Question about rear Air-Valve

[JSwaz]

1996 Yamaha Royal Star with Motortrike kit. I have contacted Motortrike about getting documentation for this older conversion and they came up empty. While washing our new baby I found a Air valve on the rear of the Trike on the right side. I need help knowing what exactly this is for and how I should set the pressure.

Thank you for your help,
Jim

 

[Gorilla]

I would guess air shocks but only a guess. Can you follow the lines?

 

[steamer]

Are you talking about the same kind of valve you find on your tires? If so then you have air shock/bags. Take off one tire, if you see a black rubber thing about 8" long and 4" around you have air ride suspention. If you do, put about 30lbs of air in them( make sure they are both hooked together to one valve) Take it for a ride, you will see a major improvement. Buy the way, motortrike did not install air bags until after 2000 or 2001. They stopped making there tike kits for the venture around 2002.

 

[JSwaz]

I do not know how I missed that. I saw the shocks and figured no airbag. Oh well. Live and learn. I did have this bike at a Motortrike service center and they have the air set at 40lbs. This could explain the hard ride. I will adjust to 30 and see how it goes. I am liking this trike more and more every day. Think I might sell it and just go all out and upgrade the 2008 Goldwing. For now I will continue to play, ride and learn. Thank you.

 

[steamer]

glad to help. you might check the air pressure in the tires also. most of us run around 22-24 psi in the rear and 40 in the front.

 

[JSwaz]

Confirming 40 in the front. set the rears to 25. I will lower them a little also just to see how it feels. Thank you.

 

[lvsloan1]

I have a 1990 Yamaha Venture royale w/ a Motortrike kit that, according to the guy I bought it from, was triked in 1996 or 97. Mine has the same air valve on the rear Jswaz describes but mine also has 2 spring over shocks & 2 air bags on the rear suspension. I didn't know why the air valve was there because my on board compressor will air the rear & the front of the trike up. I thought the air valve in the rear was incase the compressor on board quit working, I could manually air them up??? Anyway, if Motortrike didn't start incorporating air bags/shocks until 2000 or 2001, my conversion couldn't have been done in 1996. THANKS steamer for the help & info.