Disappointed with the 2010 RSV

[N3FOL]

FWIW, Yamaha certainly attracted me to the Venture a year ago. Even if it is carburated...I still wanted this bike knowing that the engine was well proven for the past 7 or 8 years. As long as Yamaha don't stop making parts available for the 2nd Gens...I may stay on this bike indefinitely:scratchchin:.

 

I am always looking forward to the next year's lineup of Yamaha motorcycles.

[Sylvester]

I talked to my Yamer dealer. They are the oldest Yamaha dealership in the USA. The owner said that touring bikes are dwindling in sales including Goldwing and wouldn't be surprised if Yamaha never replaces the Venture. They said the younger set wants cruisers and crotch rockets and fewer and fewer are touring any more. I think the Strat touring version is a possibility though. The new v'max and engine is for bragging rights asserting performance prowess against the competition. They have really never marketed the VMax either and probably don't care how many they sell. Cruisers, crotchrockets, dirt bikes, watercraft are where the money is. I think they knew early on that the 2nd gen was not going to make a dint in the Goldwing sales and just continued to produce a few because they were already tooled up and wanted to at least make back cost of research and development. I think they put a lot of time and thought into the 2nd gen. and initially were fishing for big game and it just wasn't meant to be. That is why they never promoted it. They didn't want to waste money on marketing. Not that we that ride them don't realize it is the best touring bike for the money bar none.

 

 

I don't believe that HD, Honda, Victory and Kawasaki have all either released new touring bikes or are going to release new tourers, and Yamaha has decided it is not worth their resources. Motorcycles are all about bragging rights to manufacturers, ie. V-max, Goldwing, Hayabusa and others. I feel a new Venture with V-4 power is iminent.

 

[timgray]

Don't tell me the 2010 still has a cassette player.

 

Nope It has 8-track with a 45 record option.

 

Actually, I love the 2nd gen radio. I'm helping a friend install the radio+intercom on a FJR1300. it actually fits and the controls on the handlebars look like it belongs there.

[Phoenix]

Personally, I quite like my '04 RSV - that is why I bought it! It runs great, takes me where I need to go, has a shaft drive, is a comfortable ride, gets great fuel mileage, and has a nice cruiser style.

 

As far as audio goes, it is easy to hook your iPod or MP3 player into the audio system, so I really could care less about changing from a cassette player. My GPS (Garmin Zumo 550) will also play MP3's through the RSV's audio system, so that is another avenue to carry music along. (Most of the time I just use the radio and the supplied buttons to change the station whenever I go out of range of one I'm listening to.)

 

Over the years, I have found that cars and motorcycles don't always change for the better when they "upgrade" them.

 

I'm enjoying my RSV and don't plan on buying another one until the wheels fall off.

 

Phoenix

[craigatcsi]

So, say this is the last year of the 2nd Gens. - Typically, how long will new parts be available?

craigr

[N3FOL]

My guess would be 30 years +/- 5 years.

[YamaDuck]

My guess would be 30 years +/- 5 years.

Well maybe:think: My son has a Chevy Cavilier and we went to the dealership to by a new part for his car after it was just 8 years old and they no longer made the part. Hopefully Yamaha cares more about their customers than GM.

[fredster66]

I talked to my Yamer dealer. They are the oldest Yamaha dealership in the USA. The owner said that touring bikes are dwindling in sales including Goldwing and wouldn't be surprised if Yamaha never replaces the Venture. They said the younger set wants cruisers and crotch rockets and fewer and fewer are touring any more. I think the Strat touring version is a possibility though. The new v'max and engine is for bragging rights asserting performance prowess against the competition. They have really never marketed the VMax either and probably don't care how many they sell. Cruisers, crotchrockets, dirt bikes, watercraft are where the money is. I think they knew early on that the 2nd gen was not going to make a dint in the Goldwing sales and just continued to produce a few because they were already tooled up and wanted to at least make back cost of research and development. I think they put a lot of time and thought into the 2nd gen. and initially were fishing for big game and it just wasn't meant to be. That is why they never promoted it. They didn't want to waste money on marketing. Not that we that ride them don't realize it is the best touring bike for the money bar none.

 

Yamaha would not build a 3rd generation fuel-injected 1700cc DOHC V-4 just to put in some boutique bike like the V-Max. The younger generation might like cruisers and crotch rockets, but the biggest (and richest) population segment is boomers. Boomers is where the $$ is. My dealer has a room full of R6's with no place to go. I just don't see touring bikes going away. You should see that new Kawasaki! She's pretty!

[OldBear]

Remember too that our "Old" RSV still TIED for 1st place in the shootout with HD, Kaw and Victory....Yeah, it's old school, BUT it still gets the job done pretty well. I too hope to see a next gen, (but don't need one for several more years). Me, I'd like about 125-130 horses, ABS and an XM radio in lieu of a cassette and cd player. Keep the rest of the stuff pretty much the same and you'd have a class leader....

[hig4s]

I was finding it hard to believe that the 2010 RSV was able to meet the new 2010 EPA standards without switching to fuel injection. But after thinking about it, seeing as it was released before the new standards take effect, I wonder if it has to meet them. I believe that as long as they stop production of the RSV prior to the new EPA standards going into effect, they don't have to meet them. ????

 

Anyone know for sure??