Just picked up my 2018 Star Venture

Sales guy snapped the picture before I had a chance to smile, but still... Any excuse to get out on it...

I have to admit I like the look of the new ones. Be sure to post your ride reports and first impressions. Let us know your thoughts on how she handles and any heat issues if there are any. Congrats on the new ride!

Be sure to post your ride reports and first impressions. Let us know your thoughts on how she handles and any heat issues if there are any.

I'll do a full write-up once I have more miles on her (just 100 so far in the first day), but I'd like to share a few things.

I did a test-ride before I bought it. I was very nervous because of how heavy the bike is (I traded in a 2011 Victory Cross Roads) and I was concerned about being able to handle it at low speed. I was VERY surprised at how well balanced the bike is. You can feel the weight when you start to bring it up off the kickstand, but it subsides pretty quickly. Low speed isn't a problem even with a passenger (I've ridden with my son). But the best surprise: accelerating from a stop is EFFORTLESS. The bike doesn't move like it weighs over 950 pounds. The torque expresses itself in a way that makes the bike seem much lighter than it is. Power delivery is very smooth.

The bike does give off heat at a stop. It's still cool here in the Denver area (highs in the 50s, near 60), so the heat isn't a problem so far, and as soon as you start moving it goes away. Judging from my experience with the Cross Roads, it's not that much more than I'm used to.

The reports of all the power being in the low band are true. I'm still in break-in, so I'm not pushing it, but it really likes to be down in the 1800-2500 (ish) RPM range. Folks who are used to revving their engines during acceleration up to 4000 rpm and beyond will feel like they're short-shifting, but that's just how the bike is designed. Stay in that range, and the bike just does what you want with no effort.

It should be noted for the technology-challenged that this bike comes with a completely separate infotainment system manual (not available online to download from what I could find). It's fairly straight-forward, but that's coming from the perspective of a guy who is pretty well-adjusted to technology.

Side Note: This is my first bike with heated seats and grips. I'm kicking myself for not having them sooner.

Beautiful Bike, enjoyed reading your initial thoughts. The main thing every new owner seems to stress is the smooth power rite off the line. I really want to take one for a test ride and feel that for myself. Thought I was done buying motocycles, but maybe not...

Craig

Welcome to the forum. This is a good place to hang your helmet.

I SURE do like the looks of them, and you ain't so bad either,,,,, I asked my wife for her opinion.

Where did you get it?

to VR Zelly!! Glad you found us and WOWZY WOW WOW WOW,,, to that GORGEOUS new scoot of yours too my friend!! that I get to meet the two of you IRL while CTFW (Code for: Chasing The Front Wheel) or at one of the clubs outings... Either way though,, have a great summer out there and looking forward to more "New Venture Reporting" about you and your new scoot!!

Puc

I finally got to lay eyes on one yesterday in Nashville. Great looking bike, did set on it and raised off the stand, it balanced well. I messed around with it 20-30 minutes without a salesman so much as saying hi so we left. Wasn't looking to buy it but was shopping for gear for the wife, we went elsewhere. I'll look again in a few years after the kinks get worked out of them.

Where did you get it?

Thanks for the warm welcome everybody!

I picked up mine at Grand Prix Motorsports in Littleton, CO. I bought my previous bike from them as well, and I have a good relationship with the guys there. If you go in looking for a Venture in the future (give them a week or so to get another one in), tell The Birdman that Mike sent ya!

Rob, the general manager at Grand Prix, aka Indian of the Rockies, is my neighbor. I bought my '06 RSTD there new and my son bought his Indian there last year.

Like others here, anxious to hear your opinions on your new bike. We will have to ride up Deer Creek Canyon Rd. and scrap off some of your new floor boards.

There's a guy I ride with in my town and he has a venture. He is known for trading in new bikes after a year. He states he's not trading this. Saw it up close and personal. Burgundy. Sweet bike, has a nice look and turns heads. Says it's a smooth running, easy turning bike. I guess a majority wouldn't call it a "venture" for many reasons but nevertheless, the bike looks sharp and seems to ride excellent...

Rob, the general manager at Grand Prix, aka Indian of the Rockies, is my neighbor.

