2000 Venture Need more power with sidecar

[labill]

Read some of the posts regarding power problems. Not sure it fits mine.

 

I have a 2000 Venture and just put on a sidecar for the wife. It weighs 225 lbs. Expected to loose some power and fuel milage. However, I went from 35/40 down to 20/25 MPG. I don't expect to go get the good MPG back but this is a hit. Going up grades on the interstates is a struggle.

 

Have changed plugs, no wet ones when I did. Does not starve or stall out.

 

Looking for ideas, suggestions.

 

Thanks,

Bill

[BoomerCPO]

I'm no expert but I think running a sidecar on a scoot that only has 1300cc's is asking a bit more than the engine/tranny can deliver.

Boomer....who sez a Venture trike might be the way to go.

[Squidley]

This may seem like a dense question Bill, but bear with me. How do you shift your bike, meaning do you shift up into 5th gear before say 50 mph? This V4 has a LOT of power, but you have to know where to get it from. On all my 2nd gens I have never shifted into 5th until about 65 mph. When going up inclines and such I always drop a gear or 2, especially if I'm 2 up and pulling a trailer. Your adding a lot of wind resistance with a sidecar on and that could be hurting you too.

If you haven't done a tune up on the bike since you got it I would strongly suggest that. New plugs, air filters, fuel filter and do a carb sync on it. This will give you a starting point to go from and you have a record of maintenance on your bike then. SteveW here on the site has, or still does own an RSV with a hack on it, might want to PM him and compare notes with him. Give us a bit more info and we'll get better answers to pass on.

[V7Goose]

I'm no expert but I think running a sidecar on a scoot that only has 1300cc's is asking a bit more than the engine/tranny can deliver.

 

Boomer....who sez a Venture trike might be the way to go.

I do not have a hack on my Venture, but it has WAY more power than you need for one. Back in the day when sidecars were more popular they were fitted to everything from 250cc machines on up. My hack is on an old air-cooled twin with roughly half the horsepower of the Venture, and I have toured fully loaded all over the country, including some wild passes in the Rockies, without any problems at all.

Goose

[Carbon_One]

Besides what Squidley & Goose has said you can drop in a V-Max differential and that'll put the power band back where it's needed. You'll add about 500 rpm at 70 mph doing that.

Hannigan trikes use the 3:73 gearing (same as the V-Max) and Tri-Wing uses a 3:42 gearing which is what I have. I am considering opting for a 3:73 gearing this winter but undecided at the moment.

As Squidley says I generally have to downshift to keep the engine bettween 3 & 4 k to keep it happy on hills. Oh the trike weighs in at an additional 400 lbs so I'm hauling another 200 over you.

Fuel econemy does take a hit but I can get anywhere from mid 20's to mid 30's depending on whether I'm towing my trailer and sppeds being run.

Hope this helps, Larry

[labill]

Thanks for the info.

 

Bike has been tuned up. Has K&N filters. Appears may have been shifting to soon. However, I was concerned about constant down shifting to 4th on grades. Guess about time I try that.

 

I did not opt for a trike so I can still use it with two up on short runs. Front not modified so I get a good work out but the sidecar brake helps out.

 

Thanks again.

 

Bill

[LilBeaver]

Thanks for the info.

 

Bike has been tuned up. Has K&N filters. Appears may have been shifting to soon. However, I was concerned about constant down shifting to 4th on grades. Guess about time I try that.

 

...

 

Well, an easy solution to that is don't shift into 5th

[Squidley]

Appears may have been shifting to soon. However, I was concerned about constant down shifting to 4th on grades. Guess about time I try that.

 

Dont be concerned with the down shifting, it's needed to get into the powerband. Your not gonna hurt this motor, it will easily spin to 7500 rpms, without the govenor. When I go to pass someone if I'm in 5th I drop it to 3rd and open her up, you'll be surprised how fast it will move. I'll second the Vmax rearend as it will help with out of the hole power, enjoy that new ride

[1rooster]

I have a sidecar on my 99 my Venture.I live in the mountains of North Carolina and never had a problem with not enough power.Yes,my gas mileage dropped about 10 mpg but I can live with that. My sidecar weighs 195 and I carry three 40 pound bags of sand in it when I really want to get fiesty in the twisties.You gotta love a sidecar.

[SteveW]

No problems here with mine. Just keep the RPM's up and I only go into 5th if I'm on a straight away and over 65.

Plenty of guts to these bikes.

[ashley9187]

I have an 08 RSV with a Champion Escort sidecar. I have had my trees re worked and the bike handles like a dream. The sidecar will not be taken off the mounts are fairly permanent. At first I had issues with the power thing, but learned to to use the gear box. I also have a trailer that is sometimes attached to the bike and you talk about gas mileage issues! With just the hack my mileage is cut in half. But now that I have sever weight issues, I am worried about pre-mature engine wear and over heating. I have begun a search for an oil cooler for the bike. Non found for the RSV:think:. Now if I needed one for my Roadstar no problem.

 

Anyone know anything about oil cooler???? HELP???

[kj5ix]

I am still getting use to the RSV Trike that I just finished. The power is there, and just have to remember when and where to shift. I found that 5th is useless under 55 or so, and pulling my camper in a slight hilly area I almost had to stay in 4th. The power is there ; just have to know how to use it. Gas mileage: Well just plain Sucks with the Trike, but love it any way. Last tank was 30 MPG around town mostly. Not all that bad.

