Upgrading from Scooter to... ?

[ewags64]

Good morning All,

 

About 5 years ago, I bought my first "motorcycle", a Suzuki Burgman 400 scooter. I know, I know, most riders like to refer to them as mopeds, but they are loads of fun and very smooth to ride. My wife wasn't real thrilled that I bought it, I think she was thinking "mid life crisis" or something like that! But after a few days, she grudgingly agreed to let me take her for a spin. Long story short....she loves riding as much as I do, and is usually the one to suggest taking a ride.

 

I've put about 9,000 miles on it, and several thousand with her along. Even though it's only a 400, the Burgman rides well with 2 up, even at interstate speeds. It's pretty lightweight though (around 430 lbs), and it doesn't take much wind to buffet you. Most of our riding is just local stuff, cruising around for an hour or two in the evenings.

 

Lately I've been thing that it's time to move up and get something with more horsepower, size, weight, and carrying capacity. We'd like to take some weekend trips, and that's hardly possible with the 400. But here's my dilemma. I started out considering a GW, because I want something that's as comfortable for her as myself. But....I'm not super cracked up with the styling of the GW, and so, I began considering a Midnight Venture, which seemed to have most of the options of the GW, but much cooler looking and more reasonably priced.

 

Now that I've spent some time reading the reviews of the Venture, I'm concerned about the top heaviness. I don't want to get something that's double the weight, and worry about the balance at low speeds and stop. Most of the people who say that the top heaviness isn't an issue, are taller than myself. I'm 5' 10", but my inseam is only 30", short legs but long torso. I hear that the GW is not top heavy, and also much easier to control at low speeds. But again, I'm not real cracked up with the looks of the GW. But on the other hand, safety is more important than looks. And that's how it goes, back and forth, back and forth....

 

So....I'd really like some input from this group. I've used forums like this in the past with lots of helpful advice and opinions, and I'm confident I'll experience the same here! By the way, to get a clearer picture, I'm about 220 lbs, and my wife is about 5' 9", 140 lbs. The Ventures I've been looking at are around 2007-2008 models.

 

 

Thanks!

 

Ewags64

[billmac]

welcome to the board. I don't think you would have a big problem with a Venture. If you don't have plans Saturday drive up to Oberlin and meet some of the people and have a look at the bikes we ride. a couple of hour drive to see what your thinking about would do more than looking at 1 or 2 bikes. everyone there should be able to answer any questions you or the wife may have. Hope your not thin skinned because most like to joke around and don't mean any harm just a good time.

[BratmanXj]

I'm not sure if going from a step-through scooter to a big touring bike is to big a step for you. As stupid as it sounds, you might want to look into Harley Davidson's rental program and rent an Ultra Classic or a Goldwing (even though you have no interest in owning one) just to get some saddle time with a big, heavy touring bike before dropping money on a Venture.

 

I had a HD Road King before the Venture, I spend frequent saddle time on my Buddies Screaming Eagle Ultra Classic. To me the Venture is slightly more cumbersome at low speeds but not ungodly terrible, and there are some reasonable fixes for the heavy steering and high seat height. Once moving the weight and size is a non-issue. This is why I say get on a similar rental bike to see if the step up to a touring bike is comfortable to you from a light weight step-through.

[GAWildKat]

As the wife of a rider and someone who plans to ride their own trike someday, think you need an inbetween bike to start your journey. My husband took to riding in 2011, he took the MSF course then got his 1st bike, a suzuki volusia 800. The boulevard c50 is the updated model. We thought it was a good short distance cruiser to begin our journey. He road the volusia for 2 yrs before buying his 1st gen Venture. He doesn't regret taking the steps to getting the bike he wanted.

[Stache]

I'm 5' 10", but my inseam is only 30", short legs but long torso.

So....I'd really like some input from this group.

 

I'm also 5'10" but somewhat heavier. I'm far too sane to dare commenting on my wife's comparative statistics.

 

My transition was from a v-star 950 through a tour-deluxe to my venture. I found the 950 too light at speed. The TD didn't have the storage or the electronics I wanted. The venture is a perfect fit to my riding needs. And it's got a cassette deck!

 

Like you I read this board, and others, extensively before deciding. I expected the venture to be top-heavy, and it is, at low speed. My counter to that was to go to an empty school parking lot and practice starts, stops, slow speed maneuvering, over and over till the venture felt as natural and comfortable as the tour deluxe.

 

My point? Don't let the size, weight, or top-heavy reputation deter you, but learn the bike well and you'll be fine.

[cowpuc]

I'm also 5'10" but somewhat heavier. I'm far too sane to dare commenting on my wife's comparative statistics.

 

My transition was from a v-star 950 through a tour-deluxe to my venture. I found the 950 too light at speed. The TD didn't have the storage or the electronics I wanted. The venture is a perfect fit to my riding needs. And it's got a cassette deck!

