MPK

That was good and provides a needed perspective. Thanks for sharing!

I currently have a 1998 Dyna Glide Convertible and like my cruiser, as it makes me remember my 1982 FXRS, but has the Evolution and Belt drive. Have had a 2003 and a 2009 Gold Wing and loved them both, but had to sell to be able to afford moves. The plan is to try and stop moving, keep the Harley for cruising and pick up another Wing, unless Yamaha finally decides to come out with another 1st Gen like Touring bike. They don't have to replace the 2nd Gen, they are different style bikes, but both are nice. I put alot of miles on my Dad's 1983 Royale in the mid 80's and would like to see Yamaha offer real competition for the Wing and new BMW.

Not sure what kind of deductibles you guys are using, but also try Progressive Motorcycle Insurance. It turned out to be best for me in Texas. Only $258 per year for liability, (1 ticket ), but includes uninsured/underinsured.

Thanks for all of the input and expertise! It's good to know for the future, as I had to let this one go when my wife told me she needed some dental work and I saw what our portion was going to cost. It basically took what I had set aside, but am thankful I had it available when needed. The current plan is to start looking at bikes again in the early spring.

I appreciate all of the input. I'm struggling with it. I can handle an old bike and enjoy the ride. I had a 1980 CB900 when it was 18 yrs old, and enjoyed every minute of it. Actually wish I had just kept it. If my mechanical skills weren't below the level of Tim the toolman, I'd be all over it and attacking the repair job. If I can get enough off of it, I may still go for it, try the Plastex out on it and hope I don't attach myself to it permanently. I can't afford something more expensive at this point. Attached is a shot of the good side of the bike.

The bike only has 12K miles on it. I have a picture of that too and it looks really good except for the crack and I'm curious about whether more will be forthcoming? I did not see evidence the bike had been dropped, even though that's what I suspect. Looks like Plastex is the answer, and yes, new paint. As far as the air compressor, is the worse case that the compressor is bad and has to be replaced? Was that common? How hard is it to get parts?

I am looking at a 1st Gen Venture Royale, 1990 model, but it is out of state and I have been communicating with the owner. Everything was looking good until he mentioned the air compressor was disconnected (or not working) and some small cracks in the fairing, but offered to take some pictures of it. Well, the cracks don't look small to me and they don't look like an easy fix. I talked with a M/C mechanic who does alot of VR work and he felt, without seeing the pictures, that being plastic versus fiberglass, the only way to really fix it and look good, would be to find replacement parts. The mechanic I talked with had seen the bike and rebuilt the carbs and other items, but the owner didn't want to pay for the other items to be fixed. So, the mechanic doesn't know the cause of the compressor problem, and therefore can't estimate the repair. I am attaching the pictures, I hope. Can anyone tell me what would need to be done to fix the fairing or compressor? If nothing reasonable is available, I may have to walk away from this one. Thanks for any input!

I am a member of GWRRA, although don't have time to be active in a chapter right now. I was a member of a chapter when I lived in the Binghamton, NY. They were all very nice and didn't pressure me to do anything I didn't feel like. Several of the members rode other brands. They scheduled quite a few rides, especially Ice Cream runs or some other eating event (we all hate those) during the warmer weather. As far as benefits, I haven't used any either, except for receiving the Wing World magazine each month. If you travel, the Gold Book is worth the membership fee alone. I have talked to guys who have called for help, and like I've seen from comments regarding the group here, do so with no fuss.

If you want help in knowing how to pack, go to the library and get Rick Steves travel Videos/DVD's (Travels in Europe/Rick Steve's Europe), specifically the ones that include his "How to travel segments". You can also go to his website, ricksteves.com, which should give you lots of ideas. My wife and I pored thru his books and videos, went to Scandinavia for an anniversary trip, each using one single soft, carry on bag that had straps to use as a backpack, and still had too much with us. It's amazing what you can do without. Take two pairs of pants, wear one (other pair can be similar or more for evening wear), a couple of shirts, one heavier shirt/sweatshirt/sweater, two or three pairs of undies, airline size toothpaste, etc.... Go to a store where you can either buy individual packets of laundry detergent or take some small ziplocks with individual load sizes of detergent (not liquid). Also save room for a comfortable pair of shoes/sneakers if you don't want to wear your motorcycle boots all evening at each night's destination. Assuming you are staying in motels/hotels with bathtubs or sinks, the first thing you do after checking in is put warm water and detergent in the tub or sink while it is clean, handwash the dirty stuff and hang it up. Most luggage places sell compact cords that attach across showerheads, etc..., or you can use some bungees. The alternative is to look for a laundromat, but I always hated taking the time if one didn't appear conveniently. Lay everything out on a bed or one spot somewhere that you think you want to take with you, eliminate what you can, then test load the bike ahead of departure day. Repeat the process until it all fits, with a bit of space left over. If you like to buy lots of souvenirs along the way, stop at a Post Office and ship them home. I'm sure others have loads of recommendations. Have fun!

Thanks for all of the input, it definitely helps! If I could test drive the RSV, the decision would be much easier. Unfortunately, the dealer is using the insurance angle to avoid allowing a test drive, even if the paperwork for the sale is all filled out and only needs a final signature. But, to be fair, I have checked other unrelated dealers in Tucson, as well as Phoenix, and have been given the same response. The exceptions are BMW and Victory, but they use designated Demo bikes, not necessarily the specific bike being purchased. I will check some more to see if any have used machines that I can try out. The dealer I am talking with doesn't currently have a used one. If the gear noise is the same across shaft drive Yamaha's, especially the Venture family, then it probably wouldn't bother me. I put a lot of in-town and cross-country miles on my '80 XS1100 and my father's '83 Venture Royale and don't remember any bothersome noise. The bike I get will likely see 15K - 20K per year commuting (70 - 80 miles round trip to work) and of course the really enjoyable vacation trips across country (including multiple high mileage days), so it needs to be a good all round bike. The posts I've seen indicate that it will accomplish this, but it's always nice to get the feedback. Thanks again for the fast replies!

All, I have owned or frequently driven a variety of full dressers over the last 25 years, including an XS1100, 1983 1st gen and the last being a 2003 GL1800A that I had to sell to put on a new roof in the last state I lived in. I am trying to decide between a new GL1800A, K1200LT, and Venture. The pricing of the Venture and what it comes with are really attracting me, but the many posts (including '07 and '08 models) about the clutch Chirp and Gear Whine bother me, not so much because they occurred, but because it appears they cant be completely fixed and the respective dealers end up saying that is just how the bike is. Have these problems been fixed or not? If I buy a 2009 RSV and have the problem, can it be completely fixed? I would not be a happy camper spending that amount of money and having to live with such noises.