YamahaParExcellence

A most excellent take on the final cool vector. Well stated!

Thank you, WRIDR. Perhaps I could fit you into the top tour trunk...might be a little cramped...my wife likes to take three pairs of shoes; "well...we MIGHT be going here, Hon...we MIGHT be going there...and I want to feel comfortable, when walking, or to match my outfit". So, if you don't mind perhaps a shoe wedged into your lower back, you are most welcome to be packed aboard! Oh...just move the binoculars down below the bag of red licorice. Or, you can use that as a pillow! We pack for the long haul! I hope you have good kidneys...because the SVTC's gas tank capacity...is BAD A**!

Yep...I gather you mean, Body Counts, Carl~? Alterations will be made to the motorcycle, I er...predict by around 16:30 hours, either on Monday, or Tuesday, next Carl. "My dear mother loved friends and family ALWAYS, around the kitchen table every Friday afternoon, night and all Saturday. I grew up with that de facto. She was also a world traveler, after my father passed away, that lived to experience what's around the---> next bend. This Charlotte, (her namesake) will have her spirit aboard, constantly, Carl. I felt her presence aboard the GL1500SE, the GL1800, and now in her new reincarnation, on board shortly, the SVTC! I raise a glass of wine to my mother's memory....born July 13th, 1922, and left this life, and family on March 8th, 2000. The SVTC's 'christening' will be held soon after I get her home...with installation of the bike's nameplate; Charlotte placed on the aft top of the tour trunk. It was there for the GL1500, the GL1800, and will be also, for the Star Venture Trans Continental, Carl. Since the year 2000, we are a trio of riders...I control and steer the bike, my wife is my 'rear', and my mother is now flying as our Guardian Angel, out in front, and above. You go, Mom!" Long live all Mothers and Fathers,...a precious resource to be treasured! They leave us all too soon... Mother's Day is coming..., you always loved red roses...and of course...'Charlotte' is the color, red, as red as I remember our back yard flower gardens, and the scent of them...(smile)! The ones you always ranked on me to NOT let that dang football roll on through. "Yeah mom...still remember that, and wince!" "Happy Mother's Day, for when it comes, Ma" Your son, Joe.

Guys, I have to ask this...or maybe I really am getting old...but on a 90 plus day...I have to ask myself, WOULD I, even want to be out on a bike, wearing a helmet, etc...at that outside air temperature. Frankly, I'd rather be in an air-conditioned car! Do Texan riders really on a regular basis...ride around in that kind of brutal heat...and I can only imagine what the humidex kicks up the 'real feel' to!

What's going to be real bad...in Canada...is as we get out there, this summer...and spend time on talking points, some of those, will want one...and then go to their local Yama Mama dealer...and get turned right off...and quickly, for being told, WE HAVE NONE TO SELL TO YOU!

Guys, how loud is that alarm...what type of alert sound does it give off...and do you feel that if your SVTC was in the parking lot of a motel or hotel, that sounding off, would draw attention, and/or scare away those that caused it to light up?

Be careful...if you should see one in the wild...I swear, one can stand with a coffee, sip away, and move your eyes left to right, right to left...and think you are in the Louvre...lol. Yamaha did a fantastic job on the flow metric. I personally, have never seen a nicer looking bike. Everybody is right, they borrowed from many design flows, on the 60's and 70's muscle cars. It's easy to see, when you can stand midships...and move your eyes back and forth. Keep your cheque book at home....'cause I warned ya....lol!

Thank you very much, Puc...the first thing I'm going to do...is christen her with about 3 pounds of Mother's finest...

Oh yeah...about three months ago...SHE WAS SO, DONE! LOL. Bless her heart! Joe

I certainly will...I'll give a hoot n' holler as we/or I, ride by...

