Test ride impressions

[garyk]

Hi All,

 

Wife and I rode the SVTC today.

 

I think it's a terrific motorcycle, but it's not going to be my motorcycle. I'm going with the 2018 Gold Wing DCT/Airbag to which I'm adding Traxxion Dynamic front/rear shocks.

 

I've been riding a 2006 FJR since it was new. Wife can no longer ride that comfortably--too sporty--so we've ridden the BMW Grand America (also too sporty, a sport-tourer in cruiser drag), the Gold Wing, and today the new Star Venture TC.

 

The TC is an awesome machine, and the fact that Yamaha got so much right on a brand-new motorcycle model is amazing. Wife thought it very comfortable, on a par with the Gold Wing, although she thought it was a bit noisy. At stock settings there was virtually no wind or buffeting in the cockpit. Wife and I were able to converse quite comfortably even with full-face helmets and no intercoms, which I thought that was remarkable. We weren't on a long ride--maybe twenty minutes freeway and street combined, but for that short interval the seating position was fine, as was the seat. The transmission was crisp and sure, and finding neutral was no problem at all. Gauges were well laid out and easy to read. The suspension soaks up pavement irregularities (although not nearly as well as the Gold Wing), and the bike stays on track. There was just a hint of vagueness in the steering, but that's an observation, not a criticism. It's a half-ton cruiser.

 

Engine heat from the air-cooled twin is a non-issue. There was considerably less heat than the heat from the FJR's water-cooled 4. I can't explain about the heat complaints. Maybe because I've had over a decade getting my left calf roasted by the FJR and have grown inured to it, the SVTC's heat just wasn't a big deal.

 

The riding: I thought the SVTC was big. I mean, I know it's big--nearly a thousand pounds--but to me it felt big. Really, really big. Massive. And I didn't like the constant vibration in the tank, which was there all the time and at all speeds, vibrating my legs as they straddled the tank. I'm sure that's in part natural to big twins, on which I don't have a lot of time, but I just didn't like it. It was distracting. I kept trying to reposition my legs, and there wasn't anywhere else for them to go.

 

I don't like that it has no center-stand. At the bike shop--Yamaha of Pasadena--they said that the bike is just too big and too low for a center-stand. Maybe that's so, but I've come to appreciate and want a center-stand.

 

For me, riding the SVTC just wasn't any fun. I felt like I was riding on an elephant.

 

I do hope it does well. It's a fabulous highway bike. It just wasn't my highway bike.

Edited May 13, 2018 by garyk

[American]

Hi All,

 

Wife and I rode the SVTC today.

 

I think it's a terrific motorcycle. But it's not going to be my motorcycle. I'm going with the 2018 Gold Wing DCT/Airbag and adding Traxxion Dynamic front/rear shocks.

 

I've been riding a 2006 FJR since it was new. My wife can no longer ride that comfortably--too sporty--so we've looked at the BMW Grand America (also too sporty, a sport-tourer in cruiser drag), the Gold Wing, and today the new Star Venture TC.

 

The TC is an awesome machine, and the fact that Yamaha got so much right on a brand-new motorcycle model is amazing. My wife thought it very comfortable, on a par with the Gold Wing, although she thought it was a bit noisy. At stock settings there was virtually no wind or buffeting in the cockpit. My wife and I were able to converse quite comfortably even with full-face helmets and no intercoms, which I thought that was remarkable. We weren't on a long ride--maybe twenty minutes freeway and street combined, but the seating position was fine, as was the seat. The transmission was crisp and sure, and finding neutral was no problem at all. Gauges were well laid out and easy to read. The suspension soaks up pavement irregularities, and the bike stays on track. There was just a hint of vagueness in the steering, but that's an observation, not a criticism. It's a half-ton cruiser.

 

The heat is a non-issue. There was considerably less heat than the heat from the FJR's water-cooled 4. I can't explain about the heat complaints. Maybe because I've had over a decade getting my left calf roasted by the FJR and have grown inured, but the SVTC's heat just wasn't a big deal.

