3rd Gen Venture Converts.....Surprising.

[BigLenny]

Do y'all remember way back whenever the new 3rd Gen Venture was unveiled? We all started yackity yacking about what target customers Yamaha must have their eye on. There was a strong consensus that the recently abandoned Victory riders were most likely one of the main targets Yammy was going after. There was a number of us here that kept a close eye on the Vog.net Victory riders forum because there was a boat load of those folks pissed off, and they had a loooong thread going over there about how nice the new Venture was, and a bunch of them were saying the new Venture appears to be the bike that they had been waiting for Polaris to update the Vision to.

 

Well, we've been waiting and waiting for this great wagon train of Vic riders to come on over here and join our wonderful Yamaha Venture family, and it just hasn't happened. But, and this is a huge BUT, what has been so surprising is, it has been the Goldwing riders that have been making the change. I gotta tell ya, I for one have been floored to see all of our new family members that are coming from the Goldwing ranks. Who'da ever thunk it???

 

Big Lenny

[cowpuc]

I was out touring the Adrondack's going like this with my head with Tippy holding me down in Tweeks seat as I about what I had just seen at the new Venture unveiling at Lake George/Americade so I missed all the Victory stuff going on around here at the time Lenny..

I will say this though,, right after I made my initial "OHHH POOP" comment when they started the bikes off in the darkness before they pulled them up in front of us front row sitters I also looked at Tip and said "sounds like Jon's (nephew) Strat but when they pulled them up in front of us my thoughts on that comment changed and I told her - "It looks like Arlen Ness jumped ship from Victory - it has those lines!!"..

After we got home and got back here to the club house I do remember all the chit chat about the Victory likeness and all that and also spent some time following the abandoned by Polaris - Victory rider comments on the Victory sites and TOTALLY remember all the comments made about jumping ship to the Venture Lenny.. Matter of fact,, I was actually shocked to see/hear what seemed like more :Im not listening toon the Victory sites than that of our own about the new machine - definitely a lot of chat about possibly buying a new machine.. Now that you bring this up,,, I too wonder what happened to all that chat...

It didnt really occur to me to even bother watching the Honda sites back then so cant comment about that time frame on the Wing sites but,, when Honda announced this new Wing I immediately joined numerous Wing sites to follow along (especially knowing Honda was going 4 valve).. I can say that sense that time (I think that was Sept. or something of last fall) - I have with great enthuiasim watched it all unfold on those sites and seriously,, I have seen very little chat about disgruntled Wing riders even talking about moving over to the new Venture.. If anything,, IMHO - there seems to be a pretty strong push to latch onto left over pre 18 Wings y the disgruntled if anything...

Obviously I too share in your about what we are seeing with the movement from the Wing riders onto the new one... One thing about motorcycles and the people who ride em my friend,,, we are an unpredictable, amazing bunch of lop eared varmints... Personally,,, I am 100% enjoying the new company and making new friends no matter where they come from... Definitely exciting times and nothing is more fun than yakkin bikes!!!!!

[YamahaParExcellence]

I was out touring the Adrondack's going like this with my head with Tippy holding me down in Tweeks seat as I about what I had just seen at the new Venture unveiling at Lake George/Americade so I missed all the Victory stuff going on around here at the time Lenny..

I will say this though,, right after I made my initial "OHHH POOP" comment when they started the bikes off in the darkness before they pulled them up in front of us front row sitters I also looked at Tip and said "sounds like Jon's (nephew) Strat but when they pulled them up in front of us my thoughts on that comment changed and I told her - "It looks like Arlen Ness jumped ship from Victory - it has those lines!!"..

After we got home and got back here to the club house I do remember all the chit chat about the Victory likeness and all that and also spent some time following the abandoned by Polaris - Victory rider comments on the Victory sites and TOTALLY remember all the comments made about jumping ship to the Venture Lenny.. Matter of fact,, I was actually shocked to see/hear what seemed like more :Im not listening toon the Victory sites than that of our own about the new machine - definitely a lot of chat about possibly buying a new machine.. Now that you bring this up,,, I too wonder what happened to all that chat...

It didnt really occur to me to even bother watching the Honda sites back then so cant comment about that time frame on the Wing sites but,, when Honda announced this new Wing I immediately joined numerous Wing sites to follow along (especially knowing Honda was going 4 valve).. I can say that sense that time (I think that was Sept. or something of last fall) - I have with great enthuiasim watched it all unfold on those sites and seriously,, I have seen very little chat about disgruntled Wing riders even talking about moving over to the new Venture.. If anything,, IMHO - there seems to be a pretty strong push to latch onto left over pre 18 Wings y the disgruntled if anything...