 

Like you I read this board, and others, extensively before deciding. I expected the venture to be top-heavy, and it is, at low speed. My counter to that was to go to an empty school parking lot and practice starts, stops, slow speed maneuvering, over and over till the venture felt as natural and comfortable as the tour deluxe.

 

My point? Don't let the size, weight, or top-heavy reputation deter you, but learn the bike well and you'll be fine.

 

WELCOME TO VR EW!!!!

 

100 and 25 million percent in total agreement with what Stache is saying!! Its just like anything else in life, practice practice and practice.. And the roadways are no place to get your practice time in.. The key (IMHO) is to not get over zealous and get in a big hurry to jump on the roads..

I gotta say EW, we have a Honda Helix and ride it A LOT when we are home.. "Scootering" is a ton of fun!! That said, I am also fully aware of the differences in riding skills associated between "manual" shift bike and the automatics. Clutch/throttle control is very important to survive out on the roadways, says nothing for having your feet busy shifting and braking.. It is in your best interest to spend time developing those skills to the point that they become "habit" or "second nature" long before hitting the road - being confused while at the helm of touring bike sitting in an intersection can cost you your life..

These Ventures, ALL OF THEM, are amazing motorcycles. Heavy, absolutely, but totally rideable on and off road with just a little training.. Like Kat said, it might not be a bad idea to start with something smaller and work your way up. Something where the weight of a touring bike isnt in your way of getting the shifting, clutching and braking down pat without dealing with weight...

[ewags64]

Clutch/throttle control is very important to survive out on the roadways, says nothing for having your feet busy shifting and braking.. It is in your best interest to spend time developing those skills to the point that they become "habit" or "second nature" long before hitting the road -

 

I agree cowpuc, and maybe I should have mentioned that I've spent most my life riding dirt bikes and quads, so manual transmissions aren't an issue...

[djadam]

I had a Vulcan 1500 classic for 4 years and wanted something bigger and more comfortable for longer rides. I bought an 06 RSV in January of 2015. I loved the look, the styling and all the features that came with it. I joined this site to gain as much info as possible. I saw the same thing as you. Everyone was talking about the top heaviness. Get a smaller front tire, lower the rear, raise the rear and on and on and on. I was now so nervous about riding my RSV, I was wondering if I made the right choice. Sometime in April 2015 the snow was finally clearing off the roads and I could get my first ride on my new to me bike. I jumped on it and rode it like it was my Vulcan. It's definitely heavier than my Vulcan. When stopped and the wind is gusty, you want to make sure your feet are firmly planted. But regular riding and parking lot speeds, I personally do not find it hard to handle. I am 6' tall and about 250lbs. As long as you ride with common sense, and are confident, I don't think its a huge issue. My strongest advise is sit on one, make sure you can put your feet flat on the ground, and kind of sway it from side to side. You'll know right there if you are comfortable.

[BlueSky]

Going from a Scooter to an 800 to 900lb tourer is a giant step if you have not ridden a motorcycle before. Having said that, the Goldwing is the safest choice if you are going to do so. It is easier to handle because it does have a lower center of gravity. They are more expensive than a Venture and that should tell you something right there. I have not ridden a second generation Venture but I do find my 1st Gen fairly easy to handle. I am 5'10" and have a 29" inseam. I did have a Kawasaki ZN700 to polish my riding skills a tad before I started riding it though. Today, I took the ZN700 for a ride and decided to sell it now that I am getting used to the 89 Venture. Good luck with your choice and safe riding!

[Venturous]

..... Most of the people who say that the top heaviness isn't an issue, are taller than myself. I'm 5' 10", but my inseam is only 30", short legs but long torso. I hear that the GW is not top heavy, and also much easier to control at low speeds. But again, I'm not real cracked up with the looks of the GW. But on the other hand, safety is more important than looks.

 

I'm 5' 10" with a 29" inseam. That Scottish build ya know. When I bought my Venture new in 2002, I was very intimidated by the top heaviness. But after getting the Ride Like a Pro dvd and practicing what it teaches a lot... that fear went away. I ended up putting over 119,000 miles on my Venture.

 

Now, just last week I bought a new Goldwing. It is slightly a heavier bike, but does in fact feel A LOT lighter. It is also more nimble in the twisties. But like you... the reason I never got one before was partly due to looks. And also because I prefer a cruiser riding position. My incentive for getting the GW was we now pull a 600+ camping trailer and I wanted ABS brakes and a bike with enough balls to pull it without breaking a sweat.

 

I can say that I have absolutely loved my Venture and will miss much about it. I feel confident in saying it is the most comfortable touring bike out there... hands down! I can also say that from my short time in my GW saddle so far that I am going to love that as well as soon as we get the comfort mods tuned in for us.

