Stoutman

The common denominator between pi and ice cream is Coffee.

I rode an RSTD for 7 years and really enjoyed it. The v4 is nothing short of a great engine. Looking back at how I used the bike I think an RSV would have been more useful to me. Having the trunk gives you a lot of options like grocery shopping and commuting with a laptop, or even having someplace to stow your gear when you get where you're going and don't want to walk around in chaps and an armoured jacket. Either way I think the RSV/RSTD is among the best values in used bikes out there. And since they haven't changed them in like forever you can buy an older one in good condition and pretty much get the same thing as a newer one. Hope you have some cassettes.

This is the first I've heard of this coffee, and I am a coffee Geek. I buy green coffee beans and roast them myself. Then I grind the beans just before I brew them and make either espresso or drip coffee. My cost is around $5.00 - $7.00 per pound, less than the value brands at the local discount store, and I have the freshest coffee possible. Of course, I have to spend about 25 minutes a week roasting coffee. This sounds a lot like the Kopi Luwak coffee that comes from the dung of the Civet cat. It has the same claims about the digestive process giving "marvelous effects". That coffee costs around $200.00 per pound. I've tried it once, and will never waste my money on that again. Civet coffee actually originated from the poor workers that picked the coffee. They were not allowed to take any coffee they picked, and could not afford to purchase it, but they found the coffee beans in the dung of the civet cat and were allowed to keep them. Once washed and roasted they became highly valued for their smooth flavor. They now contribute greatly to the income of those same workers, many of whom survive on less than $4.00 per day.

I gave up waiting for Yamaha/Star and bought a Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Voyager ABS. Paid 17.5K out the door with 6 years warranty. Fuel injection, ABS, Frame mounted fairing with trunk and bags, 6 speed with virtually no whine, belt drive with no drive lash. Built in radio and intercom (but you have to pay for the cables to connect the headset). Once past the break in period the motor is smooth and well mannered, not like some v-twins. Handles very well, tracks straight and true and doesn't feel like a pig in the parking lot. Would I like an updated Venture? You bet. Will I consider it if or when Yamaha/Star builds one? I'll have to see what they come up with. I'm glad I rode the RSTD and I really enjoyed the V4 motor. But life goes on and I can't wait for some motor company to make what I want when the competition is willing and the price is right.

10,000 Hornets! My old Kawasaki 500 two stroke sounded like that at 80 mph goiing down the highway. I can't believe how I used to drive that thing with spoked rims, chain drive, and drum brakes. Oh how the world has changed. And the lights... sealed beam was all that was legal. OK, I'm going to go be old now.

I've owned the RSTD and I know you will love the V4. The Venture is a great touring motorcycle for all the reasons these fine people have told you. However, you may consider looking at the Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Voyager ABS. For about the same money you can have fuel injection, ABS brakes, a frame mounted fairing and a tach on the dash. The drive belt doesn't have any lash, and there is virtually no whine in the 6 speed gear box. The engine won't have the same character as the Yamaha, and the queen seat is a little smaller, but it is one other option. You will pay more if you want the CB and the intercom all set up. Let the good times roll.

I like the Kawasaki so far. I guess I should break it in before I post to much about it but I do miss the V4 a little. Of course, being limited to 2500 RPM for the next 400 miles puts a damper on the fun factor. I got the 6 year transferable warranty so I won't be doing much besides maintenance. The oil and filter is the same as the RSTD so the extra I have in the shed will get used. The Kawasaki is very well mannered. It has a great sound right out of the box. The V twin is not obnoxious at all (still not that smooth V4). I was riding today on a major road under construction with uneven lanes and the Kawasaki tracked straight and true. It has Bridgestone Exceedra tires that I thought I would hate, but they are nothing like what came with the Yamaha, although I hear they don't last to long. It has fantastic brakes, fuel injection, and a radio. I'll take mama out tomorrow and get a report on the queen seat. The old RSTD did need a lot of work. It needed a rear shock, two new tires, and I was a little late on the valve train service, all the break lines and clutch lines needed to be replaced (they looked fine but I'm going by the user manual service schedule). Instead of spending that money and time I did the trade and upgraded my ride. Maybe in 6 years Yamaha will upgrade their touring machine. They would sure have a leg up if they put a fuel injected V4 on an upgraded chassis and added some new technology. Thanks for all your great comments. I guess I need to post some stuff in the VR classifieds. Certainly don't need that four channel manaometer to sync the carbs anymore. Best regards,

Sold the RSTD today. Actually traded it for a 2012 Kawasaki Vulcan 1700 Voyager. I've been waiting for Yamaha to hang a new fuel injected v4 on the Venture and maybe update the technology to add ABS. Alas, the old RSTD needed a bunch of maintenance all at once so I gave in and bought the new tech from Kawasaki. Picked her up tonight with zero miles and put her away with 36 miles. Have to give her the standard break in for the next 964 miles, then I'm hitting the road for Colorado. So, anybody want to buy some barely used slash cut RSTD pipes? I hung them in the shed 7 years ago and they are still there. Also found the stock seat. Make me an offer if you're interested. Warmest regards,

Its a pickup truck in a dress.

