Farewell...and Thank YOU!!

[rumboogy]

Well, my membership has expired and sadly it is time to say goodbye. About a month ago I traded my Venture in on a 2012 Cross Country Tour. But first a few honest and sincere comments before I leave.

 

I'll talk about this site and the valuable information on it first...

 

Having 3 sites of my own, I know the hard work it takes to run a website like this and Don has done a FANTASTIC job of knowing when to step in and when to let things alone. The site is nicely done...and frankly I was very hesitant about "joining" a site that charged to be a member. Little did I know then that the information and camaraderie on this site was WELL WORTH the $12 per year that was asked (and yes, it is moderately expensive to run a website). I was a member of the VTX site before this site and they were pretty good...but I had no idea how "ordinary" the site was until I became a member here.

 

Don and YOU MEMBERS are extremely helpful, understanding and caring about the other members of this site. I hope I was able to considered a part of that the short time (2 years) I was here. No smart alecks (or at least not the bad kind:rotf:), there were no rude people and there were no people that talked down to any other members (at least what I was able to see). I saw this all the time on a HD forum I was a member of (thought about a Harley for awhile)...and to be honest there are a couple of Victory forums with attitudes also, and this makes one's experience on those forums less than ideal.

 

But what I miss most about the new forums I am on...is the lack of KNOWLEDGE that I have found here, and the lack of fellowship also found here. THANK YOU for those two wonderful things found at Ventureriders!!

 

OK...now to the bike. I want to be brutally honest here...the good, the bad and the ugly. I don't have an ax to grind, nor do I have any intention of bashing the Venture. I just want to share my experience. When I bought my 2009 Venture, I was very disappointed in the bike, I thought I had made a mistake in my purchase and felt that way for several months. As the months went by, I began to SLOWLY enjoy the bike more and more. Once I went on my first long ride, I was starting to REALLY like my bike...in fact, I began to love the long trips on the Venture. My last long trip was an 1100 mile 17 hour ride from Virginia to Arkansas and I LOVED MY RIDE AND TRIP!! I will always remember that ride as one of my favorite so far.

 

But although I had really became fond of my Venture, I could not get past the handling and top heaviness of the bike, and I was also unhappy about the options of the bike. Like many here I feel that Yamaha has become frozen in time in regards to this WELL BUILT BIKE...the engine on this bike is AWESOME!!

 

In October I went to Bikes, Blues and BBQ in Fayetteville and had actually decided to sink another $1500 into my Venture to lower the bike (a second time) by upgrading the front forks and also purchasing the Corbin seat. I went to BBB and even decided NOT to demo any bikes, even though that was a tradition for the group I was in...I finally gave in to ragging the other guys were giving me and just to please them I test rode the Victory Cross Country Tour. I knew then it was the bike for me.

 

The Venture is a proven success! The engine is the best thing going for this bike. On the interstate, this bike rocks. But in my opinion the positives stop there for me anyway. The Victory CCT handled extremely well, it had all the amenities that you could want on a nice touring bike and finally, the bike isn't dated. So my mind was changed at BBB within 3 minutes of taking the Victory out for a ride.

 

Yes, I will miss the durability of the Venture engine. And yes, I will DEFINITELY miss the super nice members here on this site. I can assure you that every time I visit the Victory forum... I see lots of bickering and little information. Luckily, I prefer to ride than to bicker on a motorcycle website.

 

So again, I know the Venture is a great bike for a lot of people (especially you taller guys)...but it does seem the better fit for me is the Victory.

 

One last thing...I did keep my CD changer and an unfinished SHORTENED kickstand that I have on eBay right now... in case anyone is looking for either one of these items.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190601124266?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

 

and

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/190601124038?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649

 

Again...Don Thanks for a wonderful 2 years. I will truly miss this place.

 

Wally Jarratt

ArkieBiker

[Snaggletooth]

Ha! He thinks he's leaving. Ya know we will be looking for ya right.

 

I got to say your choice for a new bike is a good one. It is an impressive ride. I sincerely hope it brings you many fine miles of enjoyable riding.

