How will the Venture do at altitude?

[alien_bug]

Hi,

 

I'm riding from Ohio to California, going through Rockies. What can I expect from the altitude with regards to the way the bike runs?

 

Thank you,

Sean

[Peder_y2k]

Ever so slight decrease in passing power....... more noticeable if riding two-up. Mild change in power is easily accommodated. If you are not very familiar with your bike, you won't even notice the difference. Naturally, this all depends on how well the engine is tuned i.e. carb synch, clean filters, valve adjustment, good plugs, etc.

-Pete, in Tacoma WA USA

[craigatcsi]

We left Omaha this Morning two-up, on our 07 Venture / Hannigan Trike Pulling a Bushtec Trailer. I have plenty of power at home and mileage around 25 to 30mpg.

 

We are now in Denver and gas mileage has dropped to 18 to 20mpg!! AND, I can't go any faster than 70mph!!

 

Will higher octane help? How about sea foam? I know my carbs are balanced, I did them myself recently. It HAS to be the altitude.

 

What can I do? I have no idea how to adjust the carbs for the altitude. Plus, we will be down in the desert tomorrow or the next day, so I would have to adjust them again. Are they easy to adjust for this? Any help would be appreciated.

 

craigr

 

[djh3]

Your a mile high or more in Denver. I you go out and walk fast around the hotel say, your going to get winded faster. Same goes for your scoot. There just aint as much air to burn. So basicly in Denver,your running a bit rich. You robably couldnt adjust it all out without a jet change. Besides you mentioned your going to be at a different locatio and altitude tomorrow and you would have to do it all over again.

[craigatcsi]

So if I understand you correctly, I am SOL.

How about running higher octane or Seafoam?

Basically anything to help a little.

Will I damage the bike running it like this?

[Midrsv]

No, just the nature of the design. Not enough air and you will run rich. I've been riding in NM this week at 6,000 to 9,500 feet and I can tell a difference with a fuel injected Goldwing. We have a Tour Deluxe and and Honda Magna in our group with carbs and they are struggling too.

 

Dennis

[ragtop69gs]

I've had the '01 RSV up to almost 11,000 ft 2up pulling a 350# trailer and found a slight decrease in power that was easily overcome by just dropping down 1 gear, wasn't up there long enough to worry about MPG.

[frankd]

I'd suspect that your carb floats are set real high. Not much you can do now, but when you get back home, I'd check the fuel level in the carbs. Something you can do to make things a bit better would be to not use high throttle opening. On grades go down a gear or two to keep from having to crank the throttle open so much. Of course, on downgrades go back to 5th gear (unless you need engine braking).

[videoarizona]

Have to say, I've ridden all over the country on my Yamaha and a little Austin Healey (43 HP).

Colorado was the prettiest state....but you do lose a good chunk of power at altitude.

Timing and fuel mixture are set for your normal riding altitude, any changes will reduce power. And it is noticable.

 

Nothing to worry about, just plan your riding accordingly. IE, Don't pass going up a long hill at 8,000 feet altitude...you might not make it in the distance available.

 

I never had a problem....just slowed down and enjoyed the scenery...

djd

Edited July 27, 2014 by videoarizona
Spelling

[MikeWa]

Most of the time you won't notice. But you will on mountain passes over 7000 ft. Don't worry about it just go for it.

 

All naturally aspirated engines loose about 3% of their power per 1000 feet of altitude. Sorry guys, that's just physics. Ok a few Venture riders are exempted from the laws of physics. But for the rest of us these laws apply. Noticing the loss depends on how close to the upper horse power limit you were riding. In other words the further you had the throttle cranked the more noticeable it is. It is most evident when passing and on grades. That said many Venture riders never notice the change in power at all.

 

How you can tell if you are being affected. 1. The cruise will kick out on small grades. 2. The engine will feel like it is lugging in 5th even though you are at speed. Especially on a grade. 3. Passing or accelerating is sluggish, requires more throttle.

 

 

Premium fuel it harder to burn than regular. So don't switch.

 

Mike

[craigatcsi]

Wow!! Thanks for all of the replies!

 

We made it over the mountains without issues, except for the cold rain, and I adjusted to to power issue pretty fast. Once I learned that it would not hurt the bike and it is behaving normally, it's all good.

 

Once I get home... As far as my floats, I think I will take your advice and tackle it to hopefully help with gas mileage. I also bought a ColorTune years ago and never took it out of the box, so maybe I will have to learn to use it!

