Zelthian

From some testing, it would seem the 7-pin connector on the 2018 Venture is the same as the current HD 7-pin. FYI: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?135681-Sena-Freewire-works-on-the-2018-Venture

I'm a guy what likes a bluetooth headset for my helmet. Last season I bought a pair of Sena 30Ks for me and my son. I didn't know then that the Venture only had wired headset support, but I did know this before I bought the bike. I had a couple of J&M headsets in the queue to purchase. During our club kickoff party this year, one of my club buds told me he got a Sena Freewire for his Harley (newer model, 2017 I think). I didn't think much of that until I started doing the research on the J&M headsets. I noticed something peculiar: The part number for the connection cable for the newer Harleys is HC-ZYH, while the part number for the Venture is YHC-ZYH. Both are seven pin. That got me to thinking... Could they be the same cable? Was the "Y" at the beginning of the Venture cable just there to denote that it's only sold through Yamaha? So I did the only thing a geek like me could do: I called my friend and asked him to meet me to test his Freewire on my bike. Bottom line: IT WORKS. If you're interested, you need the Sena Freewire for Harley-Davidson, part # FREEWIRE-01. Sena Link: https://www.sena.com/product/freewire/ Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Sena-FreeWire-Bluetooth-Motorcycle-Communication/dp/B01M2CCJ8D

Yes, but I had the same experience on my old bike, so I'm used to it.

I experienced some weird upper-back pain the first day and a half that I rode mine. That's when I realized they had assembled the bike with the handlebars rotated pretty far down, as I couldn't see all the buttons. I rotated the handlebars up to where they seemed better suited to my riding position and I could see all the buttons. Lo and behold, no more back pain.

Grand Prix did me a solid today. I went to pick up a few things I ordered with the bike and somehow the trunk liner bag was left off the list (though the parts guy I worked with remembered me requesting it). The parts guys swore they couldn't find it on the parts list. I brought up the Yamaha site on my phone, went to the Venture accessories and got the part number for the bag. Turns out, in their system, it shows up as a valid accessory for the Venture, but not for the Venture TC. As a customer courtesy, they ordered me up one, no charge. I put about 160 miles on the bike today. I'll put another 170 or so on it Saturday, and it'll almost be time for the break-in service.

Thanks for the warm welcome everybody! I picked up mine at Grand Prix Motorsports in Littleton, CO. I bought my previous bike from them as well, and I have a good relationship with the guys there. If you go in looking for a Venture in the future (give them a week or so to get another one in), tell The Birdman that Mike sent ya!

I'll do a full write-up once I have more miles on her (just 100 so far in the first day), but I'd like to share a few things. I did a test-ride before I bought it. I was very nervous because of how heavy the bike is (I traded in a 2011 Victory Cross Roads) and I was concerned about being able to handle it at low speed. I was VERY surprised at how well balanced the bike is. You can feel the weight when you start to bring it up off the kickstand, but it subsides pretty quickly. Low speed isn't a problem even with a passenger (I've ridden with my son). But the best surprise: accelerating from a stop is EFFORTLESS. The bike doesn't move like it weighs over 950 pounds. The torque expresses itself in a way that makes the bike seem much lighter than it is. Power delivery is very smooth. The bike does give off heat at a stop. It's still cool here in the Denver area (highs in the 50s, near 60), so the heat isn't a problem so far, and as soon as you start moving it goes away. Judging from my experience with the Cross Roads, it's not that much more than I'm used to. The reports of all the power being in the low band are true. I'm still in break-in, so I'm not pushing it, but it really likes to be down in the 1800-2500 (ish) RPM range. Folks who are used to revving their engines during acceleration up to 4000 rpm and beyond will feel like they're short-shifting, but that's just how the bike is designed. Stay in that range, and the bike just does what you want with no effort. It should be noted for the technology-challenged that this bike comes with a completely separate infotainment system manual (not available online to download from what I could find). It's fairly straight-forward, but that's coming from the perspective of a guy who is pretty well-adjusted to technology. Side Note: This is my first bike with heated seats and grips. I'm kicking myself for not having them sooner.

Sales guy snapped the picture before I had a chance to smile, but still... Any excuse to get out on it...