New Guy Questions?

[TearlessTom]

Hello all I obviously am new here as this is my 1st post.

 

I am in the process of purchasing an 07 model.

 

1st Question:

Can anyone tell me the proper pressure for the front and rear shocks? I read the front takes no more than 7 and that 3 is a good place to start but I havent found anything on the rear.

 

The bike has been sitting for a couple of months so I will probable need adjusting.

 

2nd question:

What years are the 1st generation vs the second generations that I see people talking about and what are the differences?

 

3rd question:

Is there a 3rd generation?

 

4th question:

Is there any major issues I should look for or check. the bike has 40,000+ miles.

 

5th question:

Is there a limit as to how many questions I can ask per post?

 

Thanks in advance as I am sure there will be more questions to follow.

 

Tom

 

PS: my presently my other bike is a beautiful 97 Honda Valkyrie Tourer. I recently sold a 06 HD Street Glide. I've also owned a 03 Honda ST1300, a 03 Honda VTX 1300, a Honda 750 ACE, and my 1st bike was a Yahama 400 way back when gas reached $1.00 a gallon.

My wife rides a 04 HD Fatboy.

[Trader]

Hi Tom....and Welcome to the mad house!

 

you will find this site is a great resource for tech information, mechanical help, moral support...and just fun to read and "meet" some of the inmates too!

 

It has been without a doubt the best $12 I have ever spent on my bike! (and a bit more for "donations" when the bike went down)

 

I only bought my 2 VR's this spring and summer ('83 and '84) so I can't help you with shock pressures etc on your new bike...but I can answer some of the other questions.

 

If you go to the "Venture History" menu (3rd from left on upper blue bar) it has a section of the various evolutions of models over the years. it explains features, models, specs etc.

 

Also, do yourself a favour and try out the Search tool (lower menu bar, 3rd from right)

you will find a lot of the basic questions you may have will have been asked and answered over the years. It might save you some time (and money) .

 

Lastly, you can ask as many questions as you want...but I have found that some may get lost in the shuffle so it might be best to keep it to one or two per post.

 

So....once again....welcome! There are folks here from all over the US and Canada...as well as Austrailia, Germany, Iceland, England and a few others too...and they all seem to be pretty darn good folks! (well....MOST of them anyway:stickpoke:)

 

Enjoy your new ride.

 

Oh....one more thing....some people get right upset if you don't follow one of the most important "rules" of this site. People want to see PICTURES!!!!!!

So show us the new bike already!

[etcswjoe]

I am in the process of purchasing an 07 model.

 

1st Question:

Can anyone tell me the proper pressure for the front and rear shocks? I read the front takes no more than 7 and that 3 is a good place to start but I havent found anything on the rear.

 

It depends on what you do and your personall prefrences you will need to play with it to fit you. I ride two up 90-% of the time and have 4 in the front and 45 in the rear (53 is max I belive) make sure you do not over pressurize you can blow the front seals.

 

The bike has been sitting for a couple of months so I will probable need adjusting.

 

2nd question:

What years are the 1st generation vs the second generations that I see people talking about and what are the differences?

 

The easiest way to answer this would be to look at the pictures, The first gen is was more of a tourer and the 2nd gen is a cruiser. I have had both and really liked diffrent things about both. Take a look at this link for the history : http://www.venturerider.org/modules/history/index.php

 

3rd question:

Is there a 3rd generation?

 

Not Yet, from 99 to 2011 the bikes are almost identical and yes all of them have tape decks.

 

4th question:

Is there any major issues I should look for or check. the bike has 40,000+ miles.

 

I have 33K on mine and it is doing well, I replaced the CB Antenna setup because I did not like the OEM performance. It has carbs so you have to make sure they stay synched. Low Speed Handling is not that great. I am sure others will expand.

 

5th question:

Is there a limit as to how many questions I can ask per post

 

IDK

 

Thanks in advance as I am sure there will be more questions to follow.

 

Tom

 

PS: my presently my other bike is a beautiful 97 Honda Valkyrie Tourer. I recently sold a 06 HD Street Glide. I've also owned a 03 Honda ST1300, a 03 Honda VTX 1300, a Honda 750 ACE, and my 1st bike was a Yahama 400 way back when gas reached $1.00 a gallon.

My wife rides a 04 HD Fatboy

[sarges46]

Rear shock is a major problem with our bikes. They tend to wear out quickly for some folks. Yours will still be under warranty me thinks. You can check that as the 5 year bumper to bumper warranty starts from the first day the bike went into service.

 

Important that you dont use power air for the forks. Get yourself a hand held. Many of us use the hand pumps from Progressive.

 

Pressure's are yours to play with as mentioned.

 

Gearing is funny with 5th being a overdrive kind of gear. It likes to rev so dont be a quick shifter. Dont try to pass a car while in 5th and doing under 65. It will feel like a elephant is on your butt! Gear down....there is plenty of power if in the right gears.

