New Venture delayed.

[F6B]

http://blog.motorcycle.com/2017/09/01/motorcycle-news/production-delay-2018-star-venture/

[BlueSky]

Now you gotta wonder what defect showed up in the bike that has to be fixed.

[Venturous Randy]

2nd gear?

Randy

[WildBill1]

My only gusses would be the absence of the cassette player and a 1700 V4 engine.

[RDawson]

The head temps are filtering up in the seat and burning out the heater.

[djh3]

Sooo What about the poor fellows that have one on order? Your going to "give them" $1000 yamaha funny money to outfit a top end bike that you have their money tied up on. I'm thinking Indian may pick up a few sales on this deal. So wonder if they are still doing the scheduled test rides.

[camos]

Now you gotta wonder what defect showed up in the bike that has to be fixed.

Yamaha finally noticed there were two cylinders missing so they needed some extra time to find them.

[cowpuc]

IMHO = here is my guess on why the hold = click vid and go to 2:25 and watch - I actually told Tip after this happened that the issue shown there was gonna be a problem. Randy, the Demo ride leader who was kind enough to bring one of the new ones out into the parking area the day before demo rides began so we could get some shots of the new one next to Tweeks hit a glitch in the electrical system = never did figure out what happened.. I got a gut feeling that this is where the hold up is,, make sense?

Personally I think it is honorable of Mom Yam to do what they did here.. Back when the 1800 Wings were first released, Honda released them with weak frames. I had access to the back room of a Honda shop at the time and remember vividly brand new Wings having their frames welded up at the shop = should have been a hold back. Polaris had MAJOR issues with their first year Vic's - a HUGE catastrophy when they sold bikes with junk trannies - not only did they not hold em back till the issue could be resolved = they sold em and refused to honor warranties on em = NIGHTMARE!! Even the biggy HD is known for using us customers for Beta testing.. While not defending Mom Yam in the least for the stunt she pulled with all the hype and naming the new touring Stratoliner a Venture,,, I do admire her for not putting out junk when she knows something is up...

 

Edited September 4, 2017 by cowpuc

[djh3]

OH CRAP They wired this one like the second gens with all the lectrics running thru the ignition switch? Well guess I can still make a few bucks makin by-pass relays. LOL

[videoarizona]

IMHO = here is my guess on why the hold = click vid and go to 2:25 and watch - I actually told Tip after this happened that the issue shown there was gonna be a problem. Randy, the Demo ride leader who was kind enough to bring one of the new ones out into the parking area the day before demo rides began so we could get some shots of the new one next to Tweeks hit a glitch in the electrical system = never did figure out what happened.. I got a gut feeling that this is where the hold up is,, make sense?

Personally I think it is honorable of Mom Yam to do what they did here.. Back when the 1800 Wings were first released, Honda released them with weak frames. I had access to the back room of a Honda shop at the time and remember vividly brand new Wings having their frames welded up at the shop = should have been a hold back. Polaris had MAJOR issues with their first year Vic's - a HUGE catastrophy when they sold bikes with junk trannies - not only did they not hold em back till the issue could be resolved = they sold em and refused to honor warranties on em = NIGHTMARE!! Even the biggy HD is known for using us customers for Beta testing.. While not defending Mom Yam in the least for the stunt she pulled with all the hype and naming the new touring Stratoliner a Venture,,, I do admire her for not putting out junk when she knows something is up...

 

 

Agreed. Yamaha manned up to a problem instead of forcing it on us! The adult way to do business, in my opinion!

[bongobobny]

I'll make the same comment here that I did on Facebook, maybe there aren't enough people interested in buying one so there is no demand for them yet...

[rickardracing]

1. So you all are faulting them for halting production to fix a problem??? Really?????? Maybe they should go ahead and run production and then issue a recall like another manufacturer does ??????????

2. FOR THE LOVE OF PETE AND ALL THAT IS SACRED.........GET OVER IT!! They redesigned the bike, gave to the consumer what was asked for and you still whine like little babies. The V4 platform DID NOT SELL...if it did, there would be more Ventures on the road.