Obviously I too share in your about what we are seeing with the movement from the Wing riders onto the new one... One thing about motorcycles and the people who ride em my friend,,, we are an unpredictable, amazing bunch of lop eared varmints... Personally,,, I am 100% enjoying the new company and making new friends no matter where they come from... Definitely exciting times and nothing is more fun than yakkin bikes!!!!!

 

I just about spewed my coffee at that foul mouthed, standing on his soap box icon...that is one of the funniest icons, I have ever seen on the Net, and I am still laughing as I type this! What a hoot!

 

I think what...that there are at least 5 of us, that now are SVTC owners..that jumped ship from their Wings? I think so...around 5....so far that have come clean....

Edited April 27, 2018 by YamahaParExcellence

[ChiefGunner]

I just about spewed my coffee at that foul mouthed, standing on his soap box icon...that is one of the funniest icons, I have ever seen on the Net, and I am still laughing as I type this! What a hoot!

 

I think what...that there are at least 5 of us, that now are SVTC owners..that jumped ship from their Wings? I think so...around 5....so far that have come clean....

 

Welcome to the LIGHT! Congrats on breaking your cookie cutter mold!

[NOHAWG]

I am one of the former Victory riders who switched. I've ridden a Vision for 10 years, and until now there was not another bike on the planet that could hold a candle to it. After Polaris dropped the bomb on us Vic owners (and the dealers) I test rode the Venture in Florida in February, came back to North Dakota and bought the first Venture to hit the dealer showroom. It is the only bike with even more comfort, luggage capacity, and premium features than the Vision has had for a decade. I've got only 150 miles on so far, but I love it...and more importantly, my WIFE loves it. Nice part is, I didn't have to have my winged "V" tattoo inked over! This is my 5th Yamaha over the years, and it is the finest bike I've ever ridden. I compared it to the HD Ultra Classic and the Indian Roadmaster. No contest! Can't wait to put on some real miles. My only disappointment is finding out I need to spend $300 for a valve adjustment every 15,000 miles. I had 40,000 on the Vision with nothing required but an oil change.

[ChiefGunner]

I am one of the former Victory riders who switched. I've ridden a Vision for 10 years, and until now there was not another bike on the planet that could hold a candle to it. After Polaris dropped the bomb on us Vic owners (and the dealers) I test rode the Venture in Florida in February, came back to North Dakota and bought the first Venture to hit the dealer showroom. It is the only bike with even more comfort, luggage capacity, and premium features than the Vision has had for a decade. I've got only 150 miles on so far, but I love it...and more importantly, my WIFE loves it. Nice part is, I didn't have to have my winged "V" tattoo inked over! This is my 5th Yamaha over the years, and it is the finest bike I've ever ridden. I compared it to the HD Ultra Classic and the Indian Roadmaster. No contest! Can't wait to put on some real miles. My only disappointment is finding out I need to spend $300 for a valve adjustment every 15,000 miles. I had 40,000 on the Vision with nothing required but an oil change.

 

I agree with you 100%! Style, amenities, comfort, performance... what a dream!

Got 5k miles on my baby!

[YamahaParExcellence]

Welcome to the LIGHT! Congrats on breaking your cookie cutter mold!

 

Yep, the 2018 SVTC is everything I have ever wanted across all my other past bikes...rolled up into one. Frame style and riding mandate. Electronics and communication tech/entertaiment, luxury and comfort. It will handle sport riding. It will handle grand tour (its strongest strength)...man, it will handle----->everything. Same purchase attraction and requirements as you, Chief. Probably my reasons, are the same for our whole tribe... We need Patch Colors---> The S.V.T.C. Road Rider's Association

 

Oh yeah...wouldn't the GWRRA crinkle in their pants! LOL Our first Convention....and I nominate the following name in place of Wing Ding...all getting together for a STAR-esSCAPE. , for our own motto, will be 'The world's roadways are yours to ride, and all under YOUR OWN--->STAR-esCAPE!'

 

Yep, that sounds classy! There we go....

 

The first one should be in Boise, Idaho at the convention centre. Pssst...pass the word...first week of July...lol!

 

We need to get J&M there, Show Chrome, Arai, and a ton of other Sponsors....tour clothing manufacturers, mom and pop shops... Yeah...ride to our STAR-esSCAPE '18 - We party in Boise, and get Noisy!

 

By the way, folks..all said in jest...there is no actual event,...FYI.

