purecountry13b Posted January 2, 2018 #1 Posted January 2, 2018 Greetings all, I am looking at moving on from my HD Ultra Classic and coming home to Yamaha. I started out on a star 1100 then I moved on to 5 different HD’s with the last three being Electra Glides of one king or another. I think I‘m done with HD, not because they don’t perform well, but because I cant justify tying up that much money in a toy anymore as I stare retirement in the face. My question is have any of you come back to a Venture after having a HD. Please let me know what you found similar/different between the two. Please don’t just come on this post and bash HD, that is just a waste of time as we all know many people hate Harley. Thanks in advance for the help.
djh3 Posted January 2, 2018 #2 Posted January 2, 2018 Don (Freebird) did just that last year I think. So hopefully he will jump in here and be able to give you some thoughts. I went from the RSV to a Victory Cross Country. Mostly because for me it was top heavy and im inseam challenged and didnt feel I had enough control at slow speeds and stopping.
grubsie Posted January 2, 2018 #3 Posted January 2, 2018 It doesn't matter if you are moving on from HD or Honda or BMW or whatever. There shouldn't be any HD bashing at won't be from me. I also have a 97 Road King and an 02 Ultra Classic. The powerband is different in that HD's use a lot of low to midrange torque and Royal Stars and Ventures like higher rpms but can cruise very smoothly in low rpms. V4 power is different than V-Twin power. With the HD, like all v-twins, you have to be more conscious of the gears you are in at what rpm you are at so as not to lug the engine when you want to accelerate. On the RSV riding 2 up, I can cruise through small towns or back roads at 30 mph in 3rd gear and just slowly roll on the throttle to get up to 40-50mph without lugging the engine. Then a quick twist of the throttle still in 3rd gear and I am 75-80 mph. The RSV is much smoother and accelerates much quicker than HD's. With handling, the RSV is more top heavy than an Ultra Classic which is noticeable in slow maneuvers and in parking lots, walking the bike, or moving it 2 up, but it's not something you don't get used to. There are cheap mods on this site than can help with this. Part of it is the seat height on the RSV is higher than the HD. Out on the open road and going long distances, I prefer to ride the RSV. It's hands down, the most comfortable bike I have ever ridden. Don't get me wrong, I love the Ultra and personality and vibes riding it, but there's just something about the RSV ride. It feels more solid. In tight twisties, the Ultra is a little better at getting through them with speed but that is a moot point for me as the days of pushing a bike to it's limits in corners while dragging footrests and exhaust pipes are long behind me. The RSV is smoother and more comfy, and you can ride it all day everyday and not feel like you have been. My wife prefers comfort the rear seat of the RSV. There's more room between her and me when she sits in it. There's also more room for the driver to stretch out on the RSV vs the HD. I am 5ft-8" and feel a little cramped on my HD's and often wonder how guys who are 6ft or taller feel riding them. Electrics: All RSV's from 1999 to to the last year of production have the same electronics. The best feature?......The cassette player! The sound system is adequate but I myself, upgraded the speakers and added an amp. I connect my phone and play the tunes I like....err, I mean what my wife likes. All the controls are much more intuitive from the sound system to cthe cruise control than my Ultra but I like the sound on the Ultra much better. Cost of maintenance: RSV wins hands down. Besides a valve clearance check at 50K miles which most don't even need any adjusting, everything else is easy stuff like oil/filter, brakes, tires, batteries etc. Basically a 10 minute carb sync once a riding season that you can easily do yourself and then just ride. RSV batteries last much longer than HD's also in my experience. Cheaper too! I know it sounds like I am RSV biased. I am. But I am also biased when it comes to HD's. There's nothing like firing up my RK and blasting around on back roads all day. It's also great to hop on my Ultra to go riding with my buddies. I ride it more time as an EG than an Ultra since my wife rarely rides on it. But I am also biased toward my 66 Honda 160 Dream or my '67 Honda SS125. They are an absolute blast to ride around town and great conversation bikes too! Each bike has it's own qualitys. Hope this helps you. You went from a Yamaha V-twin to HD's so it sounds like you have little to no experience with V4's. The ride is different, smoother, and not as much personality, but spend a long day or 2 on the V4 and you will know why we love them here.
XV1100SE Posted January 2, 2018 #4 Posted January 2, 2018 Like any vehicle, there are some quirks to the Venture. In the "Read Only - Technical" section there are common fixes. There is also a thread on common issues, things to look for when buying a used Venture (eg - rear shock for leaks, gear howl) - http://www.venturerider.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?87-Known-Problems-and-things-to-look-for Don't be worried about most of the common issues - they will give you things to barter down the price if you find things. One thing to do to improve handling is tightening the steering head. Other than a few quirks the RSV is a solid bike.
