Texas Tom Posted March 3, 2018 #1 Posted March 3, 2018 (edited) Here are couple of pictures of my new Eluder GT and my first impressions and some comparisons between the ELUDER GT and the 05 RSV I previously owned Eluder GT – First Impressions / Comparison with my 05 Royal Star Venture A week ago I purchased a 2018 3rd Gen Star Venture GT at Houston Motorsports after 10 mile test ride. First impression was WOW! what a difference the redesign of the retro style Royal Star Venture. Immediately noticed a significant difference in the seat height. The old model left people my height vertically challenged in achieving a flat footed stationary position. The modern design provides me with a solid foot on the ground with some knee bend. Next was the change in weight of the bikes. It comes up off the stand easily and has a well-balanced feel. I was leery about taking the bike out, having never ridden one (it is actually the first time a dealer has let me test ride any bike I have purchased) and the less than comfortable first experience when I got on my brand new 2nd Gen for the first time. Once in motion, any trepidation I had felt went away. The bike is very nimble at slow speeds, responsive to very little throttle and the clutch is very smooth. Once on I turned onto the street and gave it some gas, it moved out nicely. I would say the torque of both bikes is similar (it has been a while since I have had my 2nd Gen). First gear has a higher speed than the previous model (not being a mechanic, I can’t say the gear ratios are different or not with any certainty). The Eluder GT has the six speed transmission like the previous version, but, also has 2 different ride “modes”, a touring and sport mode. I haven’t experiment much with them (I had to read the manual to know what the mode button did other than show a T and a S on the console). According to the book it lets the bike response be like a sport bike (to some degree) or the standard touring bike responsiveness. The first negative of the bike was the windshield, it was too short, and the wind buffeting was the first thing I noticed. Toss in a crosswind and it only made it worse. I will admit that it is something that I got used to after 2 days of riding to work, but coming from a taller windshield, it was something that I knew I would change on the very first ride (the dealer threw in the medium windshield including installation). On my 2nd Gen the stock shield was too tall and I ended up going to the Clearview medium windshield. Speaking of consoles, the new console is light years ahead of the 2nd Gen, but in all fairness, technology has advance so much it couldn’t have stayed where it. It is a combination of analog speedometer and tachometer, the odometer and gear indicator are digital and the GPS/Infotainment Center is touch screen digital, has a big display that can be toggled to show Audio, GPS, Phone, MPG, Battery and Communications connection information. All of this is controlled from a set of buttons on the left side of the handle bars. It takes some getting used to (reading the book really helps too) but given what it does it is pretty intuitive as well. The Eluder GT is alarm equipped and uses a key-less radio frequency fob like may of the new cages. The ignition took me sometime to figure out since it only requires a push, hearing a click and turning the knob. Overthinking Tom, though you had to push, hear the click and keep it depressed while turning the knob (which, by the way does nothing). If the buttons on the fob are pushed too many times trying to figure it out, it locks out for about 5 minutes as an added anti-theft safety feature. Mother nature has cooperated 3 whole days for me to ride it, 2 days to work and back (53 miles each way). Today I got to ride to the dealership to have the new medium windshield installed, and a bit of around town before heading home(about 50 miles. The taller windshield makes all the difference in the world with the wind buffeting. Who knows, if Clearview offers up a windshield for it, I may invest in one, I like the S-curve at the top and the vent you can get in them. The bike has a 6.6 gallon tank an to date I have been getting 38 mpg on the freeway and 37 in the around town riding. If memory serves me right, the RSV I had would get about 36 on the highway and less in town. I am interested to see if the mileage stays as high or gets better after the break in period. I know this has been long winded, but those who remember me from my days on the forum as DK Knight, it is to be expected. It is nice to be back, I hopefully will be able to make it to some of the ride-ins that come up and make some new friends in the local area, I was happy to see so many in the Cypress/Houston area. Those to the north (Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin and San Antonio) ae only a couple of hours away and would be great to have a lunch meet and greet. I remember one of the reasons to ride was to find a good place to eat! I will post more as I get more saddle time and miles behind me on the bike. Edited March 4, 2018 by Texas Tom
cowpuc Posted March 3, 2018 #3 Posted March 3, 2018 :scared::scared::scared::scared: WOWZY WOW WOW WOW is that PURRRRRRRRDDYYYYY:173: = a MAJOR congrats Tom!! :thumbsup: Also,, a HUGE to both of you to "the VR club"!! Glad you and your gorgeous scoot are here and hope to cross paths with the two of you while out CTFW (heads up,around this joint that means "Chasing The Front Wheel" - an acronym coined by one of your Military brothers - "Yammer Dan")... Speaking of being in the Military,,, we think VERY highly of those who have served and are members here.. Please let me be the first of many who will eventually thank you for your service in maintaining our way of life = THANK YOU TOM!!! Puc P.S. = I never served but I do know that the club has "honor badges" (I think thats what they are called, regardless,, that's what I call em = "HONOR BADGES") that Military and LEO/EMS can request.. They are really cool in that they let all who visit our club know who's who... I know that unlike other "awards" that appear below members screen names where folks nominate each other for such - I am almost sure that the Honor Badges are something that must be applied for by the member receiving them.. Personally I LOVE to see those badges cause it always reminds me of the price of freedom and therefore would love to see yours displayed - up to you of course!!!
