continue with it beyond 1983. Thanks to the efforts of the Venture Touring Society (second version), the Yamaha Corp. and its dealers (for responsibly attending to the Venture's early ills), and the other enthusiastic owners I have met, the Venture is now recognized as one of the finest touring cycles on the road and is beginning its third year of production. Regarding tire options — when I replaced the original equipment tires (at 6,000 miles for the rear, 11,000 for the front), I opted for the Dunlop Touring Elites because of the long-life performance I had experienced with the Dunlops on my previous bike. The Dunlops also have a higher load capacity than the originals, thus increasing my safety confidence in the tires for two-up, fullload touring. Now I'm nearing the mileage where I again need to start thinking about new tires. Have any of your readers experimented with larger tires on the Venture — for example, 130/90-18 on the front and 150/90-16 on the rear? If so, I'd like some feedback via your magazine as to the outcome (fit, performance, etc.). If I sound concerned about tire safety, believe me, I am. I'm convinced that tire failure is the leading mechanical failure in motorcycle accidents. In fact, I spent last Saturday in a hospital emergency room with a close friend after a front tire blew on his Honda CB900 at interstate speed. Luckily, only road rash and a few sutures will be in his story at the next breakfast ride-in. It could have been much worse! Don't just kick 'em — check 'em! Thanks, and keep up the good work. By the way, have you considered a "Shop & Swap" section to your magazine, where for a reasonable fee members could hunt, sell or swap Venture items? —Al Priez #01217 Boca Raton, FL ■ Al, as you probably know, most manufacturers would tell you to stay with original equipment, designed and engineered for your motorcycle. But if any VTS members can help answer your question, we'll publish it. With reference to your "Shop & Swap" idea, our "Unclassified" section publishes short, non-business ads from VTS members for free. HELPFUL DEALER On June 30, 1983, while traveling in the Lancaster, Penn., area, my new Venture Royale broke down. A screw (part #90151-06013) broke in the transmission, making it difficult to shift and taking out fifth gear altogether. Being far from home and with a holiday weekend ahead, I had visions of my five-day tour turning into a five-day wait. Fortunately, this was not the case. I was able to coax the bike to Lancaster Yamaha. That was the best possible move I could have made. The people at Lancaster Yamaha were terrific! They fixed my bike and had me back on the road in less than two hours. They were courteous, efficient and knowledgeable, even able to make a part that they didn't have in stock. Because of their good work, I was able to enjoy my tour and my weekend and get back home with no problems. I would appreciate it if you would pass along my thanks to them for a job well done. They are a credit to Yamaha. (I also sent a copy of this letter to the Page 10 / April 1985 / Adventure Road Yamaha Corporation.) —Leo T Miller #00207 Poughkeepsie, NY ■ Thanks for the info, Leo. We definitely believe in giving credit where it's due. WELCOME I just received a copy of Adventure Road magazine. I was pleased to receive it, as I'd never heard of it or VTS. I've been riding since 1957. I'm sending full membership dues. I'm pleased with the magazine and interested in new accessories and tours. Please send membership packet as soon as possible. Hoping to hear from you soon as I can't wait for the next magazine. Yours truly, Richard Meiu #01648 Pueblo, CO ■ We got this letterjust before Christmas; Richard is now a member of VTS. Welcome aboard! SMALL EXCUSE! Here is my renewal form. It is a little late, but better late than never! The reason it's late is that my wife and I are now the proud parents of a healthy baby girl, Ashley Mae. She came into our lives three weeks early, causing us some confusion and the putting off of sending in the renewal application. Great magazine — great motorcycle — keep up the good work. —Doug Vander Venter #00528 Stoneham, MA ■ Come on, Doug do you REALLY think that merely having a baby is a good enough excuse for being late? I mean, invaders from outer space, okay . . . cosmic catastrophe, sure . . . but a tiny little BABY? Come on .... RUSTY GAS Please find enclosed my check for renewal in the VTS. I enjoy the magazine and hearing what other riders are experiencing. I have read several letters regarding water in the fuel tank. I checked my machine and found quite a bit of rust in the tank. I wonder where it's coming from? I never experienced a problem Continued on Page 22 Tourmax, the premiere high performance touring tire developed from Carlisle's Optimax Technology, is taking over. Rider reaction says Tourmax will be the new standard for motorcycle touring tires. Look at these reasons why. • Unique bead retention feature for added safety • Specially designed WaterSheds for excellent wet weather traction • Tube/tubeless construction • "H" rated, 130 mph, with full load at 40 psi • Special compound for high mileage • Identical front and rear tread design • Optional raised white letters Tourmax Approx. Nominal Cross Sec. Approx. Metric Cross Sec. Max. Load (Ibs) (psi) MU 90S-15 5.60 M140 950 @ 40 MT 90H-16 5.10 M130 770 @ 40 MU 90H-16 5.60 M140 870 @ 40 MT 90H-17 5.10 M130 810 @ 40 MP 90H-18 4.25 M110 690 @ 40 MR 90H-18 4.70 M120 760 @ 40 MM 90H-19 3.75 — 570 @ 40 Carlisle, Optimax and Tourmax are trademarks of Carlisle Corporation. © 1984 Carlisle Corporation Tourmax tires are also backed by Carlisle's exclusive Lifetime Guarantee. It's your assurance of quality and performance for the entire life of your tire. Need more proof? Then ride Tourmax for 30 days. If you're not satisfied with your Tourmax, then Carlisle will buy it back from you, plus pay the labor for your tire change* as well. Tourmax. Guaranteed performance. Extended durability. Total confidence. Only from Carlisle. *Certain limitations and restrictions apply. Offer expires 6/30/85. For full details and your nearest Carlisle dealer, call toll free 800/233-7165. In PA, 800/222-1876. Carlisle Tire & Rubber Company Division of Carlisle Corporation P.O. Box 99, Carlisle, PA 17013 Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 11 Vetter Cruise Control M By Craig Addy otorcycled cruise controls have been around since some inventive biker looped a cut-down inner tube band around the throttle grip and over the mirror stem or master cylinder of his bike. Since then there have been modified coat hangers and friction screws. The first breakthrough in "cramp reducers" was made of chromed metal. This worked to an extent but took up a noticeable amount of grip space on some single-throttlecabled bikes. Then came the black nylon units that were less complicated to install, left you more room for your hand on the grip and were about half the other's $40 price. One trait both these units had was that they increased your speed going downhill and you lost speed going uphill. They also needed occasional fiddling to keep the speed consistent. But the latest entries into the cruise control market are not of the throttle clamp type but are operated by vacuum servo units a la car cruise controls. The first two in this field are made by Maryland and Vetter and are currently available for Honda Geldings , Aspencades, Yamaha Ventures and '83 Venture Royales. The unit we evaluated is by Vetter and was installed on an '84 Venture (Canadian model). It has an approximate price of $180 and installation time is about six hours, although a few problems with the instructions lengthened this. How It Works Six small magnets are epoxied onto the rear disc carrier. As the wheel turns, the magnets create a magnetic current which is then picked up by a sensor mounted behind the rear axle pinch bolt. This magnetic signal is then sent to the small computer box which is located beside the upper left air vent inside the fairing. The black box then tells the servo unit whether to increase or decrease the vacuum, thus the changes in the throttle settings. The servo unit is the largest part in the kit and it mounts on the left-hand horn assembly bracket. Out of the front Page 12 / April 1985 / Adventure Road The Vetter Cruise Control. end of the servo exit the wires to be connected to the wiring harness. The other end has a throttle cable coming out of it. When the servo is mounted, this cable heads back toward the rear of the bike, curls up at the rear cylinder, then curls left along the carburetors and down behind the left chrome rad cover. From here it comes under the servo and mounts via a bracket to the crankcase breather. The cable end is then mounted to the carburetor throttle arm. To increase this set speed, you can either manually twist the throttle to the desired increased speed and then push the set button or push the