RedRider Posted January 2, 2018 #5 Posted January 2, 2018 And... There is a nice group of VR members in the WI area that can help when needed. Just let us know. Welcome. RR
baylensman Posted January 2, 2018 #6 Posted January 2, 2018 Echoing what others have said. Not HD bashing, all modern bikes are fairly reliable and ALL have their quirks. Maintenance is likely to be the biggest difference, Although the HD has gotten better. Riding style a little different due to the power band and "FEEL" of the bike, but that should go away after 1 few hundred miles. If you want to stay with an HD I see a few dropping in price cause of the winter. Can you afford to buy cheap now and see your other bike high when the weather warms up? That's what I'm waiting for a spring thaw to bring the bikers and tube tops back out!!
purecountry13b Posted January 2, 2018 Author #7 Posted January 2, 2018 Thanks so much for all the responses, this is the kind of info i wanted. I can afford an HD, but im choosing ot to. With retirement looming I would rather fund trips instead of the MoCo. Thanks for all responses i will keep you all updated as i begin to hunt for a bike.
Yammer Dan Posted January 2, 2018 #8 Posted January 2, 2018 (edited) Echoing what others have said. Not HD bashing, all modern bikes are fairly reliable and ALL have their quirks. Maintenance is likely to be the biggest difference, Although the HD has gotten better. Riding style a little different due to the power band and "FEEL" of the bike, but that should go away after 1 few hundred miles. If you want to stay with an HD I see a few dropping in price cause of the winter. Can you afford to buy cheap now and see your other bike high when the weather warms up? That's what I'm waiting for a spring thaw to bring the bikers and tube tops back out!! He said Tube Tops!!!! Skid & Leslie will be going Topless about this time.....Or did he trade that one off??? My last Hardley was a 56 Pan!! The ladies fought for that back P-pad. Full blown Chopper. Ain't looked back since except for every time I go past the Hardley Shop. I stop and Drool on the floor for a while...... Edited January 2, 2018 by Yammer Dan
Freebird Posted January 3, 2018 #9 Posted January 3, 2018 As somebody mentioned above, I took a similar route. I had owned Harley's in the past and then got into the Ventures. Had several Ventures, and bought a new '99 when they came out. Loved them. In 2013, I got the itch to buy another Harley and bought a 2013 Road Glide Ultra. I will be completely honest and tell you that there were a lot of things I loved about it. It was about the only bike I ever owned that was just about as comfortable for me as the RSV. The way I like to ride lends itself well to the low RPM torque of the Harley. It was smooth and comfortable and actually got better gas mileage than the RSV. I kept it two years but only put about 20,000 miles on it. I never had to take it back to the dealer for any reason. There was a bit more maintenance due to the three different oils to change instead of just one on the Venture and having to adjust the clutch pack once or twice as per the maintenance schedule but it wasn't a big deal. The big negative for me was the heat. It would roast your thighs on a hot day. I did everything suggested to reduce the heat. Free flowing exhaust, tuner, remove the catalytic converter, etc. All of that may have helped a little but the fact remained, it was just HOT. It was at least as bad and probably worse for my wife as her feet just burned up on it. Even at that, I may have kept it had it not been for the money. Things got busy in our life and I just wasn't finding the time to ride it as often as I wanted to. It was a lot of money tied up to just sit in the garage and there were other things that we wanted to do with some of that money. So, I sold it, bought a another low mileage RSV for a fraction of the money and that is what I still have. Regrets? Maybe just a tad. I do miss some things about the Harley but no more than we get to ride lately, I don't see every spending the money for another one. I figure our RSV will see us through the rest of our riding days and it is a beautiful and comfortable bike that has no problem eating up many miles of highway and without burning you up.
BlueSky Posted January 3, 2018 #10 Posted January 3, 2018 Saw this 2009 Venture on craigslist last night. Only 4300miles on it. https://myrtlebeach.craigslist.org/mcy/d/2009-yamaha-royal-star-venture/6382558764.html
purecountry13b Posted January 3, 2018 Author #11 Posted January 3, 2018 Free bird that is damn near exactly why I’m leaving Harley. They are great bikes in their own right, but they are hot, and they do cost quite a lot of money. Thanks for the reply’s Gents.
B.E. Coyote Posted January 3, 2018 #12 Posted January 3, 2018 I'm also doing the same to save some money. Not riding so much the past couple years so I am going to try the Venture and likely give up my BMW. Wanted to try something more laid back anyway. Found a good deal on a cheap, high mileage bike with potential. Won't sell the Beemer though until the Venture is squared away and I'm sure that it suits me.
