06 venture tires and radio...

[Guest fattboy]

Help my guys and gals....got a 2006 venture....7k miles ago put the dunlop elite ii tires...front tire is now shot....a gold wing rider recomended them...says he gets 12k out of a set of tires....

 

My question...is it smart to run two different brands of tire...say my back dunlop is good...can i try a metzler or avon on the front leaving the dunlop on the rear?????

 

 

Also is there a spot to buy upgraded speakers for the radio....yamaha dosen't compare to the harley street glides set up....stinks...

 

Thanks all....

 

ANOTHER QUESTION...IS THERE A CD SYSTEM MADE FOR THE DASH OF THE VENTURE....IF YOU WANTED TO CHANGE THE WHOLE THING...

 

Oh yea i know tires are a argument in it's self...but whats recommended for the slow speed handling for the venture....handles like a truck..

 

Thanks

fatt boy over look the misspellng iam in a hurry...

Edited January 25, 2009 by fattboy

[RedRider]

Fattboy,

 

That mileage seems a little short for a front tire, but that's OK. If it needs changed, it needs changed.

 

Yes, it is OK to run different tires front/rear. There is a lot of discussions on here about tires. Avon is well respected as is Michelin and Dunlop. Do a search and you will get lots of discussions. If you were a little closer to Wisconsin, I would give you one of the half worn / half good front tires I have. When I changed from Bridgestone to Avons, I changed both and still have the Brickstone front.

 

Southwest Moto Tires seem to have the least expensive tires available. Google this and you will find them.

 

There are a couple of ways to improve the low speed handling of this bike. First, if you are not vertically challenged, you can go with the Diamond R raising links (they are actually shorter links, but the mechanics end up raising the bike - if I remember correctly). These links change the geometry of the bike and make low speed handling much better. They raise the seat height about 1". If you, or a friend, have a motorcycle jack, they are really easy to install.

 

Another solution is to go with a narrower front tire, or to lower the front forks. Again, do a quick search and you will find specifics for the tire and/or instructions to lower the front.

 

As for the CD, no there isn't a stock CD to replace the cassette in the dash. However, you may notice next to the cassette, there is a 3 mm female plug. This will accept an MP3 player input. Controls are under AUX in the radio/CB controller. You can also hardwire an MP3 player under the fairing using a special cable made by one of the members.

 

There is a factory option for a CD that will mount in the trunk. It is a 6 disk unit built by Clarion. While it works fine, you get skipping if the road is rough. MP3 player is the way to go. I had one of these units installed on my bike but removed it (and sold it to another member here) when I got my GPS with integrated MP3. Again, controls for the CD player are in the radio/CB controller on the handlebars. You can purchase these 6 disk CD players on EBay for much less than thru Yamaha.

 

Speakers - Search for stereo upgrades in this website. A couple of audiophiles have upgraded to Pioneer and Polk Audio speakers and liked the results. Agreed, the stock speakers are pretty weak. These guys have also installed auxilliary amplifiers to improve the sound.

 

Good luck in your upgrades.

 

RR

[KiteSquid]

Oh yea i know tires are a argument in it's self...but whats recommended for the slow speed handling for the venture....handles like a truck..

 

 

Practice, practice, practice.

 

 

Get the Ride Like a Pro V DVD. Watch it several times and practice, practice, practice the concepts shown.

 

 

Attend a Motorcycle Safety Foundation rider course, and practice, practice, practice.

 

Attend a Ride Like a Pro course and practice, practice, practice.

 

Oh and don't forget to get out and practice, practice, practice.

[Sylvester]

The best thing I have found for the "truck" handling at low speed is leveling links. Took all that beasty handling away and now handles like a baby.

[Pudycat03]

Do you need to shorten the kickstand with that solution? I lowered a bike once and had it tip over because the kickstand ended up keeping the bike too straight up so if if the links cause the front end to be lower I was wondering if the same thing would happen. Also what would happen if only the forks were raised (front lowered) would that impact the kickstand? Better to get an answer from experience that have a bad experience personally.

[Jethroish]

Do you need to shorten the kickstand with that solution? I lowered a bike once and had it tip over because the kickstand ended up keeping the bike too straight up so if if the links cause the front end to be lower I was wondering if the same thing would happen. Also what would happen if only the forks were raised (front lowered) would that impact the kickstand? Better to get an answer from experience that have a bad experience personally.

 

 

Kickstand is just fine with the levling links.

[KiteSquid]

As far a I know, the leveling links raise the rear end of the bike. This reduces the trail of the steering, making the bike respond quicker to steering inputs.

 

 

HOWEVER IMHO, nothing can replace good instruction and lots of PRACTICE !!!!!!!!!!! Something that I do NOT get enough of.

 

In stock trim, the bike is rated with a minimum turning radius of 3500mm (137.8 inches or 11 feet 5.8 inches) (Please see your owners manual, page 9-1). Who can make a circles in under 12 feet???? the only way I know how to do it, is to practice.

 

I don't know the math, but those with either the leveling links, or the narrower front tire installed, should be able to make circles tighter than what is listed in the owners manual. So, if you need to turn tighter, get the leveling links or the narrow front tire, if you want to make circles and U turns in about 11.5 feet, get professional instruction and PRACTICE!!!!