 

Take this bike for a spin and listen for the dreaded clutch basket howl. I have never had a howler with both the RSV's I've had. They all have a pretty classic yamaha whine if you will caused by square cut gears.

 

Enjoy!

[Eck]

Known problems:

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=87

 

Suspension, tires, ect..

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=75

 

General Tech section:

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=81

VR tech section (everything you need to know)

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=12

Feel free to call me if I can be of any help. My phone number is in my profile

I live in Huntsville, Al. if that helps too.. come on over..

[Rick Haywood]

Ignition switch will go out at some point. Mine went out at 30,000 miles. They are way out of line for a new one $200 plus which is stupid for an ignition switch. If the bike has passing/running lights you need to install a relay to help the ignition switch. I run my shocks Front between 5-8 pounds and rear between 30-40 pounds depending on if I am 2 up or pulling my trailer. I bought mine in July with 21.000 miles on it and now have 37,000 miles on it and have had no trouble other than the switch. Also mine had Avon tires on it and wouldn't corner near as well as my old gold wing so I now have Dunlap E 3's and it handles great.

[RandyR]

I presume the origonal poster has a RSTD since this is posted in the Royal Star forum?

 

There was an issue with 07's that had loosely torqued head bolts on the engine. No one has been able to post the Yamaha Tech Bulletin, so the exact serial number range is still a mystery. Make sure you visit a Yamaha dealer and get the warranty re-registered in your name. You have 5 years of warranty after the origonal purchase date.

 

The 'new' Tour Deluxes' were made from 2005-2009 and are mostly the same as the Ventures made from 1999-present except for fairing, top box and added electronics.

 

Someone has already provided a link to the history page, which will tell you about the early Royal Stars from 1996-2000.

[Dave77459]

Hi,

 

My comments are in red bold, below.

 

Dave

 

Hello all I obviously am new here as this is my 1st post.

 

Welcome! I hope you enjoy your time here, and decide to join. At $14/year, it is a steal!

 

I am in the process of purchasing an 07 model.

 

Would you please do us a favor, and click "User CP" in the left margin, then "Edit Your Details", and add a "Custom User Title" with the sort of bike you [intend to] have? That way, we can know you are talking about an '07 RSTD (if that is the case). We can be more helpful, maybe.

 

1st Question:

Can anyone tell me the proper pressure for the front and rear shocks? I read the front takes no more than 7 and that 3 is a good place to start but I havent found anything on the rear.

 

I run 0 in the front, and ~35# in back. It depends on whether I ride two-up or am towing a trailer.

 

The bike has been sitting for a couple of months so I will probable need adjusting.

 

Make sure you use an appropriate pump! Air compressors are too strong and will blow out seals. There is a special pump for the front, and a hand pump for the rear. Caveat utilitor!

 

2nd question:

What years are the 1st generation vs the second generations that I see people talking about and what are the differences?

 

3rd question:

Is there a 3rd generation?

 

2 & 3 are answered definitively above.

 

4th question:

Is there any major issues I should look for or check. the bike has 40,000+ miles.

Mine has given me 50K of trouble-free riding. Well, not major issues. I have replaced the fuel pump (could have been warranty service -- it's common too), and have scheduled to have a warranty replacement of my left-side "Y" where the two header pipes join together to form the single left-side exhaust. It is leaking and gives me pops on deceleration. No biggie, but I want it attended before I outlive my warranty.

 

At 40K miles, you might be thinking about the clutch spring. You should also make sure that the 26K service has been done; it is expensive.

 

As mentioned, make sure the warranty is transferred to you.

 

To me, the biggest single issue is finding a quality dealer. I've not had luck, but I have found a great circle of friends here who helped me learn to service my bike myself. This bike is very user-serviceable in conjunction with the VentureRiders.

 

5th question:

Is there a limit as to how many questions I can ask per post?

 

Nope! Ask away! But also learn to use the search. There is a sh*t-ton of information here.

 

Thanks in advance as I am sure there will be more questions to follow.

 

Have fun, ride safe!

 

Tom

 

PS: my presently my other bike is a beautiful 97 Honda Valkyrie Tourer. I recently sold a 06 HD Street Glide. I've also owned a 03 Honda ST1300, a 03 Honda VTX 1300, a Honda 750 ACE, and my 1st bike was a Yahama 400 way back when gas reached $1.00 a gallon.

My wife rides a 04 HD Fatboy.

[Rick Haywood]

I presume the origonal poster has a RSTD since this is posted in the Royal Star forum?

 

There was an issue with 07's that had loosely torqued head bolts on the engine. No one has been able to post the Yamaha Tech Bulletin, so the exact serial number range is still a mystery. Make sure you visit a Yamaha dealer and get the warranty re-registered in your name. You have 5 years of warranty after the origonal purchase date.

 

The 'new' Tour Deluxes' were made from 2005-2009 and are mostly the same as the Ventures made from 1999-present except for fairing, top box and added electronics.

 

Someone has already provided a link to the history page, which will tell you about the early Royal Stars from 1996-2000.

