Ventureless

This question comes up after seeing something on another post. I sold my Venture a couple months ago. I am racking my brain trying to think of what I want next. I wanted an adventure style bike, but my wife who just recently started to enjoy riding would not be comfortable on the adventure bike. So then I turned to Victory. They handle very well and have plenty of room even 2 up. But they have a very limited dealer network and also I am unsure of the reliability yet as the newer motors/trannies have not been out that long and I have not seen to many high mileage bikes for whatever reason. So I then start looking at another used Venture or Tour Deluxe and a Vstrom 650 adventure just for me. I could afford both and have the best of both worlds. Both very reliable with great forums and lots of dealers. Well then the Goldwing F6B comes into play. I was in NC this past weekend and tried to pick up a 2014 yellow and black F6B. They were high on the price and not willing to come down to something reasonable so I left it there. Yellow paint isn’t worth the extra couple thousand $ to me. So now I am back to looking at another Venture/Tour Deluxe and a Vstrom unless I find a pretty good deal on a F6B. If I go the 2 bike route, I am leaning toward the Tour Deluxe with aftermarket fairing for the ease of removing it. I would also add a trunk to it for the wife and son. So now after the long winded backstory on to my question. I sold the venture in the hopes of getting something more modern with FI and ABS. Well if I have 2 bikes, I guess I can deal with neither of those things on one of them. My Venture never had any mechanical troubles and I never had to remove the carbs for any reason. So I am wondering from another post how often they really need to be removed and cleaned. I saw someone posted that with around 31K miles, it is probably due. If there are no issues, do they really need to come off. I do ride often (about every day year round) and I run seafoam through every few tanks. I am rethinking my thoughts of 2 bikes if I am get it stuck in my head now that I will have the extra maintenance.

I agree. I love taking the week long trips each year and my weekend rides alone or with friends or family. But the best feeling of all is when I pull out of the parking lot after work. It makes that feeling of breaking free from the grind each day so much better. And surprisingly I ride to work year round and every day as long as there is no snow/ice and that free feeling still comes to me each and every day.

If Ronnie 86 does not take it, I will. I am in Warrenton, Va and work in Chantilly so no need for shipping. I can meet you somewhere and just pick it up.

I put a set on my Concours when I had it. Mine went right on as well. I sprayed the inside with hairspray and slid them on. Not only did they go right on, the hairspray glued them in place and they never moved.

Those pics went well with the bagel I was eating!!

Joe unless I missed it, I haven't seen an update on the Harley. You keeping it or no? I have been looking at adventure bikes (Yamaha Super Teneree). Rode one and also rode a Victory Vision and a Cross Country the same day. The adventure bike is out now. Not going to work for when the wife wants to ride. I have decided on a Vision even as ugly as it is. I had ridden them before and wasn't sure. Now I am. If I can pick up a used one cheap enough, I will still pick up a Vstrom 650 adventure bike as well.

I was running the 80H as well and had horrible sidewall cracking. The tire had about 2000 miles on it and was older, but not overly old. I did get a new tire and reimbursed for teh addition mounting cost. I will say though that I have a brand new Avon tire in my storage closet. I refused to put another one on after the hassle I went through. I had much better luck with my Pirelli up front and Shinko in the rear. Not a bad word to say about either. Bike is gone now in case anybody wants a cheap brand new Venom.

Kettlinton you selling the bike? Saw the ad on Craigslist.

I am not saying that is the only way, but I never found any other way. There was just no room to get anything in there to turn the nut without taking all that stuff off. That is just me. Someone else may know of another way.

Nope that is why I left it set so stiff. It was to stiff for just me, but I didn't want to have to go through that to adjust it every time my wife rode with me. So I left it and dealt with the harsher ride.

Mark should be lots of adjustment left in it both ways. It doesnt take much to make a difference. Start with quarter turns and test. The nut has a small set screw to hold it in place. Need to loosent that before turning the nut. And yes it is easier up on the jack.

Mark as far as the front wander have you tried loosening the preload on the rear shock as i suggested. That hagon rear is set very stiff for 1 up but was perfect and no wandering 2 up. Like i said i was told several times that stiff set up in the rear can cause a loose feeling in the front.

