Russbug1
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Posts posted by Russbug1
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So here's what happened Rich..
After waiting and waiting and waiting for Yamaha to update yesteryears little V-4 powered Venture with the new 1700cc injected V-4 V-Max motor,, some of us were THRILLED beyond words when we heard the announcement.. Yamaha's words were: The new Venture was coming and it was going to turn the touring world upside down!! They didnt say = the Stratoliner Tourer was coming and it was gonna turn the touring world upside down - they said = Venture and "Venture" to some of us varmints means V-4...
Along with that announcement came the story that they (Yamaha) had left the design of the bike up to the USA "Star" riders - which, at the time meant very little to a few of us (me included) because the Gen-2 Venture was in fact a "Star" motorcycle and it was a V-4.. Personally,, I been riding these Ventures for a long long long time and I get VERY excited about em cause,,, well,, cause I love em and I love the V-4 part of em..
I also LOVE the V-Twins too though so dont miss understand any of this,, its just that for my touring needs,,, I have come to appreciate the V-4 performance and character.. I have never owned a 113 but have nephew (who thinks I am his Dad) who rides a Strat he bought from his brother who bought in brand new in 06 though and I have accumulated many miles on it = definitely a respectable,durable, AWESOME engine but one that, IMHO,, would fit me better in a Raider than the Strat and certainly not my type for "touring" but that is strickly my opinion..
Being a bone head full of
for what I thought could possibly be in the touring bike history makings (thinking = +180 hp, water cooled, shaft drive, 6 speed, injected,fixed fairing, detachable bags, care less about radio or GPS (flaw in my character), mid ship controls, ergonomically designed for 2, R1 brakes or better and on and on = a REAL history maker touring bike that would spell nothing but BYE BYE for any competition on the road = the wife and I headed to the unveiling out in New York last year on our 83 Venture just to be there to watch history be made.. Long story short,,, after they introduced the Star Riders who actually designed the new Venture they pushed the buttons on the starters of the hidden bikes hiding off to the sides of the stage and,,,, POOF - thats when I knew I had misunderstood. I said "OHH POOP" a little to loud (people actually stared at me) - looked at Tip and said "Strat".. Sure enough.. My "OH POOP" did have a small side effect in that it caused me to be noticed by the wrong people and I ended up being used as target practice during the half time show as seen in the vid below..
After the unveiling, I did get to chat with some of the "Star" rider/designers who made it completely clear that from their perspective - the bike setting before them was EXACTLY what they were hoping for and what they asked for.. To them (and many many others) the "Venture" name held no sanctity for being a V-4 but more toward denoting "Touring"..
Having now spent time riding the new Venture both 2 up and solo and getting to know it better,, I can certainly see why folks LOVE it - it is a GORGEOUS scoot.. Strangely enough,, I think if Mom Yam would have just named it a "Stratotourer" or something other than a "Venture" I think a lot of the confusion on behalf of bone heads like myself could have been avoided BUT,, on the same token,, what difference would that have really made??
,, SPEAKING ABOUT YOUR NEW SCOOT,,, WANNA SEE INSIDE ITS MOTOR = SEE 2ND AND 3RD VIDS BELOW = WAYYYYY PRETTY:thumbsup:!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 : - )
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That back seat looks brutal, but that back rest don't look to bad. Kinda like it myself.
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 :-)
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Should post the rest of that beauty
I will do that.. I agree. She is a beautiful bike in looks and performance. Super pleased!
Thanks, Rich :-)
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READ THIS FIRST
If you are going to adjust bars put thick protection on the tank below both button control consoles. If the bars are loosened and you or a trusted friend are not holding on tight in the up directional falls. If it falls you will dent your tank !
I always rode in the touring mode. I hit the botton a few times to check it out but I found no need to have more umph.
I didn’t hear the bag lids rattling.
Please get yourself a new horn.
I use the cruise control any time I am going straight for a bit.
I used the cruise control a lot and 100 percent of the time when I tapped the front brake or rear brake lightly it would jerk hard as though I really hit the front brake- which I didn’t
Enjoy your new scoot.