[BlueSky]

What if you were a fan of the Goldwing and Honda replaced the flat six with an air cooled V-twin and called it a Goldwing? Most GW fans would be horrified. I think that puts it in perspective. If they called it Stratoliner, probably not as many complaints would be forthcoming. All the folks who like v-twins in a tourer are happy I presume and others who don't view it as a real Venture are not. It's only a motorcycle and we talk about motorcycles on this forum. That is what the forum is for.

[cowpuc]

1. So you all are faulting them for halting production to fix a problem??? Really?????? Maybe they should go ahead and run production and then issue a recall like another manufacturer does ??????????

Got that right brother = hit the nail right on the head!!!

2. FOR THE LOVE OF PETE AND ALL THAT IS SACRED.........GET OVER IT!! They redesigned the bike, gave to the consumer what was asked for and you still whine like little babies. The V4 platform DID NOT SELL...if it did, there would be more Ventures on the road. +1 with what Sky points out.. It might also be beneficial to venture over to the 3rd Gen section of our site and read thru the pages of comments made by folks who actually ride Yamaha Ventures and see what was asked for.. I may be wrong but I gotta hunch that over 95% of those comments begin with "V-4" in their askings AND,, I highly suspect if Mom Yam would have read those same comments that she would not have read ANYWHERE in there - we want an upgraded Stratoliner..

As far as the V-4 not selling,,, the Star V-Twins - specifically the 113 inch Roadliner/Strat/Raider lines - have also been lacking as sellers and, it might pay to remember - those scoots were wayyy under priced when compared to comparible HD's and the new Venny is toe to toe $$ wise with HD = the new Ventures #1 competitor.. Also,, to some folks that new Venny has Polaris Victory lines - lots of chatter over at TheVog about this.. Thats all good but it wasnt to long ago that Polaris dropped that air cooled, V-Twin line because,, get this,, they simply could not compete in the big twin market AND - like the Star line of V-Twins - they were wayyy under priced when compared to the owner of the big twin market and they still didnt sell. I have no idea of your side of the state Randy but over here - you NEVER see a Polaris Victory and very seldom see a 113 Star but RSV's are fairly plentiful.. IMHO and memory - the same pretty much holds true for the open road..

 

Finally (at least for this little opportunity to yak with one of my lop eared long distance touring varmint buddies) I gotta ask,, who is "Pete" ?

[mirider]

Finally (at least for this little opportunity to yak with one of my lop eared long distance touring varmint buddies) I gotta ask,, who is "Pete" ?

 

Don't know who Pete is but I do know a lop-eared N. Muskegon varmit that was supposed to be eating hot dogs today but, NO, nary a word. Get a kick out of your assessment of a bike you wouldn't have bought anyway even if it was a V-4......:stickpoke:I can attest a good ole Harley v-twin is a good tourer and I bet the new Yammy will be too.......

[cowpuc]

Don't know who Pete is but I do know a lop-eared N. Muskegon varmit that was supposed to be eating hot dogs today but, NO, nary a word. Get a kick out of your assessment of a bike you wouldn't have bought anyway even if it was a V-4......:stickpoke:I can attest a good ole Harley v-twin is a good tourer and I bet the new Yammy will be too.......

 

Your N. Muskegon varmint buddy who DEFINITELY,, even if he knew who Pete was and NO WAY on God's green earth would of spent 30 large on 2 wheels with a motor any way has done turned sissy MiRider.. Been watching the weather since we chatted about said 's and,,, just couldnt do it... Dont count me out yet though ya lop eared Harley named Candy riding good hearted buddy varmint friend of mine!! Got some other late fall MGnEM idea's in the makings!! For the love of Pete (sorry Randy = couldnt resist:happy34:) DO NOT winterize that purdy TriGlide yet MiRider!!

[rickardracing]

Again, you fail to see what I am saying. The Ventures do not sell. V4 does not sell. They are grasping at straws to stay in the market. As far as them listening, I think the only thing they did that so many did not ask for was the motor. But again...it does not sell. The Strat....that bike is a joke. As far as what you see on your side of town pucster..I cannot say. But I will say this..I just did a 3 day ride here in Michigan. 1300 miles total between upper and lower penninsula

Know how many Ventures I saw?....other than mine?..