Thank you very much! Thank you! I have had really great bikes over the years...and five of them were solid Gold Wings, that never broke down, they ran, until they were traded in after many thousands of miles, for the next. But, to tell you the truth, by the time I ordered and took delivery of the 2000 model year, GL1500SE (the jaguar racing green with the gold fleck in the paint) they were like, well...well...driving a car ,but with two wheels. There simply wasn't anything exciting about them. They were just solid tour mounts that would get you there, no problem. There was just no rider/motorcycle blending. Dead smooth, dead quiet, dead, dead. That's why I bought in 2004 actually, my Sport Tour 750 4 Kawasaki ZR7S. I wanted to FEEL a bike under me, the sensations that were once there, in my '72 Triumph Bonneville, my 500 cc Suzuki Titan, my Kawasaki 500cc, my '73 Kawasaki Z1 900 (the original...and THAT was a bike, lordy!) In 1975, I bought the first model year Honda Gold Wing, and like I said, over the years...I finished with the 2008 GL1800 Premium Sound/Nav. So...what was I looking for in 2018? Well...you go, with what you know...and yes, I was probably going to buy my last Wing...the 2018...but, I thought it would STILL be a Wing...and not (sorry) having dropped into the ST-(Sport's Tour) lineup. So, that was out. We needed comfort amenities, and luggage/storage capacity. That killed off the 2018 'Wing' as a contender for the Grand Touring Mount, coin. In hindsight...I DO believe that there ARE some un-seen breaks, for all. I had long wanted more rider involvement...but nothing out there fit the bill...from anybody...for a Grand Tour. The closest was BMW, but, did not want to own the brand cost/reliability/regular maintenance/sparse dealer network. I knew that Yamaha didn't have what I wanted...(did not even see the 2018 SVTC coming...was blindsided by this bike!)...so didn't see options,but to keep our trusty, but long-in-the-tooth, 2008 Wing Then...that fateful day upon YouTube the first of last October I saw the SVTC Reveal video, and my eyes popped right out of their sockets. As it drove up onto the stage...and the M.C. started handing over to the subordinates to espouse the feature set of this magnificent Tour,...my eyes glazed over...and I yelled for my wife to come and view this video. The rest...is history. We scoured YouTube for every video on it. We scoured all motorcycle sites for any review of it....watched the great magazine rider's trip from Boise to Flat Lake...and we talked together about the features I LIKED, and about the features SHE LIKED (oh man..I knew this was an easy sell) for her list was three times mine...lol Heated back cushions, multi level of heat choices, two height co-rider foot boards, dual zone (SHE LOVED THIS...gawd!!!!!) entertainment and communication independent of each other. On and on...did her list go...massive storage, gawd, she LOVED THAT...women LOVE--->storage capacity! The next day, we started calling in the G.T.A. (Greater Toronto Area) Yama Mama dealers...and settled upon one outside the G.T.A. The rest you all know...ordered in October...and will soon have it rolling down the 401 toward's Toronto, this coming Monday or Tuesday! Folks, this bike, is of course not for everyone. There is no General Mold that pops us all out. I get that...and we should all get that. What does this bike do for me, in a nutshell? It gives me back the 'emotional' factor of riding my 650 Triumph Bonneville of old...it gives back the KNOWING that you have a strong, powerful mill down below decks by sound, and rumble. It reminds you because of the natural warmth of combustion....that limbers you in the warmer months, that literally warms you in the cooler Spring and Fall....and the bike has every feature, combined, that has ever been on any of my previous bikes, but with now... even much more! It all gets put together,----> in the One Ring that Rules Them All Cheers, friends...yes...I am 16 years old right now as I type this...I am (yes!) excited beyond all get out...for the bike IS EXCITING, and generates within you that emotional response, at least for myself, and,... I think once my wife is upon it, later next week, she will 'GET' why I traded in a perfectly good, and perfectly running 2008 Honda Gold Wing. I believe that she will get it, right between the eyes, lol. The sound of the pipes, as I leave off from a red light...the rumble felt throughout her seat, but only enough to engage her....that great in-house Yamaha Sound System...yep...I believe she will understand why it was time to let the Gold Wing go....and close the Honda era associated with them. Goodbye Honda, Hello Yamaha....new adventures await...for Charlotte the Third, and the two Souls that will be aboard her.... Happy Wife....good Life.... I've got it today, made in the shade... Finally, YES...I have had two coffees in the last hour...and THIS is what happens, when I am exposed to caffeine. My fingers, take on a life of their own, LOL! Cheers, friends and happy trails...pull your own Bronson this summer, before you find, one day, you can't hold up the bike! Before that...BRONSON to the next rise of the road...and see what that mountain pass is hiding, up ahead!​ I can tell you all...that Charlotte will! Joe

"You're killing me....is it Monday yet?!?!??" I think if users shift this engine like it was a commercial diesel, then I'll bet after break in...you could get 43-47! High RPM sucks fuel, not a slow spinning engine that has a long relaxed power stroke and slow, full burn. I think as the numbers over this summer come in...people will frankly be happily surprised.

Chief, she is already quite sick to death hearing about it. She was praying to the Good Lord, to PLEASE, deliver his bike to the dealer...she needed a break! LOL. Good soul, she...

...and if not a true Sonic Boom....I can absolutely tell ya...there will be a five minute long; "Yeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeehaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaw!, rolling down the Ontario 401 westbound. Somebody will swear, there will be probably bluegrass banjo music soon to start up....! Chief...I've waited a long time...50 years..to have everything I could ask for...on one frame...and the Yamaha 2018 Star Venture Trans Continental is that bike! This is a true Bucket List Bike...I always wanted to ride and own a large bore, air/oil cooled, traditional V-Twin. I now get that chance, and its maiden run, will be up and over the Blue Ridge Mountains, if I can swing it. Joe

