A different take on the new Venture

[baylensman]

So i've been knocking around here for 4 years now! I've been on a Yamaha since 1972 in one incarnation or another.

 

Over the past four years, there have been countless posts about whats wrong with both the 1st and 2nd gen bikes. Also countless post about what we want in a new bike! Its almost like Yamaha has a direct line to these forums because almost every complaint has been addressed in the new bike, just not in ways we'ed want or expect.

 

Lets address a few of these topics

 

KEEP THE REV'S UP KEEP IT HAPPY. In one form or another from drivability to fuel economy we've all commented about this aspect of the mighty v-4's.

Well the easiest way to address that is with an engine designed to get its power at lower RPM. Ala long stroke. So V-twin.

 

SYNCE CARBS WAY TO OFTEN. easy fix Fuel injection.

 

TOP HEAVY AT LOW SPEED. New frame less weight up high and lower seat. 48' v twin lowers the center of gravity.

 

TAPE DECK IN A MODERN BIKE!! Well hows about a 7" color MFD with available sat nav and sat radio? Integrated blue tooth and USB ports (yes more than one).

 

STOCK WINDSHIELD CAUSES BUFFETING AND IS TOO HIGH OR TOO LOW. Over 1000 hours of simulation on a computer and wind tunnel testing, solved with design and with power adjust windshield.

 

NO REVERSE HARD TO PARK. So they give us forward and reverse asset in parking.

 

SEAT IS UNCOMFORTABLE Well I guess somebody likes Mr Butler because that's one of the recurring themes so Rick you've got some job security!!

 

All around I'd score the new bike a Grand Slam. Now this is based on preliminary reviews, from various Youtube channels and magazine articles. Other than the heat issue, which may not be the issue we think as all the drives have taken place in the midwest or north west during an unusually long heat wave. One driver complained about not enough leg room as he was over 6'2" may not be a widespread problem! Also I understand the floor boards have two positions so maybe to at all. Give Kuryakan a few weeks and maybe hi way pegs to fit the engine guards?

 

My opinion has changed since the introduction a month ago. I'm very anxious to see it in person, alas we don't get even get a drive by here in florida until the bike actually hits dealers!

 

Whats missing? from the forums I see FLUX CAPICITOR and WARP DRIVE are not available this year.

[Flyinfool]

I have a spare 1.21 gigawatt Flux capacitor left over from my Snowpercharger, so I can retrofit that in. But no warp drive probably means that there are also no dilithium crystals. I do not know if I can live without Warp Drive or Dilithium Crystals.

 

It also looks like I will not be able to lay eyes on one till it hits the dealers floors.

 

Fuel injection does not necessarily remove the need to sync, if there are multiple throttle bodies then they will still need to be in sync, I do not have any idea of what the air intake system is like on this bike. with the fly by wire throttle the computer just might be able to handle the sync also.

[camos]

Lets address a few of these topics

 

KEEP THE REV'S UP KEEP IT HAPPY. In one form or another from drivability to fuel economy we've all commented about this aspect of the mighty v-4's.

Well the easiest way to address that is with an engine designed to get its power at lower RPM. Ala long stroke. So V-twin.

Sadly, this is just lame. The easiest way to drive a v4 is not drive it like a v-twin. So what has happened is a Japanese company has just built the best Harley ever, a Yamaharley Venture... so to speak.

[BlueSky]

Seems to me building an air cooled heavy touring bike in 2017 is poor engineering because it will overheat in stop and go traffic. You may not be aware of it every time but the oil temperature will be very high and may not protect the engine as well as cooler oil in a water cooled bike.

 

I don't count though because I'm not buying a new bike, especially an air cooled bike. If I'm still able to ride, in the future I might buy a Goldwing or BMW R or K bike.

[bongobobny]

The bottom line is there is no universal bike that everybody likes...

