rumboogy

LOL...they aren't biased. I won't slam my old 2009 Venture...I had some great rides on it. But their slogan is, RIDE ONE and YOU'LL OWN ONE is true (at least in my case). The handling on this bike is nothing less than amazing!!! Only 2 complaints have I...First one is that it's a little hot in the box (engine heat)...and second...they don't have a forum with as much information as this one, nor with people as nice as this one. But make no mistake...I love my Cross Country Tour!

Dang IT ya'll. I just wanted to show my respect for the great people here and the valuable information you have given me (and many others). I didn't intend for it to be a farewell party. NOW you all have to live with the GUILT TRIP you have laid on me for departing this site by living at least another year with me here. Yes, I resubscribed for another year. Seriously though, I know my participation will not be as great as it has in the past, but there are so few GOOD SITES out there, I would feel like I was abandoning something so good if I didn't stay a while longer. Thank you all for your generous and kind comments. Again thanks to you too Don. Wally

Well, my membership has expired and sadly it is time to say goodbye. About a month ago I traded my Venture in on a 2012 Cross Country Tour. But first a few honest and sincere comments before I leave. I'll talk about this site and the valuable information on it first... Having 3 sites of my own, I know the hard work it takes to run a website like this and Don has done a FANTASTIC job of knowing when to step in and when to let things alone. The site is nicely done...and frankly I was very hesitant about "joining" a site that charged to be a member. Little did I know then that the information and camaraderie on this site was WELL WORTH the $12 per year that was asked (and yes, it is moderately expensive to run a website). I was a member of the VTX site before this site and they were pretty good...but I had no idea how "ordinary" the site was until I became a member here. Don and YOU MEMBERS are extremely helpful, understanding and caring about the other members of this site. I hope I was able to considered a part of that the short time (2 years) I was here. No smart alecks (or at least not the bad kind:rotf:), there were no rude people and there were no people that talked down to any other members (at least what I was able to see). I saw this all the time on a HD forum I was a member of (thought about a Harley for awhile)...and to be honest there are a couple of Victory forums with attitudes also, and this makes one's experience on those forums less than ideal. But what I miss most about the new forums I am on...is the lack of KNOWLEDGE that I have found here, and the lack of fellowship also found here. THANK YOU for those two wonderful things found at Ventureriders!! OK...now to the bike. I want to be brutally honest here...the good, the bad and the ugly. I don't have an ax to grind, nor do I have any intention of bashing the Venture. I just want to share my experience. When I bought my 2009 Venture, I was very disappointed in the bike, I thought I had made a mistake in my purchase and felt that way for several months. As the months went by, I began to SLOWLY enjoy the bike more and more. Once I went on my first long ride, I was starting to REALLY like my bike...in fact, I began to love the long trips on the Venture. My last long trip was an 1100 mile 17 hour ride from Virginia to Arkansas and I LOVED MY RIDE AND TRIP!! I will always remember that ride as one of my favorite so far. But although I had really became fond of my Venture, I could not get past the handling and top heaviness of the bike, and I was also unhappy about the options of the bike. Like many here I feel that Yamaha has become frozen in time in regards to this WELL BUILT BIKE...the engine on this bike is AWESOME!! In October I went to Bikes, Blues and BBQ in Fayetteville and had actually decided to sink another $1500 into my Venture to lower the bike (a second time) by upgrading the front forks and also purchasing the Corbin seat. I went to BBB and even decided NOT to demo any bikes, even though that was a tradition for the group I was in...I finally gave in to ragging the other guys were giving me and just to please them I test rode the Victory Cross Country Tour. I knew then it was the bike for me. The Venture is a proven success! The engine is the best thing going for this bike. On the interstate, this bike rocks. But in my opinion the positives stop there for me anyway. The Victory CCT handled extremely well, it had all the amenities that you could want on a nice touring bike and finally, the bike isn't dated. So my mind was changed at BBB within 3 minutes of taking the Victory out for a ride. Yes, I will miss the durability of the Venture engine. And yes, I will DEFINITELY miss the super nice members here on this site. I can assure you that every time I visit the Victory forum... I see lots of bickering and little information. Luckily, I prefer to ride than to bicker on a motorcycle website. So again, I know the Venture is a great bike for a lot of people (especially you taller guys)...but it does seem the better fit for me is the Victory. One last thing...I did keep my CD changer and an unfinished SHORTENED kickstand that I have on eBay right now... in case anyone is looking for either one of these items. http://www.ebay.com/itm/190601124266?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649 and http://www.ebay.com/itm/190601124038?ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1558.l2649 Again...Don Thanks for a wonderful 2 years. I will truly miss this place. Wally Jarratt ArkieBiker