I read that article in Rider. It was the first thing I read. The author didn't bring up any arguments that I have not read on this forum. He was very up front with the fact that he had denied participation in a group "Safety" ride to a rider that had a car tire on the back of his bike. At the time he denied the permission he also admitted that he didn't know much about the issue. So that was his perspective; safety instructor, not familiar with the issue so he said no. The rest of the article was a fair attempt to at least define the issues involved with running a CT. For the most part he was persuasive. Some of his arguments were not so much. There were a few things that were not looked at in depth. The insurance question was the biggest. He brought the insurance question up, but then didn't give any input from an insurance company or professional. His treatment of that issue was to simply ask the question and imply that you "may not" be covered in case of an accident. As was stated in the discussion above, if the right lawyer gets in front of the right judge and jury anything can happen. The author could have taken it a bit further though and asked a third party. For all I know he tried and failed to get input on a sensitive issue from a notoriously conservative industry. To me, it played the fear card without any more substance than that. The other fear card he played was this. People say they have millions of miles logged on a car tire with no problem. This is the same as millions of miles on motorcycles without a helmet. You only need to have one incident to prove the need for the helmet. Well, there are plenty of people that ride with no helmet, some with a ½ helmet, some with a ¾ helmet, and some with a full helmet. Then there are the different safety specifications. Which one is the best? And if someone should definitively answer that question, then should that be the only one allowed? The answer is of course not. We all make that safety decision according to our own preferences. I'll say it again, for the most part the article was persuasive. As an engineer I understand the system issues that the article brought forth and the arguments in the article spoke to me. The suspension is tuned to the bike’s weight, stiffness of the frame and the steering geometry of the bike, which drives the selection of the type of tire for that bike. Engineers make their decisions on what works best on paper, and temper those decisions with what their customers want. I’m not one to buy into the whole conspiracy that motorcycle specific tires are just a way to make more money on tires. I think there is enough competition out there that if there was a cheaper way to make a truly great motorcycle tire, most of us would have that tire on the bike. The other side of that is that most of us change our bike in one way or another. Some of us have leveling links that make the bike a bit taller in the saddle but handle better in the parking lot. Before that we put a narrower tire on the front to accomplish the same effect. Some of us go the other way and lower the bike to make it more manageable for our short legs. Others put different brake calipers on to give more stopping power. Some of us put loud pipes on the bike to make it safer, or cooler, or just plain obnoxious. My bet is nobody called their insurance company first to see if it was OK. That’s not our culture. We think of a way to make things better and try them out. All I can say is thank goodness for the guy that figured out how to put a shield on the helmet and keep the bugs out of my teeth. That said all you Darksiders get off my lawn! Come on inside and have a beer where it’s cool.

My friend put Shinko WW on his Nomad and he loves them. Don't know how long they will last. His reports are that they are superior to his old stock tires, without question.

I read the title of this thread and thought the Great Karnak had joined the discussion. Enjoy the new bike.

I worked with a guy who was genuinely brilliant. His handicap was that his brilliant mind worked in mysterious ways, mysterious to the rest of us at least. The thing is, this guy didn’t suffer fools gladly. Whenever he was unable to win an argument based on his wit, wisdom, and elocution he would then begin his assault. The beginning was always the same question: “Is ignorance bliss”? This was stated in a way that was unmistakably an insult. The best retort I ever heard was from another brilliant, yet much more mature man who replied: “Well, given the breadth and depth of human knowledge I think some ignorance is unavoidable. For those that are unwilling to concede that point, I believe arrogance provides a measure of comfort.”

I have ridden, and do love that Victory. But if Yamaha updated thier V4 touring bike with fuel injection, ABS, and radial tires I would buy a new one today. The thing is, it is the value of this bike that got me hooked. Just because I can now afford a little better bike doesn't mean that the value Yamaha provides is not wanted by all the other V4 riders out there. Life is a compromise. The money I spend on the bike is money I can't spend on my family or my other hobbies. Having a bike that is a great ride and paid for is worth a lot. I think I'll keep my 05 and count my blessings, at least until Yamaha comes through with that V4, ABS, fuel injection and radial tires.

