opinion on trading for a different bike,not my xj though

I have a beautiful 1 owner 87 venture I got recently.Long story. It is beautiful,runs great.But its just too heavy by a longshot for me.If I could find a cruiserstyle or standard bike to trade for I would. No one but one guy has come forward.His bike is a 1200 suzuki madura.They were extremely fast, not made long, and very rare.I did somne research and finding parts for them is not easy nor plentiful.I should stay mainstream like xj,xs,kz,cb but no one has shown interest. I always pick the oddball bike it seems.I thought the xj would be like the madura.Thank god it isnt.This forum,chacal, tons of fans and parts.Good for me. I would appreciate your opinion.If someone wanted to trade for say an zj1100 or xs 11 I would do it in an instant. I used to have kz 1000 stuff.My venture is for people like me.I have owned 8 of them.I appreciate what they are. I am going to take my xj650 to a local bike gathering when I get it running.I have not ever seen an xj ever on the roads here.their loss.

 

The Madura was a cool bike I sat on one once at a dealership . That is the downside of low production bikes ,hard to find parts both new and used , Agree the Venture is a nice bike but is HEAVY , and if your vertically challenged not easy to balance at a stop light .

 

so true,all you said

 

The Madura is a cool machine, but if it were me I'd be looking for a Honda Magna instead. Many more made, and the parts supply isn't as bad.

 

I agree.and magnas are easy to come by.thanks.

 

Apparently, the 750 magna is a little powerhouse! I have been looking at them for a while! I like the latest version, late 90's to early aughts. It's a damned shame they discontinued them in order to force the unloved VTX down everyone's throat. They still make the VFR, which is the source for the power plant, so it wouldn't be all that big a project to bring it back to production. I guess standard/cruisers don't sell well these days.

 

I have owned both over the yrs, the Magna carbs are very hard to work on, or should I say get in and out of the bike. The clutch slave on the Madura is SO hard to get to. Honda has two gas tanks that help with longer trips, the primary and then the AUX tank under the seat. The Madura was funner to drive then the Magna IMHO but as stated before, not too many of them were made.

Have you though of one of the older Bandits? They are lighter then the Venture and are more of a standard bike. Good luck on your hunt....

 

I am saying no to the madura.I told the guy.I hada 96 magna.Awesome motorcycle, very small gastank. The cruiser style magna was stopped in 2003.But parts, supports, forums, even a texas chapter called MOOT magna owners of texas, exist.I looked at an 82 xj1100.I didnt know they had first gear problems.All the ventures did in 83,84.I do not want to pull and engine and split cases ever in my life. I have a guy who says by july15th he will buy my venture.There is a guy that has 1 runner and 2 nonrunner xs650s here for 1600.Thats a bike with a cultlike following.Even new parts are being manufactured for it now. The bandit idea is one I will most likely explore when the time comes.I owned a bandit 600 in 2000.great motorcycle, revvy though.It had to be shifted every few feet in town or around corners.The bandit 12 is the most underrated unappreciated undervalued bike ever made by suzuki in my opinion.Some 99s had oil consumption problems.But for a cheap price you get tons of performance, intown or long distance.I would have to make some sort of highway pegs so my nonbending well right leg could use it.In 2000 I hadnt had a motorcycle wreck and it made no difference where the pegs were.The bandit 4 is narrow,like the xj.It is only about 600 pounds.Perfect weight. I will just have to wait and see.If the magna had a bigger tank it would be my first choice.Having to be near a gas station at 100 miles becomes a problem.

 

The XJ1100 had second gear problems (all of the XJ series does to some extent). The repair can be done without splitting the cases (if you have a steady hand).

 

moe, are you saying our 650s have transmission problems? i would have avoided them if I knew that

 

None of the Yamahas of the era have undercut 2nd gear dogs. It's normally not a problem unless you're into quick-shifting all the time and don't know how to do it correctly.
It really is a rare issue, and mainly effects the larger displacement engines.
When I had my engine apart at 23k there was no wear on the dogs like you might see in the larger bikes at that mileage.

 

I read up on it.the xj11 and xs 11 are the same.they have lots of failures.but way more torque and horsepower.

 

I have NEVER had ANY gear issue with ANY of my xj's. My opinion is that is has much more to do with how someone abuses it.

 

I am getting a 1200 madura today.Now I can slow down and do my 650 maxim right

 

We need pics...let us know how the Madura is...lots of power and torque with that bike, so pay attention to throttle control.

Here is a good page for you too.

V4MuscleBike.com

 

I am on that forum daily now.I dont have any pics.will soon

 

That is good, they are not as nice and helpful as this forum but they are good. I hope that you did a good safety check of your bike, tires, fluids, brakes and that unique secondary drive from the engine to the drive shaft. I would take the cover off by your left foot pet. There is a silver looking screw or bolt covering the fill height hole there. Just check to make sure you have plenty of hypo in there as that has a tendency from factory to be over looked once the owners get the bike.

The fuel lines under the tank you should look at too..not a easy thing and you will lol when you see how the reserve works on the tank. Just a second hose coming out of the tank at a lower position than the main fuel line. The hoses tend to dry rot and will crack, fuel in that area is not a good thing.

Keep a hold of those bars when you twist that throttle, lots of smiles to come with that bike.