 

But I think you know you will always still be a member here in mind if not in body.

 

We aren't going to forget who you are.

 

Stay in touch. An good luck to you.

 

Mike

[Trader]

Where else can you have friends like this....and abuse too!

 

Stick around....I figure $12 is worth just finding out what the pygmies are doing next!

[GAWildKat]

Maybe it's just me.....But when Mike started looking for a starter bike last year and being the computer geeks we are we googled bike forums. With no previous knowledge about bikes other than there are cruiser and crotch rockets, and HD being a really big brand we found this site and joined. Mike doesn't post much, but he reads alot. We feel we found the group of friends we always wanted but never seemed to find. Just because you have a Victory doesn't mean you have to leave us. It's a choice. One thing I've learned on this site....it's not about what you ride, it's about the ride. Noone cares that you don't have a Venture anymore, just that you still enjoy riding. One day I'll have my own bike and be out there riding with y'all, til then I'm stuck on the pillion! Please stay we'd love to have you around.

[Gary N.]

Hey no reason to leave just because you don't ride a Venture. There's lots of folks on here that don't have a Venture. We even have a forum here just for the Gold Wingers. Why not hang around and let us know how you like the new bike after you get a few miles on it. I tried one out at Americade and really liked it too. Except for the clunky transmission.

[Yammer Dan]

Nope!! Can't leave. Ain't gonna happen!! We will send somebody after you!! On 1st Gen!!

Where else can you get insulted like this for only 12 cbucks a year??

[chabicheka]

Was nice having you here, Rumboogy. We appreciate your opinion about the venture bikes.

I agree with most of what you have said. We would like to have you around, but the final decision is yours. As a friend, though we have never met, I wish you all the best in life.

 

Abdul.

[bongobobny]

I am convinced this website is more about family! We just happen to also like Yamaha Ventures as well! No one is telling you to leave just because you bought a Victory, as a matter of fact we are all telling you to stay!

 

This site is like Hotel California, you can check out any time you like, but you can never leave...

[CaptainJoe]

As I don't see any thing I'd necessarily dissagree with you on, And you seeming to be a very logical person, I don't see why your leaving?

 

Heck ... if I remember correctly, even Freebird considered a Victory, and definately a Polaris...

 

I think what this site does for me, is, it OPENS UP OPPERTUNITIES TO RIDE ....

 

thats what it's all about!

 

If you decide to leave though, don't get all stuck up, like some of those Wingnuts and not wave...

[rickardracing]

Congrats on finding the right bike for you. The Venture is not for everyone. BUT, why leave? I myself could care less what you ride, as long as you ride. Pay the $12 and hang around. Like you said, it's more about family than what you ride.

[XV1100SE]

Where else are you going to find a site that wants you to stay ! I agree... nothing wrong with the bike you chose and getting together with the friends you made here and the rides and meets is worth staying !

 

... and don't forget.... need to see pics of your bike !

[Marcarl]

Yaaa, you bought a Victory,,,,, what???? you're leaving because WHY???? Naugh-T didn't leave just because she rides one,,,,, we almost lost Brad-T though, but he still rides a Venture,,, so even if you drop a Victory we'll still have you.

AHHH man, stick around,,,,,,,, you know ya want to.

[dunsonaventure]

Congrats on finding the ride for you. You are so on the money about the site, the knowledge, the friends, and the work in making this site. I love it. but I think all the guys are right, why leave, its about the love of riding. I ride with several guys and I have the only RSV... BMW's, Harleys, MotoGuzzi, Hondas, Suzuki's. its about the ride, so stick around...

[darthandy]

And just think about this...there's a good chance you can get better info on your Victory on this site than on the Victory site. Remember...when it comes to bikes, we are all knowing and all seeing ...:rotf::rotf: well...at least we want to help. There was some good discussion about the Victory not long ago...so, you may want to think about staying anyway.

Besides, you know that eventually you'll miss us!

 

Andy

[SilvrT]

What more can I say that hasn't already been said?

 

Well, I'll tell you...

