vStar 1300 Tourer vs. 2nd Gen Venture

[perfpix]

Hi,

 

Just joined. Thanks for the add!

 

Recently my wife and I took a test ride on a 2018 Venture. We loved everything about it! If we had the cash we'd have a deposit on one now. So after the test ride I started looking around at what else is available for better 2-up riding that I haven't already tried or owned at a more affordable price, and started wondering about the 2nd Gen Ventures.

 

We currently own a 2009 vStar 1300 Tourer that we bought new in 2010. While I have always loved this bike, my wife has never been fond of the passenger accommodations, ever after I upgraded her seat to an Ultimate pillion seat. For me, its the most comfortable easy to ride bike I've owned.

 

So my question is, has anyone had a significant amount of seat time on a 2nd Gen Venture as well as a vStar 1300? If so, how do they compare? Basically I'm looking for the comfort and rideability of my vStar while gaining better accommodations for my passenger.

 

I have a short 28" inseam and the low wide seat, narrow frame and floorboards of the vStar fit me like a glove. I've previously owned an FZ6, Goldwing 1800 (too big for me and my short inseam when in traffic which is the norm where I live, but of course my wife loved her thrown), a sv650 (my 1st bike), and briefly an FJR1300. So I have experience with various bikes and engine configurations, and have enjoyed all of them.

 

Thanks!

 

John

[Freebird]

Sorry, I've never owned or ridden the VStar so can't help with a comparison. I will tell you though that it doesn't sit as low and many here have complained about it being top heavy at parking lot speeds. I've never really felt that it was hard to handle at any speed but I'm 6'2 with long legs. There are things that can be done to lower it and seat modifications help also. I love the second gen Venture and think that it is one of the most comfortable bikes I've ever owned but again, I have long legs.

[perfpix]

Sorry, I've never owned or ridden the VStar so can't help with a comparison. I will tell you though that it doesn't sit as low and many here have complained about it being top heavy at parking lot speeds. I've never really felt that it was hard to handle at any speed but I'm 6'2 with long legs. There are things that can be done to lower it and seat modifications help also. I love the second gen Venture and think that it is one of the most comfortable bikes I've ever owned but again, I have long legs.

 

Thanks for the info. When I test rode the 2018 Star Venture I was immediately surprised how at home if felt compared to my vStar. I could flat foot the bike with a bended knee and the riding position and seat were very similar. It did not seem top heavy even 2-up. Parking lot maneuvers including a tight u-turn at the end of the test ride to get back in test ride line seemed easier to do than on my vStar. The really encouraging thing was my wife proclaimed the passenger seat and room was really great. This really got me looking for a better 2-up bike for us again.

 

There are a few 2nd gen Ventures for sale in my area and I'm going to take a look, which will answer a lot of my questions. Just seeing if anyone had any insight before I have the chance to sit on one.

 

Thanks again,

 

John

[cecdoo]

I cant comment on the comparison of the 2 bikes, but I will say there are quite a few different ways to get the seat ht on a 2nd gen alot lower. Also I am sure your wife will enjoy the comforts of the 2nd gen. A taller wider windshield will keep alot of the wind off her too.

 

Craig

[videoarizona]

The primary differences between the VStar and the Venture is going to be comfort and weather protection. I owned the VStar 950 Tourer and just sold it. Wonderful cruising bike...really liked it but one to many in the barn. Weather protection was non-existent despite the largest Clearview Windshield with vent! The 1300 wasn't much better and the bars were to wide for me.

 

I'm 5'10" and nearing 70. I have the 2nd Gen RSV and have no problems with it. Yea, it's a bit top heavy and cumbersome at low speeds. That you will notice right away when compared to the VStar. But there on out, there is no comparison. The VStar is a cruiser...the RSV is a Touring bike.

 

As mentioned, the rider's seat can be modified by a gentleman here in the site to narrow the front end a bit and add some padding. That will take care of your short legs and feet on the ground comfort level. I'm at stock seat height and no trouble flatfooting.

 

The front end can be lowered (free). That, and a 130 width front tire instead of the 150 width...will make the scoot much easier to handle at slow speeds. But again, despite my elderly bod, I muscled my stock 2nd gen around AZ Rt 191, (The Devils Highway) and it's hundreds of hairpin 20 mph turns for over 100 miles and was still in better shape than my friend riding his HD Ultra Classic. He was whipped after a 12 hour day in the saddle...I was tired but could have gone on. Remember, I'm not young anymore. That says a lot to me for the comfort of the RSV.