 

Honestly... you can't go wrong with either. These liquid cooled engines will run damned near forever if you take care of them.

[gmarshall]

After a 30 year gap I wanted to get back into riding. Started by retaking the basic rider class.bought a used 05 vstar 1100. Then took the advanced rider course. After eight months riding the1100, I wanted something more suited to highway speeds. Sold the 1100 and bought an 06 RSV. I'm glad I moved up to the bigger bike but I think there was a lot of value in the experience on the smaller bike.

my solution to city vs country driving. A year ago I picked up an 03 vstar 650 pretty cheap. Added forward controls and that's my city going to work bike. Weekends the Venture rules the road.

gary

[videoarizona]

I'm your size.....220lbs, 5'10" with 30" inseam. 67 years young.

 

I started riding in 1965..typical small Yamaha's and Hondas. Took a long break to build a career, raise family...etc..

 

Came back to riding on a Yamaha VStar 650 Classic, took the riders course. One year later, sold the 650 and bought the VStar 950 Tourer. Love that bike...still have it. Then bought a 1st Gen 89 Venture Royale. Very top heavy...but as my buddy with an HD Ultra Classic said...you will get used to it. It was scary at first to ride 2 up knowing how top heavy the older Ventures are. But I persisted....Still have it as well! Now I've added the 2nd Gen 2005 Royal Star Venture. Heavier but lower to ground.

 

Bottom line: You can handle the 2nd Gen Venture. You will be able to put both feet down. If you lower the forks 1 inch...the low speed handling will improve and your feet will fit the ground even better! So yea, I think you could handle the 2nd Gen Venture.

BUT...unless you feel very comfortable on 2 wheels, I would recommend a 950 size bike for a year. Just to get used to the size and weight. I'm glad I did. Don't think that the 950 size is to small...I can cruise all day at 80mph with my 950T. It's 650 pounds so it's a big bike to get used to but it's low to the ground and very easy to handle!

 

So...your choice here. If I can handle the 05...then so can you. It's all a matter of practice and more practice to get the confidence level up. I chose the take my time and move up in size as my confidence built!

 

BTW, had a GoldWing guy come over this morning and ogle my 89. He had never seen one. Thought it was very cool! I smiled lots!

David

Edited May 22, 2015 by videoarizona
add age

[slowrollwv]

I agree cowpuc, and maybe I should have mentioned that I've spent most my life riding dirt bikes and quads, so manual transmissions aren't an issue...

 

You will not have any trouble with clutch and shifting if you have ridden dirt bikes. I don't think you will have any trouble with the weight of the Venture. I am also 5' 10" with 30" inseam. When I bought my 03 from my brother I hadn't been on a bike for 18 years. I did take it easy with it till I was comfortable with it before I let the wife ride with me but that didn't take very long at all.

[Leland]

Like Venturous said, get the Ride Like a Pro DVD. https://www.ridelikeapro.com/

[Great White]

My .02:

 

5 years on 400 cc scooter to a 880 -ish lb 1300 cc bike is a fairly big jump.

 

I can't see the height being a problem. I'm 5' 9"+ and just over 200 lbs. I also ride an 83 Venture, which is supposedly taller in the seat than the later models. You should be able to plant both very at a stop fine I would think.

 

My concern would be with the power and handling differences.

 

The 83 is the biggest bike I've ever had. Over 34 odd years I've progressed from 350 2 strokes to the largest before this bike which was/is a 750 interceptor. I jumped in to the liter+ class with both feet and bought the Venture and an FJ2100 at the same time. It took several weeks to feel comfortable with the Venture and just the other day started preparing for two up riding with the wife on the back at a standstill in the garage. I've got another month or two solo before I'll even think about taking the missus with me.

 

The FJ12 is significantly lighter than the venture (but still a 550-600 pounder), but I've discovered a couple times that it is not a bike that will suffer fools lightly. Breaking that rear tire loose is no more than an ill considered twist on the right grip......at any speed, in any gear, at any lean angle or even straight up.....only thing that's saved my bacon thus far is the decades of experience working up to bikes this big and powerful.

 

If you do elect to jump right in to the big pool, give yourself at least a few months to get used to it before throwing the missus on the back for even a jaunt around the block. Take your time and be cautious and you won't drop it. Watch for sand in slow speed parking lot entries as, if you low side these behemoths, you're not saving it. Just get out of its way and let it go.go to empty parking lots on weekends and work up to slow speed figure 8's and other maneuvers. Don't rush it, take your time and build up to those slow speed clutch and brake evolutions.

 

There's also nothing wrong with taking a riding class, even if you already have. Make sure your instructors know you'll be handling a big bike and that's what you want to get some help with.

