Saturday is Eluder 500 mile day

[VentureFar]

As I have happily mentioned earlier my new neighbor is the editor of an online motorcycle magazine. He is giving me the fob to a 2018 Eluder for me to take it for a 500 mile day ride. I am reading 200-350 mile day ride evaluations everywhere but I see a need for a “stretch”. Riders I meet go for short rides with the occasional couple of hundred mile trip. But then they get the motivation to go to Sturgis and they have to ride 500 miles ( or more) per day.

Is the bike comfortable and loadable as an occasional road trip bike ???

I will let you know after Saturday.

FYI I am planning a loop from Los Angeles to furnace creek in Death Valley.

Hey @cowpuc here we go. Next month is the 2018 Venture.

 

VentureFar...

 

 

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[RandyR]

There are likely a few here who would be glad to help you pile on some miles if you get saddlesore !

[BlueSky]

Sounds like you have a great neighbor!

[VentureFar]

Sounds like you have a great neighbor!

 

Yes, a few weekends ago we ( Editor and his wife and I) went for a 100 mile bike swap ride. There was a BMW "something", an Aprilla "something" and MotoGuzzi " Something". None were my style of ride but it was fun trying the different bikes in the twisties and the freeway. The only way I could upshift the Aprilla was with the inside edge of my boot sole as I couldn't angle it down enough to get it under the shifter. The most interesting part of the ride was splitting lanes on the way home. Our Venture's are really wide ( as we all know) and it was a fun being on a skinny bike that takes up half as much width.

Anyway, will report after Saturday.

VentureFar...

[cowpuc]

:scared:OUTSTANDING @VentureFar!!!!! :dancefool::dancefool::dancefool::dancefool::dancefool::dancefool::dancefool::dancefool::clap2::clap2:

 

Man,,, you don't Monkey around (inside joke ) when it comes to jumping right in and taking off on a new scoot!! GOTTA LOVE YA MY BROTHER!! Can not WAIT to read your take on the 'Luder... For those who cant read here,,, lots and lots of 's would also be GREATLY appreciated (actually,, as you all to well know,, your buddy here in Michigan is the main culprit always beggin for 's)..

This will be awesome!!

Ride safe and do us proud Neil!!

P.S. = please tell that awesome neighbor of yours THANK YOU again!! JUST FLAT OUT AWESOME!!

[VentureFar]

First impression: rode it about 1/4 mile to my house and up the driveway and into my garage. Wowza! What a bike. Super stable low speed handling. Very responsive acceleration. Very low seat height. But really weird looking out over a frame mounted fairing. That will just take some getting used to I am sure. Folks this is a nice bike. Can’t wait to ride the venture later this month. Tomorrow is roughly 12 hours saddle time. More as it comes.

Venturefar...

 

 

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Edited February 2, 2018 by VentureFar

[cowpuc]

:scared::scared::thumbsup::thumbsup::clap2::dancefool:

 

and away weeee gooooooooooo!!!!!

 

OUTSTANDING SWEET BROTHER OF MINE = WISH I WAS THERE TO :stickpoke: AND THAT GORGEOUS NEW SCOOT WITH YA!! WHAT A HOOT!!

 

Pics Neal,, lots of 's..

 

Also,, if you can,, give us a sit and idle (like you were stuck in traffic) motor temp opinion.. I know I have read comments that the new ones being air cooled possibly have a built in fan unit controlling engine heat.. We test rode the Venture at Sturgis but really do not recall hearing or feeling a fan come on BUT - didnt really get anywhere near the chance to "test" for one either... Engine heat (burning the passengers legs/feet) is a hot topic IMHO.. Maybe you could share some real life, unbiased opinion in this area..

Another one is the question of tire wear.. I know my nephew has a Strat (close to same motor) that was a rear tire eater because of the "THUMP THUMP" high torque... He actually experienced worse tire wear on his Strat than I have on some of my low end rear tires while tormenting them with high desert heat = 3500 miles per tire not unheard of in his world. Wondering if this new wide, low radius rear tire on the Luder/Venture will wear better.. Maybe a quick shot of the rear tire condition as well as total miles on it?