 

The riding: I thought the SVTC was big. I mean, I know it's big--nearly a thousand pounds--but to me it felt big. Really, really big. Massive. And I didn't like the constant vibration in the tank, which was there all the time and at all speeds, vibrating my legs as they straddled the tank. I'm sure that's in part natural to big twins, on which I don't have a lot of time, but I just didn't like it. It was distracting. I kept trying to reposition my legs, and there wasn't anywhere else for them to go.

 

I don't like that it has no center-stand. At the bike shop--Yamaha of Pasadena--they said that the bike is just too big and too low for a center-stand. Maybe so, but I've come to appreciate and want a center-stand.

 

For me, riding the SVTC just wasn't any fun. I felt like I was riding on an elephant.

 

I do hope it does well. It's a fabulous highway bike. It just wasn't my highway bike.

 

Enjoy the GoldWing Tour, I looked at them but the Honda dealers around me don't want to deal and by deal I mean they don't want to take a trade in, I am not interested in trying to sell a bike myself but the Dealer in town would not even talk to me, the dealer two counties north of me flat out told me they were not interested in doing business with me.

 

My old bike was a beautiful 2016 Harley Davidson Ultra Limited Low, so I ended up at the Yamaha dealer one country north of me and they were very happy to make a deal and take my Harley in on trade. The same dealer where I live that sells Honda's also sell Yamaha's so there was no way I was doing business with them either way.

 

Get that Traxxion Dynamic front/rear shocks package ASAP when you get the bike, my understanding is Honda has made the suspension so soft and so under dampened that is causes the tires both front and rear to start cupping right away.

 

While I liked the 2018 GoldWing Tour I am rather glad the Honda dealers did not want to sell me their bike, now that I have the Yamaha I don't think I could have lived with the lack of storage the Honda has. It is a must for our helmets to fit in the trunk as they are Arai Corsair X helmets with Sena 30K bluetooth intercoms so they are about a $900 dollars worth of helmet/intercoms. Our helmets did just barley fit into the GoldWing trunk but it was so tight they would have gotten scratched up and no way was I about to hang those helmets on the external helmet locks Honda put on the GoldWing Tour.

 

The Star Venture trunk swallows both helmets with room to spare and the saddle bags are large as well.

 

Personally I think Honda a made a big mistake with the direction they have taken the GoldWing Tour While it has some cool new tech i.e. the suspension and the dual clutch transmission removing so much storage was a huge step backwards. I also don't think I could swallow having to upgrade the front and rear suspension to the tune of $799.95 for the front shock and $849.95 for the rear shock plus labor to install for total of over $2,000 dollars on top of the price of the bike.

 

The Honda also uses two tie rods one of which is redundant in case the main tie rod fails. These tie rods have been found to be going out of spec with very few miles on the bike, the spec from Honda is only 5mm of play before the tie rod is considered out of spec by Honda.

 

Not trying to scare you but you really do need to do a lot of research on the new GoldWing Tour before you pull the trigger. Traxxion Dynamic has a video about the tie rods and the play issue in them but they have no solution for the issue. It seems some bikes are starting out at the 5mm of play which all falls into Hondas specs but that leaves no room for wear.

 

Being a new model with so much brand new tech it might be wise to hold off a year and see if Honda fixes some of these issues.

 

I know the Yamaha Star Venture is a brand new bike as well but Yamaha is using tried and true suspension technology that has been used for years and is very well sorted out. I think the biggest issue with the Star Venture if anything pops up will be the new entertainment system but that is normally fixed with software updates.

 

If you do go ahead with the 2018 GoldWing Tour I hope you enjoy it and keep us informed on how it works out for you.

[garyk]

Enjoy the GoldWing Tour, I looked at them but the Honda dealers around me don't want to deal and by deal I mean they don't want to take a trade in, I am not interested in trying to sell a bike myself but the Dealer in town would not even talk to me, the dealer two counties north of me flat out told me they were not interested in doing business with me.

 

My old bike was a beautiful 2016 Harley Davidson Ultra Limited Low, so I ended up at the Yamaha dealer one country north of me and they were very happy to make a deal and take my Harley in on trade. The same dealer where I live that sells Honda's also sell Yamaha's so there was no way I was doing business with them either way.

