The 2018 Star Venture Proximity Key FOB....

Has anybody thought of purchasing another key FOB, for tour redundancy? I've been thinking of that over the last few days. What a PITA, if your battery, OR, simply the electronic internal circuit board fails...and you are now having to go through the whole ringamarole of using the manual key and messing around with your included start-up security code. That..frankly, to myself, is PITA territory!

I don't know what a second one costs as I post this...but seriously am thinking of carrying a second one, as simply, back up and convenience.

Anybody else considering this? Just curious....

Has anybody thought of purchasing another key FOB, for tour redundancy? I've been thinking of that over the last few days. What a PITA, if your battery, OR, simply the electronic internal circuit board fails...and you are now having to go through the whole ringamarole of using the manual key and messing around with your included start-up security code. That..frankly, to myself, is PITA territory!

 

I don't know what a second one costs as I post this...but seriously am thinking of carrying a second one, as simply, back up and convenience.

 

Anybody else considering this? Just curious....

Yes, I am considering it. I had an extra one when I had my Harley. I kept the battery out of the spare and gave it to a friend that was along on the trip. I never had a need for it but it was nice to have it just in case. Looking online, it appears it is anywhere from $160 to $195 for a replacement fob if I am looking at it right. The service manual does give the procedure for adding/removing fobs to/from a bike.

Yes, I am considering it. I had an extra one when I had my Harley. I kept the battery out of the spare and gave it to a friend that was along on the trip. I never had a need for it but it was nice to have it just in case. Looking online, it appears it is anywhere from $160 to $195 for a replacement fob if I am looking at it right. The service manual does give the procedure for adding/removing fobs to/from a bike.

Thanks for the reply. Yeah...I think I will drop the $$ for another. I read the manual...and too much of a hassle (for me anyways) for the tap-dance of open the right saddle bag...do this, do that...key in the PIN. Nope...will drop the $160.00 as a 'convenience' cost...and be done with it. Good idea about keeping the battery out of it. I'm just going to do that...but keep in in the bike pocket within a sealed plastic baggie. Useless to anyone, so won't be lifted...but there always in the bike, for that time I might need it. Yep...as far as I am concerned...a required 'accessory'. I wonder if you can have TWO fobs as PIN active? Hopefully not either/or. I'll do the due diligence after I take delivery. But..it will be one of the first things in the coming weeks.

Cheers,

Joe

Has anybody thought of purchasing another key FOB, for tour redundancy? I've been thinking of that over the last few days. What a PITA, if your battery, OR, simply the electronic internal circuit board fails...and you are now having to go through the whole ringamarole of using the manual key and messing around with your included start-up security code. That..frankly, to myself, is PITA territory!

 

I don't know what a second one costs as I post this...but seriously am thinking of carrying a second one, as simply, back up and convenience.

 

Anybody else considering this? Just curious....

I bought one with mine just in case other one dies I am in Winnipeg Canada and cost me $350 plus tax

I bought one with mine just in case other one dies I am in Winnipeg Canada and cost me $350 plus tax

Well, that's the price then I'll expect to pay, in Ontario...should be no difference between Provinces. Thanks for that. Now I know. Still going to do that...for the very first time I **might** need it/use it...the money spent will have no longer been an issue/expense. Nope. I'll talk to the Parts Manager when I go to pick up the bike. A no brainer..... BTW...a question, Zoey...are BOTH of your FOBS active, at the same time. In otherwords, have you tried walking away from and then walking to the bike, with either one, and the bike will start, or unlock storage compartments? It can be done for the new Wing..but you have to do a few 'tricks' to have two registered to the bike's electronics and PIN. For the Wing, it is not straight forward. Is it for the T.C.?

Cheers,

Thanks for the reply. Yeah...I think I will drop the $$ for another. I read the manual...and too much of a hassle (for me anyways) for the tap-dance of open the right saddle bag...do this, do that...key in the PIN. Nope...will drop the $160.00 as a 'convenience' cost...and be done with it. Good idea about keeping the battery out of it. I'm just going to do that...but keep in in the bike pocket within a sealed plastic baggie. Useless to anyone, so won't be lifted...but there always in the bike, for that time I might need it. Yep...as far as I am concerned...a required 'accessory'. I wonder if you can have TWO fobs as PIN active? Hopefully not either/or. I'll do the due diligence after I take delivery. But..it will be one of the first things in the coming weeks.

 

Cheers,

Joe

If you leave spare in bike compartment and original FOB goes bad, gets lost, etc., how are you going to open compartment to retrieve?

If you leave spare in bike compartment and original FOB goes bad, gets lost, etc., how are you going to open compartment to retrieve?