Ohhh man,,, have fun out there brother!! LOTS and LOTS of fun!! Be careful riding something your not 100% familiar with but HAVE A BALL!!

,, cant believe I am the only one coming up with ??'s for ya to look for... You been grumpy around the clubhouse while I been down Neil?? Naughty naughty

 

PS -just thought of something else,,, MPG?

THANK YOU

Puc

[VentureFar]

:scared::scared::thumbsup::thumbsup::clap2::dancefool:

 

and away weeee gooooooooooo!!!!!

 

OUTSTANDING SWEET BROTHER OF MINE = WISH I WAS THERE TO :stickpoke: AND THAT GORGEOUS NEW SCOOT WITH YA!! WHAT A HOOT!!

 

Pics Neal,, lots of 's..

 

Also,, if you can,, give us a sit and idle (like you were stuck in traffic) motor temp opinion.. I know I have read comments that the new ones being air cooled possibly have a built in fan unit controlling engine heat.. We test rode the Venture at Sturgis but really do not recall hearing or feeling a fan come on BUT - didnt really get anywhere near the chance to "test" for one either... Engine heat (burning the passengers legs/feet) is a hot topic IMHO.. Maybe you could share some real life, unbiased opinion in this area..

Another one is the question of tire wear.. I know my nephew has a Strat (close to same motor) that was a rear tire eater because of the "THUMP THUMP" high torque... He actually experienced worse tire wear on his Strat than I have on some of my low end rear tires while tormenting them with high desert heat = 3500 miles per tire not unheard of in his world. Wondering if this new wide, low radius rear tire on the Luder/Venture will wear better.. Maybe a quick shot of the rear tire condition as well as total miles on it?

Ohhh man,,, have fun out there brother!! LOTS and LOTS of fun!! Be careful riding something your not 100% familiar with but HAVE A BALL!!

,, cant believe I am the only one coming up with ??'s for ya to look for... You been grumpy around the clubhouse while I been down Neil?? Naughty naughty

 

PS -just thought of something else,,, MPG?

THANK YOU

Puc

 

 

Ah...ok. Hope I can remember all this ....

bike has 663 miles on it now. The computer said act mpg was 37 and I reset it.

It is 1” wider than my gen 2 at the mirrors

i will be putting on about 490 miles so I doubt if we will see any wear.

Fun day tomorrow.

VentureFar...

[cowpuc]

Wait for it,,,, wait for it,,,, waittttt for it,,,,, patience is a virtue Puc!!!!

What da heck,, while I'm waiting I may as well

 

[VentureFar]

Almost ready to post my ride review. Just getting permission from those that gave me the FOB.

VentureFar...

[Drews]

Nice HAT Puc :rotfl::rotfl:

[cowpuc]

Nice HAT Puc :rotfl::rotfl:

 

Cause I know VentureFar wont beat me up for his thread here again,, and while we :icon_lurker:wait for him to get permission to share his Luder ride (as mentioned in my other vid,, I still got a hunch that he took that great big beautiful new bagger and headed right for Death Valley - I know I would have and him be my brother and thinking like I do... Cant wait to see if I was right..), I feel obliged to tell you the story about that hat Drews = Tip calls it my "miracle hat" and heres why...

[VentureFar]

Hi all, I have some good news and some better news. I wrote up my ride and submitted to Ultimatemotorcycling.com magazine, the good folks that gave me FOB to the Eluder. The good news is they will be posting it and we can link to it. Probably tomorrow. The better news is .......here are my photos. @cowpuc demanded lots of pictures.

 

I know, like watching your favorite tv show on mute.

 

 

 

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[VentureFar]

So I guess the above is the trailer for the movie which comes to theaters near you (hopefully) tomorrow.

The last photo is the big problem with this bike. Look where that exhaust pipe is relative to your left leg. The heat is a big problem. At temps above 73 degrees it was uncomfortable at freeway speeds when the airflow should have been pushing the heat away- but it didn’t. At 85 degrees I was obsessed with thinking of protecting my left leg with tin foil, asbestos, a wood block anything to stop cooking me. Yes the rumors are true, the left side heat is a real problem.