Earl, Well said. I agree that communication styles are hard to get around sometimes. I also agree that Kent knows more than I do about nearly everything. He also has the gift of confidence in that knowledge. I have learned a great deal from this site, and Goose is among the most knowledgeable contributors. So thank you for your acknowledgment of his contribution. I hope we hear more from you as well. And please, don't anybody check my spelling. I know I don't. Best regards to the VentureRiders

I use a similar method, four hockey pucks. I put a pie shaped notch one for the contact point by the kick stand to avoid pressure on the kick stand ignition kill switch. I did not use straps the first time I jacked the bike and it worked OK, but was a bit shakey. I strap the bike to the jack now and find it much less spooky when the bike is all the way in the air. I'm sure I could knock the whole thing over, but I would probably have to be very careless to do so. On the other hand, I have been thinking I would like one of those adaptors. The only thing is I have the Freeebird center stand and it is my understanding that it needs to come off to use the adaptor.

I have the Tom Tom GPS. I like it well enough. That one would not mount well on the bike The mounting system uses a spring loaded circular snap on that is not robust enough for a motorbike. It is actually not very robust for a car. My daughter complains that it is always coming off while driving. It would work well if you put it in a tank bag and let it ride under a plastic window. The touch screen would be difficult to manage that way though. As for the navigation, it works well, and the maps are easy enough to update. One fun thing is that the voice is replaceable with lots of different options. I have Homer Simpson on mine.

What are the known issues with this bike? Not many riders like the stock Bridgestone tires. I changed to Avon tyres (British) at 5000 miles and never looked back. Rear shock fails, not prevalent but common enough to be discussed on this board. Gear box whine due to square cut gears. Each bike seems to be different, and the perceived volume differs. Ride the bikes to see if there is a difference to you. Carbs need to be synchronized to make the bike run well. This is not difficult but you need the four tube manometer. Carbs are carbs. I’d be careful buying a 5 year old bike with low miles and four carbs. Tighten all the screws, especially the engine covers and the rear bag hinges. How's the maintenance? This bike is easy to maintain. Change the oil, sync the carbs, grease the rear splines, valve adjustments every 26000 miles ( I’m pulling the valve number from memory) What are the must have accessories? Lights front and rear for safety. Chrome Is the seat a must replace and if so what's the recommended seat? I say yes. The stock seat gave me a numb butt after 30 minutes. I’ve heard some on this forum that don’t mind the stock seat. I switched to a Mustang seat. Other brands are favored by other riders. What are the must do mods? Leveler links for the rear suspension raise the bike about an inch and make it handle better at low speed. Switching the front tire to a 130 helps if you don’t want the seat any higher. I wouldn’t say the links are a Must do, but I won’t go back. Good tires I’m sure I left some things off. Others are sure to chime in here. Plenty of information on this site.

Personally I like the wing. I don't know if it means anything, but the guy that owns local Honda dealership here rides a Harley and a BMW. My friends that ride BMWs love their handling and high tech gadgets, but I had one friend that got stranded on a cross country tour because the local dealer (almost 100 miles away from where he was) had to order a brake lever that got damaged in a parking lot misadventure. The BMW is not the easiest or cheapest thing to keep maintained. In the end you have to ride what your comfortable with and can afford. Better is a lot like beauty, it only exists in the eye of the beholder.

I have to admit I'd like to have fuel injection on my bike. On the other hand this bike's carb setup is about the most reliable one I've ever owned. On top of that I know I at least stand a chance of fixing it myself if I have to. I told myself I would buy a new bike when the warranty ran out on this one, but darned if I didn't grow to like the thing. Guess I'll put up with a few scratches and old school features for the comfort and reliability of my RSTD.

Its all about economics. My family has a fleet of 6 vehicles. If I pay the $1.00 per vehicle per month at the gas station that is $72.00 in a year. I went to Harbor Freight and paid $50.00 for a small 110 volt portable compressor. I can air up the tank and take it to the vehicle in the driveway, top off the pressure while the tires are cold and be done with it. I have a portable for the bike that I keep in the saddle bag. It's a Green slime or some such thing. It works OK but it gets so hot I have to handle it with gloves, so I keep it for road emergencies.

The seat won't fit without modifying the attach points. Close, but no cigar. Also, I've put some miles on my stock seat, and for the life of me I can't figure out why you would want that back, unless you were going to give it to someone to modify, or you wanted a spare. 30 minutes in the stock RSTD seat and my butt is numb. I can sit on my Mustang seat all day.

Only one way to wash that image out of my brain. I'm going home and drink until I see the bottom of the bottle.