 

I really would suggest a bike in between your 400cc walk though and a liter+ sized machine if you want to develops your confidence and riding skills. Something in the 750 size range.

 

Others will no doubt differ in opinion, but that's my .02

 

 

 

PS: for what its worth, I haven't crashed, dropped or lowsided a bike since I was 20.......

Edited May 23, 2015 by Great White

[Flyinfool]

I am 6' 0" but with a 30 inseam.

 

I started out with a little Honda 200, then to a Yami XS650, then to a Kaw KZ750 with wind jammer and full luggage.

Then I took 25 years off from riding a bike and jumped back in with the 88 Standard that I have now. Even after the 25 years off and never having this big of a bike. Picked it up at a dealer and within 2 miles was on the interstate to ride home. After a couple days in a parking lot near home to get used to how it felt, I was good to go.

 

As long as you are sencible there should be no problem learning the heavier bike. THE big thing to remember is that if it starts to go down, do NOT stick your foot out like you did on a dirt bike, 900 lbs will break your leg, just let the crash bars do there job and try to pick it up quick before any one sees you.

[JDaniel]

Ewags64 My phone number is in my profile. I live in Piqua so were only seven miles apart. I started out with a 2004 Vstar 1100 rode it a year and bought the 99 RSV. I rode it for two years and purchased a 2007 Honda Goldwing. Give me a call and I can share with you my opinions on the pros and cons of the two bikes.

[bill4you502]

Good morning All,

 

About 5 years ago, I bought my first "motorcycle", a Suzuki Burgman 400 scooter. I know, I know, most riders like to refer to them as mopeds, but they are loads of fun and very smooth to ride. My wife wasn't real thrilled that I bought it, I think she was thinking "mid life crisis" or something like that! But after a few days, she grudgingly agreed to let me take her for a spin. Long story short....she loves riding as much as I do, and is usually the one to suggest taking a ride.

 

 

 

I've put about 9,000 miles on it, and several thousand with her along. Even though it's only a 400, the Burgman rides well with 2 up, even at interstate speeds. It's pretty lightweight though (around 430 lbs), and it doesn't take much wind to buffet you. Most of our riding is just local stuff, cruising around for an hour or two in the evenings.

 

Lately I've been thing that it's time to move up and get something with more horsepower, size, weight, and carrying capacity. We'd like to take some weekend trips, and that's hardly possible with the 400. But here's my dilemma. I started out considering a GW, because I want something that's as comfortable for her as myself. But....I'm not super cracked up with the styling of the GW, and so, I began considering a Midnight Venture, which seemed to have most of the options of the GW, but much cooler looking and more reasonably priced.

 

Now that I've spent some time reading the reviews of the Venture, I'm concerned about the top heaviness. I don't want to get something that's double the weight, and worry about the balance at low speeds and stop. Most of the people who say that the top heaviness isn't an issue, are taller than myself. I'm 5' 10", but my inseam is only 30", short legs but long torso. I hear that the GW is not top heavy, and also much easier to control at low speeds. But again, I'm not real cracked up with the looks of the GW. But on the other hand, safety is more important than looks. And that's how it goes, back and forth, back and forth....

 

So....I'd really like some input from this group. I've used forums like this in the past with lots of helpful advice and opinions, and I'm confident I'll experience the same here! By the way, to get a clearer picture, I'm about 220 lbs, and my wife is about 5' 9", 140 lbs. The Ventures I've been looking at are around 2007-2008 models.

 

 

Thanks!

 

Ewags64

 

 

....I'm 5'7" and need to wear boots with 1 1/2" heels to be "Flat footed" at stops and maneuvering on gravel, etc. The bike is a bit weavy at 5-10 mph, but, I don't feel it's top heavy. At 835 lbs or so, it's a nice ride!!! Good luck!!................

[ewags64]

Thanks for all the advice I was given, and the experiences shared here. I want to update you on the decision I made, and hopefully this thread may help someone else who finds themselves in a similar situation. After considering all that was shared here, and what I know to be my physical capabilities, along with going to a dealer and sitting on several different bikes, I finally made a decision and bought a 2007 Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad 1600. The Nomad weighs a bit less than the Venture, and there were far less concerns about top heaviness. It's still a heavy bike, but I've put about 50 miles on it now, and I think it's going to fit me real well. It seems really well balanced, and I haven't noticed any issues at slow speed or stop with top-heaviness. I even took the wife on a little 9 mile ride today, and hardly knew she was back there. I'm glad I didn't go with an "in-between bike". I believe if you're going to do something, jump in with both feet!

 

Thanks again.

 

Here's a pic of the new ride:

[Edbo]

That is a nice looking scoot you got there. I ride with a couple that's had one of those bikes for 10 years and he loves it. I believe you made a wise decision on getting that bike, it's not as heavy but has plenty of power. Hope you get to put many miles on her.