 

 

 

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[VentureFar]

The middle pix of the bike in the middle of the road was not a setup shot with police blocking traffic, it was that isolated. To stop in the middle of the road and take photos and not see another vehicle in either direction to the visible horizon is awesome. I love rides like this. Don’t look closely at the POV shot. Disclaimer “ professional drive on a closed course. Do not attempt” I wasn’t really driving that fast, the bike was on a stand and what you see surely was a green screen projection. Everyone good with that explanation...

Full write up hopefully tomorrow.

 

 

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[baylensman]

A quick couple of questions can you confirm that the Eluder has no reverse? Second the GPS still reorients to north as up despite travel direction? Don't know how tall you are but any helmet buffeting?

[Freebird]

Great pictures. A couple of initial thoughts. Assume you were riding fairly aggressive but the gas mileage could certainly be better. My 2013 Road Glide got around 40 consistently. Heat issue would be a problem for me. That is the primary reason that I sold the Harley.

[VentureFar]

A quick couple of questions can you confirm that the Eluder has no reverse? Second the GPS still reorients to north as up despite travel direction? Don't know how tall you are but any helmet buffeting?

 

Eluder has no reverse. But with the low seat height it is slightly easier to back up than the gen 2. The gps orients north despite the travel direction. I am 5-10 with 31 inseam and zero helmet buffet. But total wind in my face. Finally figured out to slouch to not have my modular helmet shield keep being forced down. Due to wind hitting from my eyeballs to the top of my helmet. But zero buffet.

 

 

 

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Edited February 7, 2018 by VentureFar

[VentureFar]

Great pictures. A couple of initial thoughts. Assume you were riding fairly aggressive but the gas mileage could certainly be better. My 2013 Road Glide got around 40 consistently. Heat issue would be a problem for me. That is the primary reason that I sold the Harley.

 

Ahh this friend that was riding, not me... was doing 85-90 for more than 1/2 the 500 miles. At 70 this ‘friend’ saw over 40 mpg on the data screen. The write up will detail more. Zoom in on the point of view pix Speedo - this friend took this photo....

 

 

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Edited February 7, 2018 by VentureFar

[bongobobny]

Holy CRAP, look at those gas prices! That's near twice the National average...

[RandyR]

Holy CRAP, look at those gas prices! That's near twice the National average...

 

They probably get $10 for a glass of water, too.

[VentureFar]

They probably get $10 for a glass of water, too.

 

Actually the food at furnace creek was reasonably priced and I am vegan and they had a vegan burrito in the middle of death Valley and it was delicious. Interestingly the gas in stovepipe wells just a short distance away was about 3.45 per gallon.

 

 

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[VentureFar]

Thanks for your patience. As @cowpuc says, wait for it...wait for it...

I have to wait for the link. As soon as I get it I will post it.

I have never done a ride report and I must say I am pretty proud of my first.

Venturefar...

[djh3]

Oh My those gas prices would kill me. $30+ to fill the bike? Yikes. I cant even count high enough to say what it would cost to fill my 36 gal diesel.

The pipe on that aint that much different from my Victory, but its hot too. No heal shifter? How was the cruise? Easy to get engaged etc.

[VentureFar]

Oh My those gas prices would kill me. $30+ to fill the bike? Yikes. I cant even count high enough to say what it would cost to fill my 36 gal diesel.

The pipe on that aint that much different from my Victory, but its hot too. No heal shifter? How was the cruise? Easy to get engaged etc.

 

The heal toe shifter is an option. I never use it on my Gen 2 so I didn't miss it. The cruise control was absolutely solid going 70, press the button and stay at 70, up hill, down hill or flat. I even set it at 35 going thru Stovepipe Wells to make sure I didn't get a ticket.

BUT, kicking out of cruise control was a jar every time. Didn't just feel like deceleration, would feel like I tapped the front brake hard.

 

I am told I should have the link to my ride report tonight sometime... fingers crossed.

 

VentureFar....