mabeline

I have to pretty much agree with what everyone has said so far. Is the next Generation not into motorcycles, or is it that they can't afford it? With the cost of living and the cost to live ( the cost of mortgages/ properties, Insurance, cost of vehicle repairs, etc.) And don't mean recently but in the last 7 or 8 years. I know my wages haven't gone up like everything else in the last 7 yrs. Or am just in the wrong business! I bought my 2008 RSV new for $18000 CAD, and at that time I could justify that kind of money for 4-5 good months of riding in our area. I think an Ultra at that time was around $25-$28 CAD and a Gold Wing and/or BMW RT was right up there too! I couldn't justify those higher priced bikes. Now a full touring bike is no less than $30000CAD. Is it possible for the manufactures to build a good basic inexpensive touring bike? For me and a lot of others, I've discussed over a cold one with. Do we need all of the electronic goodies? ABS Yes. Large screen TV No. Cruise Yes. Nav. I have it on my phone! Good stereo Yes (for me). I don't think CowPuc's wish list is too out of line! Do we want/ need all those goodies? Or are the manufactures saying that we need/ want them? With a few tweaks to the RSV and not a lot of retooling. Could Yama Mama have kept a good following? Could fuel injection have been added without to many mods? Other up grades like Gauges in place of the cassette, Keyless bags and trunk. A Strat style front wheel, for a little more bling. The RSV has it's own unique sound, when you throw a set of Monster Oval style mufflers on them. Like Harley has their unique potato potato sound! Harley's been tweaking their big touring bikes for years.

If you like Motorcycle videos. Check out Sammy Miller Motorcycle Museum. He's in his 80's and still restoring some really old motorcycles. He also gives some tours of his Museum and the rare bikes in his collection.

Hi Rick Thanks for the reply. I guess I should have deleted my post, because I goofed! I noticed this was 1 Gen tech section after I posted. Looking at the Parts Fis (sp) I thought this was what I needed. After a second look, I need the rubber plug that's lower on the water jacket. They're pretty cheap to get. Thanks

I know this is an older post. I've got a 2008 RSV with 100 k miles I've got on of these plugs leaking pretty good. I tried the dime behind the cover,( as mentioned along time ago on here) and it worked very well for a lot of years. I'm wondering if I could change out the O-rings to fix the problem ( Prt #s 21-23 ) Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Some where back in mid summer, I bought a new to me 2011 RSV. My 2008 rolled over 160,000 kms earlier in the year. There is nothing wrong with it. So I figured maybe now's a good time to sell er! I've kind of been shopping for a new bike for probably a good year. There's not to many that fit me, being 6' 6". I've looked at Dual purpose, and they're not bad. But don't have the creature comforts like the Venture. I looked at Harley Dressers and Gold wings too. Both fit ok. But then I realized, I'd have to start all over again with adding stuff to make it mine. And spending piles of money So I found a 2011 Venture with 30000 kms. To start over. I also picked up a Stratoliner front wheel, which should look pretty sharp on the new Blue. So any way, my QUESTION does anybody have the dimensions for the plate to replace the cassette with gauges? I checked out all the threads on adding gauges, and found some attachments. But couldn't open them. Thanks in advance! BTW this is the best forum going.

Check in regularly, just don't put in my 2cents. Thanks to the site and to the many here that contribute to it. I've got 150,000 Kms on my 08 RSV, and a lot would say " it's hardly broke in". Cheers everyone! Conrad

Those would be Barons 1 1/2" risers.

I don't about you, but for me it would hauling the dirt up the stairs in pails that would kill me! Do you have a window that you run a conveyer belt down into the basement, and either into a truck or even a skid steer to dump into the truck?! I had a friend buy a hundred year old house with really low ceilings. Him and his boy dug the basement down 8-10". ( about 700 square ft) and made piles so the dirt was all loose. He had me come over with my hydro-vac, I stuck the suction tube down through the window to the floor. If I remember right I think the three of us had all the dirt sucked out in about three hrs, and that was going to dump once in between. The reason I mentioned the conveyer first is it's a bunch cheaper!

Hey Don Did you get your Russel Daylong custom built ? I'm an over grown myself 6' 6" with a 36" inseam. I bought my Russel Daylong from a friend who totalled his Venture when he hit a deer. He had his built for his size ( he's about 5' 10" tall) Just by looking at your pics, it doesn't appear to be a lot of difference between seats. Just curious as to how much different the seat will be for someone 5' 10" vs 6' 2" vs 6' 6"?