 

Get a ride on one...you'll see what we are talking about. There really isn't any comparison....but at least now you know what to look for. This should help you decide if this bike is right for your riding habits...

 

My forks moved up 1 inch to lower the front end...Also you can see I have the Baron's 1 1/2 inch extensions on the bars as my arms aren't very long...

 

 

 

Me at a break on the Devil's Highway...

 

 

Hope this helps....

[eusa1]

the comfort level is going to be night and day for the passenger and be an improvement for yourself. I have driven both for a few more than a mile or two, lol they are two very different machine as far as performance, the 1300 twin is like most v twins and likes a lower rpm for power.

the 2nd gen 1999-2013 venture is going to behave differently in performance as it likes the higher rpm's and is also going to run cooler with a water cooled 4 cylinder engine and cooling fan for the radiator.

 

a bike for 1 up town running around i say the 1300 twin is fine, but if your after a happy rider? momma will whip you for not getting a venture sooner.

i can't speak for the 1300 twin for longevity, but one of my ventures is almost getting broke in with 235,000 miles.

 

enjoy the ride whatever you decide... ride safe

Mike

[cowpuc]

1st off,, hi Pix = Puc here = glad you found us and :welcome1:to VR!!

 

Next up,, I get long winded sometimes - its a fact. That said,, if ya find yourself falling asleep and need to move on to a more non-boring post = dont feel bad,, happens alot

 

I have been an avid 1st Gen Venture rider since 87 and am currently wearing out my 6th one,, fairly easy to understand that am pro Yamaha.. Other side of that coin is the fact that I also owned and operated a bike dealership for many years and thru that experience - got to ride many many different scoots.. One of the things I learned (my opinion) by spending a fair amount of touring time also on Harleys and other "Bat Wing" fairing scoots is that the additional weight of a fairing, especially a Bat Wing loaded with goodies, does tend to require more upper body muscle input in many touring situations than does a fix fairing.. It is my opinion that that is what a lot of riders are feeling when complaining about Top Heavyness = just a theory on my part.. Goes without saying,, I LOVE my fixed fairing when it comes to all out touring = covering 800 + miles a day with passenger and camp gear strapped on..

A number of years ago now (I am now retired), I redid a few Kawasaki Voyager 2's for resale.. When I finished my first one my wife and I took it out for a week of tour and were VERY impressed with the quality of the machine. Another very interesting thing was it's average MPG was well above 50. My wife LOVED that passenger seating/comforts and consistently let me know that, in her opinion - it was very close to the 1st Gen Ventures that we now have covered over a million miles on - tell ya what = what she was saying was straight from the hip and very impressive because as far as touring comfort - these 1st Gen Yam's are UNBEATABLE for two up comfort (IMHO).

If it would not have been for one very important thing,, I would probably be riding a Kawasaki Voyager 2 to this day.. I am 6 foot with 34 inseam and the seat height was just to short for me.. The foot peg distances (ergo's) were way to tight for my long legs.. On my third Voyager I even took the time to dismantle the foot peg assemblies and do some fabbing to increase the leg room on the pegs.. It worked fine but the problem was - I lost so much ground clearance that any form of aggressive riding (which I LOVE) was 100% not possible..

My forth one was a barn find that had been sitting for many many years. I picked it up for 400 bucks. It had been stored in a garage where semi tractors were being worked on and was covered in soot. Thankfully so too cause what looked like a disaster was actually a very very well preserved, extremely clean Voyager under that black cosmoline that protected the bike fully.. After going thru the carbs and adjusting balance shafts (really neat idea Kawi had there), it was sell time..

About that time a really good friend of mine who has much shorter inseam than my own brought his brand new Ultra Limited by for me to test ride.. He fell on it when turning into our driveway and we had a long discussion about the weight of the bat wing causing problems, especially for shorter folks when slow riding/stopping.. I told him to jump on the Kawi (the 1st Gens are way to tall for shorter folks like my buddie).. He sat on the bike, took off and I watched him as he flat footed the thing at the stop sign out front of our house.. He came back after an hour or so,, great big huge grin on his face and said - Barney,, I wish I would have stopped by here before I bought my Ultra - that thing is AMAZING. What was amazing about it was that it fit him like a glove..

Below are a couple pics of the one he rode. This is NOT the one I modded on the pegs - this one is a bone stock example of what I am talking about..

Anyway,, hope all this opinionated non sense helps in some small way.. Wanna here another one of my opinions that I have lived by for many years? Makes no difference what cha ride - what makes the difference is that you do = get out and ride!!

