Basic engine performance upgrade recomendations

[goodwrench1]

I just bought a 2005 Midnight Venture with 400 miles. I rode it 30 miles changed the oil and rode it another 480. The bike runs and sounds pretty good and I suspect it will run even better as I get some more miles under her and seat up the rings. Most factory machines can see a notable improvement with the addition of slip on mufflers, air filters and carburator jetting. Usually there inexpensive options avialable to those in the know. I think the Venture needs a little more gusto since it is heavy and has a mid sized motor. I think this combination/ design bike has been around since 99 so I would think there should be plenty of after market options out there. give me some news on what you all out there have done and how much it helped.

[Hummingbird]

The only thing I did to my Midnite Venture was change the paint scheme, have Squidley sync the carbs and put HD Road King muffs on it.

I don't believe the Venture was meant to be a race bike but it is the most comfortable bike I've owned out of 8 street bikes.

[Hummingbird]

I forgot to post the pics - the color change makes it go a LOT faster !!

[Monty]

You shoulda bought an '83, then you wouldn't be asking those questions. They are the fastest, ya know.

[goodwrench1]

When I rode it the 500 + miles Saturday my butt was not sore at all! That is a testiment to the comfort of the bike. I don't want it to be less reliable so any modification that compromises that is out. I'm just saying certian machines really respond to certian changes to factory restrictions. This eingine is only 79 inchs and low compression. If I put my girlfriend on it I not sure it can maintian hiway speed espcially up hill in high altitude. When I was coming out of Atlanta Saturday I was cruising about 80 mph and a pack of about 10 cars about blew me off the road passing me. I accelerated and found the cruise control tops out at 85 but the thottle keeps pulling. I did not want to go over 90. Well a little power can't hurt.

[BigBoyinMS]

The biggest performance increase you would gain would be by driving it like it's meant to be driven. It sounds like you are driving it like a Harley. This is not a hi torque VTwin but a high reving 4-cylinder. Get the RPM's up by keeping it in a lower gear or downshifting and it will pull you, her and a trailer past most any car.

[V7Goose]

Nothing needed, as far as I am concerned. This bike has PLENTY of performance. Of course, your expectations may be different than mine. Nothing wrong with that, but make sure you have hit the rev limiter a few times before you make your final judgment!

Goose

 

BTW - if you are trying to pass a line of cars at 80 while in 5th gear, you ain't clued in yet. Kick that baby down to 3rd if you want to do it right. You'll hit the rev limiter in 3rd around 96, but then 4th will quickly BURY the needle! And that is running two-up and FULLY loaded for an extended three-week trip (meaning I'm sure we were over the GVW for the machine).

Edited July 27, 2009 by V7Goose

[Redneck]

Don't waste your time with air filters and exhaust they wont help your power. the Dyna 3 k module will give you a little bump in power. You can change to a vmax rear gear and make it jump a little faster.

You can load your gf and all the cargo you can pack in it and go over the tallest pass in the country as fast as you want you have to wind it up.

[juggler]

Nothing.

 

I have a '99 RSV. I had Bubs exhaust and K&N air filters on it for a while. No difference in performance. I finally took the Bubs off ans went back to stock. I kept the K&N because they are still good.

 

Tuning and carb syncing should be all you need.

 

A few people here have replaced the ignition module with the Dyna 3000. And other have replaced the rear end gears with VMax rear end gears. Some like these mods others don't.

 

Like V7Goose said, learning how to use this V4 is the key. It likes high revs. With me and my wife pulling a trailer I can pass anything up until my wife tells me to slow down.

 

BTW: The 5th gear on these bikes is a real overdrive gear. If you're in 5th and you want to pass, DOWNSHIFT.

[MidlifeVenture]

So is there a chart 1-5 gear to apron. mph to hit rev limiter

1st=44mph

2nd=

3rd=96mph

4th=

5th=aint goin there by the sounds of it

 

???????

[Jerry W]

"If I put my girlfriend on it I not sure it can maintian hiway speed espcially up hill in high altitude."

 

Now, I don't want to start anything here, but just how big is your girlfriend?

