Know what?..I still like my RSV

[1BigDog]

Disclaimer: this is not a knock on those who chose to go to a different model. To each their own, and I mean that. Your reasons are all valid ones. I always wanted a Harley but when I got my RSV it was love at first sight. This is just one member's insight on why he still likes the RSV.

 

 

After reading threads over the past year about members leaving the RSV and getting another bike, mainly because of the lack of upgrades, I said to myself, self, what do you dislike so much about the RSV that would make you part ways with it? I found nothing that would make me give up the ol' girl. Im a low tech kind of guy and the RSV is just fine for me. Would I pay the 20k MSRP for a new one now..no way. The technology hasnt caught up enough to warrant that kind of price. Harley and GW have increased their technical advantages over the years to kinda warrant that kind of price. But, like I said, for me the RSV suits my needs. Im comfortable on it. I can handle it just fine. Wife falls asleep on the back. And it still looks purty....Put untold amounts of upgrades over the years to make it just the way I like it. So, ill just enjoy my old bike a little while longer...

[Jerry W]

I always look, but I still like my Venture also. My cassett player was replaced with a set of Ponch's gauges and I have an mp3 player that holds all the music I need. The bike is super comfortable, the fuel injected bikes get better mileage but when I am on the bike I don't really worry about mpg. Some bikes can outrun the Venture, some can't. I don't really care about that.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

I actually like my Venture. And I have said this before, if Yamaha re-invents it, the value of our current models will most likely 'tank' on the used market.

 

I can see it now...half the members happy about a new model, half of them unhappy, complaining about 'planned obsolesence' or whatever.

 

Meanwhile, I will keep riding it.

 

[wes0778]

Yeah, I'm a low tech kinda guy too. Upgrades??? My '99 RSV is the newest member of my "fleet".

My daily driver is a 1983 Caprice Classic that just turned over 299,000 miles. 'nuff said...:stirthepot:

[uechi kid]

Ya know, you mentioned Harley and Honda with the technological upgrades. You can't touch either one of those with the same equipment (excluding the cassette) for any where near $20,000. Every time someone tells me another bike is better for less, I start listing all the features on this bike and how much they cost (now) and they shut up. Yes Yamaha is behind the times in not making some changes. But who really cares. These bikes are tried and true. I love this bike.

[XV1100SE]

Question is what does the "new" Venture have that people don't want or what is missing ? When comparing bike-to-bike the RSV still comes out ahead. Why change it?

 

Biggest complaints :

1) cassette deck - true it is obsolete but what would you put in its place? More gauges? In my opinion the bike doesn't really need more. Some like having the extra lights and gauges but bottom line is it doesn't really need them in order to ride the bike

2) fuel injection - if the bike meets current emission standards does fuel injection really make a substantial improvement to the bike?

3) gear whine - my other bike is a 99 Virago 1100 and maybe I'm used to the whine but I don't notice an issue on the 09 RSV. How many people have had mechanical issues with the shaft drive? For me, I'd take shaft drive over belt for the low maintenance and smoothness

 

Missing :

1) I'd like a gps on mine but where would they put it, plus a gps is a personal choice on features, look, operation. Easier to have a removeable unit for loading upgrades and maps. For this, leave the choice on a removeable unit up to the customer

2) bluetooth - wireless intercom would be nice. Don't think GW or HD offer that yet either

3) heated grips, seat, etc.... easily fixed with good clothing

4) ABS or UBS (unified braking system) - always good to make a bike slow down faster

 

Pro's for keeping it the way it is :

1) 4cyl 1300cc motor - enough horsepower and torque the way it is. Sure, not as big as the GW but I like 50mpg Imperial and still accellerates fast enough. Remember, this is a touring bike, not a sport bike. I'm not against bigger motors. My car is a Mustang GT. I could have gotten the 6cyl but opted for the 8 because the Mustang is a sports car and should go fast. RSV is for 2 up riding and how many passengers want you to be able to do wheelies?

2) riding position and comfort - I bought my RSV partly because the seating position is right for me. Passenger seat is comfortable and how don't hear complaints from the back when I'm on rough roads or hit a pot hole. Don't change it.

3) shaft drive - low maintenance, smooth. Fix the way the gears mesh but keep the shaft

4) the "look" - the RSV turns heads the way it is. I pull into a parking lot where there are HD's and they turn their head and go "nice looking bike" or "wow, its a Venture".

 

So, if you were Yamaha, what would you do when you have a bike like the RSV ? Major changes could push customers away, raise the MSRP, increase tooling and R&D costs.

 

A few minor tweaks would be nice, but if they made major changes and missed the mark (too much like a HD or GW, etc) there would be more complaints.

Edited September 2, 2010 by XV1100SE

[Sylvester]

My Sylvester and I have traveled 132K miles together without one failure. I will keep Sylvester until it is totaled or I pass on. I may purchase another bike in the future or I may not, but the one I have will always be the best I have owned in fifty plus years of riding.

 

[CrazyHorse]

Question is what does the "new" Venture have that people don't want or what is missing ? When comparing bike-to-bike the RSV still comes out ahead. Why change it?

