Ventureless

Not saying it is safe or not, but I rode mine a couple thousand miles before replacing it. Mine probably had no fluid left, but would hold air for several days before going dry on air again. It felt a tad more squirrely than it did before it started leaking, but I didn't feel like it kept me from riding. I replaced with a HD Hagon and that changed the ride completely

My 99. The Bumble Bee. Only pic I have of the few bikes I have owned right now.

Here is where I mounted mine. Once windshield is on, you don't see it at all. And it has worked just as well or better than my stocker. The range has been the same and the sound quality might even be better meaning it is receiving a better signal I guess.

I added an amplified hidden antenna and surprisingly it works great. It was pretty cheap at autozone. Similar to the link below. http://www.autozone.com/autozone/accessories/Metra-Electronics-VDP-Aftermarket-antenna/_/N-25b4?itemIdentifier=296712_0_0_

Joe, I loved the Victory. I test rode the Cross Country. It felt light and was very roomy for some one my size. The shifting was no more clunky to me than my Venture has been since I've had it. My only problem with them was that it seemed to touch down around curves much sooner than the Venture. That was really my only complaint from both test rides I have taken. I also liked the quick release trunk on the CCT. Since I ride alone 99.9% of the time, it would be great. I know you and I have been going through the same thoughts lately of getting rid of our 99s and buying newer or something different all together. After my most recent issues, I am really done. I do love the Venture when it is tip top, but I have opted to go a whole different route. I am trying to sell my bike now or find a trade. I am going with a Suzuki Vstrom adventure bike. A little more sporty. FI. ABS. Off road capable which opens more riding for me with all the fire roads and dirt roads near me. Plus I can pick up a 2007-2011 for pretty cheap ($3500-$6000).

Joe, I am doing the same thing. I actually posted my bike Saturday evening for sale. The plan is to buy a left over 2012. Yes I can find them cheap around me as well. Roughly around $15K. I have thought about the Victory Cross Country as well. You can find a great used one and would get FI and some more amenities we don't have with the Venture. And I will say other than lower cornering clearance in my experience, the Victories ride great and are roomy. I used to ride a Concours. I loved the old 1000 Concours and really love riding the 1400 but my body can't take that anymore. The other bike I have been toying with is an adventure style bike. A buddy of mine bought a new BMW 1200 GS and it is incredible. Handles like a sport bike on the street. It does decent off road as well. The seating position is pretty comfy as well. At least 1 up. The price sucks so I have been looking at the Vstrom 650. The frame is the same as the 1000 and the 650 motor is pretty peppy. I don't usually ride 2 up unless it is my 8 year old son. So for me the 650 Adventure model would work perfectly. And with the Adventure model you get a better windsheild, FI, ABS, engine guards, hand guards, side bags, warranty all for the low price of $10K brand new. It is definetly appealing to me. Of course all my riding is mostly just me. I guess if mine sells we will see what happens.

Looked up their website. They have a 2001 Vstar Custom that matches the CL description and price. They also have a 2007 RSTD for $6550. I think they just mixed the ads up.

I know it is the wrong pic, but I wonder if all the description is right. I called and no one answered. Sent them an email. If it is in fact the right description and price, I might have to take off work Monday and go grab it just for the hell of it. http://washingtondc.craigslist.org/doc/mcd/4441254328.html

I will hate having a payment as well, but I have been a cheap b^stard for so long, I am ready to have something nice. My wife gets a brand new Acura from work every 2 years or so. The kids get everything they ever want. I have always driven the older high mileage vehicles and bikes. The house is half paid off. We have no other bills besides mortgage and utilities and insurance. The kids college funds are all set. It is time for me to get something I can enjoy with no worries of break downs or having to find the time to work on stuff. Don't get me wrong, I like working on my own stuff, but lately finding any time to do it is getting much harder. So having this payment right now will be fine. Less stressful to pay a bill than to have a broke down bike right now for me.

Mine is just a small utility type trailer for the bike. Nothing special.

Further in my post I did say left over new. So not necessarily new. More like old unused!!!

Wow I thought the RSV was a disaster underneath when you pulled the tank, seat, etc off. I wouldn't even be able to begin to put all that back together!!!

I would be happy with $5K. I was hoping someone would say $4500 at least but if people think $5K I will list it for that.

I am thinking about selling my 99 RSV. Thinking about buying a new one and starting all over again. I know the cost of buying new will far exceed the cost of continual small repairs to the 99, but I have no time for all the repairs. It would be nice to have it warrantied and have someone else working on it other than oil changes and such if anything goes wrong. There are a couple left over new ones within 100 miles from me that I have been eyeing. So my question is what should I be asking for the 99? It has roughly 75K miles. Runs well. Does now within the last couple days need front wheel bearings. I have them ordered and will change them when the parts come in. Other than that, it runs and rides great. Brand new Shinko on the rear. New Avon Venom rear in the basement to go with it also. Pirelli up front still has tread. Not sure how many miles left, but should be quite a few. Vented windsheild. Also a cut down non vented windsheild. Trunk has been removed and luggage rack on it. Custom quick on/off passenger backrest made from trunk backrest. Still have all items to reinstall trunk. Newly installed Harley mufflers. Trailer hitch. Trailer to go with it. Extra set of carbs. LED driving lights. Corbin seat. Hagon rear shock. Sure there is more. So what price should I be listing it for? I will need the money for down payment on new one.

