Lifespan of V4

[bamico]

Shackbar,

 

You've already gotten plenty of advice on the durability of the bike, so I'll just say... I completely agree. I'm on my 2nd Venture/RSTD and wouldn't trade it for anything.

 

Couple of other points with the Venture vs HD... please note... I'm not HD bashing, most of my friends are HD purists... just stating some facts. Liquid cooled! If you ride in hot weather on an HD, you'll appreciate how cool this bike runs compared to an air cooled. You may hear guys on the site talk about it running hot, but its a universe away from a 1700 HD.

 

Rider/passenger space. I'm 6' and the Venture sits/rides like an easy chair. Riding 2 up, I can't even tell the co-pilot is back there. The HD Ultra had the co-pilot and I touching back/front pretty much continually. On a long ride, I really appreciate the space inbetween us.

 

Durabilty/reliability. Change the oil, top off the gas, ride. That's it. I've got friend doing engine jobs on thier HDs after 40k miles. As you've seen here, at 100k the Venture is just warming up!

 

Quick and plenty of power. Don't let the 1300 size fool you. Its a 1300 V4, not a twin (as you know). I can stay with the HD 1340 (or whatever the older model is), and 1500/1600? all day long. The newer 1700 makes me work a little harder to keep up, but only because I have to work the bike a bit more, and I'm a lazy, crusin rider.

 

Admitted drawbacks.... 4 carbs... yes, even on the 2012... still no fuel injection.

Cassette deck... yes, sad but true. Yes, even in 2012. Good news is there is an aux jack, so just plug in the ipod and away you go.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Feel free to reach back to me or send a message if you have followup questions.

 

Oh, and I Absolutely agree on the advice given to join the site. You'll find a wealth of info about the Venture here. In fact I always check here first before going in for service or if I've found some ideosyncracy. The members on the site are amazingly helpful!

 

Good luck in your decision.

Bob

[footsie]

I have seen not one but three Ventures with greater than 250,000 miles and still on the road, 1 is in Fitzgerad Ga. 278,000 the last time I saw it at Martin motors before Jim close his shop, bike was in for oil change and a new rear tire.

No 2 was at the Yamaha tent in daytona 268,000 with all its service records, according to the reps at the tent still a daily rider.

No 3 was a 2000 model with 380,000, the gut was at the gas in go in cordele when I pulled up to get gas, talked with him about his bike he said he had replaced the rear end at 200,000 with a V-max rear end.

they are tough machines

 

The only peice of advice I have, is when you test ride one, take on a good long ride, at least 150 miles, the RSV is great bike, but you have to get to know it.

I LOVE MINE , do not want anything else

 

Gregg

[johnbroughman]

One thing I have not seen on these replies is, the Venture runs the best on 86 Octain and an oz of Sea Foam. I have 85,000 on my 01 and for years thought preium gas was the way to go until i was informed I was loosing performance and miliage by doing so, sure enough on a recent round trip to St Louis 1,500 plus miles ran only 86 regular and it ran better than it ever did in the 7 yrs I have owned it. Also until last month there had been NO maintance other than oil change and filter ever 5,000 miles and tires. I have been the Harley routh my friend and wont go back, the only die hard Harley folks I know have never rode on a Venture, believe me once you get used to the Beast, you wont be sorry you swithced, and another thing the people on this site will walk you through any problem you have with it, unlike a Harley site, and any parts you may need you can find at discount at www.pinwheel.com a salavage site. Good luck and enjoy.

[RedRider]

I have 85,000 on my 01 ... Also until last month there had been NO maintance other than oil change and filter ever 5,000 miles and tires.

 

 

John,

 

You should have the valves shims checked. Manual calls for checking at about 30k miles. Real life has shown 50k miles (YMMV). Hope that was part of the maintenance last month.

 

RR

 

[star4772]

What? You didn't write that check yet!!! :rotf::080402gudl_prv:

 

Joe, Just do it.

[johnbroughman]

Yes Red Rider, that maintance last month included valve adjustment, carbs tuned, all new filters and plugs, and cluthch upgrade, I did all the work myself with the help of some really knowledgeable people on this site, total cost under 300.00 bucks, but the most amasing thing was switching to regular gas and the performace differance it made, and all these years just think of the money I wasted by buying high octaine at 30 to 40 plus cents more per gal, a big ole thanks to Sky Doc and VGoose and a couple others.