I meant, leave the battery in the bike. You can unlock the locked compartments, with your hard key...but then need to PIN through the method described to start the bike, or unlock it from the steering lock position. I'd carry the spare FOB, on my person, or give it to my wife to carry on tour. This is going to be a no-brainer purchase. If I can pay out over $32,000.00 for the bike...I certainly can pay another 1 percent of that initial cost as a Proximity FOB insurance, back up strategy, LOL! Oh yeah....oh yeah...

Post Edit: You'd never leave any Proximity Key FOB, with the bike, parked in your garage, or out upon tour...for any reason. My take, anyway!

Cheers,

I have no plans as of right now to purchase another fob,,, I have purchased another battery and stored on the bike . Got mine in Dec and just had first service done. No regrets . Awesome bike.

Brett with "Lucky 13"

I have no plans as of right now to purchase another fob,,, I have purchased another battery and stored on the bike . Got mine in Dec and just had first service done. No regrets . Awesome bike.

 

Brett with "Lucky 13"

Oh sure, not in anyway mandatory, just that would avoid one having to go through the authentication PIN routine, every time you'd run the bike, if there was a full Proximity FOB failure. It does happen. Did so once with my car. But as you feel, most likely a failure would be temporary, and only require a battery refresh. Yeppers. You stating; 'Awesome bike'...makes me smile all the more. Hopefully, by the end of next week, or at the worst, one week after that...I can come back here..and give my actual ride-it-home experience, and also hopefully, not blow too many people off of the computer screen with my normal level of exuberance. I was never a good introvert. Tried it...hasn't worked for over 60 years, lol.

Keep enjoying your bike..and always ride, to ride again. Congrats's on your early delivery, you lucky guy!

BTW, if you ever see a guy, on a red SVTC, with an enormous smile, that you'd be totally embarrassed to have upon your own face...wave at him, or them......for that's probably me/us..... I'll be suffering from SVTC'itis....keeps your cheeks pitched upwards, lips slightly ajar, peaked at the coners. No cure...

Cheers,

Joe

Well, that's the price then I'll expect to pay, in Ontario...should be no difference between Provinces. Thanks for that. Now I know. Still going to do that...for the very first time I **might** need it/use it...the money spent will have no longer been an issue/expense. Nope. I'll talk to the Parts Manager when I go to pick up the bike. A no brainer..... BTW...a question, Zoey...are BOTH of your FOBS active, at the same time. In otherwords, have you tried walking away from and then walking to the bike, with either one, and the bike will start, or unlock storage compartments? It can be done for the new Wing..but you have to do a few 'tricks' to have two registered to the bike's electronics and PIN. For the Wing, it is not straight forward. Is it for the T.C.?

 

Cheers,

It is straight forward on the Venture to not have to do anything special each fob will work without any tricks

So how close are to comming over the boarder? IF someone here in the US paid $160 and it was $300+ in Canada, Id make a weekend trip down south and schedule a trip to a dealership to get one. Or can one be had off ebay?

So how close are to comming over the boarder? IF someone here in the US paid $160 and it was $300+ in Canada, Id make a weekend trip down south and schedule a trip to a dealership to get one. Or can one be had off ebay?

Good point...we in Canada, always get bent over the barrel...and you know what....

I guess we could call a U.S. dealer, and see if that key FOB is the same...and go from there. Anybody in Ontario, is basically near a U.S. border town...

Has anybody thought of purchasing another key FOB, for tour redundancy? I've been thinking of that over the last few days. What a PITA, if your battery, OR, simply the electronic internal circuit board fails...and you are now having to go through the whole ringamarole of using the manual key and messing around with your included start-up security code. That..frankly, to myself, is PITA territory!

 

I don't know what a second one costs as I post this...but seriously am thinking of carrying a second one, as simply, back up and convenience.

 

Anybody else considering this? Just curious....

240.00 I have one on order.. They are backordered.

240.00 I have one on order.. They are backordered.

Is that USF, or CAN?

It is straight forward on the Venture to not have to do anything special each fob will work without any tricks

Glad to read. On the new Honda Gold Wing Tour, you had to pull the wiring harness (there is a YouTube video showing the procedure) off a module, do this...twist this way, twist that way...and finally, you'd have two concurant Proximity FOBs that would lite the bike up.

I always assumed that it would be the same as for your car/truck...you buy one...they program it..and you can have as many as you want for your vehicle. We're going to definitely get a second one, for on-the-road redundancy. A head-ache saver...

Is that USF, or CAN?

US funds.

US funds.

Thank you ,sir!

Has anybody thought of purchasing another key FOB, for tour redundancy? I've been thinking of that over the last few days. What a PITA, if your battery, OR, simply the electronic internal circuit board fails...and you are now having to go through the whole ringamarole of using the manual key and messing around with your included start-up security code. That..frankly, to myself, is PITA territory!