VentureFar Posted March 4, 2018 #5 Posted March 4, 2018 (edited) Nice. I rode 500 miles on one in a day trip and It was a sensationally fun day. Enjoy the new scoot. VentureFar... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Edited March 4, 2018 by VentureFar
Cliffieg Posted March 4, 2018 #6 Posted March 4, 2018 Congratulations on the new Eluder, Tom! It’s a beauty!! Thanks for for your review, and thanks to VentureFar for the Death Valley Eluder excursion report and the more recent StoneButt review of the Venture. I’m obviously a total newb here...I’m a Roadliner guy and migrated here mostly to see what you guys think of the new Venture/Eluder. The new bike really seems to be the answer to the few shortcomings most of the ‘liner guys felt existed...need for a sixth gear and a legit fairing, mostly. Engine wise, the original 113 is a reliable monster. Still blows me away w/ stock performance. If they really did improve upon it, we may have vtwin nirvana on our hands. One thing I don’t get from a lot of the other reviews online are the rev limiter complaints. I’ve had my ‘liner 10 yrs and have never touched 4200 rpm. Why would I? Massive torque down below...if I’m in 4th at 75 (which I wouldn’t be) and I wanted to MOVE, hell, I’d *upshift* to 5th. Thing about the Yammy 113 is you’re just about always in the best powerband because max power is ALSO where it’s smoothest and most comfortable. SOUNDS to me like they’ve provided even more of a good thing in this regard. We’ll see, eh? No major heat issues on the ‘liner 113, other than any air-cooled bike in 90+ will get somewhat uncomfortable...hope VentureFar has a sensitive left thigh underside and Yammy didn’t screw up on that left-side exhaust.... Anyhow, thanks, congrats, and I look forward to hanging around. This Cowpuc dude looks to be a *character*. ;-)
cowpuc Posted March 4, 2018 #7 Posted March 4, 2018 ,,,,, INDEED!!!! I remember you DK!!!! Welcome back!!!! And a HUGE thank you for the great ride report/write up on that GORGEOUS new Eluder GT!!!!
djh3 Posted March 4, 2018 #8 Posted March 4, 2018 I thought the windshields was electric and adjustable? Maybe thats only the top dog model. However I like yours, sharp paint I have not seen before. Like the stripes.
cecdoo Posted March 4, 2018 #9 Posted March 4, 2018 Sharp looking ride, with all the bells and whistles! Enjoy, Craig
VentureFar Posted March 5, 2018 #10 Posted March 5, 2018 Seriously the total heat off the left side was hot and penetrating and it was only 78 degrees. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Russbug1 Posted March 5, 2018 #11 Posted March 5, 2018 Here are couple of pictures of my new Eluder GT and my first impressions and some comparisons between the ELUDER GT and the 05 RSV I previously owned Eluder GT – First Impressions / Comparison with my 05 Royal Star Venture A week ago I purchased a 2018 3rd Gen Star Venture GT at Houston Motorsports after 10 mile test ride. First impression was WOW! what a difference the redesign of the retro style Royal Star Venture. Immediately noticed a significant difference in the seat height. The old model left people my height vertically challenged in achieving a flat footed stationary position. The modern design provides me with a solid foot on the ground with some knee bend. Next was the change in weight of the bikes. It comes up off the stand easily and has a well-balanced feel. I was leery about taking the bike out, having never ridden one (it is actually the first time a dealer has let me test ride any bike I have purchased) and the less than comfortable first experience when I got on my brand new 2nd Gen for the first time. Once in motion, any trepidation I had felt went away. The bike is very nimble at slow speeds, responsive to very little throttle and the clutch is very smooth. Once on I turned onto the street and gave it some gas, it moved out nicely. I would say the torque of both bikes is similar (it has been a while since I have had my 2nd Gen). First gear has a higher speed than the previous model (not being a mechanic, I can’t say the gear ratios are different or not with any certainty). The Eluder GT has the six speed transmission like the previous version, but, also has 2 different ride “modes”, a touring and sport mode. I haven’t experiment much with them (I had to read the manual to know what the mode button did other than show a T and a S on the console). According to the book it lets the bike response be like a sport bike (to some degree) or the standard touring bike responsiveness. The first negative of the bike was the windshield, it was too short, and the wind buffeting was the first thing I noticed. Toss in a crosswind and it only made it worse. I will admit that it is something that I got used to after 2 days of riding to work, but coming from a taller windshield, it was something that I knew I would change on the very first ride (the dealer threw in the medium windshield including installation). On my 2nd Gen the stock shield was too tall and I ended up going to the