just bought an 07 venture from a Yamaha Dealer

[Brake Pad]

I'd actually need someone to ride the bike passed me at different speeds, to tell just how bad the whine is. I hear it at lower speeds myself. But when I come up on people walking , they hear me coming ( no radio on )

[steamer]

Thank you all very much for your help......Its been a tough few days for me......

I've read all of your comments and appreciate everyone's input.

 

The bike will be brought back to the dealer and he promises to put in the "I" basket and fix my other complaints including inoperable horn, broken cruise control and cracked tail light lens. I'm a bit worried about the outcome on the cruise control but hoping for the best.

 

To complicate matters, I also have a problem with the power which seems fuel related.At first I thought it was the old gas from sitting. But at this point I've been through a couple of tankfuls of good premium but the bike still seems weak. To clarify, sometimes, I will feel a surge when I gun it and it hints at the bike's true capability but it fades out and returns to its more sluggish state. I understand about the power band being at the higher revs and I run the bike accordingly. Going up hill with a passenger, at 80 mph in 4 th gear, the bike cannot accelerate. It just stays at a steady 80 mph (with the throttle fully pinned). Should I be going down to third gear in order to get power at 80 mph ? Another way to put it - it feels like I have a passenger when I don't and when I have a passenger, it feels like I have two passengers..........

 

Sea foam, give it a couple of tanks of sea foam mix. Carbs are probably gummed up. Or get the dealer to pull and clean the carbs.

[Freebird]

If 80 MPH is all you can get in 4th gear, it sounds like you may have a bad coil. When I had a coil go bad, that's almost exactly how mine ran. When it's running right, these bikes will actually go as fast or faster in 4th gear than they will in 5th. You should not have to downshift to 3rd at 80 MPH. I've had mine over 110 MPH in 4th.

 

As said though, it could also be a problem with a clogged jet in one of the carbs. The fact that it tries to surge from time to time leads me to believe that is most likely the problem.

[justfer tourin]

You guys are keeping me sane. Thanks. First and foremost, you have clarified what can and cannot be termed a characteristic of the Venture in terms of whining noises and that they don't ALL have to sound like that. I really like this bike (when I have my earplugs in) and now I know that I don't have to settle for it screaming like that. I would be forced to sell it (at considerable loss to me) and try something else. My other bike is an '86 Harley FLT refitted to look like an early sixty's Electraglide. Its got WAY over 100,000 miles with a rebuilt top end (done less than 5000 mi ago). It was time to get something younger and more dependable because I'm planning on doing a lot touring with my better half.

 

So, here's where we are........

 

I brought the bike back to the dealer (2 hrs.away) and the Service Manager said they will address my concerns (New "I" basket, fix the Cruise Control, Horn etc.) but he looked a little less confident about being able to fix the surging and loss of power that I reported although he did say that he would adjust and balance the carbs. He asked about whether I had run a few tanks through it and when he found out that I had been buying Premium gas, he said that it might be a problem because it is a very low compression engine . This took me by complete surprise as I always "knew" that high compression engines required higher octane and that it wouldn't do anything to help a low compression engine except for the fact that it might be a more quality, cleaner product but mostly a waste of money in a regular compression engine. Never thought it could have a negative effect on performance in a regular or low compression engine. He described improper ignition due to running Premium because the ful isn't designed for low compression. Perhaps the engine is VERY low compression and there is some kind of effect ?

 

The manual says regular gasoline so I guess Premium is not needed. What are you guys running ? Do any of you notice a difference in performance due to actually putting premium in a Venture ?

 

A couple of side questions:

 

Is the passenger volume control supposed to affect the rear speakers or is this control only for the passenger's headset ? On my bike it doesn't change the volume of the rear speakers and I'm wondering whether it is supposed to.

 

I've looked through the Owner's Manual specifically for information on the air suspension but can't find anything. Am I missing it ?

 

BTW I looked for the Passenger Volume Control in the manual also- its there....labeled and everything (but it doesn't mention a word about what its supposed to do).

 

Thanks Folks.

[SilvrT]

Is the passenger volume control supposed to affect the rear speakers or is this control only for the passenger's headset ? On my bike it doesn't change the volume of the rear speakers and I'm wondering whether it is supposed to.

 

I've looked through the Owner's Manual specifically for information on the air suspension but can't find anything. Am I missing it ?

 

BTW I looked for the Passenger Volume Control in the manual also- its there....labeled and everything (but it doesn't mention a word about what its supposed to do).

 

Thanks Folks.

 

It only works the headset.

 

As for the air suspension, I believe it is in the manual but .... max 7 Lbs front and I think 50 or so rear. Use a hand pump only. You can get one called a "Progressive" ... the Harley dealers have them although they are available elsewhere.

 

Many of us ran zero in front and appx 35-40 in rear.

[Dave77459]

*snipped*

The manual says regular gasoline so I guess Premium is not needed. What are you guys running ? Do any of you notice a difference in performance due to actually putting premium in a Venture ?

