XV1100SE

Are you sure those are this year's pictures? Last one it looks like my bike....but I wasn't at the WNY rally this year. And where are all the people? Did you take pics of the trailer and bikes while everyone was eating their dinner?

Yamaha said they talked with riders about what they wanted... 1,000 Harley/Indian/Victory - " want a vtwin (because that's all they know) that is cooler than what I have. Belt drive (don't like chain and don't know about shaft drive), with lots of storage, gadgets and gizmos" 2 Gold Wing riders/3 Venture riders - "multi-cylinder liquid cooled motor like the V-Max, shaft drive, built for long distance riding with lots of storage, essentials like CB, intercom....." Get the idea? They canvased riders at events where v-twins were the majority, talked to Harley riders because that was their target, and the answers were not the same way anyone with a Venture (1st or 2nd Gen) would have answered. Ask the right question to the wrong people you get the wrong answer. Had they gone to car shows and asked someone that had never ridden a bike before to tell them what they should put into the new "Venture" and you would get totally different answers. Yamaha wasn't after the Touring crowd because there are far fewer of "us" than there are of the Harley/Indian/"other" brands that they wanted to pull market share from. To compete directly with the other v-twin manufacturers you provide a v-twin (apples to apples) but with more bells and whistles. Try to sell an orange to someone that wants an apple and you will get few people that say yes. Had Yamaha wanted to produce a kick-ass touring bike....they would have ignored the v-twin crowd and talked to current/past Venture and Gold Wing riders. Those are the people you get ideas from for what a touring bike requires, what THAT market wants. Yes we are a technical and social forum for 4 cylinder Ventures, but also for touring and general comraderie. We share a passion for motorcycles and as has been said so many times before....we don't care what you ride.

I've seen several "ride reports" and curious to try one out I called my local dealer yesterday. I asked if they had one on the floor to look at, that I wasn't looking to ride it but to see it in person. They said they won't have one on the floor until Spring and at that time there might be demo days but until then, if anyone in Canada wants to look at one they have to be booked to go to Toronto to see it. There they will fire it up but no riding. You can see it and hear it but that is about it. 100 of the 3rd Gen Ventures have been allocated to Canada and the dealer has had one inquiry on ordering one now. Any pre-orders should be delivered by the end of September.

I usually ride to work and there are many days when "Cowpuc on my shoulder" keeps saying....keep going, don't stop, chase the front tire for the day ! I'm not "the boss" and can only take so many "sick days" a year. I'd use almost all of them up in a week if I listened to the voice that tells me to keep riding and not go into the office. Some day...retirement can't come soon enough (maybe 4 years, probably a few years longer).

Rode to work yesterday and as I was parking I worker parking his truck asked me what year my bike was. I told him '09 and he said he has a one. Thinking he had a Venture I said "You are familiar with the Venture" and he said he has an '06 but the motor is being rebuilt. Thought this was strange so I asked him how many miles he has on his bike. He said "about 65,000 on my Street Glide". Bingo.... clued in he has a Harley and was thinking the Venture was an Electra Glide. I don't get it...the way he was talking, rebuilding the motor at 65,000 is a normal thing. I'm thinking at 87,000km I only have to check the valve clearance and the motor is good for at least another 200,000 km as is without doing anything major to it. Guess Harley riders accept the fact that major motor work is acceptable. This is one of my concerns with a v-twin (as in the new "Venture"). You don't expect to get the same mileage that you would out of a liquid cooled V4. High mileage on a v-twin is just broken in for our V4.

Our condolences to you and your family. Don and Nancy

Sorry to hear about your tendon Jeff. Wish you luck on the 1st and fast recovery.

2nd Gen? Only time someone has broken a windscreen is if they drop the bike. Something else going on if they are breaking the windscreen. Where are the screens breaking? Is it the tabs on the bottom of the screen itself? As for the chrome trim in front of the windscreen....the plastic tabs are known to break but there is a "permanent" fix. Check the 2nd Gen read only section - http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?516-Repair-of-chrome-windshield-trim Provide more info or possibly photos. I use a Clearview windscreen and could sell the OEM windscreen if someone needs one.

Several mechanically inclined people in the Burlington area who might be able to help you and know the clutch system. With the oil you used....NO friction modifiers, right? Several of us use Rotella T6. It doesn't have friction modifiers, is rated for motorcycles and works great....plus cheaper than other oils and it is synthetic. Canadian Tire or TSC have it on sale occasionally.