Grand Prix did me a solid today. I went to pick up a few things I ordered with the bike and somehow the trunk liner bag was left off the list (though the parts guy I worked with remembered me requesting it). The parts guys swore they couldn't find it on the parts list. I brought up the Yamaha site on my phone, went to the Venture accessories and got the part number for the bag. Turns out, in their system, it shows up as a valid accessory for the Venture, but not for the Venture TC. As a customer courtesy, they ordered me up one, no charge.

I put about 160 miles on the bike today. I'll put another 170 or so on it Saturday, and it'll almost be time for the break-in service.

Saturday looks like a good day for a ride. I talked to Rob the other day. He said that he is getting a new Venture in for a demo in a couple of weeks. I may take him up on his offer to take her for a spin.

Saturday looks like a good day for a ride. I talked to Rob the other day. He said that he is getting a new Venture in for a demo in a couple of weeks. I may take him up on his offer to take her for a spin.

Congratulations on the new bike. I tried one out for Ultimate.Motorcycling.com for a whole weekend. And got to known it very well. I would need some ergo adjustments but if my 2007 RSV was abducted by aliens I would buy a gen 3 in a heart beat

Here is my write up if you want to read it.

https://ultimatemotorcycling.com/2018/03/01/iron-butt-comparison-2018-yamaha-star-venture-vs-personalized-2007-royal-star-venture/

Safe travels.

VentureFar...

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Grand Prix did me a solid today. I went to pick up a few things I ordered with the bike and somehow the trunk liner bag was left off the list (though the parts guy I worked with remembered me requesting it). The parts guys swore they couldn't find it on the parts list. I brought up the Yamaha site on my phone, went to the Venture accessories and got the part number for the bag. Turns out, in their system, it shows up as a valid accessory for the Venture, but not for the Venture TC. As a customer courtesy, they ordered me up one, no charge.

 

I put about 160 miles on the bike today. I'll put another 170 or so on it Saturday, and it'll almost be time for the break-in service.

Same deal with my parts ordering... Not too many parts available for the t/c but the venture had them all. My parts guy did call the warehouse and verify that they were the same parts. Someone goofed on the parts website

I tried one out for Ultimate.Motorcycling.com for a whole weekend. And got to known it very well. I would need some ergo adjustments but if my 2007 RSV was abducted by aliens I would buy a gen 3 in a heart beat.

I experienced some weird upper-back pain the first day and a half that I rode mine. That's when I realized they had assembled the bike with the handlebars rotated pretty far down, as I couldn't see all the buttons. I rotated the handlebars up to where they seemed better suited to my riding position and I could see all the buttons. Lo and behold, no more back pain.

I experienced some weird upper-back pain the first day and a half that I rode mine. That's when I realized they had assembled the bike with the handlebars rotated pretty far down, as I couldn't see all the buttons. I rotated the handlebars up to where they seemed better suited to my riding position and I could see all the buttons. Lo and behold, no more back pain.

Are you looking at your knuckles in the mirrors? That was my problem on the eluder with the bars up high.

It it a great feature to be able to rotate the bars. Anyone reading this make sure to protect the tank with 4” of jacket or towel when rotating the bars. If they fall the switch towers dent the tank!

ah...don’t ask me how I know ...

glad you found a fix. I needed highway pegs to allow pushing back against the back rest/back of the seat.

VentureFar...

Are you looking at your knuckles in the mirrors? That was my problem on the eluder with the bars up high.

It it a great feature to be able to rotate the bars. Anyone reading this make sure to protect the tank with 4” of jacket or towel when rotating the bars. If they fall the switch towers sent the tank!

ah...don’t ask me how I know ...

glad you found a fix. I needed highway pegs to allow pushing back against the back rest/back of the seat.

VentureFar...

I would think Kuryakin would have them out by now since they are the king of pegs.

I would think Kuryakin would have them out by now since they are the king of pegs.

 

Personally,, I like the "VentureFar Clamp-On's" and would probably purchase a set from Venture Far Inc. before I would go Kury.. Those "V.F.'s" are a little more my style Sly..

Personally,, I like the "VentureFar Clamp-On's" and would probably purchase a set from Venture Far Inc. before I would go Kury.. Those "V.F.'s" are a little more my style Sly..