It looks like the brake line off the rear brake reservoir is disconnected ?! It's just hanging there.

You can count me in as well!!

It was a question that was brought up one time over coffee. Because some guys I know say" my bike won't run on anything less then premium". I know it won't be much and cost is only pennies, but curious how much 5 ft. of hose, the pump, and the plumbing in the pump stand would hold !?

Maybe it's been mentioned before somewhere here. If you pull into a gas station and it has the usual multiple choices for gas (reg,premium, super premium), and the last guy filled with reg. How much reg are you getting before you get premium? How much does the hose and pump hold? If you put in 10 litres or 2 gallons are you getting a half gallon of reg or maybe almost a gallon of reg before you get the expensive stuff?

I go on cycle-ergo fairly regular. With me being an over grown ( 6' 6"), I like to try different bikes and see how triple jointed I need to be to ride them. I tried on a new Gold Wing at a bike show last month. My knees hit the fairing and the pic shows the same. Out of all the touring bikes, the 2nd Gen fits me best. The lower seat heights are awesome for the vertically challenged, but the foot boards are the same height. So I end up with knees around my ears feeling! So ya Puc you're right. With the lower driver seat height, but the passenger seat still needs to go on top of the fender. So you get the pedestal effect. See your mind isn't totally twisted,but I won't tell anybody if you don't. Lol

Like said earlier, your backfiring might be the AIS system. There's a write up in the 2 gen tech library on how to plug it. I plugged mine years ago. Problem solved. The clutch lever on mine gave me some issues, not allowing me to set or res my cruise. The lever would come all the way out except for the last 1/16" or so. Just a tap with my finger and it was all good. I cleaned and lubed the pivot point and that fixed it.

Some Ventures have gear whine ( transmission ). Some worse than others. I've got it too but it's not bad enough that I can't stand it. You may find the Venture a little top heavy at low speed. But there's a number of quick fixes, that can fix that. My 08 has 127000 km (79000 miles ) and I'm looking forward to another 16000km (10000 miles)next summer. Welcome to the site. Great people and ton of information. Best $12 ever spent!

I bought my 08 RSV in May of 08. Still have the original battery. It's on a tender when ever it's in the garage. Still worked well last summer, but I think I'm on borrowed time. I will be replacing it this winter.

Is it easy to get the muffler off, to have look from the other end? How are the mufflers supported at the back ( bracket )? Maybe you can do like we've done on the RSVs, Harley mufflers or Monster Ovals etc.

LOL. Just like Mr. Bean would do for his Teddy Bear !!!

ya what he said I had my pump start giving me grief about the same mileage. Mine were pitted, I ran a nail file over them. Kept me going until I got some new points. i don't think there's very many on the forum that have had their pump wear out, it seems to be the points usually !? i can't remember for sure, I think you can get points from K and L. Someone else will chime in if I'm wrong.

I did the same thing as Grubsie and many others on this forum. I bought a set of monster ovals for $400 in great shape. But the harmonic tone was deafening, bought a set of baffles and it's got the sound I'm looking for. I cut the rear baffle in the OEM mufflers and moved it over about half way. Sounded good but not quite there! Tried the HD mufflers, same thing, nice sound but not quite there. Watched the Kijiji ads for about three years and found a set close by. Perfect !! That's what I like about these Ventures, as long as you don't start messing with the air box. You can probably put on any muffler that will fit.

I know belt drives do break, but I don't think it's a common thing is it? I think no more than a flat tire, blown rad hose,dead battery or fried ignition ! There's been a lot of vehicles in the past that were awesome. A bunch of years later the manufacturer almost killed the name. Case in point : Mustang in the 1990's or the Charger in the late 1980's. Now they're icons once more!?

I went a checked out a Victory Forum like someone mentioned. For the most part they're pretty stoked. There's a few saying that this is the touring bike that Victory should have built! I'll have to check out a few more forums and see what they're saying!!

I really hope it's a V4 as well. But the left and right pics are the same one, only reversed. The back ground is exactly the same !? The old reverse the slide trick !!

If you look at the back of the backrest in the third pic, it looks like the old venture symbol from 1st Gen?!