Russbug1

The tank capacity is a big plus... yesterday I averaged 40.5 mpg driving up to hills cruising at 70 and hammering the throttle occasionally. I rode with my wife 120 miles. Started with a full tank and made it home with a half tank. yes, the seat is a one piece and is heated... I have used it a few times and had to turn it down to the 1 setting because it works so well. You can run it all the way up to 10. You can also set the driver and passenger settings independently. I find the seat to be damn good for a stock setup, which is usually not the case. My 120 mile rides caused zero fatigue for both me and my wife. It provides decent driver back support, which I need as I am getting older. I contacted Mustang to see if they were designing a seat for the Eluder. They indicated no at this point. I had a Mustang seat on my Stratoliner and absolutely loved it. I keep hearing complaints from folks that the Venture lacks performance due to the extra weight. All I can attest to is the Eluder GT... it has plenty of power and loads of torque. If I wanted a race bike I would own a Hayabusa. But I don’t. I want a nice looking “get around town” and occasional “hit the hills” bike. And this bike does both very well! i have the GT package but no heated grips... I do have heated gloves that I used to use during colder rides. Heated grips would be cool. thanks, Rich :-)

I get it... there are folks who prefer the bagger style and other folks who like the touring style. I don't ride 10-20,000 miles every year. my wife and I like to go on one day 100-150 mile rides. so I have no need for a full touring bike. hence the reason I did not consider the Venture. not my cup of tea. I absolutely loved my Stratoliner. that was a fantastic and reliable motorcycle for 10 years! the only thing I did not like about it was the tank chrome trim. I even installed the fairing once they came out with it. after modding the ECU and adding aftermarket pipes, that was one fast bike. I believe the Star Eluder would keep up with the modded Strat and even outpace it in certain circumstances. and that is without any mods to the Eluder. that is how good this engine is stock. impressive! I could not ride the Stratoliner without my hands on the bars as it was heavy to one side. I can ride my Eluder at 80 with no hands on the bars and it rides straight all day. turning on the Stratoliner was tricky. I can turn on a dime with my Eluder. I never owned or drove the V4 Venture, so I cannot attest to its qualities. what I can attest to is that I am glad Yamaha finally came out with something after discontinuing the Stratoliner. and I think they hit a home run. are there things that need to be refined? a few minor things. but overall, a fantastic machine. Thanks, Rich : - )

My wife likes it better than the Mustang seat on my last bike. She told me after today’s 120 mile ride that she experienced zero fatigue. And she likes the comfort of the backrest. Happy wife, happy life! Rich :-)

I will do that.. I agree. She is a beautiful bike in looks and performance. Super pleased! Thanks, Rich :-)

No doubt on protecting the tank topside! I actually enjoyed the tour mode on long flat runs. I switched to sport mode when going up hills. Both modes have their purpose and they do a great job under those conditions. The lid rattle is minor. Something I will work on when it warms up. I rarely use the horn. But I take it you don’t think it is loud enough? I played with the cruise control today and did notice the speed drop. It was not too bad, but noticeable. I am liking this bike more and more after each ride. Super pleased. Thanks, Rich :-)

Agreed... this bike is a stump puller for sure. Plenty fast and tons of torque. I cannot even feel my wife in the saddle going up hills or turning. This bike is a joy to ride! Rich :-)

I own a black on black Eluder and have clocked 1200 miles. I also owned a Stratoliner for ten years. Everything about this bike is a big improvement over the Stratoliner. A super smooth ride with plenty of torque and horsepower. It is such a torque monster I never see a need to rev above 3500 RPM. And that is when I am pushing it. I have never hit the rev limiter. I highly recommend this bike. Rich :-)

Took her out again today with my wife and clocked 120 miles... I like this bike more and more after each ride. The suspension is top notch. So much smoother than any other bike I have ever ridden! Rich :-)

The Eluder is a fantastic motorcycle... I purchased one last month and have clocked 1200 miles. I am super pleased. I owned a Stratoliner for ten years and enjoyed that bike to the fullest. The Eluder is a much better well rounded bike. You have to see it in person and ride it to appreciate it. Rich :-)

Here you go... took me a while to figure out the picture process. Let me know if you can see them or not. Thanks, Rich

You bet... tomorrow. Thanks, Rich :-)

We will be taking a ride to Yosemite after the snow melts, which is a 4 hour ride each way. I will know a lot more then. My wife and I tend to take shorter rides in the 120 mile range. So I believe discomfort will be less of an issue for us. Thanks, Rich :-)

