did i buy a lemon?

[douglasp.burdick]

Hello, my name is Doug. I live in Winnsboro,SC. My wife recently talked me into buying a '05 RSV so we can do long distance touring. This bike has 48000 miles on it. It whines. My Kawasaki Drifter, a '99 model with 37000 miles was quite, no whine from the transmission or rear end( mine was the 1500 which is shaft drive). From what I'm seeing here, the rear ends go out alot, and i'll need something called an "I" basket to replace the clutch basket. Is the I basket a permanent fix? How often will I have to tear apart the rear end???? I really think I may have made a terrible mistake buying this bike. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks.

[Freebird]

Not sure how you are coming up with the rear ends going out a lot. In the more than 10 years that this forum has been up and thousands of Venture owners participating, I have only known of a very few people who have had rear ends go out. It has happened but is certainly not a common occurrence.

 

Now as for the whine. Yes, that could be a problem. This is a much more common problem. I wish you had searched here before buying the bike and you would have gotten some good advice. The main advice would have been to take a very good test ride first to make sure that there is not excessive whine that you may not be able to live with. There has been a lot of discussion here about using different oils, oil additives, etc. but to be honest, swapping to the "I" basket is really the only real chance of reducing it and even that may not get rid of it entirely. Some people have gotten rid of it almost completely, some have reduced it to a tolerable level and some have reported that it didn't help that much. My personal opinion is that it will likely make a big difference and at LEAST make it tolerable.

 

The "I" basket is pretty much a permanent fix. If it does indeed solve the problem, you are unlikely to ever have to do it again.

[douglasp.burdick]

Thanks! where do I get this I basket and about how much is it?

[Freebird]

You will have to get it from a Yamaha dealer. Boat.net is usually about as cheap as anybody but you can check around. Here is a link to it at boats.net. A little over $300.00

 

http://www.boats.net/parts/detail/yamaha/Y-4XY-16150-09-00.html

 

You might also try Stadium Yamaha in Irving, Texas. Several members here speak highly of them. They actually show the standard clutch basket for $248.00. The "I" basket should be the same price if they can get it.

 

http://www.stadiumyamaha.com

Edited August 16, 2015 by Freebird

[Venture n Dixie]

From what I'm seeing here, the rear ends go out

Not exactly. Many owners swap out for VMax diffs for lower gearing not mechanical failure.

[douglasp.burdick]

Lower? as in, the engine will rev even higher in 5th than it already does? Guess that's the way to go if you live in the mountains. I haven't had a chance to ride it in the mountains yet but soon, very soon!

[douglasp.burdick]

Thanks! I'll look at changing the clutches too, while I'm at it. Are there any problems in there I need to worry about? Weak clutch springs or anything like that? Weak clutch springs were an issue on early Kawasaki Vulcan 1500s, which was my last bike.

[Flyinfool]

Yes as in the engine will rev higher in all gears.

Don't be afraid if revs, these engines like to rev and it does not hurt them. Many here will not even use 5th gear under 60 MPH.

 

At the revs that your drifter ran at the Venture will be very lacking in performance.

Learn where the rev limiter comes in, you will find a lot of zip up there.

 

As for the I basket, that is the part that holds all of the clutch plates. It has nothing to do with the rear end. The "I" refers to a revision of the basket, It will have the "I" stamped on it. So If you buy one, make sure they did not pawn off old stock on you and that you actually have an I basket.

[douglasp.burdick]

Thanks! Yes, I know about clutch baskets. the issue about the diff came up when I did a search on this site using the word Whine. Some owners have had issues with the pinon gear wearing out and producing a lot of noise. I don't believe this is the case with mine, but I'm not 100% sure. The whine is most pronounced at speeds near or above 60, and especially when going uphill or accelerating hard. Does any of that sound like the clutch basket might be at fault? My hearing isn't the best anymore so it might be from the rear but I tend to think it's coming from the right side of the engine, where the clutch lives.

[Beach Bum]

I'm kind of getting used to my whine. I just pretend I have a turbo spooling up and chalk it up to the character of the bike. When it comes time to change out the clutch I'll try the upgraded basket to see if it makes a difference but for now if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[steamer]

The whine has to do with the way the gears are cut, other then the I basket there's not much you can do to get ride of it. I just turn up the radio and forget about it.

[videoarizona]

Doug, before you buy anything, suggest you change the oil. I'm running Yamahalube 20-50. Standard dino oil...not synthetic. I have very little whine. Other members have switched to synthetic and it mostly went away. I don't hear mine when running. Nothing broken, just straight cut gears.

 

The rear end is robust. The entire shaft system is usually quite strong. Very few problems with rear ends.

 

Yes, these motors love to run the rpm's. I've found that when normal riding, the higher up I shift, the easier it is to shift. Plus, I never use 5th gear until over 60. Found out that on a2 lane with buddies, if I stayed in 4th gear, I had plenty of rpm range to cruise at 55 to 65 and the motor wasn't stressed at all. My wife thought everything was normal.

 

Last, make sure the tire pressure are NOT what the book says...go with the max (or close to it on front) of what the tire says. I run 38F and 42 rear. I get the best handling and wear doing that...so does everyone else.

 

If the steering feels way to heavy for you, either change to a narrower front tire of lower the front end. Lowering front is free and takes a few hours to do. You are simply moving the shocks up an inch.

 

Lost of info around here and highly qualified people too! There is help at any time....just ask. Plus lots of info already in the old files.