 

I don't think you will have premature engine ware.

[Beau-Kat]

Dont be concerned with the down shifting, it's needed to get into the powerband. Your not gonna hurt this motor, it will easily spin to 7500 rpms, without the govenor. When I go to pass someone if I'm in 5th I drop it to 3rd and open her up, you'll be surprised how fast it will move. I'll second the Vmax rearend as it will help with out of the hole power, enjoy that new ride

 

 

"...it will easily spin to 7500 rpms, without the govenor". ??

Will the 2nd gen turn 7500 before the governor kicks in?

I know my first gen will just keep on rocking up the tach, but my Millenium hits the rev limiter somewhere. I'm just not sure where.

Just asking.

[greg_in_london]

Sounds like you need a first gen to have enough power. My fuel mileage was never that great solo, but putting a sidecar on it made very little difference and neither did pulling a ridiculously large trailer, but doing some mods from this sight and getting on very close terms with the carbs had me up to 35mpg (imperial) on our 2,000 European tour this summer.

I couldn't use top speed because of the trailer, but when I left it behind and hit the autobahns a couple of times it really did fly, even though I didn't get to go past about 85mph.

 

How that applies to 2nd gens I don't know, though.

[RandyR]

I have an 08 RSV with a Champion Escort sidecar. I have had my trees re worked and the bike handles like a dream. The sidecar will not be taken off the mounts are fairly permanent. At first I had issues with the power thing, but learned to to use the gear box. I also have a trailer that is sometimes attached to the bike and you talk about gas mileage issues! With just the hack my mileage is cut in half. But now that I have sever weight issues, I am worried about pre-mature engine wear and over heating. I have begun a search for an oil cooler for the bike. Non found for the RSV:think:. Now if I needed one for my Roadstar no problem.

 

Anyone know anything about oil cooler???? HELP???

 

You shouldn't need an oil cooler on the RSV. Its is already water cooled.

 

Just use a good quality oil suitable for a wet clutch application.

 

If you are putting a heavy load on the bike, use 5th gear sparingly, as discussed already.

[Squidley]

"...it will easily spin to 7500 rpms, without the govenor". ??

 

Will the 2nd gen turn 7500 before the governor kicks in?

 

I know my first gen will just keep on rocking up the tach, but my Millenium hits the rev limiter somewhere. I'm just not sure where.

 

Just asking.

 

 

Rusty,

No the G2 wont spin up to 7500 rpm in the stock configuration, I believe the govenor is set up at about 6500 rpms. If you install The Dana 3000 ignition in the bike you can set your parameters for the rpms, I believe up to 7500 or there abouts. I believe that Yamaha did that due to the unlimited mileage warranty and just kept the engine way under it's potential.

[Beau-Kat]

Thanks for that info Squidley.

 

Mine's stock, so I was just wondering.

And I really agree with your last sentence.

I think I'll leave my limiter as it is.

 

My wife and I are in the process of adopting a boy.

She has told me to look into a sidecar for one or the other of my Ventures.

 

I put a Venture rear end in my VMax and have it's low mileage rear end available if I need to lower my gearing. We do live in a coastal area, so would not have hills to deal with for about the first 75 miles inland.

 

Anyway, I've heard some good stuff on here over the years to help me make decisions on all kinds of issues. It's like I have access to Encyclopedia Venturerider!

 

Thanks guys.

[kj5ix]

I found out this past week end that the RSV Trike is miserable performance pulling the camper, gas mileage was about the same as my pick up,,, 105 on the first main tank, and 85 on the second. Good thing I have the extra tank with 4.5 + gals worst was 18.333 MPG. May have been the crappy gas mix I picked up in West TX.......

[labill]

Read all the post on power with my sidecar, the Vmax rear and Dyna 3000 ignition system.

 

What is opinion on either one?

 

Thanks again,

bill

[Freebird]

The VMax rear will certainly give you the best bang for your buck. I have both. They Dyna fine if you want to run it up to a higher redline but that is about all it buys you.

[Reed]

Don't worry about down shifting. a 2 gen will do 90 mph. in 3rd. That is where the RPM's hit MAX. So 4th instead of 5th at 65 with a load or high wind is good. It will even help your MPG.

 

 

To get your best MPG try this:mytruck1:.

 

 

 

Have Fun! Ride Safe!!

[kj5ix]

Don't worry about down shifting. a 2 gen will do 90 mph. in 3rd. That is where the RPM's hit MAX. So 4th instead of 5th at 65 with a load or high wind is good. It will even help your MPG.

 

 

To get your best MPG try this:mytruck1:.

 

 

 

Have Fun! Ride Safe!!

 

 

I will try this on the Trike tomorrow for the first tank on a trip we are taking fully loaded again... To see if I get more than 105 miles on the main tank,,,

[Condor]

One more thing that I don't think anyone has mentioned yet. Is the side car wheel alligned properly. It could be toed out or in, and scrubbing, causing more drag and poorer mpg that expected???

[barend]

I lost 5mpg on the secondary and about 10 on the interstate running 85 running 2 up. Power is not an issue with my MkI.