When you consider the v-twin competition in the segment, the new Venture stands out above the rest. If it was a liquid cooled V4 with shaft drive...I would consider it. With it being a twin, I have no excuse to spend that much money to get a 9 year newer bike (I have an '09 RSV). Longevity of the V4 has been shown with the number of 1st Gen's still out there. (How many vtwins from the 80's are still around?) With no direct replacement for my 2nd Gen, this will probably be my last bike unless I downsize or go the three wheels....unless the Gen IV goes back to it's roots as a V4.

So it isn't the motor we were hoping for. Other than not having a liquid cooled V4 and shaft drive....it is still going to be a good bike and IS called a Venture. Early reports are that it is heads and tails above the Harley and other brands touring bikes. New members that buy the new model are going to be confused if they read all these posts and think they aren't getting a good bike. We need to welcome them here because this is VentureRider.org and the bike (name) is "Venture" and is meant for touring. I agree that Yamaha should have come back with a liquid cooled V4 and shaft drive. I have an 8 cylinder Mustang GT and frankly half the cylinders (with Eco boost or even 6 cylinders) wouldn't make me want to buy one. BUT they are still called a Mustang and the new Venture does come with that heritage of a full decked out touring bike. It is what it is and we won't see Yamaha change it now. They didn't ask current owners of Gen I/II Ventures who would have started the wish list with a V4....but they talked to VTwin owners that ride Harleys who only know twins. Going back to the Mustang....ask someone who has only ever driven a 4 banger if the Mustang needs 8 cylinders and they would probably say it doesn't. Ask anyone that has driven a V8 and they'd laugh at the idea of a 4 banger in a sporty car. It'd be like buying a computer with half the memory....or being forced to drink decaf coffee instead of regular caffeinated coffee. Or "diet" soda instead of regular. LOL - I'm sure the people here saying the new Venture should have had a V4 remember when Coke came out with the "New" Coke and changed the recipe. It was called Coke....but it wasn't Coke. And unlike Coke drinkers at the time, we aren't a big enough group to get the old Venture back.

Impressed.....always impressed by you Carl. I can't make it this year. Safe ride and have fun !

If the plastic is cracked, it is ABS so you can use ABS cement to repair it. Better solution is (I think it is called) plastex. Do a search for plastic repair and you'll find it. Not cheap but does a really nice repair as it bonds the plastic back together. ABS cement will dry out over time and would be 2nd choice.

Really glad you are okay. Shakes you up when it happens. I see you have a 2012....covered under warranty? LOL Hope the insurance and dealer sort it all out for you.

Somebody asked about the rake on the front...from https://www.topspeed.com/motorcycles/motorcycle-reviews/yamaha/yamaha-star-venture-ar176763.html : "The steering comes raked out quite a bit at 31-degrees with 5.7 inches of trail, so the Venture is going to be quite stable in the straights and comfortable over the long haul. Even though the factory took steps to try to reduce rotational inertia through mass centralization, there’s no arguing with the steering numbers, and this bike is going to feel a little reluctant in the corners. . A pair of 46 mm forks support the front end on 5.1 inches of travel, but offer nothing in the way of adjustment while the rear shock gives up 4.3 inches of travel and only the obligatory preload adjustment. All-in-all, a rather uninspiring suspension system, but one that is, unfortunately, all too common on American-style tourers." On the motor - "100 mm bores with a 118 mm stroke for a total displacement of 1,854 cc, or 113 cubic-inches." ...9.5:1 compression ratio

Doing advanced searches of the member list using join date searches... for the full years below, this is how many members are still active : 2004-2006 =>134 2007 => 48 2008 => 80 2009 => 63 2010 => 49 2011 => 53 2012 => 50

If anyone is interested, there are currently 784 members currently

The bolt does look to be stuck against the keeper. As M61A suggested, couple nuts locked together you might be able to rotate it one way or the other. Try to get a pipe or something on the wrench or ratchet to get some leverage to try to break it free. Otherwise...couple nuts on the end of the bolt to protect the threads and with a decent sized sledge what the sh!t out of it. :-) Possible to get a torch on it without damaging anything?

Can you get at it with a wire brush?

Condolences to both of you and the family from Nancy and I.

I became active in 2010....don't think I met you. I'm up for a meet.

Rear end definitely hails from the 2nd Gen. I was riding behind a couple with the trunk wing light and if you squint a little...you can see the resemblance. Front end...frame mounted fairing, pockets/bins...but it is definitely "futuristic".

One was in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario - small dealer out in the boonies. Other one was one we all know quite well in WNY. It isn't a Canuck thing.

True

Original fuel pump? Might be fuel filter from the sounds of it. Or...when you open the gas filler, is there back-pressure? Could be a clogged vent.