 

Just because you don't ride a Venture (like me anymore), there's a whole lot more here than information about Ventures. There are FRIENDS and relationships here that I've made and even though I don't have a Venture in common, there are a lot of other things that will keep me here, as an active member, even though I have to go in the poor house to stay here.

 

Now, if what the others have said doesn't make you feel guilty and stick around, maybe my words will....

 

..and who knows, the way things are going we might even wind up having a special section for Victory ... after all, it does start with a "V" ...

 

[Aussie Annie]

Hey, I ride an Harley trike now because of health issues...... and I'm still in here As has been said "this is family" and it ain't about what you ride

[Freebird]

I've never ridden the Victory but I sat on one a few months back and it sure felt good. I also liked the style of the bike. I hope that it brings you many miles of happiness. I wish that you would stay with us though. You have been a long time supporter and friend of VentureRider.org and I would sure hate to see you go. It is always a dilemma that I struggle with when members move to other bikes and we lose their participation here. I have thought about it a lot over the years and just don't have a good solution for it. The fact is, this site was created to promote and support the Venture and Royal Stars and that is the strength of the site. When several members switched to the Goldwing, I finally created an area for it but it has been less than successful. The fact is, there are a number of good websites for the Goldwing where people can find much more information about that bike. I had hoped that there would be more input into that area and we could slowly build on that but it just hasn't happened. I know of other clubs that have started out dedicated to a certain make/model and then later tried to move to an "all bikes" format and it ended up hurting them in the end. The Venture Touring Society is a good example. When Yamaha discontinued the Venture in 1993, the VTS later changed their name to the Motorcycle Touring Association and tried to transition itself to an "all bikes" format. Though they are still around at this time, they are a shadow of their former self and though have tried a number of different things, they have just never regained the momentum to attract new members that they once had. I would be very hesitant to ever go down that path. I hope that you will stay and you know that we don't care what you ride but unless the membership here someday speaks very loudly that they want the format changed, this site will likely remain dedicated the the Venture and Royal Star bikes.

 

OK...sorry...I know that I got long winded there but you just caused me to finally comment on an issue that I have struggled with for a long time.

 

As usual, comments on this subject are welcome.

[elmicko]

I agree that it probably wouldn't be a good idea to move to an "all bikes" forum because just "motorcycling" is a bit broad to keep most peoples attention. However, they'll probably come a day when a significant number of us decide to move to different bikes because it's obvious that Yamaha isn't as devoted to the Venture as the rest of us. At that time we'll need to look for a common focus to keep this family together, and who knows an interest in Victorys may be it.

 

So hang around, you just might become a pioneer. LOL

[Shamue]

I must agree with Freebird. Since joining I have met great indivuals here, gotten very helpful infornation on Yamaha MC's and other bikes. As an example, I ride with a group that rides just about every make and model motorcycle, it was the post ref. Harley Recall brake swith that comes to mind. I informed all the Harley riders of this recall and none of them were aware. Each has gotten the service work done and a couple were asked how they found out about the recall since they had not received a notice letter from Harley. To which the said, from a friend on the Venturerider forum. It should make everyone here FEEL GOOD that a motorcycle or more importantly a LIFE might be or have been saved from information found on this forum. All of us may move on to another brand MC at some time or another, but this forum is a place if you have a question you will more likely find the right answer. Not to mention the great people on here and the enjoyment of reading the daily post, even if you never say a thing. Good luck with your new ride.

Shamue.....

 

 

 

 

 