 

I don't know what a second one costs as I post this...but seriously am thinking of carrying a second one, as simply, back up and convenience.

 

Anybody else considering this? Just curious....

Good morning:

I ordered a second key FOB nearly a month ago and just received it this past week as it was on nationwide backorder. I paid just a tad under $160 for the FOB and $50 to have the dealership service department program it. I initially tried using the bike manual but it did not work. The dealership used the same instructions and also could not get it to work. The service technician was on the phone with Yamaha for about 2 hours until they were able to finally get the second FOB working. The bike manual appears to have a few steps missing in the print. And apparently Yamaha told the technician that the manual is not correct. Best of luck to the rest of you!

Rich : -)

Good morning:

 

I ordered a second key FOB nearly a month ago and just received it this past week as it was on nationwide backorder. I paid just a tad under $160 for the FOB and $50 to have the dealership service department program it. I initially tried using the bike manual but it did not work. The dealership used the same instructions and also could not get it to work. The service technician was on the phone with Yamaha for about 2 hours until they were able to finally get the second FOB working. The bike manual appears to have a few steps missing in the print. And apparently Yamaha told the technician that the manual is not correct. Best of luck to the rest of you!

 

Rich : -)

Wow..that's not good...but perhaps some 'pull it out of the fire' is that you can download the manual from Yamaha's site, so I'd imagine that that would be the latest version for leave-out's and corrections. That's the route I'm going to take first. What a bummer, that they even charged you for that. They made some coin on the sale of that second FOB, off you already. If the tech was on the phone for two hours...that would be Yamaha's prerogative to compensate them...not YOU! That sucked. It was their omissions upon sending the manuals out to the printers...

There are directions in how to second pair a Proximity FOB, bike video out upon YouTube, but for the 2018 Gold Wing. Perhaps one of us, or you, could do also such, for the SVTC, and make sure we all have access to that proper procedure. Did you watch the tech do it? BTW, I think that I might slip over the border and pick one up in the U.S. Here, in Canada, they throw you over the pork barrel...and..er...ah...

Cheers,

Joe

If you leave spare in bike compartment and original FOB goes bad, gets lost, etc., how are you going to open compartment to retrieve?

You can open the saddlebag and trunk with the key. So you can leave your remote that is turned off In the bag.

Wow..that's not good...but perhaps some 'pull it out of the fire' is that you can download the manual from Yamaha's site, so I'd imagine that that would be the latest version for leave-out's and corrections. That's the route I'm going to take first. What a bummer, that they even charged you for that. They made some coin on the sale of that second FOB, off you already. If the tech was on the phone for two hours...that would be Yamaha's prerogative to compensate them...not YOU! That sucked. It was their omissions upon sending the manuals out to the printers...

 

There are directions in how to second pair a Proximity FOB, bike video out upon YouTube, but for the 2018 Gold Wing. Perhaps one of us, or you, could do also such, for the SVTC, and make sure we all have access to that proper procedure. Did you watch the tech do it? BTW, I think that I might slip over the border and pick one up in the U.S. Here, in Canada, they throw you over the pork barrel...and..er...ah...

 

Cheers,

 

Joe

I actually received a discount on the FOB... the suggested retail price is $250. I did not watch the technician doing his thing as I had no clue there was a problem until I inquired 90 minutes later. after the tech finally figured it out, he showed me the Yamaha online manual with the instructions, which were the same ones I used and failed. the manual is missing a few steps. it went from step 5 to step 8 without showing steps 6 & 7. I don't mind paying $50. if anything ever goes wrong, they will cover it. the programming of the 2nd FOB is basically the same as the emergency manual key process when your FOB dies or you lose it. unfortunately, it did not work for me and the dealer initially. Yamaha should have provided 2 FOBs just like a new vehicle. the dealership told me the cost to replace the entire unit (not including labor) should the FOB and emergency access code be lost is nearly $4,000. apparently they had to replace one already because of this. I am not a big fan of the FOB setup. I prefer a key and keyed ignition switch. but oh well... I am obviously getting older. LOL

I actually received a discount on the FOB... the suggested retail price is $250. I did not watch the technician doing his thing as I had no clue there was a problem until I inquired 90 minutes later. after the tech finally figured it out, he showed me the Yamaha online manual with the instructions, which were the same ones I used and failed. the manual is missing a few steps. it went from step 5 to step 8 without showing steps 6 & 7. I don't mind paying $50. if anything ever goes wrong, they will cover it. the programming of the 2nd FOB is basically the same as the emergency manual key process when your FOB dies or you lose it. unfortunately, it did not work for me and the dealer initially. Yamaha should have provided 2 FOBs just like a new vehicle. the dealership told me the cost to replace the entire unit (not including labor) should the FOB and emergency access code be lost is nearly $4,000. apparently they had to replace one already because of this. I am not a big fan of the FOB setup. I prefer a key and keyed ignition switch. but oh well... I am obviously getting older. LOL

I totally agree with you...this proximity thing, is, as far as I am concerned,...merely a new-tech gimmick!