[wes0778]

So is there a chart 1-5 gear to apron. mph to hit rev limiter

1st=44mph

2nd=

3rd=96mph

4th=

5th=aint goin there by the sounds of it ???????

 

5th =

2nd=66

4th= the speedo don't go that high

[goodwrench1]

I did not say I was passing cars I said I was being passed! I'm just tooling along breaking in a new low milage engine! I don't like being passed with more than a 10- 15 mph difference at that speed. I'm glad to hear the bike will respond to revs. Trust me I did not buy this bike for that but I don't want to leave a free tip on the table. It did strike me funny that the Yamaha owner's manual said to shift into overdrive at 31 mph! Thats right not kph but 31 mph! Well, the bike looks, runs, rides good and is comfortable. Allright what about windshilds? The reflection off the dash makes me consider a shorter wind screen. I got caught in a downpour in Atlanta and I did not mind the screen then. I was surprised to see that the rain did not run right over but kind of just staid around. I was running about 75 and slowed with the traffic to about 65 in the rain. I did not like traffic and rain but I kept pushin on because down pours in the south end as fast as they start usually.

[Wrongway]

BTW - if you are trying to pass a line of cars at 80 while in 5th gear, you ain't clued in yet. Kick that baby down to 3rd if you want to do it right. You'll hit the rev limiter in 3rd around 96, but then 4th will quickly BURY the needle! And that is running two-up and FULLY loaded for an extended three-week trip (meaning I'm sure we were over the GVW for the machine).

 

And that's when the fun starts . Done that a time or two myself, can't believe this is a full blown touring bike.

[juggler]

I did not say I was passing cars I said I was being passed! I'm just tooling along breaking in a new low milage engine! I don't like being passed with more than a 10- 15 mph difference at that speed. I'm glad to hear the bike will respond to revs. Trust me I did not buy this bike for that but I don't want to leave a free tip on the table. It did strike me funny that the Yamaha owner's manual said to shift into overdrive at 31 mph! Thats right not kph but 31 mph! Well, the bike looks, runs, rides good and is comfortable. Allright what about windshilds? The reflection off the dash makes me consider a shorter wind screen. I got caught in a downpour in Atlanta and I did not mind the screen then. I was surprised to see that the rain did not run right over but kind of just staid around. I was running about 75 and slowed with the traffic to about 65 in the rain. I did not like traffic and rain but I kept pushin on because down pours in the south end as fast as they start usually.

 

They are dead wrong in the manual - my guess is the Japanese to English translators hosed the metric conversions. There is no way this bike will run in 5th gear at 31 Mph. It would just lug something terrible.

 

I went with the Clearview XX Large Wide Tinted and Vented windshield. It has a different slope than stock and I don't notice any glare off the dash. http://www.clearviewshields.com

[CMIKE]

Well you said it was a Midnight Venture...

 

I am kinda thinking maybe it has been repainted Black. Not a true Midnight Venture.

 

The Midnight RSV's are always the fastest of all RSV's

 

[pegscraper]

When I see other 1300cc 4 cylinder engines making 135+ hp, some of them even by Yamaha themselves, and this one only pulls around 98, there is a problem. I don't care how much you rev it up. This engine doesn't make the power it ought to be making for its size. Out of your four options, exhaust, air filters, and rejetting will get you a lot of bench racing points, but will get you nothing on the road. A set of VMX cams and valve springs will get you a few hp and are relatively inexpensive if you can find used parts. A big bore kit will give you a huge increase in power, with an equal decrease in the size of your wallet. And I've never heard of anyone doing stroker kits.

 

There are a few other options too, depending on your ambition level. The D3K ignition module and VMX rear gear have been mentioned. Larger carbs, more like around 35mm or bigger, would be a huge improvement. The stock 32mm carbs are too small for a 1300cc engine. Carbs being too small will make the bike feel weak at elevated (read above legal) speeds on the highway. Fitting a VMX D3K ignition module would help a lot. It has much better spark advance curves and a higher rev limit. Last but not least, put a transmission in the bike with more appropriate gear ratios and get rid of the silly, worthless, extreme overdrive that is fifth gear. Put in a transmission from a 1st gen bike. The gear ratios in the 2nd gen trans are too far apart and the upper gears are too high. This engine likes to rev up, so why did Y give it gears that won't let it run in its powerband? Give it the gears that let the engine run where it wants to run. Do these things and you will have a whole new bike on your hands.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Sometimes people forget that this is a TOURING bike. It's designed to cross multiple state lines in a day, not finish lines.