[Kybigmac]

Just my 2c worth, but I have been watching the debate and I understand we're all Venture lovers. But don't discount the new bike.I owned a Stratoliner for 7 yrs and let me tell you it was by far my favorite motorcycle I've ever owned. The motor is a torque monster with lots of horsepower. It is air and oil cooled and I never thought heat was a problem. The only reason I got rid of it was because I had to go to a trike for health issues. I would have triked it but there are not many kits made for the Stratoliner and it was going to cost too much. At the time I didn't know if I was going to like a trike or just stop riding,so I bought a Goldwing that was already triked. After a yr.on the wing I found the Venture trike that I have now, and seeing as I'm 6'7 I really appreciate the leg room I have on the Venture. I think had they not used the Venture name people wouldn't be as upset. It looks like to me the new bike has most all of the features everyone wants believe me the motor is great. Having said all this I guess I'll just keep grinning while I ride my Venture trike.

[Condor]

I have a spare 1.21 gigawatt Flux capacitor left over from my Snowpercharger, so I can retrofit that in. But no warp drive probably means that there are also no dilithium crystals. I do not know if I can live without Warp Drive or Dilithium Crystals.

 

I have all that.... :-)

 

Edited July 21, 2017 by Condor

[camos]

I think had they not used the Venture name people wouldn't be as upset. It looks like to me the new bike has most all of the features everyone wants believe me the motor is great. Having said all this I guess I'll just keep grinning while I ride my Venture trike.

Nailed it.

The Yamaharley is gorgeous but it is not a Venture.

I'll keep grinning while I ride my Venture Royale.

[leo3wheel]

Hydraulic valve lifters that never need adjustment are great!

 

http://ridermagazine.com/2017/07/21/2018-yamaha-star-venture-road-test-review/

[RandyR]

bike’s fuel economy with the trip computer, and it averaged 41.1 mpg on premium fuel

 

The first time we've seen mpg above 34.

[Kybigmac]

The first time we've seen mpg above 34.

I regularly got 45/50mpg with my Stratoliner, but it wasn't a full touring bike.

[Freebird]

Yea, in this test he said he averaged 41.1 MPG. I've seen better and worse but I'm fine with anything over 40.

[gggGary]

Always the odd duck I am looking at the Honda NM4 as being closer to a start for my ideal touring bike. I might regress from the RSV to a Venture royale just cause they are out there with the farkles I want already applied, for little $$ and I am VERY cheap. (rule out new bike) Wife will never be a long distance pillion for lots of reasons, I don't see any reason for a solo rider and bike to be north of half a ton.

my ideal list

600 pounds wet LOL

forward floorboards with the controls on them*

ABS@

cruise*@

rider backrest*@

BIG saddlebags that don't look like they were cobbed from an ammo dump.*@

PERFECT rain protection@

If it ends up pig heavy I want reverse @.

70MPG

quiet enough that I can ride with my visor up.*@

items with * met by the RSV

Items with @ were met by the K1200LT

[Flyinfool]

My 1st gen with me on it is north of a half ton. I am guessing than an RSV with me on it is also north of a half ton. Neither of these would even need any gear added to reach a half ton. full gear would push that up more.

[djh3]

I can give you a bit of experience info here on a V-Twin air cooled. My 900 Vulcan although a smaller displacement was water cooled, but no lowers. The lowers like on the RSV and Victory trap heat and only way to get it out is make air flow past it. The RSV does a good job, I never really got the heat I get from the XCT. Guys with the big Ijuns say the same thing. The lowers trap the heat. Now I have vents, but it just does not seem to evacuate the heat good. Better off taking them off the bike in summer is what I hear.

[Geobob]

The bottom line is there is no universal bike that everybody likes...

 

I am pretty sure that no present Venture owner would have said "why did they do that" if they built their new touring bike around the new Vmax motor. I really, really want to hear the reason why they did not do this.

 

In defense of the designers, I have ridden and liked several big V twins and presently own a Vstar 1300 and love the bike. I have been seriously considering a Victory Vision and for the price difference between a new Venture and a used Vision I probably will go with the vision. This is my point, build a touring bike based on a Vtwin and you have a all kinds of competition. Build the bike around the new Vmax motor and you have a touring bike with a power plant that would inspire a sport bike. Oh ya, they already did that 30 years ago. Did they forget how we got here. I just don't get it.

[Du-Rron]

Hydraulic valve lifters that never need adjustment are great!

 

http://ridermagazine.com/2017/07/21/2018-yamaha-star-venture-road-test-review/

 

The magazine article is wrong. You will have to adjust the valves.