 

Puc

 

PS = sorry about the hi-jack,, I got a bad habit of doing that!! Dont know much about the comparison between the 2nd Gen and the VStar but I do love yakking bikes so thought I would jump in here LOL

Edited September 23, 2017 by cowpuc

[cruiserlover]

"the rider's seat can be modified by a gentleman here in the site to narrow the front end a bit and add some padding". That will take care of your short legs and feet on the ground comfort level. I'm at stock seat height and no trouble flatfooting.

 

I am not trying to hijack.Are you talking about rick butler? He redid my seat on my 99 rsv recently.If he can narrow the frontend I am taking it back to him.I feel like I am doing the splits riding it but the sitting part is now good thanks to rick.

 

In response to the poster here, I too have not ridden a 1300.I too have a short inseam,30 inches.I can not flatfoot my bike.I almost can. My bike is a 99.It is a difficult bike for parking lot speeds, turning it around in a driveway and it feels heavy in stoplight traffic.I try to avoid those situations.I am 68. The comments about lowering the seat, the forks, and a narrower tire are all new to me.I am going to try some of those.The seat height lowering by decreasing the foam is no good if that is one way.I have a second seat that was done that way.I can easily flatfoot the bike but the lack of padding is very painful.As in I have to get off the bike in 25 miles. I dont know if the 130 tire versus the 150 effects the handling.

 

My comparison experience would be a bandit 600,vulcan 800,900, suzuki c50/volusia, 2 83 ventures,and 2 second generation ventures.I am glad to hear about the handling of the new venture.But $26,000 is out of my budget.

 

When I rode the smaller bikes they all could cruise 75 for hours.But they sounded like they were wound out even though they werent.The 99 venture feels like its loafing along at 80 and even 90.I also owned 2 78 and one 82 goldwing 2 1500 goldwings, an an ultra classic.The most cumbersome bike I ever owned was that 04 ultra.But I could flatfoot it.

 

If you riding is going to be more 2 up it will be because of the passenger accomodations. I never ride 2 up.But the second gen feels rock solid at any speed above 10 mph.The batwing versus fixed fairing is also a nonissue for me. Someone wrote here about the first gen voyager.I have always heard everyone that rode one wanted one.That is why I never rode one.They are rare as hens teeth on the road.I know also most dealers will not work on a bike over 10 years old and here locally they do not want to work on anything they did not sell to you but they will if its new enough.

 

The 1300 has its limits as you have already written.Is the second generation venture a stepup? For touring yes, no question about it.If your riding is a lot of stoplight to stoplight I wouldnt want one.I live in the dallas fort worth metroplex,home to 7 million people.There are way too many times I get caught in traffic.That is when I wish I was on a kickstart 400. My only problem with the second gen venture has been no reverse and its seat is too high.I just put all my weight on my left foot in town at a stoplight because I have no choice and avoid traffic and I am happy.

[RDawson]

I don't know how much it affects handling but there are lowering kits out there for the rear also. I have a Barons lowering kit collecting dust on my shelf. It was on the RSV when I bought it but I'm 6'2 with 34 inseam. I hated it and took it off and added leveling links to raise it about an inch higher than stock. Wife and I love it now.

[videoarizona]

"the rider's seat can be modified by a gentleman here in the site to narrow the front end a bit and add some padding". That will take care of your short legs and feet on the ground comfort level. I'm at stock seat height and no trouble flatfooting.

 

I am not trying to hijack.Are you talking about rick butler? He redid my seat on my 99 rsv recently.If he can narrow the frontend I am taking it back to him.I feel like I am doing the splits riding it but the sitting part is now good thanks to rick.

 

In response to the poster here, I too have not ridden a 1300.I too have a short inseam,30 inches.I can not flatfoot my bike.I almost can. My bike is a 99.It is a difficult bike for parking lot speeds, turning it around in a driveway and it feels heavy in stoplight traffic.I try to avoid those situations.I am 68. The comments about lowering the seat, the forks, and a narrower tire are all new to me.I am going to try some of those.The seat height lowering by decreasing the foam is no good if that is one way.I have a second seat that was done that way.I can easily flatfoot the bike but the lack of padding is very painful.As in I have to get off the bike in 25 miles. I dont know if the 130 tire versus the 150 effects the handling.

 

My comparison experience would be a bandit 600,vulcan 800,900, suzuki c50/volusia, 2 83 ventures,and 2 second generation ventures.I am glad to hear about the handling of the new venture.But $26,000 is out of my budget.