 

As such, its a detuned motor, ( think cam profiles). It's meant to last a LONG time, burn slightly less fuel, have good 'rideablity', have a bit less power, and be comfy, stable, and heavy. Fairly low maintenance is also a requirement for good long distance bikes.

 

These bikes put somewhere around 80 HP to the ground. Thats enough to get the job done, but no, its not gonna win many drag races...although, they will give lots of other heavy bikes a run for their money.

 

If you want performance, there are LOTS of options. Sport bikes, sport touring bikes, power cruisers, and many other options.

 

[saddlebum]

Personally I don't like going much over 70 mph. Whenever I do I get this distinct THUMP THUMPING thing going on. It only seems to occur when I am riding 2 up, and it tends to resonate from the top of my helmit. for some reason only I notice it my wife never does.:think::think:

[goodwrench1]

How tall are you? I agree about the 31 mph overdrive. Another question I have is how do the "passing" lights operate? I mean the ones on the left and right of the main. I don't think they came on with the high beams and I could not find a switch for them. sombody mentioned a red line rev limiter. What rpm doe's that kick in?

[goodwrench1]

And no I think its a original Midnight Venture. It's basically a new bike that for some reason never was riden by the original owner. It still does not have even 1000 miles. Trust me I know its not a racer. I just want to optimise what Yamaha intended less the detuned dilivery mode it may have come wrapped in.

[Squidley]

Don't waste your time with air filters and exhaust they wont help your power. the Dyna 3 k module will give you a little bump in power. You can change to a vmax rear gear and make it jump a little faster.

 

I was going to mention the vmax rearend as it seems you want more seat in the pants acceleration. The Dana will increase the rev limiter to almost 7500 rpms and you can advance the timing curves with it.

[1sttenor]

How tall are you? I agree about the 31 mph overdrive. Another question I have is how do the "passing" lights operate? I mean the ones on the left and right of the main. I don't think they came on with the high beams and I could not find a switch for them. sombody mentioned a red line rev limiter. What rpm doe's that kick in?

 

I never shift into 5th unless I'm at above 55.

 

For the passing lamp switch...Look at the power port on the inside left front fairing. The stock switch is placed there, if it was done at a Yama dealer. Out of the box they're switched on with the low beam, off with the high beam. Some of us have replaced the 5 cent switch and switched them to on all the time. Check local laws, though!

 

I have put a tach on mine and it bumps the limiter at 6,700. ONce you put a tach on these, you see how very low you were turning the bike before!

[GunnyButch]

CMIK was just pulling your chain about the original color, it's not uncommon for those of us with MRSVs to think they are the fastest. I have the tall, vented, tinted clearview windshield and it clears the rain pretty well, there is still some glare from the chrome gas cap but the only answer there is to cover it and all is well. As far as performance goes I'd recommed a set of slip ons you like the sound/look of (I have stock RK slash cuts for the look), sync the carbs, and keep the rpms up in the power range and you should be very satisfied. You have enough miles on it to go looking for the rev limiter, once you find it in 2nd and 3rd gear then hit 4th I think you will be pretty satisfied. All the other stuff, rejets etc just lightens your wallet. Just my .02 worth.

[goodwrench1]

I'm eagar to put some more miles on the bike. I'm ready to get the passing lights hooked up like you said with the low beams and maybe all the time. I like plenty of light. I' need to check the rear seat and how it's mounted because when I was cleaning it up after the ride home I notice the seat was loose and when I shook it an allen screw fell out from under it. I also notice when I was riding it that the rear trunk assembly was shaking alot. I'll check and make sure it's not about to fall off!