VentureFar...
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 :-)
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,,,, AND ANOTHER NEW LOP EARED VR MC VARMINT TO HANG WITH:dancefool:!!!! :RED:to the club to you too Cliff!!! Glad you found us!!!
While I am absolutely no expert on any of this stuff,, I think what your hearing about the rev limiter deal actually is linked somehow to a few people who were a little let down cause they were really hoping for a hard hitting, high revving, competition stomping out of sight torque and horse power 1700cc V-Max motored new shaft drive Venture and were just caught off guard by Mom Yam's move to an air cooled stump puller in the Venture line..
Here is a good example of the type of person I am talking about who explains what I am saying in a little more detail.. Noticing the 1st gear on the old old old 1200cc Venture = 70mph, 2nd = 80mph and 3rd = 95 mph compared with the numbers showing on the new one as it bounces off the rev limiter ...
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 :-)
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Congratulations on the new Eluder, Tom! ItÂ’s a beauty!!
Thanks for for your review, and thanks to VentureFar for the Death Valley Eluder excursion report and the more recent StoneButt review of the Venture.
I’m obviously a total newb here...I’m a Roadliner guy and migrated here mostly to see what you guys think of the new Venture/Eluder. The new bike really seems to be the answer to the few shortcomings most of the ‘liner guys felt existed...need for a sixth gear and a legit fairing, mostly. Engine wise, the original 113 is a reliable monster. Still blows me away w/ stock performance. If they really did improve upon it, we may have vtwin nirvana on our hands.
One thing I don’t get from a lot of the other reviews online are the rev limiter complaints. I’ve had my ‘liner 10 yrs and have never touched 4200 rpm. Why would I? Massive torque down below...if I’m in 4th at 75 (which I wouldn’t be) and I wanted to MOVE, hell, I’d *upshift* to 5th. Thing about the Yammy 113 is you’re just about always in the best powerband because max power is ALSO where it’s smoothest and most comfortable. SOUNDS to me like they’ve provided even more of a good thing in this regard. We’ll see, eh?
No major heat issues on the ‘liner 113, other than any air-cooled bike in 90+ will get somewhat uncomfortable...hope VentureFar has a sensitive left thigh underside and Yammy didn’t screw up on that left-side exhaust....
Anyhow, thanks, congrats, and I look forward to hanging around. This Cowpuc dude looks to be a *character*. ;-)
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 :-)
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Here are couple of pictures of my new Eluder GT and my first impressions and some comparisons between the ELUDER GT and the 05 RSV I previously owned
Eluder GT – First Impressions / Comparison with my 05 Royal Star Venture
A week ago I purchased a 2018 3rd Gen Star Venture GT at Houston Motorsports after 10 mile test ride. First impression was WOW! what a difference the redesign of the retro style Royal Star Venture. Immediately noticed a significant difference in the seat height. The old model left people my height vertically challenged in achieving a flat footed stationary position. The modern design provides me with a solid foot on the ground with some knee bend. Next was the change in weight of the bikes. It comes up off the stand easily and has a well-balanced feel.
I was leery about taking the bike out, having never ridden one (it is actually the first time a dealer has let me test ride any bike I have purchased) and the less than comfortable first experience when I got on my brand new 2nd Gen for the first time. Once in motion, any trepidation I had felt went away. The bike is very nimble at slow speeds, responsive to very little throttle and the clutch is very smooth. Once on I turned onto the street and gave it some gas, it moved out nicely. I would say the torque of both bikes is similar (it has been a while since I have had my 2nd Gen). First gear has a higher speed than the previous model (not being a mechanic, I can’t say the gear ratios are different or not with any certainty). The Eluder GT has the six speed transmission like the previous version, but, also has 2 different ride “modes”, a touring and sport mode. I haven’t experiment much with them (I had to read the manual to know what the mode button did other than show a T and a S on the console). According to the book it lets the bike response be like a sport bike (to some degree) or the standard touring bike responsiveness. The first negative of the bike was the windshield, it was too short, and the wind buffeting was the first thing I noticed. Toss in a crosswind and it only made it worse. I will admit that it is something that I got used to after 2 days of riding to work, but coming from a taller windshield, it was something that I knew I would change on the very first ride (the dealer threw in the medium windshield including installation). On my 2nd Gen the stock shield was too tall and I ended up going to the Clearview medium windshield.