activator switch to the "resume" position. This will cause the bike to accelerate till you release it. Your speed will remain at the released setting. Now, say that you are in the cruising mode going down the highway at 60 mph in the right-hand lane. You come upon two cars that are going slower in the same lane. You want to pass but another car is fast approaching in the left lane, eliminating your chance to pass. Instead of using the brakes and automatically turning off the system, just push and hold the activator switch to the "set" position. This will decrease your speed until you release it. It will hold at the speed released. After the passing car pulls back into the right lane, push the activator switch to the "resume" position for approximately two seconds and you will then accelerate back up to your original 60 mph cruising speed. When triggered by the handlebar switch, the servo creates a vacuum which pulls on the cable, which holds or releases the throttle to maintain your selected speed. Simple, eh? The two problems with the instructions concerned the wiring and servo hose connections. Because it is made in the U.S., Vetter refers to the wiring colour codes of the U.S. Ventures. The instructions call for you to connect the wiring harness' red wire to the bike's tan wire. The closest thing to a tan wire on the Canadian Venture was either a dark brown, orange, or two light-brown wires. What you want to do is connect the red wire to the hot side of the brake light switch. A quick look in your Venture wiring diagram (Canadian) tells you that the light-brown wires are connected to the front and rear brake light switches. Use either of these. The other problem was with the hose connections at the servo unit. If installed according to the instructions, the whole cruise kit will not work. Here's what you do. On page 5 of the instructions, under the heading "Vacuum Canister Installation," step 5 says to "route the large 9/32" hose from the dump valve to the large fitting on the side of the servo assembly." Instead, it should be installed on the fitting on the top of the servo. Step 11 says to "connect the remaining 9/32" hose to the large fitting on the top of the servo assembly. Route the other end to the area above the engine heat shield." Instead, this hose should be attached to the large fitting on the side of the servo. A quick call to the people at Vetter produced this solution and an apology for the misprint. Once everything is installed and checks out according to the instructions, you can make low-speed, centering and sensitivity adjustments via three dials on the black box. When these are set to your liking, your last step is to put all of the previously removed fairing pieces back on. You are now ready for miles of cramp-free riding! Nits & Picks Picks: • Although mounted in view, the servo unit does not disrupt the looks of the bike. • A choice of two activator switch brackets allows a placement comfortable for the individual. • The handlebar switch is not in an awkward position as is the one with the Markiand unit (though personal preference may vary). • Both the switch and the servo are waterproof. • No special tools are needed for installation. • Good detailed instructions (17 pages), including a wiring diagram and five-page trouble-shooting section. • The system turns itself off when either brake or clutch is used. • Set speeds are cancelled every ti me the ignition is switched off. Nits: • The 5/32" vacuum line that is to be cut into a 24" length should be at least 26" for a better fit. • The speed sensor wires are to be fastened to the swingarm by the supplied cable ties. After the first one is attached near the axle, the swingarm is too wide for the length of the ties. To overcome this, just fasten the remaining ties together in pairs, then fasten them around the wire and to the arm. • When mounting the activator switch, it supplies three nylon washers that act as a spacer to allow the choke switch to clear the switch bracket. Keep the washers for your nuts and bolts box, and install a single star washer. The smooth surface of the nylon washers allows the switch to move when you push it regardless of how much you tighten it. The choke will still come in contact with the bracket but in this position it only allows it to rev to 3,000 rpm at full choke. • In the instructions, to install the vacuum canister, you are to use the adhesive strips on the back of it and place it on the heat shield of the rear cylinder. The shield has a hump in the middle of it that prevents the canister from lying flat. It is all right to lay it in loose as this has no effect on it. Putting It In Operation Bring the bike up to your desired cruising speed, then push the activator switch to the "set" position for about two seconds. Release the switch and then the throttle. The cruise control is now activated. Your set speed will now remain constant within 2 mph as long as it is above the minimum speed that was set in the black box. Vetter Cruise Control servo unit. AMA, Dunlop Ink Three-Year Road Riding Series Contract The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) and the Dunlop Tire Corporation have finalized an agreement that will put the AMA's classic road riding events under the banner of the AMA/Dunlop Touring Elite Series for the next three years. "From the response and the success of the last two years during which we've sponsored the series, Dunlop decided to consummate a new three-year agreement," says John Rozko, national sales manager of the motorcycle division. The 1985 edition of the series will consist of 87 events, including the national road riding championships, district tours and rallies (including V- Daze) and grand tours. Also included in the schedule is the new AMA National Road Riding Convention Series, a subseries of championship-stature events strategically located in five of the AMA's six national regions. "The only road riding activity schedule better than the 1985 AMA/Dunlop Touring Elite Series will be the 1986 and '87 versions," says Ken Reid, AMA touring and transportation director. "The three-year agreement assures more stability and consistence in planning this season, and upcoming ones as well. And that results in a better program for the AMA, Dunlop and, most i mportant, the road riders who attend these events." For more information, see the calendar elsewhere in this issue. FIBERGLASS CARGO TRAILER by Time Out. Write the TO Corp. P.O. Box 2028, Elkhart, IN 46515, or call 219-294-7671. Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 13 FROM THE REPS Continued from Page 5 FROM MISSOURI A meeting of the Missouri Venture Touring Society was held at the home of Darrel and Sharon Burns on January 27. A big thanks for their hospitality and Sharon's delicious chocolate cake. There were 11 members and five guests in attendance. The Kansas City Road Riders Touring Club president, Darrel Miller, and vice-president and fellow Venture rider Dick Bailey dropped in to invite us to their seventh annual Motorcycle Touring and Camping Show to be held in February. All members agreed to join in the fun and show their machines as a whole. Butch and Louise Smeltizer of Liberty, Mo., just took delivery of a new Venture Royale from Metropolitan Yamaha. Welcome to Venture World and the comforts and pleasures associated with this grand machine. Butch traded in his Midnight Special for the Royale. Tom Smith will be firming up our calendar of upcoming events — poker run, Yamaha Days, etc. — with Ron Bayless, who was unanimously elected our official photographer and newsletter editor. Each member is encouraged to forward his or her personal glimpses of touring interest in support of Ron's endeavors. Ron will support the society well with his background and expertise. Winter Riding Fun & Hazards Snow, ice and hypothermia are dangerous, but the most dangerous factor in winter touring is you. The mind numb - ing effects of cold combine with your summer thoughts — "Heck, if I can do the highways (Trading Post Inn on Highway 69, Pleasanton, Kansas — 1,000 miles a day during the warm nice weather, why not now?" The cold slows your reaction time required to avoid snow and ice patches and makes you tire quickly. If you're a cold-weather buff, as we are, take a short trip, stop often and enjoy the silence of winter at play. Relieve your hunger pangs in one of those out-of-the-way restaurants along great Sunday dinner!) and enjoy our four seasons as you never believed you could. When you're home in front of the fireplace sipping great quantities of hot coffee, you can laugh and relate to a winter day of wonderful fun. You know it's cold out when you can't throw your leg over the saddle because you have too many layers of clothing on. You know it's cold out when you want to wave to another biker but you can't separate your hand from the grip. You know it's truly cold out when that miserable ride was the high point of your