Can you identify this bike?

[Jhbox13]

A buddy of mine just bought it as a project. Looks similar to a VMax, but I am not super experienced with them. Any ideas?

And I asked for the vin, he says he cant get to it under the fairing....

 

[93max]

Picture "might" help! LOL! :biglaugh:

 

[Fire-medic]

Johnny Pag?

No no pic, guessing.

 

[Jhbox13]

Shit, I thought it was in the text bit, ill try to attach instead.

 

[bikedave99]

Shit, I thought it was in the text bit, ill try to attach instead.

That'd be a Yamaha Venture, not sure what year, but I think a 1300cc engine which is all but the same as the Vmax, less VBoost and different heads. (others will clear this up)

 

[caseyjones955]

It's a MK1 Gen1 Venture, 1200cc that one unless someone swapped it out, it will say right on it. It was 86 when the Venture moved to MkII/1300cc. That looks like it needs a ton of work, just like the Vmax they are not cheap to bring up to par if they have been neglected. If your looking for a great comfy touring bike, they are that for sure. I have an 89 and I love the hell out of it for trips. The early Ventures have the same 2nd gear issues that the early Vmax has.

 

[Bill Seward]

Johnny Pag.. Lol! I've seen a JP. Didn't know anyone else ever heard of them.

 

[AJBinVA]

Great touring bikes when sorted. Definitely a labor of love to restore. Cost will far exceed resale. Seen some pretty cool bagger conversions. I have an 89 1300 and an 83 project planning to put a turbo on it. The 89 is super clean and a blast to drive. Venturerider.org is a pretty good place for venture specific information. Lots of similarities between them and the vmax.

 

[Eugene Brad]

Does the venture have the same gas tank location?

Sent from my SM-G360V using Tapatalk

 

[AJBinVA]

Yes.

 

[Jhbox13]

Thanks guys, I'll give my buddy the word and start setting hum up with an idea of what he'll need to get started. He is super green at bikes, but knows the basics of mechanics from working on old trucks and whatnot. I'm going to try to walk him through it but God knows I'm not going to do all the heavy lifting!

PS: Why isnt my avatar picture showing?

 

[Fire-medic]

Avatar is there, an Abrams tank, firing?

If the engine is seized, I wouldn't take another step. I doubt that you'll ever recover what you have to put into it, in resale value. Running examples of Vmaxes needing only wear parts replaced are selling for <$3,000 in south Florida.

The Venture of the O.P.

 

[capymotiv]

That is an 83-85 Venture 1200. Has it's own built in luggage. 83 has it own ignition system. I have an 84. Love it but it can drive you nuts with little things. Vmax engine is based off of it. (bullet proof)Lots of interchange between the max and venture. They are know for popping 2nd at around 50k.

 

[AJBinVA]

Yeah the venture market is even worse. Maybe $1000 for a clean rider that needs nothing to scoot around on. Had a concourse looking stock 87 Venture Royale with 6k miles on Craigslist for almost 8 months asking 3500 and doubt he got close to that if it even sold.

 

[Fire-medic]

I offered a local guy $100 for a roached 1200 Venture that had the carbs off, and the engine full of water, w/title, but he thought it only needed a "tune-up," and was worth four figures. I suggested he was right, if the second and third digits were separated by a decimal point! (title included, of course) I was after the carbs. Later the commercial lot where this guy was pedaling his junk was loaded into dumpsters and cleared, I doubt he got anything for it.

I wouldn't take an untitled bike, ever. Why make someone's headaches mine?

 

[AJBinVA]

Agreed. Untitled bikes are a hassle. Costs almost $150 for a title search here with no guarantee of obtaining one. In the event you do get it they usually tag it as rebuilt. I paid $400 for an 83 "runner" (fiddled some wiring and got it to turn and fire with some ether) with 2 sets of carbs, one junk and one freshly rebuilt, and spare motor that the guy had half dissassembled. Shouldn't have paid that much but it was only two blocks from my house figured. It's almost paid for itself since it had a brand new starter clutch in the spare motor that I needed for the 89 venture. He was asking $1200 told him I'd be shooting myself in the foot if I gave him more than $250 but offered him $400 if he brought it to me and helped be pull the forkless vmax parts bike out of the back of my truck.

 

[capymotiv]

The 1st gen can be worth more than the second gen but only if perfect. I will admit, they are worth more in parts rather than rebuilding. Lots of the 1st gen part are discontinued.