 

 

Joe

Edited April 28, 2018 by YamahaParExcellence

[YamahaParExcellence]

I am one of the former Victory riders who switched. I've ridden a Vision for 10 years, and until now there was not another bike on the planet that could hold a candle to it. After Polaris dropped the bomb on us Vic owners (and the dealers) I test rode the Venture in Florida in February, came back to North Dakota and bought the first Venture to hit the dealer showroom. It is the only bike with even more comfort, luggage capacity, and premium features than the Vision has had for a decade. I've got only 150 miles on so far, but I love it...and more importantly, my WIFE loves it. Nice part is, I didn't have to have my winged "V" tattoo inked over! This is my 5th Yamaha over the years, and it is the finest bike I've ever ridden. I compared it to the HD Ultra Classic and the Indian Roadmaster. No contest! Can't wait to put on some real miles. My only disappointment is finding out I need to spend $300 for a valve adjustment every 15,000 miles. I had 40,000 on the Vision with nothing required but an oil change.

 

Impressive story...glad you joined our young and growing club...and you're lucky you already have tour wear that has something associated with V-enture. Try to find really good quality Yamaha corporate, or anything patches on tour jackets already, or to just get good quality patches from your Yamaha Dealer. Good luck! I'm looking at making some up, designing them, and then having a sew shop, create them on their computerized sewing machines. I actually might create for now, a fictitious S.V.R.R.A patch. Why? Because I think down the road...this bike in the next decade, will get the same following and tribe loyalty as the prior Gold Wing did...only a matter of time. If this year..critical...introduction year, proves to be stellar amongst we first adopters...it will lift like a Saturn rocket. I've had a pretty good nose-to-the-ground in the past...and this bike, will be the one to keep the eye on. It just has everything that any sort of dedicated and experienced touring rider would want, the liquid this, or the air cool that, set to the dust in the rear view mirror.... One thing is for sure, we will never be sitting on the side of the road, because a critical component that cools our engine, and the engine can not run without it...hoses, water pumps, stone holes in radiators, will have us sitting on the side of the road. We have the entire planet's atmosphere, as our cooling source...it's free, it never corrodes the system, never need to swap it out at further cost..it's over every road you will run...and you never have the chance of it leaking out upon the road... Good times-----ahead! Gimme that road...I can't wait!

 

BTW, while coffee-induced typing, please let me make you feel better about spending perhaps only $200.00 for a Yamaha dealer valve check, or even if for that. They only have to take the tank off...the two valve/head covers off.. take of the cam timing cover, so you can line up the TDC marks, and it's so dang easy...have done it all my life...for the SVTC has no bucket and shim valve set-up! THAT's what takes the time...you only need three items...a feeler gauge that every backyard motorcycle rider has had since 1968....one metric box wrench, and a screw driver...that's it...for they are rockers. Hooray! Bucket and Shim..having to take off and lift out your cams...that's what's a PITA! That's the set up on my Kawasaki ZR7S. Yeah..we need to let them (a dealer) do it for the first five years to satisfy Yamaha Warranty requirements,..but after that...heck...2 hours (or less!) total, from RE and RE. Then...another 15,000 miles...so perhaps, perhaps if you are a high-miler...once a year...2 hours inside your own garage.

Edited April 28, 2018 by YamahaParExcellence

[Guest NNY]

I am one of the former Victory riders who switched. I've ridden a Vision for 10 years, and until now there was not another bike on the planet that could hold a candle to it. After Polaris dropped the bomb on us Vic owners (and the dealers) I test rode the Venture in Florida in February, came back to North Dakota and bought the first Venture to hit the dealer showroom. It is the only bike with even more comfort, luggage capacity, and premium features than the Vision has had for a decade. I've got only 150 miles on so far, but I love it...and more importantly, my WIFE loves it. Nice part is, I didn't have to have my winged "V" tattoo inked over! This is my 5th Yamaha over the years, and it is the finest bike I've ever ridden. I compared it to the HD Ultra Classic and the Indian Roadmaster. No contest! Can't wait to put on some real miles. My only disappointment is finding out I need to spend $300 for a valve adjustment every 15,000 miles. I had 40,000 on the Vision with nothing required but an oil change.

 

I to am coming off a Vision a 12 with 58,000 on, it was a great ride but I really liked my Venture from the moment I sat on it at Laconia last year. There are a lot of former Victory owners ( both Vision &Cross bikes) on various new FaceBook Venture/Eluder sites they just haven’t all made the jump over here yet. A larger site for your Vic owners was the VMC and still is, on the VMC many have moved to Venture or new Wing and the Indian RM, a few to HD also.

Love my Venture.....