 

 

Isn't a Venture A Royal Star

[V7Goose]

There is no proper pressure per se - 0 is fine up front, and it is technically OK in the back. For proper handling, it is CRITICAL that both forks be exactly the same. You must have a gauge with a zero-loss chuck, as just touching the valve with any other type of gauge will change the pressure. the only option I know of is one of the Progressive brand pumps with gauge or the HD unit which is identical except for the label. If you do not have the right tool, just make sure both forks are empty and the bike will ride fine.

 

While Yamahaha says 0 is fine in the rear shock, I personally cannot stand it below 25 lbs when solo (but I weigh 250).

 

Someone has already mentioned the problem with the rear shocks failing on these bikes. It does not happen to all of them, but it is very common. When they go bad, they loose the oil but almost always still hold air just fine. Look at the bottom mount of the shock in front of the rear tire - ANY sign of oil or oily dirt on the bottom of the shock is absolute proof of a bad shock. They are expensive, so make sure you check this not only now, but just before your warranty runs out.

 

Technically, there is a formal process to transfer the warranty, and it must be done within 30 days. The dealer is free to charge whatever they want for this "transfer". In reality, almost nobody does anything formal to get the transfer, and there is rarely any cost or paperwork. I suggest you don't even ask about it - just assume they will honor the warranty and test it. Just take the bike in and ask for something minor to be fixed under warranty. Once they do it and you have the paperwork, there is no further risk of getting surprised by a shyster dealer in the future.

 

A bike that has been sitting for a couple of months with today's gas is probably going to have carb problems. Do not be surprised if they need to be pulled and cleaned - this is a fairly big job and expensive if done at the dealer. First thing I would suggest, even if it seems to run fine, is to pour one pint of Seafoam into a full tank of gas. This will go a long way to cleaning things up while you ride unless jets are completely clogged.

 

Make sure you read old posts about the importance of keeping the RPMs up on this bike. If you try to accelerate at too low engine speeds for the gear, you will find the bike a total dog. Trust me, it is NOT! Do NOT even remotely imagine that you can believe the "recommended shift points" in they owner's manual - whoever wrote that either had never even seen or heard of a Royal Star, or he was totally wiped out on heroin when he was writing it.

 

If you do not have the owner's manual, you can download it free from the Yamaha web site.

Goose

[V7Goose]

Isn't a Venture A Royal Star

The forum name is slightly confusing - Yes, a Venture is a Royal Star, but that particular forum was meant to focus specifically on the early 2nd gen Royal Stars from the '90s and the RSTDs - basically all the Royal Stars that do not have a fairing.

 

It is understandable how newbies can be confused.

goose

[BradT]

Assume you got the answers you were looking for, so Welcome.

 

Brad

[TearlessTom]

Thank you for all the answers. I will definately get some photos when I pick the bike up Saturday.

 

I will be riding it home about 170 miles so I am going to get some seafoam and add to the tank then top it off before I leave. I may also add some Techtron or I have also had good luck with Marvel Mystery Oil.

 

I have a Harley Davidson pump that I was getting ready to put up on Ebay. Glad I procrastinated now.

 

I understand about the square cut gears and the whine. My other bike is a Valkyrie which also has the square gears. I have used different types of oil and have found that Mobil 1 in the differential and the engine/transmission has quietened it down a bit.

 

I will definately be checking out the shocks and putting it up on the rack as soon as I get home.

I love to wrench on bikes but I also like having a bike I don't have to turn a wrench on unless I want to. I usually do all my own maintaince short of a engine rebuild. I have done carbs before and built a home made carb sync tool for the Valk as it has 6 carbs to sync. ( now thats a bugger)

 

Looking forward to a lot of idea exchanging. I will be joining the forum for sure.

 

Tom

[davecb]

Welcome Tom. Where are you located? I must be really old..Gas was less than 30 cents a gallon when I started to ride..........

[Rick Haywood]

Welcome Tom. Where are you located? I must be really old..Gas was less than 30 cents a gallon when I started to ride..........

 

 

WOW I must be really really really old cause it was 24 cents when I was first riding

[TearlessTom]

Welcome Tom. Where are you located? I must be really old..Gas was less than 30 cents a gallon when I started to ride..........

 

I am in Spanish Fort, Al. I guess I started rideing when gas was around .30 cents per gallon but I didn't own a bike until I think it was '82. The 1st "Gas Crisis".

 

I was in the Service (Army) then about 20 years as a LEO. Left that started my own business as a Wedding and Portrait Photographer which is something I had been doing since 1980 but it became a job rather than something I enjoyed doing so I went back to school and got my RN licenses. I currently work in the ER at the local Childrens Hospital.

 

Married to wife #4 (and the last), I have 1 beautiful wife and home, 3 kids and she has 3, between us we have 12 grand kids., 3 dogs, and 3 bikes. I guess 3 is my lucky #. She is also a RN. Basically we work so we can travel. (and eat, and have a roof over our heads, and clothes on or back, and food on the table) I guess we don't work to travel after all, but that is out passion.

 

Life is good!!!