Clearview medium windshield. Speaking of consoles, the new console is light years ahead of the 2nd Gen, but in all fairness, technology has advance so much it couldn’t have stayed where it. It is a combination of analog speedometer and tachometer, the odometer and gear indicator are digital and the GPS/Infotainment Center is touch screen digital, has a big display that can be toggled to show Audio, GPS, Phone, MPG, Battery and Communications connection information. All of this is controlled from a set of buttons on the left side of the handle bars. It takes some getting used to (reading the book really helps too) but given what it does it is pretty intuitive as well. The Eluder GT is alarm equipped and uses a key-less radio frequency fob like may of the new cages. The ignition took me sometime to figure out since it only requires a push, hearing a click and turning the knob. Overthinking Tom, though you had to push, hear the click and keep it depressed while turning the knob (which, by the way does nothing). If the buttons on the fob are pushed too many times trying to figure it out, it locks out for about 5 minutes as an added anti-theft safety feature. Mother nature has cooperated 3 whole days for me to ride it, 2 days to work and back (53 miles each way). Today I got to ride to the dealership to have the new medium windshield installed, and a bit of around town before heading home(about 50 miles. The taller windshield makes all the difference in the world with the wind buffeting. Who knows, if Clearview offers up a windshield for it, I may invest in one, I like the S-curve at the top and the vent you can get in them. The bike has a 6.6 gallon tank an to date I have been getting 38 mpg on the freeway and 37 in the around town riding. If memory serves me right, the RSV I had would get about 36 on the highway and less in town. I am interested to see if the mileage stays as high or gets better after the break in period. I know this has been long winded, but those who remember me from my days on the forum as DK Knight, it is to be expected. It is nice to be back, I hopefully will be able to make it to some of the ride-ins that come up and make some new friends in the local area, I was happy to see so many in the Cypress/Houston area. Those to the north (Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin and San Antonio) ae only a couple of hours away and would be great to have a lunch meet and greet. I remember one of the reasons to ride was to find a good place to eat! I will post more as I get more saddle time and miles behind me on the bike. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=111800 How do you like the taller windshield, in performance and overall looks? I am 6’ and some change and still have the short shield, which I don’t experience any problems with... thanks :-)
bongobobny Posted March 5, 2018 #12 Posted March 5, 2018 Seriously the total heat off the left side was hot and penetrating and it was only 78 degrees. Sent from my iPhone using TapatalkI'm sure it is compared to a water cooled true Venture!!!
VentureFar Posted March 5, 2018 #13 Posted March 5, 2018 Yes the Gen 2 doesn’t throw any heat off at 35mph in 78 degrees but the heat on my left leg on the eluder was causing my armpits to drip sweat- and I am not a big sweat’er. VentureFar... Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Texas Tom Posted March 6, 2018 Author #15 Posted March 6, 2018 How do you like the taller windshield, in performance and overall looks? I am 6’ and some change and still have the short shield, which I don’t experience any problems with... thanks :-) I didn't like the short windshield on my Stratoliner Deluxe and ended up going with the medium from Clearview. I really like the S-Curve that Clearview has incorporated into their shields as well as the vent. For me the short shield doesn't push the air up high enough to go over my helmet. It hit me right about in the eyes. Not sure of where it hits you being taller, I like to ride with my face shield up and the tinted visor down, the medium makes that possible where the short didn't. As far as looks, I think the taller looks better (my wife likes it better too). For the true bagger look that HD has presented for years, the shorter one fits the classic bagger look. It is really like all else in riding, a matter of preference. I know I had a shield take a 2-3 inch rock off the back of a dump truck that would have hit me in the helmet visor/face, made me a believer in having one. No aeronautical engineer here, so all I can do is go with what I like and the feeling I get when riding. I know guys that don't wear helmets, except when required, don't want a shield on their bike at all. I guess it is getting bugs in your teeth from smiling while you ride. Don't know if I answered your question or not, but I gave it a shot. Question for you, if you have the Eluder, being as tall as you are how is the lower seat height compared to the RSV for you? I was curious if you feel like your knees are up too high for comfort?