.one. My point is and has been all along. Poeple wanted a new Venture, wanted it for years. And when they got it, they complain. Funny thing is, most of those whining......have no intentions of buying a new bike. Myself, my 07 is the last Yamaha I will own. I am jumping ship to probably Indian.

[BlueSky]

I don't believe the V4 is what kept Yamaha from selling more Ventures. Yamaha wasn't serious about competing with the 2nd Gen Venture. In 14 years of production, they could have updated it with fuel injection, something other than a cassette player, lowered the center of gravity, and maybe attached a fairing to the frame. They let it die hoping to recoup their original investment without spending any more design or tooling dollars. Maybe that worked out for them.

 

If they did their research properly, more touring riders want an air cooled twin than a water cooled V4 and the latest Venture will be a financial success.

[rickardracing]

I really do not think the new one will sell. I also believe one of the reasons Victory did not make it was that their bikes looked terrible. I mean really? Victory Vision? Did a blind man design that ugly duckling? And the Cross Country Tour was not much better with those dinky little turn signals and sharp triangle lines. Indian is trying but they need to drop the price of their basic Roadmaster by about 4 grand to be competitive with HD. I personally think the looks of the new Venture looks like poo poo ka ka. They completely dropped the ball on the redsign. Again, just my opinion. I do wish Yamaha the best of luck. I hope I am wrong and they sell a bazillion of them, but I just do not think it will sell.

[cowpuc]

I really do not think the new one will sell. I also believe one of the reasons Victory did not make it was that their bikes looked terrible. I mean really? Victory Vision? Did a blind man design that ugly duckling? And the Cross Country Tour was not much better with those dinky little turn signals and sharp triangle lines. Indian is trying but they need to drop the price of their basic Roadmaster by about 4 grand to be competitive with HD. I personally think the looks of the new Venture looks like poo poo ka ka. They completely dropped the ball on the redsign. Again, just my opinion. I do wish Yamaha the best of luck. I hope I am wrong and they sell a bazillion of them, but I just do not think it will sell.

 

I personally think it would have a far higher chance of selling, even with the futuristic Victory looking front end IF they would have turned the touring world on its nose with the first, for real,,, 100% pure muscle touring machine in the form of a shaft driven, water cooled 1700cc V-4 highway eater - something that would make even the most cronic - afraid to smile pessimistic gear head grin from ear to ear every time he wickt' it up.. Something that would earn the respect of even the young sport bike riders ..

I know,, hard to do because of things like Hp/weight ratio's and all that BUT = in these modern turbo days,,, Mom Yam could of offered a Venturette non boosted and a boosted Venture or something like that.. It's amazing what is happening these days in those circles.. Auto Makers are FINALLY catching on to the free ummpphh available with boosting, something that the Trucking Industry has been aware of for years.. A small boosted 6 banger now in a Ford PU can and does produce higher Hp and FtPd numbers on the dyno's than the big blocks of just a few years ago - all while maintaining pretty amazing fuel economies.. Mom Yam has a perfect platform for such a thing with that 1700 V-Max motor and they could of actually turned the touring world upside down if they only,,,..

:322:Shut off the mail, stack on the camping gear, tip the bars in and down like a good set of 6 bends, :173:snuggle in against mama on the back seat and head for Bodega Bay via Glacier,, con an ice cream cone or two out of those lop eared west coast VR varmints, run off a couple back tires chasing there and back again,, unpack the scoot when ya get home, crank the bars back up to race mode, baggerize it by pulling the trunk off, beat up on your buddies with their bigger motored scoots and then head to Martin Dragway to pull some 10's in the quarter for some end of season fun runs..

[djh3]

I really do not think the new one will sell. I also believe one of the reasons Victory did not make it was that their bikes looked terrible. I mean really? Victory Vision? Did a blind man design that ugly duckling? And the Cross Country Tour was not much better with those dinky little turn signals and sharp triangle lines. Indian is trying but they need to drop the price of their basic Roadmaster by about 4 grand to be competitive with HD. I personally think the looks of the new Venture looks like poo poo ka ka. They completely dropped the ball on the redsign. Again, just my opinion. I do wish Yamaha the best of luck. I hope I am wrong and they sell a bazillion of them, but I just do not think it will sell.