Speaking of consoles, the new console is light years ahead of the 2nd Gen, but in all fairness, technology has advance so much it couldn’t have stayed where it. It is a combination of analog speedometer and tachometer, the odometer and gear indicator are digital and the GPS/Infotainment Center is touch screen digital, has a big display that can be toggled to show Audio, GPS, Phone, MPG, Battery and Communications connection information. All of this is controlled from a set of buttons on the left side of the handle bars. It takes some getting used to (reading the book really helps too) but given what it does it is pretty intuitive as well. The Eluder GT is alarm equipped and uses a key-less radio frequency fob like may of the new cages. The ignition took me sometime to figure out since it only requires a push, hearing a click and turning the knob. Overthinking Tom, though you had to push, hear the click and keep it depressed while turning the knob (which, by the way does nothing). If the buttons on the fob are pushed too many times trying to figure it out, it locks out for about 5 minutes as an added anti-theft safety feature.
Mother nature has cooperated 3 whole days for me to ride it, 2 days to work and back (53 miles each way). Today I got to ride to the dealership to have the new medium windshield installed, and a bit of around town before heading home(about 50 miles. The taller windshield makes all the difference in the world with the wind buffeting. Who knows, if Clearview offers up a windshield for it, I may invest in one, I like the S-curve at the top and the vent you can get in them. The bike has a 6.6 gallon tank an to date I have been getting 38 mpg on the freeway and 37 in the around town riding. If memory serves me right, the RSV I had would get about 36 on the highway and less in town. I am interested to see if the mileage stays as high or gets better after the break in period.
I know this has been long winded, but those who remember me from my days on the forum as DK Knight, it is to be expected. It is nice to be back, I hopefully will be able to make it to some of the ride-ins that come up and make some new friends in the local area, I was happy to see so many in the Cypress/Houston area. Those to the north (Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin and San Antonio) ae only a couple of hours away and would be great to have a lunch meet and greet. I remember one of the reasons to ride was to find a good place to eat!
I will post more as I get more saddle time and miles behind me on the bike.
http://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=111800
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 :-)
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The new Star Eluder.
http://ridermagazine.com/2017/09/06/2018-yamaha-star-eluder-first-look-review/
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 :-)
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Would like Pictures...
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
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Would like Pictures...
You bet... tomorrow. Thanks, Rich :-)
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Remember I don’t have any stock in this, just a ride report for my friends on the forum. And we all know every body is different. The editor of ultimate motorcycling.com is my height and he said the same thin: Didn’t see a reason to have highway pegs.
What is the longest ride you have taken on your new Eluder in one day?
fyi the Venture didn’t give me the same shin pain and I was on it for the same 8 hours just one week later. I don’t know what the different in ergonomics is between the bikes. I just know that I was limping after a day on the eluder
VentureFar...
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 :-)
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Great write-up enjoyed going along for the ride. Hopefully they come up with a fix for the seat and heat. I would still be interested in taking one for a spin, like the low seat ht and center of gravity and really interested in the power band of that motor. Dust on the tank? I had an 06 Black Cherry beautiful bike and color, I swear after spending 2 hrs shining her up, the minute I put her into first gear there was dust on the tank. I was always wiping that thing off.
Thanks again, Craig
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 :-)
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Excellent. Happy wife Happy life :-)
VentureFar...
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 :-)
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That back rest bracket is a bit hideous!!!!! If I were to spend that kind of cash I would probably go with the HD Road Glide...
I may just end up with a F6B
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!