Russbug1 Posted March 6, 2018 #16 Posted March 6, 2018 I didn't like the short windshield on my Stratoliner Deluxe and ended up going with the medium from Clearview. I really like the S-Curve that Clearview has incorporated into their shields as well as the vent. For me the short shield doesn't push the air up high enough to go over my helmet. It hit me right about in the eyes. Not sure of where it hits you being taller, I like to ride with my face shield up and the tinted visor down, the medium makes that possible where the short didn't. As far as looks, I think the taller looks better (my wife likes it better too). For the true bagger look that HD has presented for years, the shorter one fits the classic bagger look. It is really like all else in riding, a matter of preference. I know I had a shield take a 2-3 inch rock off the back of a dump truck that would have hit me in the helmet visor/face, made me a believer in having one. No aeronautical engineer here, so all I can do is go with what I like and the feeling I get when riding. I know guys that don't wear helmets, except when required, don't want a shield on their bike at all. I guess it is getting bugs in your teeth from smiling while you ride. Don't know if I answered your question or not, but I gave it a shot. Question for you, if you have the Eluder, being as tall as you are how is the lower seat height compared to the RSV for you? I was curious if you feel like your knees are up too high for comfort? Thanks for responding Tom... I am considering the medium windshield. On other bikes I have used short, medium and tall. I feel the wind at my eyes with the short shield. I have also ridden with no shield, which is not my favorite way to go. As for the seat height, I like it. I can stretch my legs out on the floorboards and I am really comfortable. My other bikes required highway pegs to get comfortable. Not on this bike. Keep me up to speed on how your experience with this bike evolves and I will do the same. If you have taken it for a longer cruise, do you prefer the sport or tour mode? Thanks, Rich :-)
cowpuc Posted March 6, 2018 #17 Posted March 6, 2018 Congratulations on the new Eluder, Tom! It’s a beauty!! Thanks for for your review, and thanks to VentureFar for the Death Valley Eluder excursion report and the more recent StoneButt review of the Venture. I’m obviously a total newb here...I’m a Roadliner guy and migrated here mostly to see what you guys think of the new Venture/Eluder. The new bike really seems to be the answer to the few shortcomings most of the ‘liner guys felt existed...need for a sixth gear and a legit fairing, mostly. Engine wise, the original 113 is a reliable monster. Still blows me away w/ stock performance. If they really did improve upon it, we may have vtwin nirvana on our hands. One thing I don’t get from a lot of the other reviews online are the rev limiter complaints. I’ve had my ‘liner 10 yrs and have never touched 4200 rpm. Why would I? Massive torque down below...if I’m in 4th at 75 (which I wouldn’t be) and I wanted to MOVE, hell, I’d *upshift* to 5th. Thing about the Yammy 113 is you’re just about always in the best powerband because max power is ALSO where it’s smoothest and most comfortable. SOUNDS to me like they’ve provided even more of a good thing in this regard. We’ll see, eh? No major heat issues on the ‘liner 113, other than any air-cooled bike in 90+ will get somewhat uncomfortable...hope VentureFar has a sensitive left thigh underside and Yammy didn’t screw up on that left-side exhaust.... Anyhow, thanks, congrats, and I look forward to hanging around. This Cowpuc dude looks to be a *character*. ;-) ,,,, AND ANOTHER NEW LOP EARED VR MC VARMINT TO HANG WITH:dancefool:!!!! :RED:to the club to you too Cliff!!! Glad you found us!!! While I am absolutely no expert on any of this stuff,, I think what your hearing about the rev limiter deal actually is linked somehow to a few people who were a little let down cause they were really hoping for a hard hitting, high revving, competition stomping out of sight torque and horse power 1700cc V-Max motored new shaft drive Venture and were just caught off guard by Mom Yam's move to an air cooled stump puller in the Venture line.. Here is a good example of the type of person I am talking about who explains what I am saying in a little more detail.. Noticing the 1st gear on the old old old 1200cc Venture = 70mph, 2nd = 80mph and 3rd = 95 mph compared with the numbers showing on the new one as it bounces off the rev limiter ...