When I was there, the Sales Manager, told me that they worked around 8 hours to complete the other Grey that was purchased. Flyinfool...the dealer is NOT HAPPY, for they are not getting any more for this season. For '19, they were told, the flow will start again. Frankly, I 'd be wanting some kind of dealer compensation...c'mon..up here in Ontario, they would go like hot cakes...IF the dealers had more to sell than the one, or two if they were lucky...they got. There was one dealer that I asked if he was going to have a Demo Day..and he said it is planned. I then asked if Yamaha was going to have a T.C. there. He said that they have not committed to that...but all others would be there, FJR's...etc. I surmise that Yamaha doesn't want someone riding it...liking it...wanting it...and there is no bike in the warehouse to furnish the dealer. I think that for now, they wish to avoid that, up here, in Ontario. Probably for the rest of the Canadian Provinces, no doubt! I know right from Yamaha, that the red you see here, still in the shipping crate, is one of four that just came off the ship in Vancouver..and obviously were sent out to the other three purchasers as well. So...at least three other's doing their Happy Dance over the next few days! Joe

I guess so, Randy, and thanks...but having to wait, six, going onto seven months?!?!?!?!? That was nuts, Randy..... Simply, nuts! Am I a Happy Camper today? Youbetcha. Oh..and don't tell Chief...that I actually DID reach out and touch the fairing...just to see that it was really there, LOL. I didn't pet it though...BUT WANTED TO! Seriously...the bike is drop dead gorgeous, in the flesh...even needing yet, to be put together. What a beaut! Honestly, I'm not missing my Wing....not with this cast in the headlights....

Yeah, that would be fun...lol. Still convincing my better half SHE really wants to go in May... I know that I want to! I guess it all depends quite frankly if I can get the break in out of the way, and first service. If it all comes together, I'll let you know. I can't remember right now, the great eating place's name in North Myrtle Beach...but I'm going to do a search. It is near that huge open Mall with the man made lake...and...get this...they have T-bone steak on the buffet. They cut the steaks into 1/4 inch (I'm not kidding...lol) thick steaks...and I always pi** them off, by stacking six of them on top of each other...and being sure to walk past the check-in counter...on the way back to my table....drives them NUTS! LOL! Shrimp, Crab, King Crab Legs, T-Bone steak....all for $24.00...can't beat that with a stick! Lots of fun times ahead for Charlotte and us...lots of fun times, Chief!

My wife told me...that I had better have some brochures ready, 'cause she isn't going to stand around...to have me explain every gizmo and feature, every time we come out of a restaurant, hotel, or while fueling up. She was serious!, lol

"No, Chief, not two weeks to get her...this coming Monday or Tuesday at the latest....the two weeks...is-----> wham...bam, zooooooooooooooom ----Ohio Turnpike, West Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountains, down into the valley...Myrtle Beach...Benjamin's Seafood House Buffet.....peptobismo later on, back at the hotel... That is the two weeks, Chief! LOL It's supposed to rain today, tomorrow, and maybe Saturday morn. Next week...blue skies...warm weather...and Ceeeeeeeeeeeelebration Time, C'mon, playing on the stereo...for the first few miles...helmet jogging side to side...clutch fist twirling in the air...you know...that kind of stuff, lol just acting like a 16 year old...you know? The age I was, when (Then Came) James Bronson, ruled the airwaves! https://www.theoriginalbenjamins.com/ https://www.theoriginalbenjamins.com/buffet.php Joe

Thanks, everyone, who had to suffer through my getting it...not getting it...getting it...not getting it posts....FINALLY getting it! Joe Joe

A most excellent suggestion. Someone was thinking!

I'm a believer in it...always used regular everything, but then started only using Shell Nitro Plus Premium 91 octane. Even in my 87 rated Kawasaki ZR7S. What happened after only three full tanks through the 750cc Four banger...my idle, all on its own, went up 100 RPM. My bike runs at 1,100 idle by spec. It always did...never exceeded as I set it up myself. But then...like I said, it went to a dead, turbine smooth running 1,200! So... I guess the higher detergent and other additives are doing their thing...and the entire fuel road-map is probably pretty well, deposit free, just like my bank account. My bike, and bank savings account are both deposit free, with only the bike running the better for it....

Thanks Craig, and it is my first ever, custom motorcycle saddle. What Corbin (the sales rep I was in phone conversation with), says about not letting another's butt on your seat form...I get it. We ride horses, and if you have an expensive custom saddle made to your exact body dimensions, no true equestrian will let another borrow or run with their saddle, so I'll have to call their suggestions, as actual and very good advice. Whether a purchaser takes that advice, is another thing. I imagine for the cost of them, (my Corbin was just under $500.00 USF, then $50.00 via Fed Ex Bulk) that some will, as is myself, for a custom saddle made to the order of one person. If you did not get your saddle to your body spec's and they do have fast ship...then sure. Each to their own, though. On my two Westerns, only this guy's butt has ever graced them...and only shall. Too expensive to screw up the form fit. I feel the same for the Corbin made to my body exact's. But for any of my bikes, it is pretty much redundant. I let nobody else ride my bikes. Not even my son. I have a much better owner experience that way.... You live and learn. I lived and learned from the past... It only takes one bad experience with that.

Ok, that is great to know! Then, my lowers will add further, for any temperature redundancy. Thanks! Great to read! Joe

Sound's good. I guess then that their solution would work on any lift that has at least 3 1/2 inches of clearance at rest. Will wait for your report!