[Du-Rron]

Lets address a few of these topics

 

 

 

I am over it being called a "Venture". I am over it being a "V-Twin". I no longer care what they call it, or how it is made. It is not made for me. I am so over it. Had they built what I wanted, and I knew they could, or something even kinda close, I would have voted with my money and bought one.

However, I wish Yamaha the best of luck and I hope they sell a quadzillion of them and I will cheerfully help out on here when a 3rd Genners ask questions if I can.

 

Now... Kawasaki is teasing a touring machine with a huffer. I think I just wet myself.....

[CaseyJ955]

Many of the items listed have not been a problem for me, which is why it's a good fit. I never felt like the gen1 was hard to park or uncomfortably top heavy, the seat/ergos/wind protection are second to almost nothing. Performance and handling are admirable. It was cheap and easy to transform the brakes into something sweet. I have never owned a gen2 but I can say that the gen1 had the recipe right on. The way it rides and performs it's tasks are fantastic for a bike that was old enough to buy booze when Obama took office.

 

I boycotted Pirelli for their 2016-2017 dumpster fire calendars, and they make a great product. Imagine how fast Yamaha landed on my no-fly list after crapping out an air cooled twin Venture whilst the amazing 1700cc V4 is currently in production!

 

I have a feeling that when the new Venture has been on the road for awhile it's list of annoyances, common failures, idiosyncrasies and shortcomings will easily exceed past generations. We'll see. I wish Yamaha all the best in selling their new models, but I'm officially out with new Yamaha products..

[MikeWa]

I am over it being called a "Venture". I am over it being a "V-Twin". I no longer care what they call it, or how it is made. It is not made for me. I am so over it. Had they built what I wanted, and I knew they could, or something even kinda close, I would have voted with my money and bought one.

However, I wish Yamaha the best of luck and I hope they sell a quadzillion of them and I will cheerfully help out on here when a 3rd Genners ask questions if I can.

 

Now... Kawasaki is teasing a touring machine with a huffer. I think I just wet myself.....

 

 

+1

 

Mike

[M61A1MECH]

I am over it being called a "Venture". I am over it being a "V-Twin". I no longer care what they call it, or how it is made. It is not made for me. I am so over it. Had they built what I wanted, and I knew they could, or something even kinda close, I would have voted with my money and bought one.

However, I wish Yamaha the best of luck and I hope they sell a quadzillion of them and I will cheerfully help out on here when a 3rd Genners ask questions if I can.

 

I rode one yesterday at Biketoberfest in Daytona, really disappointed in Yamaha's effort, it vibrates, the grips are too far forward and too wide for my liking, the floorboards are just plain ridiculous, kept getting my heel caught on the back edge. The left side cubby in front of my knee would not stay closed, had to kick it while riding to make it stay closed.

Yamaha is not getting any of my money for that bike, no matter what they call it, I think they should call it a Stratosourous with that air cooled V-twin.

 

It does have good power and the touring/sport mode is pretty cool and the electronics are good, but all of that could have been incorporated into a platform that was powered by the 1700 V-4 V-MAX engine.

Edited October 23, 2017 by M61A1MECH

[cowpuc]

I am pretty sure that no present Venture owner would have said "why did they do that" if they built their new touring bike around the new Vmax motor. I really, really want to hear the reason why they did not do this.

 

In defense of the designers, I have ridden and liked several big V twins and presently own a Vstar 1300 and love the bike. I have been seriously considering a Victory Vision and for the price difference between a new Venture and a used Vision I probably will go with the vision. This is my point, build a touring bike based on a Vtwin and you have a all kinds of competition. Build the bike around the new Vmax motor and you have a touring bike with a power plant that would inspire a sport bike. Oh ya, they already did that 30 years ago. Did they forget how we got here. I just don't get it.

 

I agree, there is LOTS about this new one that makes no logical sense.. First and foremost IMHO is the elephant in the room that most if not all of us here in the club have, like you Geo, questioned = why no V-Max motor. Fact is, one does not have to lolly gag around our clubhouse here to much to find the lists that each of us made in pointing out what we were hoping for and, if one did this, one would find that almost exclusively we all asked for water cooled, V-Max motored, shaft drive.. IMHO,, as a group, we did not get even close to what we were looking for = does this matter? Obviously to some of us in the club, it matters BUT, to a company like Yamaha that is looking at profitability = I think a glance at the size of our group as apposed to the size of other groups that they may see purchasing their product is what matters to them (as it should be).