Cool...I'll be up there tomorrow with my crew. Wally

Headin' that direction tomorrow!!!

TOPS has been around a long time and makes some pretty good 'QUE', but I would put the Pork BBQ Sandwiches in Blytheville, AR (especially a place called Penn's) up against ANY BBQ in the U.S. I think if you ever eat one of the Penn's, it would change your mind about ALL OTHER BBQ sandwiches. In fact, Penn's is the Best of the Best in Blytheville. Although I don't live there any longer, I still consider Blytheville home. I now live 150 miles away so I can't just go get a sandwich whenever I want (more about that in a minute). Anyway, this small (and ROUGH) town is in the Delta of Arkansas, in a fairly low economic area, however this little town has no less than 7-10 BBQ "shacks" at a time...all of which make the same basic kind of BBQ. I have eaten BBQ in probably every state I have traveled (maybe an exception or two), and none have compared with what you get in Blytheville. Last Tuesday, I got decided I wanted a BBQ sandwich...hopped on the bike and rode 150 miles to Blytheville. I pulled up to Penn's BBQ and placed my order for the Jumbo Combo. Ate that and then ordered another Jumbo BBQ Sandwich before hopping back on the bike and heading home. I was in Blytheville for less than 30 minutes. I figured those BBQ sandwiches cost me about $14.50 apiece. LOL Anyway...long winded YES! But if you're ever in Blytheville, AR...look for Penn's BBQ. If they are closed go to the Dixie Pig, and if they are closed, go to the Kream Kastle. Each one of those establishments have been in business for OVER 50 years!!

I'm a BBQ GUY! I don't know NUTTIN' about cookin' it, but I know what makes it good and I know where THE BEST BBQ sandwiches are in Arkansas. Where in Arkansas did you try BBQ and did you eat sandwiches or Ribs? Pork or Beef (hopefully pork - sorry you Texans). Just curious!! Wally

I've added about 7 states just in the last 45 days on two separate trips. Lots of GREAT riding too.

Bigger pictures FAST!! Looks good in mini-mode.

Just want to bump this for a little more exposure.

OK..someone did this for me 2 years ago, but I forgot who it was. So I am looking for someone else that can do it. Someone with the expertise, know how and TIME to do it. Obviously, I am willing to pay (paypal) for both the service and the knowledge here. Measuring from the bolt on point (but where the solid part of the kickstand starts), the NORMAL OEM kickstand is 12" to the beginning of the foot of the kickstand. My current "modified" kickstand is 11.5". I am wanting my kickstand to be 11.0" now. There is still not enough "LEAN" to the bike...especially on uneven surfaces. Whoever did my current modified stand, did a great job. Wally

I've got a group going and I'll be up there...That place is CRAZY though. I'm only going back cause my boss wanted to go back up there...so I told him to make the reservations and I'd go again.

OK...actually, I think it does come with a radio...just not a CB. I think (not sure) this is just an FM Radio in the fairing...the CB would be extra of course...also the zumo would be extra too.

Nothing was said about the audio package... Any info on that?

Hey Big Tom... Do these pictures bring back any memories for ya? http://rumboogy.zenfolio.com/f662584869 These are from my first (and only so far) Beagle field trials that I shot. I had a BLAST!!!