 

Thanks again for all of the replies! You folks to a lot of stress from me!

 

craigr

 

[Raider58]

Not sure why your mileage has gone down so drastic,I live in Idaho at 5k ft and I get around 40 mpg of course I am not pulling a tralior. The wife and I went to the dalles and averaged 42 the whole way.

[craigatcsi]

Okay, here is another symptom.....

 

While going over the Continental Divide, I had pulled over to let my wife take pics. Well, I had shifted to low then stopped but left the engine on and just held the clutch for 15 seconds or so. When we left and I went to shift, it wouldn't come out of low!! So, I went a ways in low and would try shifting again. After several more attempts it roughly made it to 2nd but would go no further! But, as we were going downhill for a long ways, by the time I shifted again and I was much lower in altitude, it shifted as normally smooth as usual!!

 

Is this normal for altitude or was I just imagining it?

 

Again, this our first time at any real altitude on a bike that has been flawless for the last 40k miles from the east to the west coast and all over in between.

 

[rickardracing]

Now worries, just go and enjoy.

[utadventure]

Okay, here is another symptom.....

 

While going over the Continental Divide, I had pulled over to let my wife take pics. Well, I had shifted to low then stopped but left the engine on and just held the clutch for 15 seconds or so. When we left and I went to shift, it wouldn't come out of low!! So, I went a ways in low and would try shifting again. After several more attempts it roughly made it to 2nd but would go no further! But, as we were going downhill for a long ways, by the time I shifted again and I was much lower in altitude, it shifted as normally smooth as usual!!

 

Is this normal for altitude or was I just imagining it?

 

Again, this our first time at any real altitude on a bike that has been flawless for the last 40k miles from the east to the west coast and all over in between.

 

 

Bob Myers from KY road out to SLC a few years back and stopped by. When he got to my place he could disengage the clutch. We suspected the altitude had affected the clutch fluid and after bleeding the line, all went back to normal.

 

With the upcoming change in altitude, I would recommend a fluid change for all the hydraulics.

 

Dave

[utadventure]

We left Omaha this Morning two-up, on our 07 Venture / Hannigan Trike Pulling a Bushtec Trailer. I have plenty of power at home and mileage around 25 to 30mpg.

 

We are now in Denver and gas mileage has dropped to 18 to 20mpg!! AND, I can't go any faster than 70mph!!

 

Will higher octane help? How about sea foam? I know my carbs are balanced, I did them myself recently. It HAS to be the altitude.

 

What can I do? I have no idea how to adjust the carbs for the altitude. Plus, we will be down in the desert tomorrow or the next day, so I would have to adjust them again. Are they easy to adjust for this? Any help would be appreciated.

 

craigr

 

 

Craig

 

Higher octane may help some. Octane is designed to delay ignition of the fuel until designed compression is achieved. With the higher altitude, greater compression might help with power and speed.

 

Dave

[BlueSky]

Bob Myers from KY road out to SLC a few years back and stopped by. When he got to my place he could disengage the clutch. We suspected the altitude had affected the clutch fluid and after bleeding the line, all went back to normal.

 

With the upcoming change in altitude, I would recommend a fluid change for all the hydraulics.

 

Dave

 

If I remember correctly, Dot 4 synthetic fluid has a lower boiling point than Dot 3 and doesn't work as well at high altitudes.

[Condor]

It's the trailer...the trike, and running around in 5th gear. Pulled a trailer with the '99 to Cody a couple of years ago and milage dropped into the 25mpg range, and didn't see much difference in the gas mileage even though I ran in 4th a lot. Never did feel a loss of power. Dropped the trailer at the motel and took a 250 mile round trip ride to Shell Falls. 40mpg. The only time I went to 5th was going down hill for long stretches. Rode up to Mt Hood in OR. Lots of lower gears on the '07 and got 47mpg. Again 5th only when going down hill... Mostly 3rd and 4th.... It's going to be interesting to see what happens now that the '04 has the Voyager Kit on it...

[MikeWa]

You are discovering why I like the v-max gears so much. Try running in 4th. The rpm won't hurt anything and may in fact help. The added torque will help for sure. I wouldn't recommend premium fuel. It might rob you of more power since your engine is not set up to run on it. However if you want to try a test tank full it probably won't hurt anything either. Air in the clutch hydraulics expands at altitude and can cause problems.

 

Most of all. 'Enjoy Your Trip'

 

Mike