Best $12 you've ever spent will be right here!

david

[douglasp.burdick]

Sounds good. I already changed the oil the day I bought it. It now has Mobil -1 syn, and syn 85-90 hypoid gear oil in the rearend. Maybe the noise will get better over time. Thanks for the advise! Seems like im always the only one who thinks the top gear isnt high enough, and the RPM's are too high. I thought that about my Roadstar and my Kawasaki Drifter 1500. Everyone said I was nuts!. It must be from years of driving high reving Fiats and Lancia's. Now I just want lots of low end torque and low RPM's at speed, as in Relaxed touring, but I ain't gonna get it from this bike. oh well, I'll crank up the stereo!

[MiCarl]

Something that no one has said:

 

That whine is not an indication of a failure or imminent failure. The primary gear set is straight cut and they are inherently noisy. Unless the sound bothers you there is absolutely no reason to worry about it.

[Barrycuda]

Thanks! Yes, I know about clutch baskets. the issue about the diff came up when I did a search on this site using the word Whine. Some owners have had issues with the pinon gear wearing out and producing a lot of noise. I don't believe this is the case with mine, but I'm not 100% sure. The whine is most pronounced at speeds near or above 60, and especially when going uphill or accelerating hard. Does any of that sound like the clutch basket might be at fault? My hearing isn't the best anymore so it might be from the rear but I tend to think it's coming from the right side of the engine, where the clutch lives.

 

Welcome to the forum. I owned a 2003 venture and still own a Kawasaki Vulcan 1500 and you're right the clutch plates bit the dust earlier than expected. I have a GW now but will tell you this, this forum is bar none one of the greatest forums. The friendship and advice are not fake. That being said, the whine is a trait RSV have. Some more than others, some lower or higher pitched than others. In my particular case, when I switched from regular oil to MOBIL 1 full synthetic, the whine decreased a great deal, but is still there. It's a trait that goes from annoying to endearing. Once you get a few of the bugs fixed, your venture will be practically bulletproof and will afford you over 150-200K miles of pleasure. Do take the weight seriously. She is top heavy, but with proper techniques can be ridden safely and in control in slow speeds and in congested areas. Good luck with the wing. Ask questions here, and wait for the free " better than the dealer" responses to come your way. Rule of thumb here: didn't happen or isn't true without pictures so show us that sweet girl of yours...

[Barrycuda]

Something that no one has said:

 

That whine is not an indication of a failure or imminent failure. The primary gear set is straight cut and they are inherently noisy. Unless the sound bothers you there is absolutely no reason to worry about it.

 

+1 here

[dave_wells]

I feel your pain.

I have the same issue. I don't think you bought a lemon

The whine on my 2000 Venture drives me up a F'n wall . More with out a helmet. some days I just could not wait to park the thing.

Earplugs fixed that and they are cheap

I thought of selling it but felt bad about selling someone my problem so its here to stay

I have tried all the recommended fixes with the exception of the I Basket swap no luck. My passenger says she doesn't hear a thing ( Lucky Her )

This winter if I have the time I may do the swap

2 years and 20,000 miles later. I just decided to put in some soft ear plugs

The ear plugs work great I can hear everything but the loud whine

I have a 2006 Tour deluxe with a very low pitched whine . with plugs in that's how my Venture sounds

Yamaha 20 -50 semi synt oil did help the tour deluxe but did nothing for the venture . it is worth trying the oil.

If you need to check over the bike , check to shock for any leaking oil will lead to failure

These are solid machines if you just take care of them and ride them

 

Be safe and enjoy the ride...

[douglasp.burdick]

Oh, it's just a stock,silver venture. Ill have some pics tomorrow and post them here. Thanks for all the help! it's reassuring to know the whine isn't detrimental, as my wife and I are taking it on a long ride in the ga mountains next month. it's a ride called the gauntlet.

[videoarizona]

Silver...like mine!

 

[douglasp.burdick]

Yeah. Silver. Here is a couple of pictures of it.and here is the bike it replaced. not real happy with my choice right now.

[dogman]

When you take your bike on your long trip, that is when you will fall in love with it. For me the one thing that has made the bike so much more comfortable for a 12 and 14 hour riding day is a backrest. My wife also can sit in the seat that long without complaining. She is so comfortable that she falls asleep and her helmut will keep bumping into mine. That's how I know she is asleep.

Another accessory which makes the trips more enjoyable are highway pegs. More then just another riding position, it helps to get the feet away from the motor as not much air flow to take the heat away from the motor down low behind the lower fairing/cowlings. I even bought highway pegs for my wife which see loves.

I wish you a great and safe trip thru the gauntlet.

As others have said, welcome to the site. I have heard this expression a lot, this bike is like a couch on wheels. I would have to agree. It is so comfortable to ride, that I don't want to stop.

[sldunker]

I have a 07 RSV and had a whine that made the same sound that you hear when you pass a semi truck on the highway. It was that high pitched whine coming from the rear end of the truck. My whine also sounded like it came from the back of the bike. I had all the bearings in the rear diff replaced and that killed most of the whine from the back of my bike. When I got the vmax gears installed in the diff. all the noise was gone. If you start to replace parts just make sure your working on the correct end of the bike.

[douglasp.burdick]

Yeah, I am going to take it to the local Yamaha dealer today and try to find out which end is making all the racket, as I'm just not sure. Hope I can find a back way to the dealer as I don't believe it's safe to operate at highway speed the way it is.

[djh3]

Got a fellow on the Delphi forum that sells OEM yamaha parts. I put out a message to him to see what he can get. Probably be a couple days.

[douglasp.burdick]

Thanks! Any help I can get will be appreciated! we may have to cancel our mountain ride in Ga. next month if I can't solve this. No way would I trust this on the interstate, it's really loud!