 

Biggest complaints :

1) cassette deck - true it is obsolete but what would you put in its place? More gauges? In my opinion the bike doesn't really need more. Some like having the extra lights and gauges but bottom line is it doesn't really need them in order to ride the bike

2) fuel injection - if the bike meets current emission standards does fuel injection really make a substantial improvement to the bike?

3) gear whine - my other bike is a 99 Virago 1100 and maybe I'm used to the whine but I don't notice an issue on the 09 RSV. How many people have had mechanical issues with the shaft drive? For me, I'd take shaft drive over belt for the low maintenance and smoothness

 

Missing :

1) I'd like a gps on mine but where would they put it, plus a gps is a personal choice on features, look, operation. Easier to have a removeable unit for loading upgrades and maps. For this, leave the choice on a removeable unit up to the customer

2) bluetooth - wireless intercom would be nice. Don't think GW or HD offer that yet either

3) heated grips, seat, etc.... easily fixed with good clothing

 

Pro's for keeping it the way it is :

1) 4cyl 1300cc motor - enough horsepower and torque the way it is. Sure, not as big as the GW but I like 50mpg Imperial and still accellerates fast enough. Remember, this is a touring bike, not a sport bike. I'm not against bigger motors. My car is a Mustang GT. I could have gotten the 6cyl but opted for the 8 because the Mustang is a sports car and should go fast. RSV is for 2 up riding and how many passengers want you to be able to do wheelies?

2) riding position and comfort - I bought my RSV partly because the seating position is right for me. Passenger seat is comfortable and how don't hear complaints from the back when I'm on rough roads or hit a pot hole. Don't change it.

3) shaft drive - low maintenance, smooth. Fix the way the gears mesh but keep the shaft

4) the "look" - the RSV turns heads the way it is. I pull into a parking lot where there are HD's and they turn their head and go "nice looking bike" or "wow, its a Venture".

 

So, if you were Yamaha, what would you do when you have a bike like the RSV ? Major changes could push customers away, raise the MSRP, increase tooling and R&D costs.

 

A few minor tweaks would be nice, but if they made major changes and missed the mark (too much like a HD or GW, etc) there would be more complaints.

 

Kinda like what happened when the changed from 1st Gen

[Eck]

I'm with ya Ruffy, I still like YOUR bike too...................

[beyeker]

I liked all three of my Ventures. (1999, 2004, and 2007) But no changes since 1999 is not exceptable. Would I change the current Venture drastically? NO. I like the styling just the way it is. I have never liked the Royal Star wheels, ugly. Put on cast ones like the Road Stars. Narrow white walls like the Electra Glide. Time to change the fairing, put in full gauges. Satilite radio. Same engine, just bump it to 1600cc and add fuel injection so it has more low rpm pull. Anything else?

[RandyR]

I'm with you Ruffy. The few things mentioned above would be nice to fix, but not at the expense of the reasonable cost, and ease of maintenance, and overall reliability that we have.

 

The gear whine bothers me sometimes, but other bikes have noises too. If straight cut heavy gears are what allows Yamaha to give us a 5 year warranty, then howl away.

 

If the first gens were still being made, or weren't at least 20 years old, I might have gone that route, as I do like the frame mounted fairing. But the comfort of the 2nd gen is important too.

 

Slightly better gas mileage at highway speeds is what I would most like, and I suspect that better aerodynamics is what is needed to accomplish that.

[Rick Haywood]

the fuel injected bikes get better mileage

 

 

What fuel injected bikes get better mileage? I ride in a goldwing group (I own a goldwing also) and when we stop and fuel I always take 3 to 8 tenths less gas than the best of them do. You might find one or two stuck in there that do but then you will find one or two Ventures that do better also

 

I don't use the cassette deck because my tapes are so old they don't play right so I have a MP3 player and Sirius radio. As for not having a cd player I have talked to most who say that their CD player doesn't work the best anyway on a bike. I like being able to see the motor on a bike and not all the plastic. The goldwing hurts my knees from having them bent back to put my feet on the pegs plus my knees are to close to the fairing. I also like being able to move my mirrors with the handlebars so when at a bad angle I can see to make a turn. I would like to try the Elctra Glide but I put 30,000 miles a year on a bike and would need to rebuild the Harley every three years at least. I'll stay with the RSV for awhile longer

[Bobby G]

Many of my riding buds have switched over the last 2 or 3 years from Road Stars or Sportsters or 'Wings over to the Ultra Classic. Not me. I'm really sold on all of the benefits of the RSV, and can easily live with the current deficiencies. As long as parts remain available to keep it going, I'm sticking with it. It's just too comfortable and too reliable to switch to anything else. How can you beat 4-cyl, shaft drive, liquid cooled, cruise and comfy pillow tops? I get 45+ mpg, and have an ipod full of tunes, GPS w/bluetooth, Sirius Radio, CB/AM/FM, guages, and tons of storage, plus a nice new (used) cool little trailer for the longer trips. Who could ask for more?

[scooter45]

The best bike I have owned, I have been looking at Harley Kaw and Honda, and know company makes a perfect bike, Most of the new ventures are still 2,000 to 5,000 less then and of the other bikes out there. A harley ultra is 24,000 and Voyager is 18,000

and Venture will sell for 16,000 for a 2010.