Mark no problem. I told you that I would be here to help in any way that I can. I am not out to get over on anyone. There have been many times I thought something was wrong and had someone else ride it and put my mind at ease. Kind of like doing the wheel bearings when they really didn't need it. But at least they are new and done. Steering bearing also tightened. And the guys here have helped a bunch and are more than willing to help diagnose and repair anything. I will continue to be a member here even though I am going to buy the adventure bike. I will be more accessible when we get back from vacation tomorrow. Have been out in the ocean doing a lot of fishing everyday with spotty cell service.

Kettlinton bought the bike from me. I never had a high revving problem and I had Riderduke help me synch the carbs about a year ago with his carbtune. Not sure if the Vmax mod was done by the gentleman I bought it from or not. I did not do it. The bike does have a Dyna 3000 ignition. I know it took some getting used to when I got it. I previously had a Vstar 1100 and a Concours. I had to ride the Venture more like the inline 4 in the Concours instead of the Vtwin in the Vstar. Riderduke has ridden the bike as well and thought it rode great.

Nice looking bike Joe. Hope you like it. Not as roomy as the RSV and more expensive. Those would be the only issues for me.

I know the Corbin will not be for everybody, but you may want to give it a chance. Mine also came with a Corbin. I said the same things as you and hated it. I did purchase a stock seat and tried it. SO much worse. So I continued with the Corbin and about 2 years later I love it. Once it started to break in to my big ^ss, it got more comfortable. I have ridden almost 1000 mile days and got off feeling like I had ridden 2 miles to the store. Like I said, it won't be for everyone, but I would at least give it a fighting chance.

+1:depressed:

Man can my wife and I switch lives with you two for a couple weeks this summer. I do get out for a week or 2 every year on the bike but not with the wife. She only does a few day rides here and there. With a 7 and 8 year old, we have a while before doing any adventures like that. And seeing the vid makes me yearn to head west even more. I am getting ready to trade my Venture for an adventure bike so I can do more offroading. Here in VA, we have some fire roads and gravel roads to explore, but nothing with sights like in your vid.

You said you were just joking about getting a Harley and I know very little about electrical, but I will tell you my experience with trying to trade my Venture in. I did find a nice used Road Glide at a local shop. I decided it was time for me to trade my problematic Venture in. Well the sales guy pretty much told me that because it wasn't a Harley, they didn't want it in their showroom. I proceeded to laugh and just walk out. As I am walking out he asked if I was still interested. I just laughed harder and kept walking out the door without saying another word. Then recently I went to another dealer and decided I was walking out with a new Road King. Well when I asked about my trade. When they saw it was a Yamaha, they also told me they did not want it. I asked why they would not even offer anything to someone ready to walk out the door on a new $20K bike. When he told me because it was not a Harley, I once again started laughing and walked out. This is why I will be getting my Suzuki Vstrom in the next couple weeks. They have no problem taking my trade.

Yeah with my wife and I on my Venture, we weigh right at 490 (yeah I am a big tall fatty!) We have never had a problem. Pirelli up front at 40 and Shinko in rear at 40. Shock is a Hagon HD so no air. Bike actually rides better with both of us on it.

Just go ahead and get a Hagon HD or other aftermarket. I am 6'4" 300 + and my wife is around 5'7" and 150. I know we are over the weight limit of the bike but we still ride together. I was scared with the stock shock. With the Hagon, I honestly don't even realize she is back there except when doing parking lot slow manuevers. The bike handles so much better solo or 2 up with the Hagon. And that is even when my stock shock was good.

Also I guess in my original reply, I was talking about a different kind of bounce. Mine is just due to preload being set to tight for me solo so I am feeling every tiny bump. It is not like a riding in a caddy bounce!

Dampening is easy to adjust without removing anything. Preload is a pain to get to. Yes it can be set easily after removing a bunch of things to get to the nut.

My stock shock was a piece of crap so I bought a Hagon. I left the settings as it was shipped. I love the ride. Much stiffer. Now after my wife riding a long (for her) 200+ mile day, I have realized that the shock is set perfectly for when both of us are on the bike. I get a bouncy feeling when it is just me and I guess that will continue because it is a pain in the ass to adjust the shock back and forth each time between solo and 2 up. I realize I am talking about a Hagon and I am not sure how that relates to the stock shock. But if set to tight (to much air maybe? Or not enough?) you could get some bounce. Mine feels closer to a hard tail the way it bounces when I am solo. But it handles the twisties like my old sport touring bike.

Nope not his own. A lot of departments are going with the Victories now. You can see the communications trunk on it. Hope he is ok as well. Always sad but having a good friend who was a motorcop die while on duty a year ago because of someone else's stupidity makes it even worse to me.