Russbug1 Posted March 7, 2018 #18 Posted March 7, 2018 Here are couple of pictures of my new Eluder GT and my first impressions and some comparisons between the ELUDER GT and the 05 RSV I previously owned Eluder GT – First Impressions / Comparison with my 05 Royal Star Venture A week ago I purchased a 2018 3rd Gen Star Venture GT at Houston Motorsports after 10 mile test ride. First impression was WOW! what a difference the redesign of the retro style Royal Star Venture. Immediately noticed a significant difference in the seat height. The old model left people my height vertically challenged in achieving a flat footed stationary position. The modern design provides me with a solid foot on the ground with some knee bend. Next was the change in weight of the bikes. It comes up off the stand easily and has a well-balanced feel. I was leery about taking the bike out, having never ridden one (it is actually the first time a dealer has let me test ride any bike I have purchased) and the less than comfortable first experience when I got on my brand new 2nd Gen for the first time. Once in motion, any trepidation I had felt went away. The bike is very nimble at slow speeds, responsive to very little throttle and the clutch is very smooth. Once on I turned onto the street and gave it some gas, it moved out nicely. I would say the torque of both bikes is similar (it has been a while since I have had my 2nd Gen). First gear has a higher speed than the previous model (not being a mechanic, I can’t say the gear ratios are different or not with any certainty). The Eluder GT has the six speed transmission like the previous version, but, also has 2 different ride “modes”, a touring and sport mode. I haven’t experiment much with them (I had to read the manual to know what the mode button did other than show a T and a S on the console). According to the book it lets the bike response be like a sport bike (to some degree) or the standard touring bike responsiveness. The first negative of the bike was the windshield, it was too short, and the wind buffeting was the first thing I noticed. Toss in a crosswind and it only made it worse. I will admit that it is something that I got used to after 2 days of riding to work, but coming from a taller windshield, it was something that I knew I would change on the very first ride (the dealer threw in the medium windshield including installation). On my 2nd Gen the stock shield was too tall and I ended up going to the Clearview medium windshield. Speaking of consoles, the new console is light years ahead of the 2nd Gen, but in all fairness, technology has advance so much it couldn’t have stayed where it. It is a combination of analog speedometer and tachometer, the odometer and gear indicator are digital and the GPS/Infotainment Center is touch screen digital, has a big display that can be toggled to show Audio, GPS, Phone, MPG, Battery and Communications connection information. All of this is controlled from a set of buttons on the left side of the handle bars. It takes some getting used to (reading the book really helps too) but given what it does it is pretty intuitive as well. The Eluder GT is alarm equipped and uses a key-less radio frequency fob like may of the new cages. The ignition took me sometime to figure out since it only requires a push, hearing a click and turning the knob. Overthinking Tom, though you had to push, hear the click and keep it depressed while turning the knob (which, by the way does nothing). If the buttons on the fob are pushed too many times trying to figure it out, it locks out for about 5 minutes as an added anti-theft safety feature. Mother nature has cooperated 3 whole days for me to ride it, 2 days to work and back (53 miles each way). Today I got to ride to the dealership to have the new medium windshield installed, and a bit of around town before heading home(about 50 miles. The taller windshield makes all the difference in the world with the wind buffeting. Who knows, if Clearview offers up a windshield for it, I may invest in one, I like the S-curve at the top and the vent you can get in them. The bike has a 6.6 gallon tank an to date I have been getting 38 mpg on the freeway and 37 in the around town riding. If memory serves me right, the RSV I had would get about 36 on the highway and less in town. I am interested to see if the mileage stays as high or gets better after the break in period. I know this has been long winded, but those who remember me from my days on the forum as DK Knight, it is to be expected. It is nice to be back, I hopefully will be able to make it to some of the ride-ins that come up and make some new friends in the local area, I was happy to see so many in the Cypress/Houston area. Those to the north (Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin and San Antonio) ae only a couple of hours away and would be great to have a lunch meet and greet. I remember one of the reasons to ride was to find a good place to eat! I will post more as I get more saddle time and miles behind me on the bike. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=111800 Took her out again today with my wife and clocked 120 miles... I like this bike more and more after each ride. The suspension is top notch. So much smoother than any other bike I have ever ridden! Rich :-)