I haven't had a chance to do anything yet. I ordered the bearings and will replace no matter what. The noise just started over the last couple days. Brake pads are good. Replaced not to long ago. And the noise is only when turning right or left. More on the left turns than right.

80K plus miles

Well the last couple days I have started noticing a squealing noise from the front wheel area. It is only when turning left or right. My thoughts are the front bearings. I have them ordered and will replace them this weekend. Any other things I should check as well? I am pretty sure it is the front bearings but want to reassure myself. Although they are getting replaced no matter what now this weekend. I figure it is cheap enough and should only take an hour or so to do.

The rack on this one looks like the rack I had on my Vstar 1100. Any of the fender racks would probably fit, but you may need to drill a hole or 2 to mount it.

I will say that on my old Concours sport tourer, I pulled and cleaned the carbs thoroughly when I first got it. I do ride year round so the bike rarely sits and I run some Seafoam through every 4 or 5 tanks or close to it. I had that bike for roughly 7 years and almost 70K miles and never once had to pull the carbs again. I think with the seafoam, you would be ok for a long time with FI.

I have been changing tires and oil and a few other things on my buddy's 2010 Kawasaki Voyager. I finished it up last night and pulled it out to go test ride it. Well the first thing I noticed was how easily and quick it fired right up. Now granted it is much newer and almost 70K miles less than my RSV. But there was no warm up at all. No spitting and sputtering. No messing with the choke. Just turn the key, hit the starter and it roared right to life. I usually don't have any problems with my RSV starting right up, just not as smooth as that. Second thing I noticed is that it seemed so much smoother while riding. Once again it is much newer and far less miles. But it just seems like the FI was so much more precise. None of the little hiccups like I might experience on my RSV. Now I am sure my carbs could use a little TLC at this point, but with FI, I wouldn't have to go through the pain in the a^^ of pulling them. And my bike runs pretty good and gets roughly 38MPG. Plugs always look good when pulled and no black around exhaust tips so I will leave the carbs alone for now. But it does make me start thinking about a new to me bike with FI. I really like the RSV and I finally got mine to where I really like it with no trunk. Also being paid for is a good thing. I was not a big fan of the way the Voyager rode, but it did make me start dreaming of something with FI!!!

There will be more!!!!!!!!!!

Finally a good weekend to have my first pig roast of the season. Went well. 105 pounder. Up at 4AM rubbing Ms Piggy down and put her in the cooker around 5:30. Nice slow cook until 3PM and the meat was a good pulling temp of about 195. Ready for the next one in about 3 weeks for my son's birthday!!!

I will go the opposite route on the Pirellis. I love mine. Especially the front. I still have the first Pirelli front on mine. The rear wore pretty funny, pretty quick. But the front is great. I have found a combination that works great for me. Like I said I have the Pirelli on the front. Since buying the bike roughly 1 1/2 years ago, I am on my 4th rear tire. An E3 came on it. It rode well until it got worn. I feel it had at least a couple thousand miles left judging by tread depth, but it was scary to ride in my opinion. So in my mind I did not get the full use out of the tire for the price. Next was the set of Pirellis. Got about 5000 miles from the rear before it felt bad. I then decided to go with the Avon Venom on the back. It cracked very badly with no more than 2000 miles. I had a hell of a time getting it warrantied so I am done with the Avons. I am not going through that again. So now I cheaped out and got the Shinko 230 Tourmaster. So far coupled with the Pirelli up front, I have never felt so confident on the bike. It handles everything well including riding home from work one day in the snow I didn't know we were getting that day. Feels like it is glued to the road like never before. I know the mileage on the Shinko supposedly stinks, but I do my own tire changes and have gotten fairly quick about it now. So if I get 6000 miles form my $80 tire, I will continue to run it on the rear with the Pirelli up front.

Are the 2014s the same as the 13s? If so I have a buddy that has one and I have ridden it. I will say that if I was more wealthy I would have one next to the Venture. But as Ace50 said, FAST. Fast might not even be the right word. You had better be ready when you twist that throttle. And that is with my 300 pound fat butt on it. My buddy said it gets pretty crappy mileage and if he rides to work and home, he has to fill up every day. It would be fun, but not practical for me. I like to go fast at times, but not usually. And there is no place to carry anything on one. Also I think you have to raise the seat every time you fill it up with fuel. But yes very fast!!

Cowpuc I always love seeing pics of your bike. It reminds me of how I am for some reason. Once a year I go on a week long trip with guys I have been friends with since Kindergarten. They will occasionally rag on me because I have the oldest and most beat up high mileage bikes. And I never wash anything. But it always runs better than theirs and if it breaks down, I can rip it apart in a parking lot, fix it, and get it back on the road. None of them can say the same. On our very first trip my Kawasaki Concours had some issues. Lost all lights and had a fuel leak. We stopped at a Kawasaki dealership in Vermont in a downpour. I parked the bike next to a trailer in the parking lot, strung a tarp across, and went to work. I had that bike down to a frame and 2 wheels. I reran all the wiring to the lights, rebuilt the petcock and all the fuel lines, and resoldered the junction box. All that and I was back on the road 3 hours later. It made me proud that I was the only one of 5 who could have done that. Sorry for the ranting.