Hello...Newbie here...Questions about possible purchase.

[paai1993]

Hello....I didn't know where to post these couple of Questions....so I chose here. I am thinking Of selling my '86 Kaw Vulcan 750 and purchasing a 99 - '04 RSV..... I love the Smoothness and reliability of the V-4 engine.....but I hate carbs.....so what kind of issues or problems have you folks had with your carbs. Are they pretty reliable? Do they stay in sync pretty well? Are parts for Mikuni 32's easy to get parts for? What about lowering options....The seat height is a little high for me....I am 5' 6". What other problem areas are there with the RSV. I am going to purchase one of these bikes next April. Thank you for any info that you may have for me.

Edited July 12, 2011 by Bret H

[TearlessTom]

Welcome Brett, To start with you may get better responses if posted at the Watering Hole. This forum is for the Royal Star Tour Deluxe which essentially is the same bike mechanically but the Venture has the fairing, radio, cassette deck, etc, as the RSTD is windscreen and bags and back rest.

 

Basically the difference is the same as the Road King vs the Electra Glide Ultra.

 

To answer your questions as the carbs, I have had no issues with mine. , Very easy to sync. Probably the easiest I have ever had.

 

As to the seat height. Do a search here as one of the members will modify your seat for next to nothing. Had mine done and prefer it over my $500. Mustang seat.

 

The bike can also be lowered slightly but I would start with the seat modification 1st. Cheaper and does not effect handling etc.

 

Hope this helps some.

Tom

[steamer]

Do not lower if possible. My 99 came with the lowering kit,it was great that I could put my feet flat on the ground, but I wasn't crazy about the handling. I removed the lowering kit and wow what a difference in handling and I can still touch the ground with both feet.Just can't flat foot it anymore. I have no problem holding up the bike. Once you get use to the weight, you don't think about it anymore, no big deal. It just take some time.

[etcswjoe]

I have two 99's and the Carbs seem to be very reliable, one had to be adjust last oil change very little. The height of the bike is not bad, it fits my 5'4" daughter quite well and it has not been lowered. Good luck on your purchase, if you don't have one in mind make sure you check out the classified section.

[V7Goose]

FYI - I moved this thread to the Watering Hole.

 

Personally, I will take the carbs on this bike over FI any day. Carbs are old technology, they are well understood by many, and they just work. You can change things with them if you want, but on this bike, there is absolutely no need to do anything except set the float levels correctly and adjust the mixture (both only needed one time). They are EXTREMELY reliable. All parts for the second gen carbs are available, and will be, by law in the US, for another 10 years minimum. That is a benefit of the exact same bike being made for since 1999! But I will also note that I work on a LOT of these bikes, including lots of carb work, and I have not yet ever had to purchase a single carb part! The carbs generally stay in sync very well, but checking and adjusting the sync is simple to do and suggested at every oil change.

 

The carbs on this bike are quite a bit more simple in design than they were for the Ventures made in the 80s and early 90's. Almost no internal parts to replace, no need of rebuilds, just the occasional cleaning needed from today's fuel formulations. And if you ride the bike regularly and occasionally use a dose of Seafoam or Techron in your gas, you won't even need to worry about cleaning them in the first 100,000 miles.

Goose

[elmicko]

I'm pretty darn vertically challenged myself. The first thing I did was have Rick Butler do the seat mod and that helped me reach the ground better, plus it's now the most comfortable motorcycle seat that's ever met my tail. Personally, I wouldn't lower the back of the bike, but I did drop mine in the front by 1" by sliding the forks up in the triple tree. That was the best mod I have done, you wouldn't believe how easy it is to steer at parking lot speeds now. It also feels much more balanced and stable under me now. There are tech articles that describe how to do this.

[Eck]

Bret,

First, welcome aboard VR.Org

Hope you enjoy the ride..and I wish you many years ahead of safe riding!

 

Take a minute, click on the link below, and you can read all about the known problems on a 2nd gen.

 

After reading this, dont think that everything you read will happen to your 99 RSV... Not all 2nd gens are the same...

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=1067

[BradT]

Your questions were pretty much covered, so welcome to the site.

 

Brad

[dingy]

The carbs on this bike are quite a bit more simple in design than they were for the Ventures made in the 80s and early 90's. Almost no internal parts to replace, no need of rebuilds, just the occasional cleaning needed from today's fuel formulations. And if you ride the bike regularly and occasionally use a dose of Seafoam or Techron in your gas, you won't even need to worry about cleaning them in the first 100,000 miles.

Goose

Your freaking joking about this I hope.

 

There is no way the 2nd gen carbs are 'Simpler' in design than a 1st gen. The are both downdraft Mukunis.

Heater built into each carb, tps unit on the rack on 2nd gens.

 

About the only thing that I see from the breakdowns that is simpler is the starter set has been built into the body rather than a separate housing.

 

The one design improvement is the sloped fuel bowl bodies, it would make cleaning easier, you wouldn't have to split rack.

 

And about not having to replace parts in these, probably not, but wait till they get into the second & third decade like the 1st gens and see how well the rubbers have held up inside them then.

 

These carbs are what sucks the life out of these bikes and give the 1st gen guys a punch line for their jokes.

 

Venturi area.

 

32mm carbs on an RSV = 1.25 sq in

 

35mm carbs on MKII 1st gen = 1.49 sq in

 

That is almost a 20% difference.

 

Simpler, don't think so, Better, only if your trying to imitate an American made classic.

 

 

1st picture is a 1st gen carb breakdown

 

2nd picture is a 2nd gen carb breakdown

 

Gary

[paai1993]

Thank you to all that answered my questions yesterday. Your input is well appricated . I feel even more confident about buying a Royal Star Venture. I can't wait to purchase one and begin to start touring in Grand Style!

[Zane]

Your freaking joking about this I hope.

 

There is no way the 2nd gen carbs are 'Simpler' in design than a 1st gen. The are both downdraft Mukunis.

 

Heater built into each carb, tps unit on the rack on 2nd gens.

 

About the only thing that I see from the breakdowns that is simpler is the starter set has been built into the body rather than a separate housing.

 

The one design improvement is the sloped fuel bowl bodies, it would make cleaning easier, you wouldn't have to split rack.

 

And about not having to replace parts in these, probably not, but wait till they get into the second & third decade like the 1st gens and see how well the rubbers have held up inside them then.

 

These carbs are what sucks the life out of these bikes and give the 1st gen guys a punch line for their jokes.

 

Venturi area.

 

32mm carbs on an RSV = 1.25 sq in

 

35mm carbs on MKII 1st gen = 1.49 sq in

 

That is almost a 20% difference.

 

Simpler, don't think so, Better, only if your trying to imitate an American made classic.

 

 

1st picture is a 1st gen carb breakdown

 

2nd picture is a 2nd gen carb breakdown

 

Gary

 

Here it cooommes............wait for it!

[RandyR]

If you want a bike for next spring, you will likely find a better price in the middle of winter than you will waiting until everyone is wanting to go riding.

 

check the classified here, craigslist, ebay, and cycletrader.

 

You may also want to join (by car or 750Kawa) one of our Meet & Eat's in your area and get a first hand look at some of the bikes people are riding. You're welcome even if you don't have a venture/RSTD. probably half this group's members ride something else.

[Brenda H]

I have to second what he said. I want a RSV. Best way to learn about a bike is meet up with the folks who own one! Well, that's just what I did. I've been riding with the Houston VRO group for close to two years. I WAS riding a Yamaha 650 Custom. There are members who ride HD's, several with Goldwings. While the majority are on Royal Stars, the selection of bikes in the group cover just about every major manufacturer in the book with a 20+ year range in the bikes' ages.

 

I also have to agree with coming to a Maintenance Day or a Meet and Eat. That's how I started, by attending a Maintenance Day on my 650. You can learn all you want about these bikes {and your own!!} at one of these shindigs. I've gotten most of the maintenance work on my 650 done at a MD.

 

One of these days I may still get my RSV. But I have joined the Royal Star group. Thanks to a member on this site, I bought his 1996 Royal Star Tour Classic. For a 15 yr old bike, IT ROCKS!

 

 

You may also want to join (by car or 750Kawa) one of our Meet & Eat's in your area and get a first hand look at some of the bikes people are riding. You're welcome even if you don't have a venture/RSTD. probably half this group's members ride something else.