 

When I rode the smaller bikes they all could cruise 75 for hours.But they sounded like they were wound out even though they werent.The 99 venture feels like its loafing along at 80 and even 90.I also owned 2 78 and one 82 goldwing 2 1500 goldwings, an an ultra classic.The most cumbersome bike I ever owned was that 04 ultra.But I could flatfoot it.

 

If you riding is going to be more 2 up it will be because of the passenger accomodations. I never ride 2 up.But the second gen feels rock solid at any speed above 10 mph.The batwing versus fixed fairing is also a nonissue for me. Someone wrote here about the first gen voyager.I have always heard everyone that rode one wanted one.That is why I never rode one.They are rare as hens teeth on the road.I know also most dealers will not work on a bike over 10 years old and here locally they do not want to work on anything they did not sell to you but they will if its new enough.

 

The 1300 has its limits as you have already written.Is the second generation venture a stepup? For touring yes, no question about it.If your riding is a lot of stoplight to stoplight I wouldnt want one.I live in the dallas fort worth metroplex,home to 7 million people.There are way too many times I get caught in traffic.That is when I wish I was on a kickstart 400. My only problem with the second gen venture has been no reverse and its seat is too high.I just put all my weight on my left foot in town at a stoplight because I have no choice and avoid traffic and I am happy.

 

 

Yes, I was talking about Mr. Butler. If you explain to him you want the seat front end narrower so it's easier for your legs to swing down AND you would like another inch or so off the seat height BUT want more dense foam there to make up for the comfort lost....then see what he says. If he can do just that, he will. And his work is excellent. My 30 inch inseam and good boots allows me to flat foot my 2nd gen and 1st gen (barely). As far as the 130 tire handling? Well I'm going to find out this Fall. I'm going to "assume" the steering will be lighter and take it from there. Should be fine since the 2nd gen is so stable to begin with!

Edited September 24, 2017 by videoarizona

[videoarizona]

1st off,, hi Pix = Puc here = glad you found us and :welcome1:to VR!!

 

Next up,, I get long winded sometimes - its a fact. That said,, if ya find yourself falling asleep and need to move on to a more non-boring post = dont feel bad,, happens alot

 

I have been an avid 1st Gen Venture rider since 87 and am currently wearing out my 6th one,, fairly easy to understand that am pro Yamaha.. Other side of that coin is the fact that I also owned and operated a bike dealership for many years and thru that experience - got to ride many many different scoots.. One of the things I learned (my opinion) by spending a fair amount of touring time also on Harleys and other "Bat Wing" fairing scoots is that the additional weight of a fairing, especially a Bat Wing loaded with goodies, does tend to require more upper body muscle input in many touring situations than does a fix fairing.. It is my opinion that that is what a lot of riders are feeling when complaining about Top Heavyness = just a theory on my part.. Goes without saying,, I LOVE my fixed fairing when it comes to all out touring = covering 800 + miles a day with passenger and camp gear strapped on..

A number of years ago now (I am now retired), I redid a few Kawasaki Voyager 2's for resale.. When I finished my first one my wife and I took it out for a week of tour and were VERY impressed with the quality of the machine. Another very interesting thing was it's average MPG was well above 50. My wife LOVED that passenger seating/comforts and consistently let me know that, in her opinion - it was very close to the 1st Gen Ventures that we now have covered over a million miles on - tell ya what = what she was saying was straight from the hip and very impressive because as far as touring comfort - these 1st Gen Yam's are UNBEATABLE for two up comfort (IMHO).

If it would not have been for one very important thing,, I would probably be riding a Kawasaki Voyager 2 to this day.. I am 6 foot with 34 inseam and the seat height was just to short for me.. The foot peg distances (ergo's) were way to tight for my long legs.. On my third Voyager I even took the time to dismantle the foot peg assemblies and do some fabbing to increase the leg room on the pegs.. It worked fine but the problem was - I lost so much ground clearance that any form of aggressive riding (which I LOVE) was 100% not possible..

My forth one was a barn find that had been sitting for many many years. I picked it up for 400 bucks. It had been stored in a garage where semi tractors were being worked on and was covered in soot. Thankfully so too cause what looked like a disaster was actually a very very well preserved, extremely clean Voyager under that black cosmoline that protected the bike fully.. After going thru the carbs and adjusting balance shafts (really neat idea Kawi had there), it was sell time..

