RideTime

Doesn't matter now, link says "Sold Out"!

The whine in the clutch area was always there, if the engine was revved, even if not moving, so I guess my answer is "Yes, it was a wide range, but worst at 55 mph. One of the salesmen said "Just ride faster, when I go to Daytona with my Harley, we always run 80-85"! I told him, it is a lot easier for a cop to stop one bike running 80 all by himself, than to stop 30 bikes running 80, so that probably wasn't a good solution for me!

I've been scouring all the posts, Googling everything that I could, looking under the rocks, and like everyone else, can't find a way to silence a chirping bike! I knew from experience that windshields really bring all unwanted noises right to the front, kind of focus them, so I took another ride on the bike I tried out last saturday. This time, I rode it first with the windshield, and then without a w/s. I figured that if I could cut the noise by half, I'd buy the bike. Now, I ride with a half-helmet, with a "NasCar" shield, and no earplugs since I ride behind a windshield. So......when I tried out the bike without the w/s on it, I could still plainly hear the chirp up to 40 mph, when wind noise blocked all other sounds out! Normally, with the windshield in place, this is where this bike had started getting louder from 40 up to about 55 where it was kind of piercing. I had hoped that if I could reduce it by 50%, then I would buy the bike, and work on seeing what I could do to the w/s to stop it from being such a sounding board. I don't know what everyone else considers to be loud, because I don't know anyone else who has a Royal Star! But I do know that when the manager took the bike out after I came back, I could still hear it going down the highway 200 feet away from me. Amazingly, he is a weekend bike drag-racer, and when he came back, he said, "Yeah, I hear what you're talking about now." I think that I've got to back away from this one, unless anyone else has something that I can try to quiet this bike! I guess if even if it were free, it still wouldn't be a good buy, if it wasn't going to make me happy. :mo money:So, I guess I'm back to "looking"!

NBOWERSOCK, I appreciate your reply. After taking an 08 RSTD out for a short spin saturday, I've been scouring all the posts looking for answers, and yours looks promising. Thanks for the update......

Maybe I missed it, but is this still working as well, and has anyone else had good results from having work or adjustments done in the final drive? And, has anyone made changes in the final drive fluid that caused a chirp to either go away, or get worse?

I took my second ride on a Royal Star today! I found an 08 RSTD that had been traded at a new car dealer about 20 miles away, 5984 miles and asking $7,000! So, today, I took a ride over and they offered to let me ride it around the lot. I said, Thanks, but that wouldn't do it, I had to get it to 60mph or I wasn't interested. They put a tag on it, and inside of three miles, I learned two important things. First, it fit me very well, and actually didn't feel any heavier than the C50 that I was riding, but it did ride nicer than my lighter bike! She had some whine through all of the gears, but at 50-60 in high gear, she was loud! I did a search on the site after I got back, and found that it seemed to fit right into the "chirp" range of noise, not a whine, or a scream, but a fast high pitched squeaking or chirping sound. Salesman handling the bike was a bike "drag-racer" and told me he had his clutch baskets custom built for racing for $400 a pop and wanted to make a deal, but I think that going with custom parts would be more of a headache than letting Mr. Yamaha fix it, even if I had to pay for it. You guys were right, while the 02 RSV felt tight to me, the 08 RSTD felt great. Now I just have to find one that doesn't chirp at me! I guess that they're out there, I just have to keep looking........ Thanks to your advice, I know where to concentrate my efforts now, and I'm not giving up!

I've picked up some great information here from your responses. My biggest problem has been trying to find them to ride! I have seen and ridden one, in the two years that I've been looking for them so I was looking for info to narrow the field somewhat. Last June, I found one at a local Honda dealer 40 miles away, but the seating seemed to have been modified (lowered) and I felt somewhat cramped, but "Oh,what a ride"! It was a 2002 RSTD, had a great sound, rode like Cadillac, but it had, what I later learned, was "the Chirp". If it hadn't, I'd own that bike right now, lowered seat or not, it was that nice! Other than that one, I haven't seen any for sale locally, and I'm going to have to travel a distance to even be able to try out some bikes, so that's why I'm looking for advice to be able to winnow them out somewhat without driving all over the country trying to see what will "maybe" fit. .......... Am I correct in believing that the earlier bikes will be smaller, due to shorter wheelbases, or will their seating heights make that irrelevant? If they are a little smaller, then I don't need to go look at any of them........ ...........And in the current design 1996 to present, are there any differences in "room", or are they pretty much the same? If they are pretty much the same, then I can concentrate on that particular generation. My riding consists mostly of heading out to backroads and just cruising, enjoying the ride, and scenery. The wife is not a fan of motorcycles, hasn't been on a bike with me since my oldest son was born, 33 years ago, so I ride solo but like to ride with another bike or two. Riding around town doesn't do a thing for me, and I want a bike that has "legs" so that if I want to put 300 miles on it, I won't need a butt transplant at the end of it! And...... if I do that 300 miles on the slab, then I'd like to feel that the bike is ready willing and able, not just running at the end of its capabilities while exceeding its comfort range! Your answers confirm my belief that these bikes really are pretty much "bullet-proof", and that I've touched on the worst problem (chirp), and that maintenance won't be an issue. Thank You for your replies. Anything that I can learn from riders will help me to make a better decision on which of the Ventures will be best for me and I sincerely appreciate all of your comments and advice.

My knowledge of the Venture and Royal Stars is pretty much limited to what I have read. Since I decided to start riding again, about two years ago, the Royal Star Venture has pretty much been what I have had my eyes on. I did buy a new Suzuki C50 April 09, and while I like it, it just seems not to be quite the bike that I want. I'd like to get educated on the RSVs and TDs by people that know, not folks that are in the business of selling them, or that just ride a bike once for a review, so I'm asking for some help, so that maybe, I'll not make a big mistake when I pull the trigger on an RSV or TD. What do I watch for, what is a problem but not a big one, and what is a definite "Oh-OH" like for instance, the chirp, problem or not, are carbs and gas a problem, or not? I like the styling of the 1996 and up bikes, but I also like the "feet-under" feeling of an older standard bike! I am 6'2" and 250 lbs, 63 years old, and need something that "fits"! So, if an older bike will fit and suit me better, then that is where I should be looking and I'll definitely be looking in the "pre-enjoyed" section! So Folks, can you give me a run-down so that I can figure out what I need to look for, and not go floundering around "in the dark"?