Russbug1 Posted March 7, 2018 #19 Posted March 7, 2018 Congratulations on the new Eluder, Tom! It’s a beauty!! Thanks for for your review, and thanks to VentureFar for the Death Valley Eluder excursion report and the more recent StoneButt review of the Venture. I’m obviously a total newb here...I’m a Roadliner guy and migrated here mostly to see what you guys think of the new Venture/Eluder. The new bike really seems to be the answer to the few shortcomings most of the ‘liner guys felt existed...need for a sixth gear and a legit fairing, mostly. Engine wise, the original 113 is a reliable monster. Still blows me away w/ stock performance. If they really did improve upon it, we may have vtwin nirvana on our hands. One thing I don’t get from a lot of the other reviews online are the rev limiter complaints. I’ve had my ‘liner 10 yrs and have never touched 4200 rpm. Why would I? Massive torque down below...if I’m in 4th at 75 (which I wouldn’t be) and I wanted to MOVE, hell, I’d *upshift* to 5th. Thing about the Yammy 113 is you’re just about always in the best powerband because max power is ALSO where it’s smoothest and most comfortable. SOUNDS to me like they’ve provided even more of a good thing in this regard. We’ll see, eh? No major heat issues on the ‘liner 113, other than any air-cooled bike in 90+ will get somewhat uncomfortable...hope VentureFar has a sensitive left thigh underside and Yammy didn’t screw up on that left-side exhaust.... Anyhow, thanks, congrats, and I look forward to hanging around. This Cowpuc dude looks to be a *character*. ;-) I own a black on black Eluder and have clocked 1200 miles. I also owned a Stratoliner for ten years. Everything about this bike is a big improvement over the Stratoliner. A super smooth ride with plenty of torque and horsepower. It is such a torque monster I never see a need to rev above 3500 RPM. And that is when I am pushing it. I have never hit the rev limiter. I highly recommend this bike. Rich :-)
Russbug1 Posted March 7, 2018 #20 Posted March 7, 2018 ,,,, AND ANOTHER NEW LOP EARED VR MC VARMINT TO HANG WITH:dancefool:!!!! :RED:to the club to you too Cliff!!! Glad you found us!!! While I am absolutely no expert on any of this stuff,, I think what your hearing about the rev limiter deal actually is linked somehow to a few people who were a little let down cause they were really hoping for a hard hitting, high revving, competition stomping out of sight torque and horse power 1700cc V-Max motored new shaft drive Venture and were just caught off guard by Mom Yam's move to an air cooled stump puller in the Venture line.. Here is a good example of the type of person I am talking about who explains what I am saying in a little more detail.. Noticing the 1st gear on the old old old 1200cc Venture = 70mph, 2nd = 80mph and 3rd = 95 mph compared with the numbers showing on the new one as it bounces off the rev limiter ... Agreed... this bike is a stump puller for sure. Plenty fast and tons of torque. I cannot even feel my wife in the saddle going up hills or turning. This bike is a joy to ride! Rich :-)
cowpuc Posted March 7, 2018 #21 Posted March 7, 2018 Agreed... this bike is a stump puller for sure. Plenty fast and tons of torque. I cannot even feel my wife in the saddle going up hills or turning. This bike is a joy to ride! Rich :-) So here's what happened Rich.. After waiting and waiting and waiting for Yamaha to update yesteryears little V-4 powered Venture with the new 1700cc injected V-4 V-Max motor,, some of us were THRILLED beyond words when we heard the announcement.. Yamaha's words were: The new Venture was coming and it was going to turn the touring world upside down!! They didnt say = the Stratoliner Tourer was coming and it was gonna turn the touring world upside down - they said = Venture and "Venture" to some of us varmints means V-4... Along with that announcement came the story that they (Yamaha) had left the design of the bike up to the USA "Star" riders - which, at the time meant very little to a few of us (me included) because the Gen-2 Venture was in fact a "Star" motorcycle and it was a V-4.. Personally,, I been riding these Ventures for a long long long time and I get VERY excited about em cause,,, well,, cause I love em and I love the V-4 part of em.. I also LOVE the V-Twins too though so dont miss understand any of this,, its just that for my touring needs,,, I have come to appreciate the V-4 performance and character.. I have never owned a 113 but have nephew (who thinks I am his Dad) who rides a Strat he bought from his brother who bought in brand new in 06 though and I have accumulated many miles on it = definitely a respectable,durable, AWESOME engine but one that, IMHO,, would fit me better in a Raider than the Strat and certainly not my type for "touring" but that is strickly my opinion.. Being a bone head full of for what I thought could possibly be in the touring bike history makings (thinking = +180 hp, water cooled, shaft drive, 6 speed, injected,fixed fairing, detachable bags, care less about radio or GPS (flaw in my character), mid ship controls, ergonomically designed for 2, R1 brakes or better and on and on = a REAL history maker touring bike that would spell nothing but BYE BYE for any competition on the road = the wife and I headed to the unveiling out in New York last year on our 83 Venture just to be there to watch history be made.. Long story short,,, after they introduced the Star Riders who actually designed the new Venture they pushed the buttons on the starters of the hidden bikes hiding off to the sides of the stage and,,,, POOF - thats when I knew I had misunderstood. I said "OHH POOP" a little to loud (people actually stared at me) - looked at Tip and said "Strat".. Sure enough.. My "OH POOP" did have a small side effect in that it caused me to be noticed by the wrong people and I ended up being used as target practice during the half time show as seen in the vid below.. After the unveiling, I did get to chat with some of the "Star" rider/designers who made it completely clear that from their perspective - the bike setting before them was EXACTLY what they were hoping for and what they asked for.. To them (and many many others) the "Venture" name held no sanctity for being a V-4 but more toward denoting "Touring".. Having now spent time riding the new Venture both 2 up and solo and getting to know it better,, I can certainly see why folks LOVE it - it is a GORGEOUS scoot.. Strangely enough,, I think if Mom Yam would have just named it a "Stratotourer" or something other than a "Venture" I think a lot of the confusion on behalf of bone heads like myself could have been avoided BUT,, on the same token,, what difference would that have really made?? ,, SPEAKING ABOUT YOUR NEW SCOOT,,, WANNA SEE INSIDE ITS MOTOR = SEE 2ND AND 3RD VIDS BELOW = WAYYYYY PRETTY:thumbsup:!