week and you can't wait for next week when you'll get another chance to get out there with the wife and freeze your buns off again. Two Up & Rubber Side Down, Mal & Ginni Fishback #00297 FROM ALABAMA I'd like to introduce myself to the Alabama members. I was surprised to learn that we have in excess of 110 VTS members within our beautiful state and the numbers are growing. My name is Randy Emery, I'm 32 and have been riding motorized twowheelers since I was five years old. I don't have any idea how many miles that is, but I can assure you it's in excess of 100,000. However, I've only been in the Yamaha family for two years. Prior to that I rode the "generic" brands of bikes. I'm a certified instructor in both the Motorcycle Safety Foundation motorcycle rider course and the Better Biking Program. My wife, Citali, and I live in Decatur. You are more than welcome to drop by any time and have coffee and talk about bikes and VTS. Right now we're planning our trips to Pigeon Forge for the Yamaha Family Affair and then on to Steamboat Springs for V-Daze. Lots of two-wheel traveling. I'm anxious to get several chapters going in our state. Steve Armstrong of Alsport Yamaha and I are doing some initial work in the Decatur area. The state membership list indicates there should be some interest in the Birmingham, Gadsden, Dothan and Mobile areas. I'll be glad to help, advise and supply needed material. I'm also open to visits, talks, etc. — just give me a call. Talking about Alsport Yamaha, I hope you read Steve's letter in the Jan./Feb. issue of Adventure Road. Steve is very sincere about his business and downright hateful on "bad" dealers. I'm glad to see Steve join the Priority Dealer Network. Drop by and chat with him one day and I think you'll quickly discover that Steve and company are one of the best dealers around anywhere. Finally, I'd like to pat the VTS staff on the back for the excellent work, the fine magazine, and the friendly voices. Someday we'll meet face to face. Thanks! Randy Emery #01204 FROM SO. CALIFORNIA My name is Robert Nugent and my number in the VTS is 00009. I volunteered for the position of Southern Continued on Page 24 Page 14 / April 1985 / Adventure Road By Bill Daly Cold-Weather Starting This year, even here in Las Vegas, we've been plagued with cold-weather starting problems. The Venture seems to be very temperamental about starting on cold days. Factors that contribute to easy starting in the cold are: proper carob sync, correct air/fuel mixture, condition of plug wires, and the spark plugs themselves. Proper carb sync and air/fuel mixture go hand in hand and are important to good performance and starting in any temperature. when setting the air/fuel mixture, 3% is a good amount to set the C.O. for most conditions. The plug wire modification should be done to eliminate any electrical leakage from the plug wire to the frame. You can check with your dealer to see if your Venture has been done. Spark plugs are very important to the way your Venture starts. They are also easy to overlook, since they're not real easy to get to without the proper tools. With the tool kit provided, it takes about 30 minutes to change the plugs. With an air ratchet and short extension it takes about five minutes. In warm weather the plugs are not as critical as they are when it's cold, so if your last tune-up was in warm weather, they may have been overlooked. Even a set of plugs that looks good but has been cleaned by a plug-cleaning machine or sand blaster may cause problems because the cleaning abrasive becomes impregnated into the plugs' electrodes. It takes a lot less effort to fire a plug if the voltage has a nice, sharp, clean piece of metal to jump from and to, but cleaning the plugs also tend to blast away and round off the sharp edges of the electrode. For these reasons, it's a lot better idea to replace plugs than to clean them. The stock heat range and plug number work very well in winter if it's Qty. Yr. $ Each Item Color SUB TOTAL SHIPPING & HANDLING Up to $15.00 ............................. $2.45 $15.01-$25.00 ............................ $3.45 $25.01-$50.00 ............................ $4.45 $50.01-$100.00 ........................ $5.95 ver $1100 Total COLO. RESIDENTS ADD 3°/o SALES TAX SHIPPING & HANDLING TOTAL . Make checks payable to: FINISHING TOUCH, P.M. Box 727, Broomfield, Colorado 80020 Checks allow 4 to 6 weeks delivery—Money Orders out same week. SEND TO: ADDRESS CITY STATE ZIP. If anything you ever acquire through Finishing Touch doesn't satisfy you, return it within 30 days in the same condition we sent it for a full refund or replacement. Continued on Page 29 Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 15 Only the Oceans... a complete fiberglas coach with easy access to 17 cubic feet of cargo space! The room can be used as a screened-in room or, with flaps down, doubles as a dressing room. By Steve & Michelle Reno #01588/01588-01 Batavia, Iowa ime seemed to stand still. All through the night, as I woke and looked at the clock, 4:30 a.m. was still an hour away — you guessed it: the first day of vacation. We finally realized it was coming true as we crossed the Missouri River south of Omaha with the mountains in sight. We had crossed the prairies many times before on our XS 1100, which was still at home asleep in the garage. Sounds of the V-four were new to our ears, but very pleasing. After 51/2 years on the T XS 1100, we had no idea touring could be so comfortably smooth. Colorado came and went and we found ourselves in an area we'd not explored before. As we entered Arches National Park, we wondered where all the arches were — the only thing we could see was this huge cliff we were about to ascend. As we wound our way to the top, one of the most beautiful drives imaginable unrolled before us. We could have stayed there a week if the Bicentennial Highway hadn't been calling our names. Southern Utah has so much to offer the touring biker! one person can set it up in five minutes without hassle. Fiaffmtodetwfrw< you don't have to set up tent to get to cargo space! - Easily color matched to any type of bike. $1695 $395 for camper for add-a-room Dealer Inquiries Welcome For further information call or write to: Page 16 / April 1985 / Adventure Road Above: Michelle Reno with '83 X VZ Venture and Smitty trailer at Cataract Canyon in Utah. Photos by Steve Reno Below: At Zion National Park in Utah's "Color Country." Canyon from the south rim. It's really something to be able to look across the canyon and see the buildings on the other side, but to ride from rim to rim is a half-day and 211 miles. Our next destination was Carlsbad Caverns. This turned out to be one of the highlights of our trip. Our four-hour self-guided tour took us through the big room which has a floor space of 14 football fields. This is a must to see again. Unfortunately, vacations don't last forever and it was time for us to point the Venture back toward southeast Iowa. For the last 51/2 years, our touring miles were limited by how tired we would be at the end of a day. From now on, only the oceans will hold us back. Happy riding! On Utah 95, 20 miles northwest of Natural Bridges National Monument in White Canyon. One gas station in 122 miles. Photo by Steve Reno Two weeks went by as if they were only a couple of days. On our new Venture the miles went on so smoothly that we found ourselves spending more ti me in the areas we wanted to see instead of recuperating at rest stops along the way. The scenery was beautiful as at Bryce Canyon we looked down upon the park and the next day at Zion we looked up to see the massive cliffs surrounding us. Our first night at the Grand Canyon we spent on the forest-covered north ri m and the next day we explored the HOMEWARD BOUND — On Highway 60 near Farwell, Texas. Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 17 `It's Only a Motorcycle ' Intersection accidents involving motorcycles are most commonly caused by left-turning vehicles. The usual statement made by the left-turning driver is, "I didn't see the motorcycle." But this is not always true. In a number of leftturn situations, the driver of the other vehicle did, in fact, see the motorcyclist coming before making the turn. The following dialogue occurred during a recent deposition between myself and a woman who made a left turn in front of the motorcycle at an intersection: Q: Did you see the motorcycle coming before you began your left-hand turn? A: Yes. Q: If you saw the motorcycle, why did you make the left-hand turn? A: It was only a motorcycle. Her response that "it was only a motorcycle" is quite shocking. In this particular accident, the motorcyclist was killed. His death makes the answer not only shocking but outrageous. In ROAD RIDER MAGAZINE... • Isn't very fancy • Isn't easy to find That's because we're not for everybody. We aim our magazine at road riders only...people who ride Ventures, like yourself. We're the original magazine for road riders. Have been since 1969. Fact is, nobody can claim to have But we're not even a brand oriented magazine. We're a people oriented magazine. We're about people riding their motorcycles to interesting places...because that's what we like to do. If you've never seen Road Rider, send us $1.50 for a sample copy, or $15.00 for a full year's subscription (12 Issues). Send to: Road Rider Dept. AR P.O. Box 678 South Laguna, CA 92677 Page 20 / April 1985 / Adventure Road other depositions, I have asked the same question and been told by the drivers that they did see the motorcycle before they commenced making their left turn. However, the explanation given is usually, "I thought I had enough time to make the turn." Basically, both answers amount to the same thing. Some people driving cars will make left turns when they see a motorcycle coming and their only concern is for their own personal safety. They fail to take into consideration that another human being is occupying the motorcycle. An analysis of accidents where the individual answered "I thought I had enough time" has shown that the motorcycle was only 50 or 60 feet away from the point of impact when the drivers commenced their left turns. It would be an entirely different story if instead of a motorcycle coming at them there was a large truck. In this situation, you bet your life that the driver of the car would sure as hell not even dream of making a left turn. The potential risk of harm to them would be considerable, to say the least. It is quite obvious that some people don't give a damn about motorcyclists as human beings. On the other hand, I have handled more than a thousand motorcycle accident cases through the years, and during that time, I can only think of one or two situations where the driver of the car who caused the accident was a motorcyclist. People who ride rarely get involved in an accident with a motorcycle when driving other types of vehicles. A brief reflections about the risks of riding your bike at night: Statistics indicate that the hours between midnight and 3 a.m., especially on Saturday and Sunday mornings, are when most alcohol-related crashes occur. These are high-risk hours. Statistics also indicate that in excess of 40% of the drivers on weekends are legally intoxicated after midnight. Furthermore, a study done in 1978 by the Alcohol and Highway Safety Review concluded that 50% of all crashes during these hours involved alcohol. In short, if you are running your bike between 12 midnight and 3 a.m. on either Saturday or Sunday morning, you're exposing yourself to a substantial risk of being hit by a drunk and possibly killed. I suggest that you limit, if not eliminate, riding late at night or early in the morning. Recruiter Pin Pictured above is our new recruiter pin which you will receive once you recruit five new full members. When you have recruited an additional 25 new members, we will send you an attractive five-star bar and a $25 savings bond. Upon your next 25 we will send you another five-star bar and — yup! — another $25 bond. Upon your very next recruit you can send us the two five-star bars and we will send you a diamond bar. So if you see a member with a recruiter pin and a diamond bar under it, he has recruited 56 new members. Then the whole process will start over again with five-star bars until you reach 112 and then you will get your second diamond bar. Each star by the name of the following members indicates five new members. (You may be between 5 and 10, or 10 and 15, so don't worry.) When you reach five stars we will send you your five-star bar and bond. It will take some six weeks for the awards to reach you. Please bear with us for a short while. This is a revised program. Chuck Steele * * * * * * Gus Tozzi * * * Bill Kupczyk * * * Art Rea * * Dale Edens * Bob Nugent * Chuck Morash * Congratulations to all the keep up the good work. The larger we grow, the more we can accomplish for our members. Front Fender Trim (A) One style comes with a round amber reflector. the other with a round amber light. Round Reflector .............................................. Round Light ........................................................ Trunk Rack (A) 9" x 21" size gives the best look for the XVZ. Big $54.00 Rotor Covers (B) Chrome or color matched with pin striping to Rider Floorboards (A) enough to use. ................................................. Custom floorboards come with heel shifter which Trunk Rails (B) attaches to stock shifter. Adjustment is still maintained. Stock brake is retained. Compatible with match your bike. Color Matched ................................................ Mounts fix to the rack so the trunk is still Chrome ................................................................... stock engine guards. Heel shifter can be used $157.50 with stock pegs. Caliper Covers (C) Bag Rails (C) High impact strength ABS designed to compliment your bike. Clamps fix this set of rails to the rear bag guards. Chrome boards match our rider boards. Must use These rails are necessary when mounting our light bumpers. $99.00 $49.50 2.70 Adaptor Brackets ................................................. Pad color and design match the seat. Adjustable. Tilts forward for passenger. .................. Trunk Relocation Brackets (D) This set of 4 brackets is used to move the trunk rearward for more passenger comfort. . .$10.80 Rider Backrest (C) $117.00 Accents (D) Chrome pieces to highlight or cover areas on the side and under the trunk handle. Front Side Cover ............................................ $18.00 Rear Side Cover ................................................. 22.50 Frame Covers - '83 Royale .......................... 27.00 Frame Covers - Venture ............................... 27.00 Trunk Handle Scratch Plate ....................... 13.50 Exhaust Extensions Two types. Both swagged over the rear tip of the stock exhaust. Fastens with one screw. $38.70 Turn Down .............................................................. 46.80 30 Degree Cut ................................................. Bag Third Rail ............................... $63.00 1(800) FOR-WING 3 6 7 - 9 4 6 4 California Only Call: 1(818) 334-1288 Color Matched ................................................. $63.00 Chrome ................................................................... 51.30 Spoiler (D) ABS plastic styled to match your lowers. Compatible with our ride off stand if trimmed. $72.00 Color Matched ................................................. Light Bumpers - Strip Lights (E) Front Mud Flap (E) These bumpers are made of light weight ABS Protects your engine and spoiler from road and come in color match and chrome. Require debris. ................................................................... our rails for mounting. Color Match Top ......................................... Color Match Bag ............................................ $148.50 246.60 Light Bumpers - Rectangular Lights (F) ABS plastic bumpers come in color match and chrome. Require our rails for mounting. $135.00 Color Match Bag ............................................ 207.00 Color Match Top ......................................... $13.50 Fork Leg Light Mounts (F) Assembled with 6 lights or in kit form. Pr. stems with 6 lights assembled . Pr. stems with 2 light brackets .......... Pr. of light brackets ................................... Mark Light - small amber ..................... $102.60 36.00 4.50 10.80 Driving Light Mounts & Lights (G) Just the right look and position for driving lights. Trailer Hitch (G) A strong mount for trailering. Compatible with our rails and bumpers. Comes with 1 7/8" ball. Trailer Hitch ...................................................... $90.00 Rear Mud Flaps (H) Both flaps come with chrome trim, molded holes Outside California Call: $54.00 45.00 removable. Use this rail to mount our color matched bumpers. $54.00 Passenger Floorboards (B) the adapter kit to mount. Passenger Boards ............................................ $49.50 58.50 and fasteners. Stiffeners keep flap off rear wheel. Custom version comes with a chrome plate. Rear Flap - plain ............................................ $15.30 Rear Flap - plate ................................................. 21.60 Mounts ................................................................... $31.50 Hella Clear Driving Lights ............................ 89.10 Peterson Clear Driving Lights .................... 