 

Get that Traxxion Dynamic front/rear shocks package ASAP when you get the bike, my understanding is Honda has made the suspension so soft and so under dampened that is causes the tires both front and rear to start cupping right away.

 

While I liked the 2018 GoldWing Tour I am rather glad the Honda dealers did not want to sell me their bike, now that I have the Yamaha I don't think I could have lived with the lack of storage the Honda has. It is a must for our helmets to fit in the trunk as they are Arai Corsair X helmets with Sena 30K bluetooth intercoms so they are about a $900 dollars worth of helmet/intercoms. Our helmets did just barley fit into the GoldWing trunk but it was so tight they would have gotten scratched up and no way was I about to hang those helmets on the external helmet locks Honda put on the GoldWing Tour.

 

The Star Venture trunk swallows both helmets with room to spare and the saddle bags are large as well.

 

Personally I think Honda a made a big mistake with the direction they have taken the GoldWing Tour While it has some cool new tech i.e. the suspension and the dual clutch transmission removing so much storage was a huge step backwards. I also don't think I could swallow having to upgrade the front and rear suspension to the tune of $799.95 for the front shock and $849.95 for the rear shock plus labor to install for total of over $2,000 dollars on top of the price of the bike.

 

The Honda also uses two tie rods one of which is redundant in case the main tie rod fails. These tie rods have been found to be going out of spec with very few miles on the bike, the spec from Honda is only 5mm of play before the tie rod is considered out of spec by Honda.

 

Not trying to scare you but you really do need to do a lot of research on the new GoldWing Tour before you pull the trigger. Traxxion Dynamic has a video about the tie rods and the play issue in them but they have no solution for the issue. It seems some bikes are starting out at the 5mm of play which all falls into Hondas specs but that leaves no room for wear.

 

Being a new model with so much brand new tech it might be wise to hold off a year and see if Honda fixes some of these issues.

 

I know the Yamaha Star Venture is a brand new bike as well but Yamaha is using tried and true suspension technology that has been used for years and is very well sorted out. I think the biggest issue with the Star Venture if anything pops up will be the new entertainment system but that is normally fixed with software updates.

 

If you do go ahead with the 2018 GoldWing Tour I hope you enjoy it and keep us informed on how it works out for you.

 

I agree with a lot--well, almost all--of what you say. Honda's decisions to decrease seating room, fuel capacity, and storage capacity are simply goofy. There's no other word for it. When has a motorcycle rider ever complained about having too much room, too much range, or too much storage? That all being said, the Gold Wing is primarily for my wife to be able to ride with me, and we will not be making long trips, so the lack of storage and decreased range are not deal breakers for me, plus I will be keeping the FJR for solo riding. Wife is comfortable on the back despite the decrease in seating room, so that's also okay. The Traxxion Dynamic shocks are on order, and as I am having the dealer put on a bunch of GW accessories, the tupperware will already be off the bike, so the dealer has agreed to stick the new shocks in there as part of the deal. IOW, I won't have to pay anything extra for labor on the TD shocks. According to people on the GW forum, the tie-rods are not turning out to be a problem for those who have put some miles on their GWs. Fingers-crossed, but I also bought the extended warranty, so worse-comes-to-worst, there will either be a recall of that part or I will have it replaced under warranty, hopefully with an upgraded part.

 

Thanks very much for the caution and the warning. Once I get the bike and put a few miles on it, I'll post about it here.

[YamahaParExcellence]

Hi All,

 

 

For me, riding the SVTC just wasn't any fun. I felt like I was riding on an elephant.

 

I do hope it does well. It's a fabulous highway bike. It just wasn't my highway bike.

 

Interesting, as I came from the exact opposite opinion. I left a 2008 Wing, (owned five of them) because I found them boring, the ride sterile, and in riding my new SVTC home the 120 miles from the dealer on day of delivery, I had the most fun, and engaged ride, in sound, feel, breath of road feel , that over four decades and a half, aboard five different model year Wings, did not provide. It just goes to show...we all can ride a bike, and come towards it from all 360 degrees of personal need and expectation, and either a delivery of it, or not, will occur for all.