 

*snipped*

 

supposed to.

 

I've looked through the Owner's Manual specifically for information on the air suspension but can't find anything. Am I missing it ?

 

BTW I looked for the Passenger Volume Control in the manual also- its there....labeled and everything (but it doesn't mention a word about what its supposed to do).

 

Thanks Folks.

 

I have never put anything but regular in the bike. I've heard time and again that anything else is a waste of money, but I haven't heard of it damaging anything. Although, this ethanol gas will eat up the rubber. That stuff is poison. I wish they sold Pure Gas here, but were are EPA-non-compliant so we have to use this foul, energy wasting crap.

 

On my RSTD, and the RSV as far as I can read the service manual, the front suspension is set via air valves at the top of the forks. You hook up a pump and inflate each independently to what you want. BUT DON'T USE A REGULAR AIR PUMP. These are low-pressure systems, with a maximum of 7.1 psi. People can recommend after market pumps, but I have always left mine at the factory setting of 0 psi. Zero.

 

The rear shock also uses an air valve. It is just behind the driver's seat, on the right side, on the rear fender. This is on my RSTD, which doesn't have the luxe queen seat. I pull up my seat side flap, and there it is.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Dave

 

P.S., if you keep the bike, do two things. Join the site (well worth the $12 a year) and go to a meet n greet. Heck, do both even if you don't join. We don't care what you ride, just do no evil.

[SilvrT]

P.S., if you keep the bike, do two things. Join the site (well worth the $12 a year) and go to a meet n greet. Heck, do both even if you don't join. We don't care what you ride, just do no evil.

 

ya... you already got yer $12 worth

[krispy]

Is the passenger volume control supposed to affect the rear speakers or is this control only for the passenger's headset ? On my bike it doesn't change the volume of the rear speakers and I'm wondering whether it is supposed to.

 

You can adjust the volume of the rear speakers compared to the front speakers with the radio controller. Press the Select button, and you should get the hs (headset)-sp(speaker) choice. Use the up or down arrow to choose speaker. Hit select a few more times and you'll get to "fade". Use up and down to move the volume front to back or back to front.

[Power Trippin]

The manual says regular gasoline so I guess Premium is not needed. What are you guys running ? Do any of you notice a difference in performance due to actually putting premium in a Venture ?

 

 

My 83 says it wants 91 octane. I have always run non-oxygenated fuel in mine, which is

91 octane without the ethanol, when I can. My bike loves this fuel and runs awesome. My neighbor has an 83 also, he will not run the non-oxygenated fuel in his because it is

a little pricey. He is always complaining about running issues with his and insists that it is not the fuel. I DISAGREE!!!

[Dave77459]

The manual says regular gasoline so I guess Premium is not needed. What are you guys running ? Do any of you notice a difference in performance due to actually putting premium in a Venture ?

 

 

My 83 says it wants 91 octane. I have always run non-oxygenated fuel in mine, which is

91 octane without the ethanol, when I can. My bike loves this fuel and runs awesome. My neighbor has an 83 also, he will not run the non-oxygenated fuel in his because it is

a little pricey. He is always complaining about running issues with his and insists that it is not the fuel. I DISAGREE!!!

I found this post very interesting. Note the red.

 

This statement is almost correct, and VERY misleading.

 

The sticker on the RSV specifically states 91 RON octane (note the "RON" is missing in the quote). Unfortunately this is NOT the same as the octane number you see on the pump in the USA or Canada. The RSV is designed to run on regular unleaded fuel of 86 PON octane or higher, as stated in the owner's manual.

 

Explanation:

Octane is measured with two different methods (Research Octane Number (RON) and Motor Octane Number (MON)) and reported as either RON, MON, or an average of the two, called Pump Octane Number (PON), or (R+M)/2. In the USA, federal law requires all pumps to bear the average or PON octane number.

 

This engine is designed for regular gas. Buying anything higher than 86 PON octane is a complete waste of money, but won't hurt a thing.

Goose

[tbbrider]

Jeff,

Warranty,, GREAT!

So, find out if this problem has ever been addressed on your new bike.

The dealer should be able to give you a print out of the warranty repair record. This is now your bike so he should have nothing to hide there.

 

Don't take the "known problem" approach as the solution. Probably 50%+ have been replaced under warranty, so Yamaha will indeed allow it. If there was nothing to fix,, that would not have happened. As it is under warranty, any factory Yamaha dealer can do the work.

 

Ask this forum bunch "Who is the best dealer in my area?"

I have two dealers within 50 miles of me,,, big difference in attitude.

 

My best dealer (Sumter SC, Extreem Sports) readily does warranty work. Often they have noticed something and told me about it and have already ordered the parts before I knew about it. So, because of him, I don't comprehend dealers avoiding warranty work,,, they get paid.

 

Don't let this slip past the warranty.

 

Good luck, Mike G

I had an 07 with a bad whine,it wasn't the clutchitwas a bad rear grear in the back wheel and was fixed under warranty.