54.00 Ride Off Stand (H) Easy to put up. This unit is compatible with our spoiler and our rider floorboards. $108.00 Cruise Control Tap up, tap down and resume features. All installation is hidden. ............................... $162.00 Please list year, make, model and color when ordering. We accept Mastercard, Visa and American Express. FREE freight with any order over $50.00 in continental U.S. except: APO/FPO, Alaska and Hawaii are freight collect Bert's Motorcycles, 900 W. Foothill Blvd., Azusa, CA 91702 Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 23 FROM THE REPS Continued from Page 14 California Rep of the Venture Touring Society under Lawrence Knight. I didn't get it until after Joe Schaerer took over and brought the organization up to what it is today. A little background on myself: I put 20 years in the Navy as a hydraulic technician, working off of various aircraft carriers and working on various aircraft. I retired from the Navy in 1974. I've been riding motorcycles for about 35 years. I started riding in the dirt at about age 10 or 11. My first street bike was a 1966 Matchless. My next bike was a 1965 Triumph. After that, I didn't ride for a few years. My next street bike was a 1973 TX 750 Yamaha. I sold it three years later with 56,000 miles on it. My next bike was a 1977 Triple Yamaha. After that, I bought a 1979 1100 Yamaha. After putting 93,000 on my 1100, I purchased the best bike in the world, a 1983 Venture Royale, which now has 63,000 on it. About my trailer, which Joe calls a "lunch wagon" — the trailer itself is a utility trailer made by Cycle Camp. When I'm traveling, I carry five 64quart ice chests. One has a tent in it, one has non-perishable foods and one or two have perishable food, depending on the number of people with me and the duration of the trip. In one, I carry my clothing and in one I sometimes carry tools. Inside the trailer, I carry two sleeping bags, two lanterns, one five-gallon propane bottle, one Coleman stove, one Porta-Potty and numerous other things that I should have with me. After reading my Jan./Feb. issue of Adventure Road, I'd like to disagree about setting the EGA at 2 and 3. I had mine set at 2.5 and when I got to the northern states, I was getting a lean misfire. I drove the bike most of the way like this until I got to Fort Kent, Maine. I talked to the owner of Roger's Sport Center about using his EGA analyzer and that's when I found out that he sets most of his machines at about 4. I backed all four carburetor air screws out about one-half turn and that's when the bike ran very well. So if you do travel, talk to your mechanic or set them by the book and your machine will run much better. By the time you read this, our first meeting to form chapters in southern California will have come and gone. Page 24 / April 1985 / Adventure Road The second meeting will be March 23 at 1 p.m. at the Police Lodge, 3142 Main Street, Riverside, Calif. I hope to see those of you who missed the first meeting. If you can't make this meeting but are interested, give me a call at 714/ 997-8568 and I'll try to get you and other Venture owners in your area in contact with each other. Those of you who are interested in the first V-Daze Motorcycle Rally in Steamboat Springs June 25-29, get in contact with me. I would like to leave on the 22nd or 23rd of June and pull into Steamboat Springs with as many Venture motorcycles and guests as I can get. The route to Steamboat is open. I think this will be one outstanding rally. Keep the rubber on the road and the shiny side up. Respectfully yours, Robert S. Nugent #00009 FROM OREGON Here I sit on Friday evening, wondering what excitement the weekend will bring. The east wind is blowing 15-25 miles an hour and the temperature is around the freezing mark. With the wind-chill factor it's around 15 ° . Same is expected for the weekend. My thoughts are taking me to Steamboat Springs in June . . . such a long time off. The phone interrupts my thoughts. Some idiot I call a friend wants to know if I'd like to ride down to the coast to watch the whales. I guess I'm an idiot, too — I agreed to go along. Come morning, instead of getting up at a decent hour, I was awake at 4 a.m. Finally the time came to go to the local Retreads breakfast. About 75 showed up but only six bikes wanted to make the trip to the coast. Too cold and windy. We made one stop for coffee to warm up. It was nice at the coast, in the mid50s sunny and warm. The warmth is what we liked. We saw a few whales spouting off and had a nice, enjoyable day. So far there will be about 10 bikes coming from Oregon to the V-Daze rally. Maybe some of us can meet the group from northern California. It would be nice to see all the Ventures going down the highway together. If any more riders from Oregon or Washington want to join up, let me know (my phone number is in the directors' list). I'll see what can be arranged. See you at the rally. Come on, June .. . Marvin L. Fackler #01143 FROM ARIZONA I've enclosed a couple of pictures of yours truly you can use if you so desire. For the record, I started riding 30 years ago on a 250cc Aries "Eloper " trials bike that was followed by a 197cc James, a 500cc Triumph Speed Twin, a Manx Norton and a 1933 Morgan Three-Wheeler with a 1000cc engine. Of course, I presently ride a 1984 Venture Royale — 'nuff sed! I have been in contact with Joe Huffman and Mitch Small in Tucson and will be holding meetings to form chapters. Very truly yours, Michael P. Burr #013 76 Michael P. Burr on his '84 lemur(' Royale. Tom Anderson, Kansas State Director, shouts what he will he doing the first week of August (see Trips & Tours). PERIPHERAL VISION Continued from Page 2 but probably won't be initiated until some time after V-Daze. We must give ourselves time to grow a bit more, get more PDN dealers, and we're still looking for discounts in campgrounds, motels, etc. Good eating places will have a spot, too, so send in your referrals. NOTE: Look for the survey form at VDaze — we need to know what personal information you wish to put into print. ❑ ❑❑ V-DAZE GUESTS Anyone planning on attending our rally who wishes to bring extra guests, regardless of brand of motorcycle, please feel free to make copies of the application. Just put your membership number with a "G" after it on the application. ❑ ❑ 1E1 GOOD INSURANCE Members in California, Alaska, Arizona, Nevada and Idaho should give Jefferson Personal Lines Insurance a call on their toll-free line for a quote. We've found they are quite favorable in today's market. The call may save you more than the price of your dues. ATTENTION, CANADIANS! We have been made aware of the difficulty you're having getting Adventure Road. We're very sorry, but because of this difficulty, all new members and renewals will have to add $5 as before, so we can cover the cost of the special handling that's required in Canada to get you your magazine. Canadian Reps, please take note and stamp your applications to say "Outside U.S. add $5 in U.S. funds." WHERE'S IT AT? When you get your map for V-Daze, you will notice an arrow in Steamboat Village. That's where everything will be. It is off Mt. Werner Road. When you arrive in Steamboat, there will be signs directing you to this area. Also, we're trying to set up a local radio station to broadcast news, play music for our expo, provide a DJ for our door prize give-aways, etc. ❑ ❑❑ Unclassified... 1983 VENTURE ROYALE & 1983 Honda Aspencade. Both nicely dressed with many extras, recently serviced and ready to roll. Very clean. Pictures available. Your choice, $4,995. Contact Clay Masters, Rt. 3, Box 223-E, Roswell, N.M. 88201, 505/622-9759. LATE 1983 VENTURE (DEC.), black, absolutely mint condition, has had all factory updates. Complete service history. 9,500 miles. Has not had any of the problems experienced by others; maintained to the letter. Extras: sheepskin seat covers, luggage rack, touring pads & grips, cruise control. Forced to sell at $4,050. Michael Binder, #01017, 904/736-9856. SIDECAR: FRIENDSHIP MODEL by California Sidecar. New, optional brake lights, turn signal, spotlight, chrome step, tinted windshield, convertible top, color-matched body, seat and top to two-tone gold Royale. Will help with mounting and trade side panels. Asking $2,100 OBO. Rich Perdue, P.O. Box 4512, Ft. Walton Beach, Fla. 32549. Phone at night, 904/862-1921. Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 25 LEATHER VESTS FOR VTS MEMBERS Yamaha Parts Distributors International has made a special offer to the Venture Touring Society for the purchase of their leather vests. These vests are highquality black leather with buttons, three pockets including inner (on men's version) and come in S, M, L, XL for men and S, M, L for women. You may purchase these vests for $44.95 plus shipping and handling. Chapters may order in bulk at a 10% discount. This is an INTRODUCTORY OFFER while supplies last. Please indicate on separate paper sizes and quantity for bulk orders. Enclose payment with order. Venture Vests ORDER FORM NAME ADDRESS CITY/ST/ZIP SIZE: Women ES OM EL Men ❑ S OM EL 1=1 XL No. of vests ordered: Amount of order: $ Shipped Freight Collect Send check or money order to: Venture Vests 1615 South Eastern Avenue Las Vegas, Nevada 89104 Or call 702/457-6657 for MasterCard or VISA. Page 26 / April 1985 / Adventure Road BENCH WRENCH Continued from Page 15 a new plug. A hotter heat range does not necessarily make it start more easily. It's not the heat range, but the condition of the plug that makes the difference. *** Michael Yates #00496 of Knoxville, Tenn., reports that the left side cover of his Venture is leaking oil from being removed so many times to change defective stators. He also wants to know how to split the unified braking system. We wish we had space to print your whole letter, Michael; it was very interesting — please write again! Your oil leak on the stator cover is not uncommon after a few stator changes. As long as the two screws that hold it in place are not stripped out, a new "0 ring should take care of the problem. Check to make sure there are no sharp edges to cut it as it is installed. It shouldn't be that hard to remove the unified braking system. Just remove The port from the rear master cylinder to the front left brake and plug off the pressure hole that feeds it. Then you will have to make a hose set-up for the front. You will have to keep a closer eye on the front fluid level, - because the fluid reservoir was made with one brake in mind and will be a bit small. But that's what our computer is for — to tell us the brake fluid is low. We'll be covering brake conversion in greater detail in a future issue. * * Rich Perdue #01164 of Fort Walton Beach, Fla., has some more advice on cold-weather starting: "First, don't pull the choke lever all the way back. Pull if back until resistance is felt and then no more than an additional 'A-inch. If the bike is reluctant to start, remember, the starter gets hot quick. Don't get hardheaded and try to force the engine to start; if it's still under warranty, let the dealer fix it." Rich also points out some wiring problems with regard to light bars. The ones designed by Drag Specialties "rely on the chrome-plated plastic of the light boxes to make a satisfactory ground. My light bar started burning out a lightbulb weekly. I soldered a ground wire to the light bracket and spliced the other three light boxes and grounded the bunch to the frame. So far no more burned-out lights." Only one wire from the accessory fuse is needed to run all the trailer lights, and one wire for taillights. The turn signals are not monitored by the computer and can be tapped into behind the seat. The separate brake light switch is powered by the new wire going to the trailer taillights. The Yamaha instruction sheet which comes with the light bar is made by Drag Specialties, not Yamaha. The driving lights which come in that kit have standard automotive wiring diagram hookups. For legal reasons, the high-powered lights are supposed to be wired to the headlight wires so they will only work with the high beams. Anyone with a destroyed computer due to this should contact the warranty department through the local dealer. BURNED AGAIN NOTE: For those with burned computers, there was an error last month on the price. The correct price is $68.35 for part number 26H-83750-MO-00. The labor time was correct. TRAILER LIGHTS With reference to the January Bench Wrench article about extra lights on the Venture, I would like your opinion on the way I wired my trailer lights. I wired my trailer stoplights and turnsignal lights through a 3-pole double Continued on Page 31 A Step Ahead Cat or write for more information: (916) 865-2986 3G Star Route Orland, CA 95963 OPTIONS: * Custom Color Match * Mag Style Wheels * Light Bar Bumper Most manufacturers of small trailers make a trailer that will fit the small car/motorcycle market. The small car does not lean very much in a corner nor is the tung weight really a consideration — wbhatouyrmcle?Itansupo 30 plus degrees in a hard corner and what a difference the bike feels like with a full load of touring gear on it. The Bushtec touring trailer is designed for and completely engineered for your motorcycle, from the aircraft swivel fitting hitch with a tung weight of 5 lbs. to the no-bounce air suspension with a sway bar so the bike can still flow with the curves or handle severe crosswinds effortlessly. Precision quality products are what Bushtec is all about, not how many can we get out by noon! We manufacture almost every part used in the Bushtec trailer, even the wheels so we can control the quality and fit. Bushtec now offers trailers from $495.00 and up depending on the demands of the individual. Call or write for a brochure today on the finest products that America has to offer. We manufacture hitches for other trailers. Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 29 Bob Wehman is president and chief engineer of Spectro Oils of America and Intercontinental Lubricants Corp. BELIEVE IT! March 8, 1983 Mr. Robert Wehman Spectro Oils Brookfield, CT 06804 Dear Mr. Wehman, I own a 450 cc ('81) with 9,000 miles on it. From mile one I experienced clunky shifting and a clutch I will charitably describe as hard. From new to 8,000 miles the oil I used was the best, according to the dealer and his mechanic. But they couldn't get rid of my problem. Not long ago I read one of your ads and decided, with a great deal of skepticism, to try your premium priced oil. I'm no longer skeptical. Within a few miles (and now approximately 1,000 miles) with your oil, the clunks and hard clutch troubles have disappeared. Really smooth operation - - and I'm really appreciative. Thought you would like to know. Very best regards, Chuck Dickert San Bernardino, CA "You only know if your 4-stroke engine oil is inadequate AFTER it's too late." If you have been using cheap or even moderately priced automotive oil in your 4-stroke bike, you have been asking for trouble! The kind of trouble you can expect is: Viscosity loss through oil breakdown Sticky valves Excessive oil consumption Carbon Deposits and, after it's too late, Strange noises. The motorcycle lubrication capability of most automotive oil is, at best, only marginal when NEW. No matter how often you change your oil, its lubrication capacity after only 200 miles of average road riding is probably inadequate. Golden Spectro 4 is a super premium synthetic/petroleum blend designed specifically for 4-stroke motorcycles. It will STAY-IN-GRADE and provide excellent engine and drive line lubrication for 4,000 to 5,000 miles. When you switch to Golden Spectro 4, we guarantee that you will notice these important improvements. * Easier shifting. * A quieter engine * A cleaner engine * Smoother clutch operation * This adds up to a longer and happier engine life. * And, you will get rid of the CLUNKS. P.O. BOX 08, BROOKFELD Page 30 / April 1985 / Adventure Road CT 06804 (203)775-12V1 BENCH WRENCH Continued from Pa v e 29 throw switch. The taillight is wired through the accessory fuse. When I turn the switch in one position the back light works on the bike. When I turn the switch to the other position the bike lights are off and the trailer lights burn. Is this a logical way to wire the trailer lights or could this hurt the computer? Larry R. Young #01332 Lumberton, TX ■ Because of warranty situations, Yamaha has suggested the following ways of wiring .for both domestic and foreign trailers. You might compare your wiring job with these and form your own opinion. There are also other alternatives, and these will be discussed in ,future issues. . CASE GUARD PROBLEM I would like to call your attention to a problem I've encountered with the Venture design. Recently, I went down on the right side of my Venture at about 40 mph on a slick road. The case guard bent back against the little plastic tube coming from the water pump, causing it to rupture and lose engine coolant. I would like to know if anyone has come up with a cure for this problem, either by rerouting the tube or possibly strengthening the case guard to prevent it from bending back against the tube. I would like to invite Yamaha and the aftermarket companies such as Markland, VentureLine, etc., to take a look at this to see if something can be redesigned to eliminate this problem. I would also like them to see if they can come up with a metal or chrome trim for the side of the fairing edges to protect it from being ground away if the bike slides on its side as mine did. It is bad enough to drop one of these machines, but to be stranded because of poor design adds insult to injury. Any assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Mike Faucheaux #01563 Beaumont, TX Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 31 TIPS FROM OWNERS Yes, it seems like more owners would be writing in with tips and improvements on their Ventures. However, it is possible the Venture doesn't need much improvement. I didn't want a full tank bag and couldn't see how it would fit on anyway. Seems to me it would cover up the gas door or have straps clear to the pegs. Perhaps not, but I came across a trick that might solve someone's problems for small-junk storage as it did for me. I took an old nylon day pack and cut off the outer pouch, which was