WRIDR Posted January 4, 2018 #13 Posted January 4, 2018 Welcome aboard! We read your post, plus the comments so far, and think we noticed that no one had mentioned the unavoidable Gear Whine common to almost all RSVs, and the 05-09 RSTDs... (which should not be overlooked, particularly if you're not crazy about the appearance of the RSV model. You lose nothing in terms of wind protection, and do lose some weight.) Back to the Gear Whine... ...this is NOT a problem, it's a characteristic of The Breed. You'll get accustomed to it, and it will NEVER bother the bike - it's just there, and if you like, kinda sounds like a no-cost turbocharger. Don't even think about trying to fix it! One other comment: these suckers ARE top heavy. If you are older, and/or a bit challenged in the leg length area, you need to be VERY aware that a little too much lean at slow speeds can/will result in a dropped bike. Just be aware of it. Reliability is amazing; witness the FIVE year guarantee! Ever hear of a bike with a five year guarantee? You have now. Rgds, WRIDR
Chaharly Posted January 5, 2018 #14 Posted January 5, 2018 Welcome aboard! We read your post, plus the comments so far, and think we noticed that no one had mentioned the unavoidable Gear Whine common to almost all RSVs, and the 05-09 RSTDs... (which should not be overlooked, particularly if you're not crazy about the appearance of the RSV model. You lose nothing in terms of wind protection, and do lose some weight.) Back to the Gear Whine... ...this is NOT a problem, it's a characteristic of The Breed. You'll get accustomed to it, and it will NEVER bother the bike - it's just there, and if you like, kinda sounds like a no-cost turbocharger. Don't even think about trying to fix it! One other comment: these suckers ARE top heavy. If you are older, and/or a bit challenged in the leg length area, you need to be VERY aware that a little too much lean at slow speeds can/will result in a dropped bike. Just be aware of it. Reliability is amazing; witness the FIVE year guarantee! Ever hear of a bike with a five year guarantee? You have now. Rgds, WRIDR On that same note with the whine: Sometimes you'll hear it louder than others, and the most noticeable at a certain speed. Mine was right about the speed limit 60 so I just went about 67 and never had much of an issue with it. It was wise to bring up the gear whine. What I would do is line up a few potential RSVs and go out and put a good half our on test riding each one! Find the one that you like the most and scoop it up!
purecountry13b Posted January 5, 2018 Author #15 Posted January 5, 2018 Good to know about the gear whine so I don't think there is something wrong with a bike when i take test rides. i don't think it will be bothersome to me as all my HD's valve train sound like a old tractor, a little noise never hurt.
CaseyJ955 Posted January 5, 2018 #16 Posted January 5, 2018 Good to know about the gear whine so I don't think there is something wrong with a bike when i take test rides. i don't think it will be bothersome to me as all my HD's valve train sound like a old tractor, a little noise never hurt. Valve noise drives me out of my effing skull, but quite normal on air cooled and solid tappet engines. My oldest HD was 59 and it was a cacophony or noise. My first 4 cyl bike was a GS850, quite peppy and silky smooth, and had some pronounced gear whine. Now in some Pavlovian way gear whine is synonymous with smooth reliable power, at least in my warped brain. My gen1 has some gear whine and it never bothered me. Its more like a conversation with an old friend rather than a bothersome noise. With the powersports market where it is these slightly aged Japanese bikes are one hell of a bargain, especially for what you get. Really almost anything that suits your tasts from Honda, Kawasaki or Suzuki is hard to go wrong with either. Both my bikes are Yamaha V4 and its because of the V4. First came the Vmax, then the Venture because I wanted to tour and still have the v4 which is an absolute jewel in the Vmax. Obviously the Vmax is a hotrod version of the V4 but many of the positive attributes carry right on over. Im 6'1+ and even on my worst fibro stricken days top heaviness has never been a problem, it melts away once underway. My Venture is the older generation than what your looking at but weight feels similar to me between the two generations. The lack of low end torque and presence of strong midrange and top end take a moment to get used to but when your passing a row of RVs with a passenger in July you will see some benifet to the V4 beyond the monetary savings, and it wont cook you. The added maintainance items you will have are related to carbs/synching and cooling system off the top of my head. Stay away from ethanol when possible and synch carbs every season (easy) and it should be smooth sailing. The V4 is capable of LOTS of miles before rings/valves etc etc. Overall I believe your cost of ownership will be cheaper even after the price of entry is not considered. I gotta know, is the "13b" a Mazda reference?