About that time a really good friend of mine who has much shorter inseam than my own brought his brand new Ultra Limited by for me to test ride.. He fell on it when turning into our driveway and we had a long discussion about the weight of the bat wing causing problems, especially for shorter folks when slow riding/stopping.. I told him to jump on the Kawi (the 1st Gens are way to tall for shorter folks like my buddie).. He sat on the bike, took off and I watched him as he flat footed the thing at the stop sign out front of our house.. He came back after an hour or so,, great big huge grin on his face and said - Barney,, I wish I would have stopped by here before I bought my Ultra - that thing is AMAZING. What was amazing about it was that it fit him like a glove..

Below are a couple pics of the one he rode. This is NOT the one I modded on the pegs - this one is a bone stock example of what I am talking about..

Anyway,, hope all this opinionated non sense helps in some small way.. Wanna here another one of my opinions that I have lived by for many years? Makes no difference what cha ride - what makes the difference is that you do = get out and ride!!

 

Puc

 

PS = sorry about the hi-jack,, I got a bad habit of doing that!! Dont know much about the comparison between the 2nd Gen and the VStar but I do love yakking bikes so thought I would jump in here LOL

 

 

If I wasn't a lifelong Yamaha fan, that is the scoot I would have gone with before I bought my first 1st Gen! Thanks for the pictures....pretty!

Keep healing @cowpuc....glad to see your forum fingers are working great! Grins!

[BlueSky]

In 2010, I was looking for a bigger bike that my wife would be comfortable riding on the back. I test rode a 2002 Voyager that a co-worker had. The transmission was extremely noisy and it was sorta cramped even for me with a 29" inseam, and top heavy. I then test rode a 2006 Goldwing. It was like night and day difference to me. It was so quiet in comparison and the center of gravity was much lower. I loved the Wing! I didn't buy it because the dealer in Miami was asking $17,500 for it and I didn't want to spend that much money. The 02 Voyager with 34k miles on it owned by a co-worker was priced at $4k but I knew I couldn't tolerate the whining transmission. The co-worker bought a Harley EG and wasn't happy with it and then bought a second gen VENTURE!

[cowpuc]

In 2010, I was looking for a bigger bike that my wife would be comfortable riding on the back. I test rode a 2002 Voyager that a co-worker had. The transmission was extremely noisy and it was sorta cramped even for me with a 29" inseam, and top heavy. I then test rode a 2006 Goldwing. It was like night and day difference to me. It was so quiet in comparison and the center of gravity was much lower. I loved the Wing! I didn't buy it because the dealer in Miami was asking $17,500 for it and I didn't want to spend that much money. The 02 Voyager with 34k miles on it owned by a co-worker was priced at $4k but I knew I couldn't tolerate the whining transmission. The co-worker bought a Harley EG and wasn't happy with it and then bought a second gen VENTURE!

 

As goofy as this may sound, 2 of my Voyagers made a lot of what could have been construed as tranny noise too. I tinkered with scoots a lot back then (I know, its a flaw in my character) and, thru my tinkering I found out the Kawi put adjustable balance shafts in those sweethearts.. Going by memory,, down on the right side of the motor - about where the oil site glass is at on our Ventures are two shafts sticking out on the Voyager. If the motor/tranny sounds whiny (sounds just like tranny whine) or clunkin at between shifts you can dial the noise right out of em by adjusting those shafts.. When I sold mine they were as quiet and easy shifting as any goldwing I ever owned (I never did get to ride the 1800 though - hope to some day.. By the way,, they made those Voyagers from 86ish (when they replaced the 6 cylinder 1300) all the way up into the 2000's.. All essential parts (other then cosmetics) are still readily available.. I still see em for sale around here, even saw a trade in that a dealership had taken in a few weeks ago - they are out there..

[BlueSky]

If I had known that I might have bought that Voyager because I thought it was a great deal. And I liked the idea of a straight 4 powering it.

[dogman]

As the rider on the 2nd Gen, I absolutely love the ride and comfort. I am forced to stop at times because I have to gas up.

Specifically you where asking about the passenger as well. My wife and others have called this bike a couch on wheels. She is extremely comfortable sitting back there with lots of room and on many 10 to 15 hour riding days she has been so comfortable that she has fallen asleep.

No exaggeration, on the hours of riding. This bike is so comfortable. Please do yourselves a favour and take one for a test drive and decide how it may or may not suit the two of you.

 

Good luck in the hunt and have fun.

[mantree91]

Well I am guessing that the v star is about equivalent to the 1100 shadow that I owned before the venture and I can tell you my wife hated the back seat but loves the seat in the 1st Gen venture.

 

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