 

Enjoy your Wing. Every one of our five always got us there. Your's will, too!

 

Joe

[cowpuc]

Hi All,

 

Wife and I rode the SVTC today.

 

I think it's a terrific motorcycle, but it's not going to be my motorcycle. I'm going with the 2018 Gold Wing DCT/Airbag to which I'm adding Traxxion Dynamic front/rear shocks.

 

I've been riding a 2006 FJR since it was new. Wife can no longer ride that comfortably--too sporty--so we've ridden the BMW Grand America (also too sporty, a sport-tourer in cruiser drag), the Gold Wing, and today the new Star Venture TC.

 

The TC is an awesome machine, and the fact that Yamaha got so much right on a brand-new motorcycle model is amazing. Wife thought it very comfortable, on a par with the Gold Wing, although she thought it was a bit noisy. At stock settings there was virtually no wind or buffeting in the cockpit. Wife and I were able to converse quite comfortably even with full-face helmets and no intercoms, which I thought that was remarkable. We weren't on a long ride--maybe twenty minutes freeway and street combined, but for that short interval the seating position was fine, as was the seat. The transmission was crisp and sure, and finding neutral was no problem at all. Gauges were well laid out and easy to read. The suspension soaks up pavement irregularities (although not nearly as well as the Gold Wing), and the bike stays on track. There was just a hint of vagueness in the steering, but that's an observation, not a criticism. It's a half-ton cruiser.

 

Engine heat from the air-cooled twin is a non-issue. There was considerably less heat than the heat from the FJR's water-cooled 4. I can't explain about the heat complaints. Maybe because I've had over a decade getting my left calf roasted by the FJR and have grown inured to it, the SVTC's heat just wasn't a big deal.

 

The riding: I thought the SVTC was big. I mean, I know it's big--nearly a thousand pounds--but to me it felt big. Really, really big. Massive. And I didn't like the constant vibration in the tank, which was there all the time and at all speeds, vibrating my legs as they straddled the tank. I'm sure that's in part natural to big twins, on which I don't have a lot of time, but I just didn't like it. It was distracting. I kept trying to reposition my legs, and there wasn't anywhere else for them to go.

 

I don't like that it has no center-stand. At the bike shop--Yamaha of Pasadena--they said that the bike is just too big and too low for a center-stand. Maybe that's so, but I've come to appreciate and want a center-stand.

 

For me, riding the SVTC just wasn't any fun. I felt like I was riding on an elephant.

 

I do hope it does well. It's a fabulous highway bike. It just wasn't my highway bike.

 

Gary,,, is there a chance you could tell us what kind of ambient tempts you were running in and whether or not you were successful in aquiring some stop and go backed up traffic like you went looking for to test the Venture's capabilities in heat management in real life touring occurences??

Having not had the opportunity to shake down one of the new Wings yet I still have that testing to look forward to so my opinion on the Wing is pointless BUT,, for all the good/bad/ugly I have read about it, I truly think you are in for some AWESOME riding out there and wish exactly that for you! Please hang around and keep us updated as you and your new bike get out chasing the front wheel!!

[garyk]

Gary,,, is there a chance you could tell us what kind of ambient tempts you were running in and whether or not you were successful in aquiring some stop and go backed up traffic like you went looking for to test the Venture's capabilities in heat management in real life touring occurences??

Having not had the opportunity to shake down one of the new Wings yet I still have that testing to look forward to so my opinion on the Wing is pointless BUT,, for all the good/bad/ugly I have read about it, I truly think you are in for some AWESOME riding out there and wish exactly that for you! Please hang around and keep us updated as you and your new bike get out chasing the front wheel!!

 

Sure. It wasn't a long ride--20 minutes; it was 80F, and we were in stop-and-go traffic on CA210 for about three miles. It was warm, but not hot.

 

I'm not sure when the Gold Wing will be delivered--probably a couple of weeks. I'll post my impressions.