I’ve only had my 2018 Star Venture TC for about 2 weeks, a left over still in the crate. I’m still in the break-in period. I rode in 88 degree weather for a short ride recently and noticed substantial heat on my left lower leg and underneath my thigh. Of course I was wanting to hear the pipes so I revved it a little. When I held my hand down between my leg and the motor while riding it felt like a blast furnace. But I had already installed my TAB Performance 2.5 slip-ons without the Power Commander 5 so it might have been running a little lean. But tomorrow I’ll be installing the PC5 and changing the the break-in oil and filter and using Yamalube synthetic. I’m hoping it cools down a bit. Everyone says they cool down after break-in so we shall see.
I’m a fan of V-Twins. I’ve had a few and they all run hot. I had a water-cooled 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 Classic years ago and it also got hot, especially when that big radiator fan kicked in. My last Harley, a 2016 Ultra, a twin cool, was so hot with the catalyst underneath the passenger boards that my wife couldn’t ride with me until I changed out the header pipe and mufflers. Still, it was a hot bike when it was over 80 degrees ambient temperature but no where near what it was before I change the exhaust. The only air cooled bike I’ve had that heat was not an issue was a 2012 BMW R1100R. Never felt anything even on the hottest days.
One good thing about the Venture is that the catalytic converters are in the mufflers so it’s easy removal when you put custom mufflers on.