 

I also have a theory that Mom Yam adjusted her sights in the process of producing the new Venture. When they p hit the magic button(s) on em out at Americade during the unveiling and I heard the familiar tone of a Strat 113 inch V-Twin my first words were = "OHH POOP" cause I knew we had been had.. My very first words when I first saw one as they pulled them up on the stage was "It's a Polaris Victory".. After we got home I spent some time shadowing other club's on the net and guess what,,, the gang over on the Victory site were wayyy more excited about the new Venture than even our club (IMHO). As a matter of fact, I even read several posts from members over there that openly stated they saw Victory blood in the new Venture too..

From all of that, and from some of the possible design flaws that I see (all but the bottom two "vents" on the non removeable lowers on the Venture are FAKE = keeping air flow away from an air cooled motor?) - I actually wonder if part way thru the design process, Mom Yam caught wind of Polaris's plan on dumping Victory and somehow thought (and maybe this will happen) by switching over to developing an air cooled touring bike may bring in those Victory riders scorned by Polaris (I even told Tippy at the time that I thought maybe Arlen Ness or another Victory design engineer had jumped ship and landed at Yamaha).

If you look closely at the fairing/front end of the scoot it is clear (IMHO) that the design was intended for a water cooled motor and, it's looks from the front SCREAM = BAD TO THE BONE V-MAX!! I think Mom Yam was on the right track and then something happened because when you walk around the fairing and sit down, everything behind the fairing screams something different and I think it screams Polaris.. Even the dash and bar layout has a Polaris feel to it,, as does the seating position and floor board placement.. What I am trying to say, I think, is the bike seem's confused about what it really is in its design.

I honestly think the whole package is a shot in the dark to bring in as many over looked air cooled heavy bike customers (over looked by Harley, Polaris) as possible while also drawing in a few faithful Venture riders just by using the Venture name.. I think it's a numbers game and that the numbers to support what we were hoping for here in our club just were not large enough to support building what we were asking for..

Personally I hope it works for Mom Yam - I really do. I hope that people trip over themselves to join the ranks of exclusiveness offered in the new Venture ($575 rear tire = now THATS exclusiveness). If that happened it would mean that someone, FINALLY figured out the combination to the lock on the mystery behind Harley Davidson's ability to sell so many bling covered 1903 air cooled V-Twin designed motorcycles that they maintain ownership of over 50% of the heavy bike market. On the same token though,, I have a hunch that it's a fool's errand though and I base part of that on the fact that the reason Polaris dropped Victory was because they didnt sell and I also know that the they are having a pretty hard time with sales in the their new Indian line too (TON'S of left overs offered CHEAP right now for both Polaris Indian's and Victory's = GREAT time to grab one!).

Indeed Geo,, I stand shoulder to shoulder with you and join you in wondering why on God's green earth Mom Yam did that... I would like to know too,, I really really would!!

[snyper316]

I can give you a bit of experience info here on a V-Twin air cooled. My 900 Vulcan although a smaller displacement was water cooled, but no lowers. The lowers like on the RSV and Victory trap heat and only way to get it out is make air flow past it. The RSV does a good job, I never really got the heat I get from the XCT. Guys with the big Ijuns say the same thing. The lowers trap the heat. Now I have vents, but it just does not seem to evacuate the heat good. Better off taking them off the bike in summer is what I hear.

I took mine off for two reasons I like the airflow with them off and my legs don't sit against them. Last winter I had them on and on cooler days it did seem warmer with them on. Thought it was me but I keep thinking I'm right.

 

Sent from my LG-K371 using Tapatalk

[RandyR]

I found a Cycleworld article with a pointer to a Youtube of the Kawasaki being talked about above. It would be hard for me to imagine they were talking about a touring bike from the Utube.

 

https://www.cycleworld.com/kawasaki-has-supercharged-sport-tourer-set-to-debut

 

[zagger]

$26K? I haven't spent that much on all of my bikes added together over 46 years of riding. Ok - I might be cheap, but I've owned quite a few nice bikes. That is nearly twice what my newest car cost - and it has a roof and windshield wipers! And four wheels.

zag