Never heard of them but I have had the same Kuryakin on since 2002.

Personally,, I like the "VentureFar Clamp-On's" and would probably purchase a set from Venture Far Inc. before I would go Kury.. Those "V.F.'s" are a little more my style Sly..

Maybe I should patent them but they were @cowpuc idea. We were talking while I was on my attempted and aborted ironbutt ride.

They are large c clamps mounted upside down on the end of the floor boards to rest your boots on.

VentureFar...

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Maybe I should patent them but they were cowpuc idea. We were talking while I was on my attempted and aborted ironbutt ride.

They are large c clamps mounted upside down on the end of the floor boards to rest your boots on.

 

VentureFar...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

What cha talkn bout Willis,,, I had nothing to do with nuthin... This is either another case of mistaken identity or one of those big brothers blaming everything on lil brother moments

Another example?

Many years ago, some buddies and I were rabbit hunting.. 4 of us had driven north into Michigan SnowShoe country in my 67 Cougar with the hounds and guns in the trunk.. Got late and started getting dark, opened the trunk - stuck the guns in - called the dogs but my Beagle named "Star" would not give it up (good rabbit dog). Standing there yappin, I noticed Star's flag (tail) whipping back and forth about 30 feet off the side of the dirt road,, all of sudden "BAWLLLLLL" = he opened up with tone that screamed "I JUMPED A :Bunny:".. Squinting to see in the looming darkness, I saw his tail coming at me at high speed, bent down just as the broke the edge of the two track = scooped up the live and tossed him in the trunk of my Cougar and a buddy slammed the lid.. :dancefool:

Slowly opened the trunk with my lunch box opened in my hand... Reached in, grabbed the and stuck em in my lunch box.. All of going crazy with :clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::dancefool::dancefool:..

Got home, told my girlfriends dad about what happened (hunting with her brothers and another friend named Garv).. Her dad didnt believe us until I opened my lunch box and BOING = was rippin around their house..

Garv and Rod (girlfriends brother) worked together and during a lunch break the next day Rod starting telling a large group of fellow employees sitting around the lunch tables about what had happened... Got to the end,, all the guys were looking at Rod with that "ohhhh sure" look, Rod looked at Garv and said = "Garv was there, tell em Garv"... Garv looked at Rod and said "I have no idea what your even talking about"...

Are you looking at your knuckles in the mirrors? That was my problem on the eluder with the bars up high.

Yes, but I had the same experience on my old bike, so I'm used to it.

What cha talkn bout Willis,,, I had nothing to do with nuthin... This is either another case of mistaken identity or one of those big brothers blaming everything on lil brother moments

 

Another example?

Many years ago, some buddies and I were rabbit hunting.. 4 of us had driven north into Michigan SnowShoe country in my 67 Cougar with the hounds and guns in the trunk.. Got late and started getting dark, opened the trunk - stuck the guns in - called the dogs but my Beagle named "Star" would not give it up (good rabbit dog). Standing there yappin, I noticed Star's flag (tail) whipping back and forth about 30 feet off the side of the dirt road,, all of sudden "BAWLLLLLL" = he opened up with tone that screamed "I JUMPED A :Bunny:".. Squinting to see in the looming darkness, I saw his tail coming at me at high speed, bent down just as the broke the edge of the two track = scooped up the live and tossed him in the trunk of my Cougar and a buddy slammed the lid.. :dancefool:

Slowly opened the trunk with my lunch box opened in my hand... Reached in, grabbed the and stuck em in my lunch box.. All of going crazy with :clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::dancefool::dancefool:..

Got home, told my girlfriends dad about what happened (hunting with her brothers and another friend named Garv).. Her dad didnt believe us until I opened my lunch box and BOING = was rippin around their house..

Garv and Rod (girlfriends brother) worked together and during a lunch break the next day Rod starting telling a large group of fellow employees sitting around the lunch tables about what had happened... Got to the end,, all the guys were looking at Rod with that "ohhhh sure" look, Rod looked at Garv and said = "Garv was there, tell em Garv"... Garv looked at Rod and said "I have no idea what your even talking about"...

Now that I know what you were talking about, I would have to say that I will stay with my 16 year ols Kuryakins. If that is ok with you, Puc?