Had to laugh when I read this. What you mention as Ugly or terrible is what drew me to the Victory. I would have bought a Vision, but the bags were very small despite what they look like from the outside. My XCT has the small angles turn signals true, but they put out more light to be seen than the OEM RSV big ole round Harley knock off ones. I loved my RSV on the open roads, but around town was a bit tippy. The RSV "style" of the second gen could double for a Ultra Glide so not a lot of "ground breaking" design going on there. I have not seen the new Venture up close yet but so far I like that it looks "different" than everything else in that market. IMOP they could have went V-Twin, but should have went liquid cooled.

But that is why Honda makes GW, BMW has their version of a touring bike and so on. To each his own and I'm way to old to get buggered if someone dont like my scoot. I dont care what you ride, long as ya ride.

[Rick Haywood]

Not sure why people are so unhappy and out spoken about this new bike. I figured out what to do.......I don't care for it so I won't buy one, Problem solved

[vzuden]

Not sure why people are so unhappy and out spoken about this new bike. I figured out what to do.......I don't care for it so I won't buy one, Problem solved

 

I agree with you Rick. The 2nd Gens weren't selling well so Yamaha had to make a change. Their marketing research led them to what they are offering today. That research could be flawed but it is what it is and if they have made a mistake they will have to correct it in time. If they would have asked me I would have recommended our good ol' V-4 but they didn't and obviously even if they had, I would have been in the minority because not enough others wanted it.

[cowpuc]

Not sure why people are so unhappy and out spoken about this new bike. I figured out what to do.......I don't care for it so I won't buy one, Problem solved

 

I can speak for me and only for me Rickster,,,, basically,, :witch_brew: is a flaw in my character. Couple that flaw with another flaw that I have,, I have a very deep addiction to,, even what a Psychologist may consider an obsession with, motorcycles and the world from which they come..

These two flaws have caused me a lot of issues in my short, boring, uneventful life.. As a kid I was abused at an early age = this is a fact,,, my kindergarten teacher told my parents that I had issues because while all the other boys were playing with base ball cards and bouncy balls during recess - all I wanted to do was sit at my little desk and draw pictures of Choppers (those are motorcycles with longgg front ends on em). Obviously the motorcycle flaw thing started at a very very young age..

The :witch_brew: flaw also started somewhere about in that same time frame right after I found another flawed character named Mike who was a year older than I but attended the same school system. Mikes dad owned a bike shop and all he could talk about was the kinds of bikes his dad sold (BSA/Triumph).. Because of my combined flaws, Mike and I used to spend hours and hours :stickpoke::witch_brew::stickpoke: because in my mind - NOTHING was a purdy or as AWESOME as a chopped Pan Head - perferably with a front end similar to the funny looking things I drew...

Against all odds in most peoples line of thinking and this probably will be hard to understand and sound absolutely crazy but Mike and I soon became the very best of friends and stayed that way all the thru School.. I later worked for Mikes dad in his bike shop where his dad had dumped the machines that I kept :stickpoke: telling Mike were career opportunities in wrenching (I was right all along Mike) and franchised into both Yamaha and Kawasaki scoots..

My best friend Mike was killed on a turbo charged Z-1 Kaw 3 years after graduating high school but I remained as part of his family until the day his dad died about 15 years ago..

I learned thru that experience (and many experiences like it) that, in my strange world,, healthy , , , and even a little often does = , , :biker: and even can result in a family like atmosphere,, similar to what I have found here on VR ...

:scratchchin:Besides,, if we didnt freely and openly talk about the good, bad and ugly about Mom Yam and the Yamaha Ventures on a Yamaha Venture site,,, what would we talk about??

Edited September 7, 2017 by cowpuc

[MikeWa]

What I liked most about the second gen. All the choices in color and options that were available made it so I didn't have to think to hard about which one I wanted. The frequent updating of electronics and fuel systems didn't tax my little brain either. I mean the 1999 model was just as current as the 2013 model. What's not to like about that. Yes I have absolutely no Idea why these things didn't sell like hot cakes.

 

Mike