Cliffieg Posted March 7, 2018 #22 Posted March 7, 2018 Thanks for the warm welcome, CowPuc, I appreciate it! This looks to be a great crowd and I look forward to spending time here. ...and thanks for taking the time to explain to guys like me and Rich the perspective of someone who has been sitting on top of that V4 for years. Let's see if I kinda "get it": the mail-order bride Yamaha sent your way weighs about 75 lbs more than you'd expected, is 20 years older, and looks a little like a dude. ???
Russbug1 Posted March 7, 2018 #23 Posted March 7, 2018 So here's what happened Rich.. After waiting and waiting and waiting for Yamaha to update yesteryears little V-4 powered Venture with the new 1700cc injected V-4 V-Max motor,, some of us were THRILLED beyond words when we heard the announcement.. Yamaha's words were: The new Venture was coming and it was going to turn the touring world upside down!! They didnt say = the Stratoliner Tourer was coming and it was gonna turn the touring world upside down - they said = Venture and "Venture" to some of us varmints means V-4... Along with that announcement came the story that they (Yamaha) had left the design of the bike up to the USA "Star" riders - which, at the time meant very little to a few of us (me included) because the Gen-2 Venture was in fact a "Star" motorcycle and it was a V-4.. Personally,, I been riding these Ventures for a long long long time and I get VERY excited about em cause,,, well,, cause I love em and I love the V-4 part of em.. I also LOVE the V-Twins too though so dont miss understand any of this,, its just that for my touring needs,,, I have come to appreciate the V-4 performance and character.. I have never owned a 113 but have nephew (who thinks I am his Dad) who rides a Strat he bought from his brother who bought in brand new in 06 though and I have accumulated many miles on it = definitely a respectable,durable, AWESOME engine but one that, IMHO,, would fit me better in a Raider than the Strat and certainly not my type for "touring" but that is strickly my opinion.. Being a bone head full of for what I thought could possibly be in the touring bike history makings (thinking = +180 hp, water cooled, shaft drive, 6 speed, injected,fixed fairing, detachable bags, care less about radio or GPS (flaw in my character), mid ship controls, ergonomically designed for 2, R1 brakes or better and on and on = a REAL history maker touring bike that would spell nothing but BYE BYE for any competition on the road = the wife and I headed to the unveiling out in New York last year on our 83 Venture just to be there to watch history be made.. Long story short,,, after they introduced the Star Riders who actually designed the new Venture they pushed the buttons on the starters of the hidden bikes hiding off to the sides of the stage and,,,, POOF - thats when I knew I had misunderstood. I said "OHH POOP" a little to loud (people actually stared at me) - looked at Tip and said "Strat".. Sure enough.. My "OH POOP" did have a small side effect in that it caused me to be noticed by the wrong people and I ended up being used as target practice during the half time show as seen in the vid below.. After the unveiling, I did get to chat with some of the "Star" rider/designers who made it completely clear that from their perspective - the bike setting before them was EXACTLY what they were hoping for and what they asked for.. To them (and many many others) the "Venture" name held no sanctity for being a V-4 but more toward denoting "Touring".. Having now spent time riding the new Venture both 2 up and solo and getting to know it better,, I can certainly see why folks LOVE it - it is a GORGEOUS scoot.. Strangely enough,, I think if Mom Yam would have just named it a "Stratotourer" or something other than a "Venture" I think a lot of the confusion on behalf of bone heads like myself could have been avoided BUT,, on the same token,, what difference would that have really made?? ,, SPEAKING ABOUT YOUR NEW SCOOT,,, WANNA SEE INSIDE ITS MOTOR = SEE 2ND AND 3RD VIDS BELOW = WAYYYYY PRETTY:thumbsup:! I get it... there are folks who prefer the bagger style and other folks who like the touring style. I don't ride 10-20,000 miles every year. my wife and I like to go on one day 100-150 mile rides. so I have no need for a full touring bike. hence the reason I did not consider the Venture. not my cup of tea. I