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Remember I don’t have any stock in this, just a ride report for my friends on the forum. And we all know every body is different. The editor of ultimate motorcycling.com is my height and he said the same thin: Didn’t see a reason to have highway pegs.
What is the longest ride you have taken on your new Eluder in one day?
fyi the Venture didn’t give me the same shin pain and I was on it for the same 8 hours just one week later. I don’t know what the different in ergonomics is between the bikes. I just know that I was limping after a day on the eluder
VentureFar...
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!
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I didn't like the short windshield on my Stratoliner Deluxe and ended up going with the medium from Clearview. I really like the S-Curve that Clearview has incorporated into their shields as well as the vent. For me the short shield doesn't push the air up high enough to go over my helmet. It hit me right about in the eyes. Not sure of where it hits you being taller, I like to ride with my face shield up and the tinted visor down, the medium makes that possible where the short didn't. As far as looks, I think the taller looks better (my wife likes it better too). For the true bagger look that HD has presented for years, the shorter one fits the classic bagger look.
It is really like all else in riding, a matter of preference. I know I had a shield take a 2-3 inch rock off the back of a dump truck that would have hit me in the helmet visor/face, made me a believer in having one.
No aeronautical engineer here, so all I can do is go with what I like and the feeling I get when riding. I know guys that don't wear helmets, except when required, don't want a shield on their bike at all. I guess it is getting bugs in your teeth from smiling while you ride. Don't know if I answered your question or not, but I gave it a shot.
Question for you, if you have the Eluder, being as tall as you are how is the lower seat height compared to the RSV for you? I was curious if you feel like your knees are up too high for comfort?
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 :-)
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As I wrote on my Eluder 500 mile day thread, I have a new very bestest friend in the whole wide universe that works for UltimateMotorcycling.com and is feeding me all this fun. Tomorrow night I will have in my hands a brand spanking new 2018 Venture for test riding. Saturday I plan to ride 2up with my wife to get her ( and my) impression of the pillion verses my Gen 2. On Sunday I plan to head from Los Angeles to Tucson AZ and back to do an official Saddle Sore Iron Butt. I have done 2 before on my Gen 2 so I know what to expect and how to compare. Yamaha says the bike is "Transcontinental" so I want to put that to the test. The weather looks great for a warm winter day in the Southwest. cowpuc this is what we have been talking about for 6 months.
I am concerned about the pain that will come from the hyper extension position of my feet on the forward end of the floor boards. I don't like to have my feet under me due to old knees and extending out on the long floor boards is great for the knees but causes a hyper flex of my feet at the ankles. picture a check mark with the small part of the check my foot and the long part my leg. The Venture won't have highway pegs.
More as I get it. Glad I have this opportunity to share this fun stuff.
VentureFar...
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 :-)
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Here are couple of pictures of my new Eluder GT and my first impressions and some comparisons between the ELUDER GT and the 05 RSV I previously owned
Eluder GT – First Impressions / Comparison with my 05 Royal Star Venture
A week ago I purchased a 2018 3rd Gen Star Venture GT at Houston Motorsports after 10 mile test ride. First impression was WOW! what a difference the redesign of the retro style Royal Star Venture. Immediately noticed a significant difference in the seat height. The old model left people my height vertically challenged in achieving a flat footed stationary position. The modern design provides me with a solid foot on the ground with some knee bend. Next was the change in weight of the bikes. It comes up off the stand easily and has a well-balanced feel.