about 10 inches square with a nice flap and zipper. I attached (nice word for not admitting I can run a sewing machine) about eight inches of the nylon straps to the corners so they extend laterally and put Velcro on the ends of the straps. Page 32 / April 1985 / Adventure Road Position the Velcro so it begins right where the strap wraps around the edge of the "tank" cover. Put male on one side and female on the other (that takes care of the guys; for the gals, this is hook on one side and loop on the other). Use the sticky-back Velcro and put compatible pieces under the edge of the cover. I put the rear pieces just above the gas door and the fronts where they landed. The result is a nice little bag for tapes, gloves, etc. High enough so I can put gas in and no straps running down the Midwest Sidecars & Accessories, Inc., a new company located in Champaign, Ill., has recently acquired the Terraplane Sidecar line formerly manufactured by Vetter Corp. In addition to the manufacture and sale of the Terraplane, Midwest Side- side. It doesn't bend the plastic and when it isn't attached to the bike, I can stick the ends of the straps together and place the bag elsewhere. Not a bad deal, dirt cheap and handy as the pocket on a shirt — but bigger. Stay tall! Vince Lake #1197 (one cc less) Lodi, CA ■ Thanks for the handy tip. If you have more, maybe you should write a column — "Hints from Vince." cars will also offer custom mounting and repair service for all brands of sidecars, plus a small line of accessories including trailer hitches for several makes of motorcycle. Write Box 44, Champaign, Ill. 61820 or call 217/359-5105. VTS PRIORITY DEALER NETWORK These fine businesses have shown an interest in the Venture Touring Society and want to provide our membership with first-class sales and service. If your business is not listed here and should be, contact the VTS Executive Office at 1/800/833-3687 toll-free or call 702/457-6657. We will send you a PDN application. Just read it over, fill it out and return it to the VTS. You will receive a handsome certificate and decal for your shop . . . plus, your business will be listed for all members to see and use while in your area. ALABAMA ALSPORT YAMAHA INC., Rt. 5, Box A, Beltline at Hwy. 24, Decatur, Ala. 35601, 205/355-9706 CAHABA VALLEY YAMAHA, 3147 Hwy. 31 South, Pelham, Ala. 35124, 205/664-2453 MISSISSIPPI PERRY'S YAMAHA CENTER, 2010 Telephone Rd, Pascagoula, Miss. 39567, 601/762-0280 SOUTHAVEN YAMAHA, 8668 Whitworth Dr., Southaven, Miss. 38671, 601/393-2877 ARIZONA MESQUITE YAMAHA, 810 E. Western Ave., Avondale, Ariz. 85323, 602/932-9211 WALT'S YAMAHA PLUS, 1551 S. Palo Verde Blvd., Lake Havasu, Ariz. 86403. 602/855-5019 MOTORCYCLE MECCA, 1116 California Ave., Parker, Ariz. 85344, 602/669-2024 YAMAHA WORLD, 302 West Indian School Rd.. Phoenix, Ariz. 85013, 602/266-6212 MISSOURI GOOD TRAILS, 1906 N. Providence Rd., Columbia, Mo. 65202, 314/874-7878 CIRCLE "C" CYCLES, 1121 N. Jesse James, Excelsior Springs, Mo. 64024, 816/637-3611 J & W CYCLES, P.O. Box 354, Washington, Mo. 63090, 314/239-5575 CALIFORNIA WILSON'S YAMAHA, 443 Broadway, Fresno, Calif. 93721, 209/237-0215 GRANADA YAMAHA, 17602 Chatsworth St., Granada Hills, Calif. 91344, 818/360-3400 LA HABRA YAMAHA, 221 E. Whittier Blvd., La Habra, Calif. 90631, 213/694-1959 MISSION YAMAHA, 27622 Camino Capistrano, Laguna Niguel, Calif. 92677, 714/831-0351 LANCASTER YAMAHA, 45310 - 23rd Street West, Lancaster, Calif. 93534, 805/945-5994 T& 0 YAMAHA SALES & SERVICE, 24020 Narbonne Ave., Lomita, Calif. 90717, 213/534-2311 PALO ALTO YAMAHA, 3960 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, Calif. 94306, 415/493-3414 CAPITOL YAMAHA, 4926 Auburn Blvd., Sacramento, Calif. 95841, 916/332-6433 PCP YAMAHA, 6500 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento, Calif. 95822, 916/428-4040 SAN BRUNO MOTORCYCLES, 1600 El Camino Real, San Bruno, Calif. 94066, 415/952-3600 GOLDEN GATE CYCLES, 1350 Van Ness Ave., San Francisco, Calif. 94109, 415/441-4465 YAMAHA OF SAN LUIS OBISPO, 1357 Monterey St., San Luis Obispo, Calif. 93401, 805/543-6723 YAMAHA OF THOUSAND OAKS. 2388 Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks, Calif. 91360, 805/497-3765 PROMAX YAMAHA. 1130-J East Monte Vista, Vacaville, Calif. 95688, 707/447-3715 COLORADO BOULDER YAMAHA-BMW, 2715 Spruce St., Boulder, Cola 80302, 303/447-9559 MOTOR CITY YAMAHA, 1314 Motor City Dr., Colorado Springs, Colo. 80906. 303/473-3277 YAMAHA MOTOR SPORTS, 1539 W. Eisenhower Blvd., Loveland, Colo. 80537, 303/663-2722 FLORIDA SOUTH DADE YAMAHA17821 S. Dixie Hwy.. Miami, Fla. 33157, 305/251-9521 YAMAHA GOLD COAST, 2240 Northwest 119th St., Miami, Fla. 33167, 305/685-8333 YAMAHA MILTON, 758 West Highway 90, Milton, Fla. 32510, 904/623-4638 BARNEY'S MOTORCYCLE SALES, 10411 Gandy Blvd., St. Petersburg, Fla. 33702. 813/5761148 GEORGIA EASY LIVING YAMAHA, Highway 27 North, Rome, Ga. 30161, 404/235-4422 IDAHO WIDMAN'S SPORT CENTER, 1906 S Main St., Moscow, Idaho 83843. 208/882-1576 ILLINOIS FREEPORT YAMAHA, RR5, Route 26 North, Freeport, III. 61032, 815/235-7286 SPORTLAND CYCLE, 1602 N. Lincoln, Urbana, III. 61801, 217/328-5005 INDIANA FOX'S CYCLE SALES. 322 West 3rd Street, Bloomington. Ind. 47401, 812/332-5262 IOWA McINTOSH MOTORS, 704 S. Elm & Hwy. 34, Creston, Iowa 50801, 515/782-7124 FIVE POINTS CYCLE CENTER, 1644 W. Locust, Davenport, Iowa 52804. 319/324-5555 SINDT MOTOR SALES, Highway 20 West, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, 319/582-8146 R.M. HALE INC., Highway 65-69 North, Indianola, Iowa 50125, 515/961-8151 BOB'S BIKE SHOP, Highway 75 North, Lemars, Iowa 51031, 712/546-5983 SIOUX CITY YAMAHA, 1930 Highway 75N. Sioux City, Iowa 51105, 712/252-2750 KANSAS TOPEKA TOUR & TRAIL, 5319 S. Topeka Ave.. Topeka, Kansas 66609, 913/862-9000 JIM'S IMPORT CYCLES, 2818 E. 31st St. South, Wichita, Kansas 67216, 316/686-0124 MAINE ROGERS SPORT CENTER, 47 W. Main St., Fort Kent. Maine 04743, 207/834-5505 PORTLAND YAMAHA, 375 Riverside St., Portland, Maine 04103. 207/797-3532 MARYLAND TWIGG CYCLES, 34 N. Cannon Ave., Hagerstown, Md. 21740. 301/739-2773 MASSACHUSETTS YAMAHA OF CAPE COD, 405 W. Main St.. Hyannis, Mass. 02601, 617/775-6204 WOLFE'S CYCLE SALES. 11 Harvey St., Springfield, Mass. 01119, 413/783-2528 MICHIGAN WORLD OF RUTTMAN INC., 8418 Lillev Rd., Canton, Mich. 48187. 313/455-7650 VINCENT'S YAMAHA. 215 Main St. Box 398, E. Jordan, Mich. 49727, 616/536-7462 RAY'S YAMAHA, 959 S. Telegraph Rd., Monroe, Mich. 48161, 313/241-8444 WOHLFEIL YAMAHA, 5818 State Street, Saginaw, Mich. 48603 517/799-0942 MINNESOTA WORTHINGTON SPORTS CENTER, 717 Oxford St., Worthington, Minn. 56187, 507/372-2291 NEVADA CARSON CYCLE CENTER, 5951 Highway 50 East, Carson City, Nev. 89701, 702/882-6883 NEVADA YAMAHA, 1935 E. Fremont, Las Vegas, Nev. 89101, 702/384-2358 NEW JERSEY D & S CYCLE, Route 73, Berlin, N.J. 08009. 609/767-1310 JUSTICE YAMAHA, 772 Kings Hwy., Mickelton, N.J. 08056, 609/467-3131 MT. HOLLY YAMAHA, Route 38, Mt. Holly, N.J. 08060, 609/267-2123 NEW MEXICO BOBBY J'S YAMAHA, 4724 Menual Blvd. N.E., Albuquerque, N.M. 87110, 505/884-3012 YAMAHA OF ROSWELL, 116 E. McGaffey, Roswell, N.M. 88201, 505/623-7777 J T YAMAHA. 2917 Sudderth Dr., Ruidoso, N.M. 88345, 505/257-2441 NEW YORK NASSAU CYCLE CENTER, 67 N. Broadway, Hicksville (LI), N.Y. 11801. 516/931-7180 VESTAL MARINE & CYCLE, 404 Front St., Vestal. N.Y. 13850, 607/754-8185 NORTH CAROLINA MOTORCYCLES INC., 925 Marine Blvd., Jacksonville, N.C. 28540, 919/455-0124 WILSON CYCLE CENTER, Highway 301 North, Wilson, N.C. 27893, 919/237-7076 OHIO BEECHMONT YAMAHA, 1085 Ohio Pike, Cincinnati, Ohio 45245, 513/752-0088 SHIPP'S WHEELSPORT, 11530 Springfield Pk., Cincinnati, Ohio 45246, 513/772-2803 YAMAHA OF DAYTON, 3030 Kettering Blvd., Dayton, Ohio 45439, 513/293-1245 YAMAHA OF WARREN, 4807 Mahoninq Ave. NW, Warren, Ohio 44483, 216/847-7644 OKLAHOMA FORT YAMAHA CYCLE SALES, 2121 W. Shawnee, Muskogee, Okla 74401 918/687-5281 OREGON TOWN CENTER YAMAHA, 1301 Main St., Oregon City, Ore. 97045, 503/657-4654 RAY E. GARNER INC., 2232 E. Burnside, Portland, Ore. 97214, 503/232-6444 YAMAHA OF SALEM, 885 Commercial N.E., Salem, Ore. 97301. 503/581-0077 PENNSYLVANIA WASHINGTON PITTSBURGH CYCLE, RD2, Box 170-A, Canonsburg, Pa. 15317,412/341-4400 or 745-0715 AIRPORT YAMAHA, 4525 W. Ridge Rd., Erie, Pa. 16506, 814/833-3861 THE RIDER'S EDGE, 2490 Emmitsburg Rd., Gettysburg, Pa. 17325, 717/334-2518 SOUTH DAKOTA CYCLE CITY/GREAT ESCAPE, Rt. 3 #130 East Hwy. 34. Pierre, S.D. 57501, 605/224-5632 TENNESSEE ED'S CYCLE, 909 Keith St., Cleveland, Tenn. 37311, 615/472-5551 VOLUNTEER YAMAHA, 8418 Kingston Pike, Knoxville, Tenn. 37919, 615/693-5900 TEXAS DAHLGREN YAMAHA, 1425 Sayles, Abilene, Texas 79602, 915/672-3286 GOLDEN TRIANGLE CYCLE, 1625 College St., Beaumont, Texas 77701, 409/838-4746 HOUSE ON WHEELS, 3511 Houston Ave., Houston, Texas 77009, 713/869-9136 WILLOWBROOK YAMAHA, 6627 FM 1960 West, Houston, Texas 77069. 713/893-3568 TEXAS YAMAHA. 