absolutely loved my Stratoliner. that was a fantastic and reliable motorcycle for 10 years! the only thing I did not like about it was the tank chrome trim. I even installed the fairing once they came out with it. after modding the ECU and adding aftermarket pipes, that was one fast bike. I believe the Star Eluder would keep up with the modded Strat and even outpace it in certain circumstances. and that is without any mods to the Eluder. that is how good this engine is stock. impressive! I could not ride the Stratoliner without my hands on the bars as it was heavy to one side. I can ride my Eluder at 80 with no hands on the bars and it rides straight all day. turning on the Stratoliner was tricky. I can turn on a dime with my Eluder. I never owned or drove the V4 Venture, so I cannot attest to its qualities. what I can attest to is that I am glad Yamaha finally came out with something after discontinuing the Stratoliner. and I think they hit a home run. are there things that need to be refined? a few minor things. but overall, a fantastic machine. Thanks, Rich : - )
Cliffieg Posted March 7, 2018 #24 Posted March 7, 2018 I own a black on black Eluder and have clocked 1200 miles. I also owned a Stratoliner for ten years. Everything about this bike is a big improvement over the Stratoliner. A super smooth ride with plenty of torque and horsepower. It is such a torque monster I never see a need to rev above 3500 RPM. And that is when I am pushing it. I have never hit the rev limiter. I highly recommend this bike. Rich :-) Thanks, Rich, that's what I was hoping to hear from a 'liner guy that has taken the plunge. I forgot to mention the tank capacity amongst the things that were shortcomings on the 'liner--glad to see Yamaha threw the kitchen sink at that one. Question: that Eluder seat looked to me like a one piece? I didn't think much of the 'liner stock seat and wound up on an Ultimate with a backrest, which has been FANTASTIC! If it *is* a once piece, wonder how that will impact the aftermarket seat options and cost. At this point I think I'd be leaning toward the Eluder. That trunk on the Venture is HUGE and I'd only need it on rare occasions. Only "goodies" I'd personally miss are heated grips and TPMS.
Russbug1 Posted March 7, 2018 #25 Posted March 7, 2018 Thanks, Rich, that's what I was hoping to hear from a 'liner guy that has taken the plunge. I forgot to mention the tank capacity amongst the things that were shortcomings on the 'liner--glad to see Yamaha threw the kitchen sink at that one. Question: that Eluder seat looked to me like a one piece? I didn't think much of the 'liner stock seat and wound up on an Ultimate with a backrest, which has been FANTASTIC! If it *is* a once piece, wonder how that will impact the aftermarket seat options and cost. At this point I think I'd be leaning toward the Eluder. That trunk on the Venture is HUGE and I'd only need it on rare occasions. Only "goodies" I'd personally miss are heated grips and TPMS. The tank capacity is a big plus... yesterday I averaged 40.5 mpg driving up to hills cruising at 70 and hammering the throttle occasionally. I rode with my wife 120 miles. Started with a full tank and made it home with a half tank. yes, the seat is a one piece and is heated... I have used it a few times and had to turn it down to the 1 setting because it works so well. You can run it all the way up to 10. You can also set the driver and passenger settings independently. I find the seat to be damn good for a stock setup, which is usually not the case. My 120 mile rides caused zero fatigue for both me and my wife. It provides decent driver back support, which I need as I am getting older. I contacted Mustang to see if they were designing a seat for the Eluder. They indicated no at this point. I had a Mustang seat on my Stratoliner and absolutely loved it. I keep hearing complaints from folks that the Venture lacks performance due to the extra weight. All I can attest to is the Eluder GT... it has plenty of power and loads of torque. If I wanted a race bike I would own a Hayabusa. But I don’t. I want a nice looking “get around town” and occasional “hit the hills” bike. And this bike does both very well! i have the GT package but no heated grips... I do have heated gloves that I used to use during colder rides. Heated grips would be cool. thanks, Rich :-)
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