I ordered an aftermarket leather tank protector that stretches from under the seat tip to the underside of the fuel compartment. It covers the center of the tank between the two center edges are. It is made specifically for this bike. I will report back after installation. My bike is black on black...so I know what you mean about dust! Thanks, Rich :-)

Yes sir! I read your complete write up. I don’t have the same problem with cancelling of cruise control. I will test it again tomorrow. I use a flip phone so the phone charging compartment is no big deal for me. I like the way you adjusted the bars. I will look into that. My Stratoliner engine also forced heat around my legs and the seat. Never enough to cause alarm. I will have to wait until the warmer temps come around to assess it. I did not feel any considerable heat a few weeks ago in low 70s temps. I would like to see if smaller antennas are available. Not a big fan of the long whips. I installed the bag protectors for two reasons. First, for protection and two for lid handles. I don’t like pushing down hard on the plastic topside when closing. The protectors helped. The bag lids also chatter when riding over bumps. I will be looking into adding additional bump stops. On occasion the fuel door will not open properly. Unfortunately there is no adjustment. The latch works fine. But there is something misaligned. Not a big deal. If I push the lid to the right after hitting the switch it pops right open. Did you use the tour or sport mode on your journey? For around town I prefer sport mode. I am going to ride in sport mode on the first leg tomorrow and tour mode on the way back to get a better feel. I am also going to purchase the bag liners to prevent things from sliding around. All of my issues are minor. I have never owned a bike that was perfect. But I have to say that this bike is as close to perfect as I have come. I rode the BMW 1600B and found it to be okay but not great. You have to rev it really high to get into the power band, which I did not like. I prefer the low grunt and tractor pull. The BMW also had horrible throttle lag at takeoffs, which annoyed me. Have you had a chance to ride that bike? Thanks, Rich :-)

I purchased the short backrest and it looks great on the bike... I also had the same reservations when I saw it in the pics. Much better in person. I think it fits the bike well and my wife says it is comfortable!

Hello... 120 mile round trip. Will be making the same ride tomorrow. I find the bike to be more comfortable than any bike I have owned. I have always had to go with an aftermarket seat and highway pegs. I don’t see those needs on this bike. My wife even likes the backseat comfort. So far, so good!

Thanks for responding Tom... I am considering the medium windshield. On other bikes I have used short, medium and tall. I feel the wind at my eyes with the short shield. I have also ridden with no shield, which is not my favorite way to go. As for the seat height, I like it. I can stretch my legs out on the floorboards and I am really comfortable. My other bikes required highway pegs to get comfortable. Not on this bike. Keep me up to speed on how your experience with this bike evolves and I will do the same. If you have taken it for a longer cruise, do you prefer the sport or tour mode? Thanks, Rich :-)

I am 6’ and some change and love where the floorboards are positioned on my Eluder. I see no need for highway pegs with the stock setup, which I find comfortable :-)

How do you like the taller windshield, in performance and overall looks? I am 6’ and some change and still have the short shield, which I don’t experience any problems with... thanks :-)

I owned a Yamaha Stratoliner for 10 years and absolutely loved that bike. At about 5 years in I added a programmable ECU and slip@on pipes. The power increase was amazing. Unfortunately, she started wearing out and was costing too much in repairs. Since Yamaha stopped making this bike, I bought a Kawasaki Vaquero. After one year I lost interest and was disappointed in the engine performance, sticky lifters, noisy belt drive and rattles. I waited for the Star Venture to come out and bought it. Black on black. Installed the low backrest and bag protectors. Will be installing fog/driving lights soon. Just ordered a leather tank top cover that covers center of tank from seat to gas cap area. Yet to install. Being familiar with the 1854 engine, I can tell you that the new 1854 is a much improved power plant. Yes it now has a 4750 redline. But I never have a need to go that high. It is an absolute torque monster with power to spare. It is more powerful than the Stratoliner even after mods. With two up I can climb a steep incline with no problems. And fast? Yes, it is fast! Passing in any gear is a blast. It is also the most nimble and well balanced bike I have ever owned. And I have owned many. I can turn on a dime with two up without a worry. The stock seat is also well designed. Not as good as the Mustang seat, but darn good for stock. Every stock seat I have ever owned had to be replaced with something better. Not this one! The engine is noisy just like the old 1854. But I am already use to that. It took some reading to figure out the Infotainment Center, which has way more than I will ever use. I purchased a second key fob since it is a keyless setup. Unfortunately you only get one with bike purchase. They should sell you two. The heated seats work great and the stereo is plenty loud. I am 6’ and some change and experience little to no buffeting with low screen. Yamaha nailed it in my opinion. This is the best bike I have owned. I absolutely love it!