I was leery about taking the bike out, having never ridden one (it is actually the first time a dealer has let me test ride any bike I have purchased) and the less than comfortable first experience when I got on my brand new 2nd Gen for the first time. Once in motion, any trepidation I had felt went away. The bike is very nimble at slow speeds, responsive to very little throttle and the clutch is very smooth. Once on I turned onto the street and gave it some gas, it moved out nicely. I would say the torque of both bikes is similar (it has been a while since I have had my 2nd Gen). First gear has a higher speed than the previous model (not being a mechanic, I can’t say the gear ratios are different or not with any certainty). The Eluder GT has the six speed transmission like the previous version, but, also has 2 different ride “modes”, a touring and sport mode. I haven’t experiment much with them (I had to read the manual to know what the mode button did other than show a T and a S on the console). According to the book it lets the bike response be like a sport bike (to some degree) or the standard touring bike responsiveness. The first negative of the bike was the windshield, it was too short, and the wind buffeting was the first thing I noticed. Toss in a crosswind and it only made it worse. I will admit that it is something that I got used to after 2 days of riding to work, but coming from a taller windshield, it was something that I knew I would change on the very first ride (the dealer threw in the medium windshield including installation). On my 2nd Gen the stock shield was too tall and I ended up going to the Clearview medium windshield.
Speaking of consoles, the new console is light years ahead of the 2nd Gen, but in all fairness, technology has advance so much it couldn’t have stayed where it. It is a combination of analog speedometer and tachometer, the odometer and gear indicator are digital and the GPS/Infotainment Center is touch screen digital, has a big display that can be toggled to show Audio, GPS, Phone, MPG, Battery and Communications connection information. All of this is controlled from a set of buttons on the left side of the handle bars. It takes some getting used to (reading the book really helps too) but given what it does it is pretty intuitive as well. The Eluder GT is alarm equipped and uses a key-less radio frequency fob like may of the new cages. The ignition took me sometime to figure out since it only requires a push, hearing a click and turning the knob. Overthinking Tom, though you had to push, hear the click and keep it depressed while turning the knob (which, by the way does nothing). If the buttons on the fob are pushed too many times trying to figure it out, it locks out for about 5 minutes as an added anti-theft safety feature.
Mother nature has cooperated 3 whole days for me to ride it, 2 days to work and back (53 miles each way). Today I got to ride to the dealership to have the new medium windshield installed, and a bit of around town before heading home(about 50 miles. The taller windshield makes all the difference in the world with the wind buffeting. Who knows, if Clearview offers up a windshield for it, I may invest in one, I like the S-curve at the top and the vent you can get in them. The bike has a 6.6 gallon tank an to date I have been getting 38 mpg on the freeway and 37 in the around town riding. If memory serves me right, the RSV I had would get about 36 on the highway and less in town. I am interested to see if the mileage stays as high or gets better after the break in period.
I know this has been long winded, but those who remember me from my days on the forum as DK Knight, it is to be expected. It is nice to be back, I hopefully will be able to make it to some of the ride-ins that come up and make some new friends in the local area, I was happy to see so many in the Cypress/Houston area. Those to the north (Dallas/Ft. Worth, Austin and San Antonio) ae only a couple of hours away and would be great to have a lunch meet and greet. I remember one of the reasons to ride was to find a good place to eat!
I will post more as I get more saddle time and miles behind me on the bike.
http://www.venturerider.org/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=111800
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 :-)
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The stated tq is at the crankshaft, as it is with all manufacturer's specs.
A 107 ci Milwaukee 8 motor dynos approximately 78 hp and 98 lb-ft of torque at the rear tire. But, the tq figure for the M8 is at around 3,500 rpm, so the TC will feel much punchier at normal rpm's.
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!
for what I thought could possibly be in the touring bike history makings (thinking = +180 hp, water cooled, shaft drive, 6 speed, injected,fixed fairing, detachable bags, care less about radio or GPS (flaw in my character), mid ship controls, ergonomically designed for 2, R1 brakes or better and on and on = a REAL history maker touring bike that would spell nothing but BYE BYE for any competition on the road = the wife and I headed to the unveiling out in New York last year on our 83 Venture just to be there to watch history be made.. 
,, SPEAKING ABOUT YOUR NEW SCOOT,,, WANNA SEE INSIDE ITS MOTOR = SEE 2ND AND 3RD VIDS BELOW = WAYYYYY PRETTY:thumbsup:!
:RED:to the club to you too Cliff!!! Glad you found us!!!
Pictures of my 2018 Yamaha Eluder GT
in Watering Hole
Posted
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 :-)