I've never ridden the Victory but I sat on one a few months back and it sure felt good. I also liked the style of the bike. I hope that it brings you many miles of happiness. I wish that you would stay with us though. You have been a long time supporter and friend of VentureRider.org and I would sure hate to see you go. It is always a dilemma that I struggle with when members move to other bikes and we lose their participation here. I have thought about it a lot over the years and just don't have a good solution for it. The fact is, this site was created to promote and support the Venture and Royal Stars and that is the strength of the site. When several members switched to the Goldwing, I finally created an area for it but it has been less than successful. The fact is, there are a number of good websites for the Goldwing where people can find much more information about that bike. I had hoped that there would be more input into that area and we could slowly build on that but it just hasn't happened. I know of other clubs that have started out dedicated to a certain make/model and then later tried to move to an "all bikes" format and it ended up hurting them in the end. The Venture Touring Society is a good example. When Yamaha discontinued the Venture in 1993, the VTS later changed their name to the Motorcycle Touring Association and tried to transition itself to an "all bikes" format. Though they are still around at this time, they are a shadow of their former self and though have tried a number of different things, they have just never regained the momentum to attract new members that they once had. I would be very hesitant to ever go down that path. I hope that you will stay and you know that we don't care what you ride but unless the membership here someday speaks very loudly that they want the format changed, this site will likely remain dedicated the the Venture and Royal Star bikes.

 

OK...sorry...I know that I got long winded there but you just caused me to finally comment on an issue that I have struggled with for a long time.

 

As usual, comments on this subject are welcome.

[dray]

I've never ridden the Victory but I sat on one a few months back and it sure felt good. I also liked the style of the bike. I hope that it brings you many miles of happiness. I wish that you would stay with us though. You have been a long time supporter and friend of VentureRider.org and I would sure hate to see you go. It is always a dilemma that I struggle with when members move to other bikes and we lose their participation here. I have thought about it a lot over the years and just don't have a good solution for it. The fact is, this site was created to promote and support the Venture and Royal Stars and that is the strength of the site. When several members switched to the Goldwing, I finally created an area for it but it has been less than successful. The fact is, there are a number of good websites for the Goldwing where people can find much more information about that bike. I had hoped that there would be more input into that area and we could slowly build on that but it just hasn't happened. I know of other clubs that have started out dedicated to a certain make/model and then later tried to move to an "all bikes" format and it ended up hurting them in the end. The Venture Touring Society is a good example. When Yamaha discontinued the Venture in 1993, the VTS later changed their name to the Motorcycle Touring Association and tried to transition itself to an "all bikes" format. Though they are still around at this time, they are a shadow of their former self and though have tried a number of different things, they have just never regained the momentum to attract new members that they once had. I would be very hesitant to ever go down that path. I hope that you will stay and you know that we don't care what you ride but unless the membership here someday speaks very loudly that they want the format changed, this site will likely remain dedicated the the Venture and Royal Star bikes.

 

OK...sorry...I know that I got long winded there but you just caused me to finally comment on an issue that I have struggled with for a long time.

 

As usual, comments on this subject are welcome.

 

 

I don't think thats right; its just that no one has broke down to were we needed it yet:stirthepot:

 

but when if we do we'll all just call ECK for the how to:big-grin-emoticon:

 

All kidding aside this site is the best i have been to

[DragonRider]

Your in for life, like another well known, but not so easy to get into orginization, The M....

You know you will come back to brag, and I wouldnt blame you, your still a friend and family here............come to the events and show off your ride. We promise we wont life and snicker, not to your face anyway..............:rotfl:

[BuddyRich]

You had no idea what you were doing when you joined did you? The only way to leave here is in cement shoes.. You ever try to ride like that ? With VR its more about people than the bike. The bike just led us here. Friends don't care what friends ride.Ya justa gotta show up once in a while.

[ventourer]

As we are practically neighbors but never ridden together I hope to someday.

 

We need all the Arkies here to stick together

 

I also own and ride a gold wing along with the RSV but cannot fit into any of

the GW boards. I haven't been around here very long but everyone seems very

friendly and helpful.

 

take care and ride safe, yammer 2k1

[pickinfred]

Well, my membership has expired and sadly it is time to say goodbye. About a month ago I traded my Venture in on a 2012 Cross Country Tour.

 

 

 

Its kinda hard to believe that a new Victory could be so enjoyable....especially after a whole month...that a man would just "pack up and run away from home". Weez kin ya know...."FAMILY":stickpoke:

If you really...really feel ya need to say goodbye.....surely before ya leave.....you will post a dozen pictures of the NEW RIDE???

Stick Around.....

[saddlebum]

Can you say............ HOTEL CALIFORNIA