1725 S. Houston, Pasadena, Texas 77502, 713/477-8111 BIG TEX YAMAHA, 9022 Perrin Beitel Rd., San Antonio, Texas 78217, 512/656-4052 CROSSROADS YAMAHA, 1520 Houston Hwy., Victoria, Texas 77901, 512/576-2453 TEXAS YAMAHA SOUTH, 1660 FM 528. Webster, Texas 77598, 713/338-1636 UTAH CAREY'S CYCLE CENTER, 4450 S 700 W. Ogden, Utah 84405, 801/394-3469 CYCLETOWN YAMAHA, 333 W St. George Blvd St George, Utah 84770, 801/628-2816 VIRGINIA EARLEY'S CYCLE CENTER, 1921 S. High St., Harrisonburg, Va. 22801. 703/433-2585 WASHINGTON KLONTZ SPORT CENTER, 222 Second St. N.E, Auburn. Wash. 98002, 206/833-1000 PUGET SOUND YAMAHA. 4510 Martin Way. Box 5380, Lacey, Wash. 98503, 206/438-1994 WISCONSIN PORTAGE YAMAHA, 1819 New Pinery Rd., Portage, Wisc. 53901, 608/742-7757 R.C. MOTORCYCLE, 256 E. Chestnut St., Burlington, Wisc. 53105. 414/763-5115 DAVE'S TOMAHA INC., 1325 N. 4th St., Tomahawk, Wisc. 54487, 715/453-2626 M.J.'S ACTION CYCLE, 2881 Hwy. 141 S., Manitowoc, Wisc. 54220. 414/682-3803 MOUNTAIN VALLEY SERVICE, 422 Yellowstone Ave., Cody, Wyo. 82414, 307/587-6218 Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 33 VTS DEALER NETWORK - CANADA ALBERTA FOUR SEASONS RV WORLD, 226 Gregoire Dr., Ft. McMurray, Alberta T9H 4K6, 403/791-1265 WAINWRIGHT EQUIP. RENTALS, Box 1799, Wainwright, Alberta TOB 4P0. 403/842-2711 YEAR 'ROUND YAMAHA, 4710 - 17th Ave. S.., Calgary. Alberta 403/423-4335 BRITISH COLUMBIA CHILLIWACK YAMAHA, 45690 Yale Rd. West, Chilliwack, B.C. V2P 2N3, 604/792-7820 CLEARBROOI CYCLES LTD., 2328 Clearbrook Rd., Abbotsford. B. . V2T 2X5. 604/853-8821 SYD'S CYCLE LTD., SS #1 Highway 3-B, Trail, B.C. V1 R 2YB. 604/364-1366 THE RACER'S EDGE LTD., 32 Bronte St. So., Milton, Ont. L9T 1Y8. 416/878-4212 RON'S SERVICE SHOP, Main St., Moose Creek, Ont. KOC iWO , 613/538-2827 HURST YAMAHA, 1220 Old Inners Rd., Ottawa, Ont. K1B 3V3, 613/741-2221 HURST YAMAHA, 395 Richmond Rd.. Ottawa, Ont. K2A 0E9, 613/725-1111 SNOW CITY CYCLE, 1255 Kennedy Rd., Scarborough, Onto . M1 P 2L4, 416/752-1560 LAPP CYCLE, 3928 Netherbv Rd.. Stevensville. Ont. LOS 1S0. 416/382-2310 HURST YAMAHA, 1581 The Oueenway , Toronto, Ont. M8Z 1T8. 416/255-3441 YAMAHA TORONTO. 1971 Yonge St., Toronto, Onto . M4S 1Z6. 416/482-4228 PARKER BROS. MOTORS, 3303 Walker Rd., Windsor, Onto . N8W 3R9. 519/966-6032 NEW BRUNSWICK REINS CYCLE SHOP, RR 9, Fredericton. N B. E3B 4X9, 506/472-3264 QUEBEC HURST YAMAHA, 40 Greber Blvd., Gatineau, Quebec J8T 3P6, 819/568-5539 NOVA SCOTIA DAVE'S CYCLE SALES, 455 Frand Lake Rd., Sydney, NHS . B1 P 5T2, 902/562-4343 TRIPLE E YAMAHA, 3544 Kempt Rd., Halifax, N.S B3K 4X8, 902/453-2246 SASKATCHEWAN WESTWIND LEISURE CENTER, Box 1158, Moosomin, Bask . SOG 3N0. 306/435-2933 REGINA YAMAHA, 217 Albert St., Regina, Sask. S4R 3C2, 306/949-0344 ONTARIO CLARE'S CYCLE. 799 Hwy. 20, RR4. Renwick . Ont. LOS 1C0. 416/892-2665 NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE/PROVINCIAL/REGIONAL REPS ARIZONA CALIFORNIA, Northern CALIFORNIA, Southern COLORADO CONNECTICUT FLORIDA ILLINOIS IOWA INDIANA KANSAS KENTUCKY MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS MICHIGAN MINNESOTA NEBRASKA NEVADA Phoenix Michael P. Burr Dale F. Edens Lodi Robert S. Nugent Orange Andy C. Poppenberg III Greenwood Village Edward A. Bouthiette Branford Gus Tozzi Charlotte Harbor William E. Wyatt Jr. Champaign Arley D. Suggitt Sioux City Dennis C. Bynum Clinton Thomas F. Anderson Lawrence Donald R. Sills Paducah James W. Frey Jr. Boonsboro Methuen Dana H. Melberg Walter T. Carlton Canton Michael R. Flathers Worthington North Platte Dennis G. Godbey Las Vegas Curtis Walker 602/242-4514 209/334-2064 714/997-8568 303/770-2197 203/488-8159 813/629-2868 217/352-3373 712/255-5679 317/832-6400 913/841-8136 502/443-5636 301/293-1337 617/689-3521 313/981-0265 507/376-5942 308/534-3588 702/878-5143 CHAPTER REPS ARIZONA 1 FLORIDA 1 IOWA 1 MISSOURI 1 NEVADA 1 TENNESSEE 1 TEXAS 1 Todd E. Martin Bruce L. Burgess Jr. Lee Allen Baumhover Thomas D. Smith Richard E. Franta W.C. Whaley Jr. Barbara J. Watson Phoenix Mulberry Dubuque Kansas City Las Vegas Cleveland Houston TEXAS 2 Calvin P Sinclair Groves Page 34 / April 1985 / Adventure Road 602/581-3269 813/425-4472 319/557-1081 816/455-2748 702/451-5842 615/472-4403 713/496-4386 409/962-1921 NEW JERSEY NORTH CAROLINA OHIO OKLAHOMA OREGON PENNSYLVANIA SOUTH CAROLINA TENNESSEE TEXAS VIRGINIA WASHINGTON WISCONSIN CANADA: EASTERN REGION WESTERN REGION ONTARIO SASKATCHEWAN Chris Lee Boddy Thomas J. Gitto Johnny C. Perry Thomas S. Hans Tommy J. McDonald Marvin L. Fackler Gary L. Smith Tommy F. Norman Rev A. Maples Chuck L. Steele Daryl B. Gaskill Ray Martin Lawrence R. Lang We',re Browns Mills Granite Falls Art J. Rea Bill A. Kupczvk David L. Stewart Lionel Morash Scarborough, Ont. Regina, Sask. Akron Enid Portland Montoursville Greenville Cleveland Houston Portsmouth Spokane Manitowoc Pickering Longhorn LIFETIME MEMBERS Thomas F. Anderson Julian H. Brown Jerry L. Bryan Michael P. Burr Boyd A. Fox Steven C. Fnx Daryl B. Gaskill David P. Henderson Richard F. Lnne I innel Mnrash Lawrence, Kansas Ozark, Alabama Perryton, Texas Phoenix, Arizona Bloomington, Indiana San Lois Obispo. California Portsmouth, Virginia Lancastsr. Texas Lansing, Michigan I aneharn, Saskatchewan 603/529-7153 609/893-5972 704/396-3777 216/836-2171 405/233-9608 503/777-2851 717/368-8116 803/269-1814 615/476-4227 713/434-9220 804/488-8477 509/328-7441 414/684-1122 416/431-4066 306/949-1432 416/831-2013 306/283-4277 Trips, Tours and Motorcycle Events APRIL 20 — First annual Lawton Road Riders Touring Club Blood Run. Poker run, pins, games, food, drinks & camping. Donors and non-donors welcome. Starts 10:30 a.m. at Okiahoma Blood Institute, 8th & Gore, Lawton, Okla. Last donor accepted at 2 p.m. All motorcyclists welcome. Info: Tom/Dee, 405/536-5089; Ron/Olive, 355-2613. MAY 14-18 — Adirondack Aspencade. Bill Dutcher, P.O. Box 2205, Glens Falls, N.Y. 12801, 518/6563696. Location: Lake George, N.Y. (AMA Region I event.) MAY 18 — VTS Spring Rally sponsored by Tri-State Chapter 1. Registration 7:30-10:30 a.m., Imperial Bowling Lanes, 3505 Stoneman Road (next to Kennedy Mall), Dubuque, Iowa. Poker run plus observation run doubles chances to win. Entry $3 per rider includes ride, pin, chance for door prizes. More! Info: Lee Baumhover, 390 Glen Oak, Dubuque, Iowa 52001, 319/557-1081. JUNE 1-2 — Yamaha Family Affair, Branson, Mo. (See state directors' list.) JULY 15-16 — Yamaha Family Affair, Pigeon Forge, Tenn. (See state directors' list.) Run, Toledo, Ohio. Info: Ray Butler, Rt. 8, RD 169, Defiance, OH 43512, 419/393-2625. Venture Touring Society presents the first annual "V-DAZE" International Motorcycle Rally June 25-29, 1985 in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Convention, trade show, food, pins, patches, major prizes, field events, giant barbecue and more. 1/800/VEE-FOUR or write VTS/ V-Daze, 1615 South Eastern Ave., Las Vegas, NV 89104. AUGUST 31-SEPT. 2— Road Rider Div. of AMA D-36, Napa Town & Country Fairgrounds, Napa, Calif. Info: Fran Harris, 15866 Shannon Way, Nevada City, CA 95959, 916/2724905. OCTOBER 2-5 — Aspencade/Hot Springs, Arkansas. Info: Til Thompson, Box 171044, San Diego, CA 921170970, 619/279-9490. JAN. 1-NOV. 30 — Minutemen Motorcycle Club 500-Mile Run. Visit 5 places 50 miles from home; picture verification required. AMA-sanctioned. We send you list of sites near your home. Info: MMC, Box 984, Lakeland, FL 33802, 813/425-1944. THE VEGAS VENTURES, VATS Nevada Chapter 1, meet every third Sunday at 8 a.m. at the International House of Pancakes, Las Vegas Blvd. South (the Strip) at Cleveland. Curtis Walker, 702/878-5143. JULY 11-14 — Virginia Motorcycle Assoc. AMA Region II event, Glen Maury Park, Buena Vista, Va. Info: Donna Jones, 3118 Three Bridges Rd., Midlothian, Va. 23113, 804/744-1740. AUGUST 2-4 — AMA Dist. 21 Rally & Pig Roast, Lawrence, Kans. AMA $20, non-AMA $22.50. Info: Thomas Anderson, 1042 Wellington Rd., Lawrence, KS 66044, 913/841-8146. AUGUST 25 — Northwest Ohio Motorcycle Assoc. AMA National Championship Eastern Timed Road Venture Touring Society® here's more good news! save money with our 36 month* unlimited mileage mechanical breakdown Motorcycle Service Contract coverage especially for venture motorcycles and at a special rate for venture touring society members 36 MONTHS for $220 *Coverage begins after OEM warranty expires — Covers the reasonable cost of parts and labor for the repair or replacement of parts specified in the contract resulting from defective material and workmanship. This coverage applies after 0.E.M. warranty expires. The coverages are subject to a $25.00 deductible fee. Fully insured . available in most states through the Venture Touring Society VTS is an authorized agent for the administrator: AUTOMOBILE WARRANTY CORP. Wheat Ridge, Colorado 80033 Members may apply by phone 800/VEE FOUR and use MasterCard or VISA. Otherwise we will send you an application form to fill out and return. - Adventure Road / April 1985 / Page 35