purecountry13b Posted January 5, 2018 Author #17 Posted January 5, 2018 Valve noise drives me out of my effing skull, but quite normal on air cooled and solid tappet engines. My oldest HD was 59 and it was a cacophony or noise. My first 4 cyl bike was a GS850, quite peppy and silky smooth, and had some pronounced gear whine. Now in some Pavlovian way gear whine is synonymous with smooth reliable power, at least in my warped brain. My gen1 has some gear whine and it never bothered me. Its more like a conversation with an old friend rather than a bothersome noise. With the powersports market where it is these slightly aged Japanese bikes are one hell of a bargain, especially for what you get. Really almost anything that suits your tasts from Honda, Kawasaki or Suzuki is hard to go wrong with either. Both my bikes are Yamaha V4 and its because of the V4. First came the Vmax, then the Venture because I wanted to tour and still have the v4 which is an absolute jewel in the Vmax. Obviously the Vmax is a hotrod version of the V4 but many of the positive attributes carry right on over. Im 6'1+ and even on my worst fibro stricken days top heaviness has never been a problem, it melts away once underway. My Venture is the older generation than what your looking at but weight feels similar to me between the two generations. The lack of low end torque and presence of strong midrange and top end take a moment to get used to but when your passing a row of RVs with a passenger in July you will see some benifet to the V4 beyond the monetary savings, and it wont cook you. The added maintainance items you will have are related to carbs/synching and cooling system off the top of my head. Stay away from ethanol when possible and synch carbs every season (easy) and it should be smooth sailing. The V4 is capable of LOTS of miles before rings/valves etc etc. Overall I believe your cost of ownership will be cheaper even after the price of entry is not considered. I gotta know, is the "13b" a Mazda reference? I'm not too concerned with the maintenance side of it as I do all my own wrenching now on my HD, and my wifes Vstar 650. Thanks for the info. The 13B refers to my Job. Im an Artilleryman, retiring this summer from the Army and heading off to Europe to goof off for the rest of my life.
purecountry13b Posted January 5, 2018 Author #18 Posted January 5, 2018 Caseyj955, the 13b is in reference to my job. I'm an Artilleryman retiring this summer from the Army. Heading off to Europe to goof off for the rest of my life.
XV1100SE Posted January 5, 2018 #19 Posted January 5, 2018 Good to know about the gear whine so I don't think there is something wrong with a bike when i take test rides. i don't think it will be bothersome to me as all my HD's valve train sound like a old tractor, a little noise never hurt. Most saw an improvement using the "i" basket which I believe started in the 2009 model year. Correct me if I'm wrong but it was the years before 2009 that experienced the whine. My '09 does not whine.
BlueSky Posted January 6, 2018 #20 Posted January 6, 2018 Most saw an improvement using the "i" basket which I believe started in the 2009 model year. Correct me if I'm wrong but it was the years before 2009 that experienced the whine. My '09 does not whine. Well, sounds like I was wrong when I stated that Yamaha hadn't upgraded anything on the Gen 2 Venture in the 14 years of production.
bongobobny Posted January 6, 2018 #21 Posted January 6, 2018 For leaving HD, there are several really good 12 step programs out there...,
Mike G in SC Posted January 6, 2018 #22 Posted January 6, 2018 I might suggest you look at a 2005-2009 RSTD, unless you need the trunk or fairing (radio). Have not had a HD but have had all the big Yamaha's. Found the RSTD to be the most fun and easier to handle than the RSV. Most any year RSTD can now be had for under $5K, and a lot do not have the miles you find on the RSV's. (I got a GW trike for my two up and trips but I just got a 2006 RSTD with 6K miles, for $4K, to replace my other 2006 RSTD with 110K miles. Put some money into the new one and now got a brand new bike!). Mike G in SC
purecountry13b Posted January 6, 2018 Author #23 Posted January 6, 2018 I never really looked at the RSTD, but that could definitely be a option as well. Could use it as a boulevard cruiser and a touring bike. Something to ponder for sure.
djh3 Posted January 6, 2018 #24 Posted January 6, 2018 I would also say take a look at the 05-09 RSTD Same as Venture but sans fairing. Should be a bit lighter. With todays bluetooth stuff you can certainly have tunes and comms if you want them with say a SENA. I still swear I could pack more stuff for the 2 of us on our 07 Vulcan 900 with luggage rack and tour bag than on any hard bagger with trunk we have had since. Funny since the Yankee's have come back down I have seen 2 of these triked out. Look weird compared to the Goldwing versions I typically see.
tz89 Posted January 6, 2018 #25 Posted January 6, 2018 had my 09 out today. 50 degrees and dry-ish today. great cruiser. a LOT of bike for not much money. 12k on it when I bought it in October. V4, bags, boards, glass and, well, just look.
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