LOOK WHAT I FOUND!! A 2018 Yamaha Star Venture report by our friend = VideoArizona!!

[cowpuc]

LOOK what I found buried in the clubhouse walls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

It's hidden no more David!!

 

GOOD JOB BY WAY = THANK YOU for the excellent observations and write up!!!

***By the way,,, hope ya got that oil filter squared away ok brother!!

 

Here's what I found hidden in the clubhouse walls:

 

and VAz wrote =

 

I finally got off my butt and went down to see the 3rd Gen in person. Was looking for this huge monster scoot. In fact it's about the same size as the 2nd gen....except lower. The salesman let me crawl all over and under the bike, answering my questions and making comments. He was good and knew the bike.

 

First impression, it has a big butt! It is very easy to get off the side stand. It is easy to hold up. I have no problem flat footing that beast....felt very comfortable sitting on her. The controls look/felt perfect for my reach and inseam. 210 pounds, 30 inch inseam, 5'10".

 

My wife commented on all the plastic. She's thinking breakage. But at least the plastic feels stronger than the 2nd Gen...though not as strong as the 1st gen. The flexing is in between the 2....but did feel better to my hands.

 

The trunk is huge. Seriously. Saddlebags are larger on outside but the opening is smaller due to the hinge mechanicals. Still...lots of room. No 12 volt for passenger...that's in the trunk. There is 12 volts for rider and USB as well.

 

Cleaning the buggies off of the all the stuff that is stuffed under the triple tree looked like a daunting task. The hole between the forks is huge. Be a nice place for a radiator but there is a ton of other stuff up in there. Eric, our salesperson, said not to worry...pressure car wash as all electronics are marine grade and can take the water pressure just fine. Hmmm. Well...that wouldn't surprise me knowing Yamaha engineering.

 

Seat felt good to me. Firm. Can't be as comfortable as the pillow seats on the 2nd Gen. Feels more like an advanced 1st Gen seat. The rider seat" back" piece does move forward to allow more room between the rider and passenger...but at the expense of room between rider crotch and gas tank. When forward, It feels like the 2nd gen...when back...it feels roomy! Wife thought maybe that little back piece lifted up rather than slide forward. That would have been a good idea Yamaha...as my back needs more support. To lift up 3 inches would help my lower back a lot. It would truly make you feel like you are sitting in the bike and not on it. Snug. But...maybe on the Mark 2 version! Glad to hear a rider back rest is coming soon.

 

There isn't much room around the engine guards for mounting highway pegs. In fact none at all in the front. Plastic would need to be trimmed out to allow a bracket there. Will be curious to see how the aftermarket solves that problem. The guards will not help the plastic in case of a fall at all. Just like the 1st Gen in that regard. Maybe Yamaha or some 3rd party will design some good looking side pieces that will act like some of the aftermarket stuff I've seen for dirt bikes. But that probably wouldn't look to cool...

 

Minor thoughts. The lower vents are not adjustable while riding. Gotta get off and reach in get them. But look and feel much stronger than the HD Ultra lower vents. The upper vents have lots of adjustment to them...so passenger/rider cooling shouldn't be a problem.

 

The dash was an easy reach for me, the hand controls felt good and easy to find...but all that a moot point if you use voice control. Windshield had impressive amount of movement. For my riding height, looked like I could vary the airflow nicely. I like the rake angle of the windshield as well. Should throw the air up and over without being a huge wind block in higher winds.

 

Overall, I'm impressed with the quality of the bike. It truly looks like a well designed and built piece of precision machinery. I will ponder what I saw and felt, then go back for another walk around. I told Eric that my buying style is one where I visit 3 to 4 times before I even ride....and then expect at least a 50 mile test ride. His eyebrows raised up at that...but the manager was standing there...and he smiled and said that could be arranged. So we shall see...

 

Would I buy it? Yep. Hands down from just walking and sitting on it...it is a very nice scoot. But...wifemate wants a travel trailer or RV so....who knows what toys I'll have this time next year.

 

OH...did like the red color, but I do prefer Yamaha's liquid silver!

 

Hope this helps...

[videoarizona]

Thanks Puc....guess I was sleeping when I posted it!

 

BTW, have some observations from my 1st Gen tearing apart looking for leaks and replacing things...just because. I'll post that in the 1st gen area.

 

And the oil filter went on perfect! THANK YOU!

[snyper316]

The oil filter went on perfect! THANK YOU!

 

OK now I am curious. What you talking about Willis?

[cowpuc]

OK now I am curious. What you talking about Willis?

 

Someday you will enter into "Historic Plate Time" and suddenly you will get to experience the shear enjoyment that your elders get out of a simple phone call discussing things like which way the fins should point on a oil filter housing when changing the oil on an old Yamaha...

[snyper316]

Someday you will enter into "Historic Plate Time" and suddenly you will get to experience the shear enjoyment that your elders get out of a simple phone call discussing things like which way the fins should point on a oil filter housing when changing the oil on an old Yamaha...

I did t know there was a certain way... I just changed oil a few months back I just know its a Pita putting that back together.

 

Sent from my LG-M255 using Tapatalk

[cowpuc]

I did t know there was a certain way... I just changed oil a few months back I just know its a Pita putting that back together.

 

Sent from my LG-M255 using Tapatalk

 

 

Thats because this is you:

 

and this is we:

 

when this becomes thee:

 

then you shall see!!!!!!!!!!!:crackup: