In a message dated 98-12-22 11:56:03 EST, you write: << Ray, and anyone else considering a Venture switch, please remember, 86up only, earlier models will not fit, not even close...... >> Best year is 1993 for Ventures rear ends. Yamaha increased the driveshaft nut size from 92 to 93 - which yields a stronger drivetrain. I have bought a brand new Venture rear end from Links (boy does the VMOA discount pay off!) and love it. No more fishng for 6th gear. The dyno showed a drivegear ratio reduction from 77rpm/mph to 68rpm/mph - that's 12%. Big Bore Bert DesertMax@aol.com Tucson, AZ ------------------ PS. Kelly, I saw U mentioning a MAX/Venture rear swap, U should do it, U have both, right? It makes both better; I got 125 out of my Venture the other weekend, on I-25, at nearly 7000 feet.....If U have the 86up Venture, it is a straight swap, and WELL worth it for both bikes.... U just have to pull the shock stud out of the MAX rear, and thread into the Venture(threads already there), and make sure U don't swap driveshafts as well, the Venture's is an 1/8 or so longer... It just pops out of the front of the rear, after removing both from bike... Try it, I think U will like it, alot..... --------------- From: "Rey Kirkman" To: , Subject: Re: Vmax Venture rear end swap Message-ID: <003e01be4a84$661763e0$ed58fad0@default> Some further comments. I have some old Cycle road tests; and assuming that their information is correct, from the November 1986 issue of Cycle, the overall 5th gear ratio for the Venture (all years) is 4.16:1. From the May 1985 issue, for V-Maxs it is 4.73:1 The Ventures engine rpm at 60 mph (with 140/90-16 tire) is aprox. 3360 rpm; and V-Max is aprox 3819 rpm. Both bikes have a 33 tooth ring gear. The pinion gear on the Venture has 10 teeth; and the pinion gear on the V-Max has 9 teeth. The actual final drive ratio of the Venture pumkin is 2.57:1 and the V-Max is 2.86:1. The overall gear ratios for all the gears are as follows (gear ratios in the transmisson): Venture V-Max 1st 11.88 (39/15) 12.88(43/17) 2nd 8.09 (39/22) 9.01 (39/22) 3rd 6.17 (31/23) 6.87 (31/23) 4th 4.89 (31/29) 5.50 (28/26) 5th 4.16 (29/32) 4.73 (26/28) Assuming the Venture has a V-Max redline of 9500 rpm, following is a comparison of Cycle's calculation of maximum speed in each gear. Venture V-Max 1st 60 55 2nd 86 78 3rd 114 103 4th 143 128 5th 168 149 Someone out there may have better information than this. There are unanswered questions such as: (1) can you simply interchange pinion gears; and (2) can you interchange internal transmission gears? Does anyone out there have actual experience interchanging pumpkins? I am intrigued by the idea that my Venture might get better gas mileage with the V-Max pumkin loaded two up. I think I will try a couple of tanks riding in 4th gear alone to see if there is a difference. The overalll fourth gear ratio on the Venture is 4.89:1. Rey Kirkman VMOA 439