Give me a key and a keyed ignition any day. You get two keys...you can cut as many as you want...and they all work, without having to do a Voodoo dance. It seems all new bikes are going this way. I will say though, that it is probably the best means of anti-theft there is. You can't merely bust off the ignition tumblers...or press two wires together anymore...so I guess in the long game...it is a boon for us. But honestly, the only thing your FOB should have been used for, (like my 2008 Gold Wing) was to open and/or lock your storage areas without having to insert the key into all three of them, and find the bike with the PANIC key. That's all...we never missed Proximity and things unlocking or able to start the bike, as we walked towards it. ---------> Gimmick. Wow..this saves me the 'bother' and five seconds, of having to reach into my pant pocket and pull out a key, insert, and start the engine. The day that I am that lazy, I probably should not bother leaving the house...

I agree that you should have gotten two. A $27,000 to $32,000 dollar bike...and they can't throw in another part that probably costs Yamaha $10.00-$30.00 to produce enmass. Unless of course, they KNOW they morally **should have**..but used this as an almost guaranteed revenue stream, from most owners, pockets...

Can you imagine having a crapped out FOB...(not battery dead, but circuit board dead) (you dropped it from your hands...yep...) and in the pouring rain, or at night, (perhaps with mosquitoes ringing the dinner gong to their friends and family) ,you have to putz around with the open the right side bag...chant three times...press button two times, rotate your body 360 degrees, tell your wife or girlfriend that you love her ( and mean it...the system can tell and is politically correct...) also, sell your first born...if you don't have one, the bike won't start....and then key in your PIN (unless you lost that too...) and do all this within the 8 seconds..or start all over. People would bring lawn chairs and popcorn to the parking lot. You don't get a show like this too often...

Like you...I love everything about this bike...but would have wished Yamaha would have given you two keys...and an a keylock tumbler ignition, and taken $1,000.00 dollars or more off of the MSRP...

The one thing I don't understand..is that whomever had to have his/her entire security system/ignition start installed new..is only (from what I read in the manual) necessary if you lose your unique-to-the-bike access code. Who in their right mind, would not go home the first day with the bike, and take a jump drive and make ten or more copies of this access code? Or print it out, and keep in in your purse wallet as a camouflaged numerical number? That's the first thing I'm going to do, the day I bring my bike home. Make multiple copies and put them into my deposit box, and other secure places for quick access. Who wouldn't DO THIS?!?!? You'd only have to replace the whole unit..if you lost that code shipped with your bike, and given to you with the rest of your documentaion on delivery day.

I totally agree with you...this proximity thing, is, as far as I am concerned,...merely a new-tech gimmick!

 

Give me a key and a keyed ignition any day. You get two keys...you can cut as many as you want...and they all work, without having to do a Voodoo dance. It seems all new bikes are going this way. I will say though, that it is probably the best means of anti-theft there is. You can't merely bust off the ignition tumblers...or press two wires together anymore...so I guess in the long game...it is a boon for us. But honestly, the only thing your FOB should have been used for, (like my 2008 Gold Wing) was to open and/or lock your storage areas without having to insert the key into all three of them, and find the bike with the PANIC key. That's all...we never missed Proximity and things unlocking or able to start the bike, as we walked towards it. ---------> Gimmick. Wow..this saves me the 'bother' and five seconds, of having to reach into my pant pocket and pull out a key, insert, and start the engine. The day that I am that lazy, I probably should not bother leaving the house...

 

I agree that you should have gotten two. A $27,000 to $32,000 dollar bike...and they can't throw in another part that probably costs Yamaha $10.00-$30.00 to produce enmass. Unless of course, they KNOW they morally **should have**..but used this as an almost guaranteed revenue stream, from most owners, pockets...

 

Can you imagine having a crapped out FOB...(not battery dead, but circuit board dead) (you dropped it from your hands...yep...) and in the pouring rain, or at night, (perhaps with mosquitoes ringing the dinner gong to their friends and family) ,you have to putz around with the open the right side bag...chant three times...press button two times, rotate 360 degrees, sell your first born...if you don't have one, the bike won't start....and then key in your PIN (unless you lost that too...) and do all this within the 8 seconds..or start all over. People would bring lawn chairs and popcorn to the parking lot. You don't get a show like this too often...

 

Like you...I love everything about this bike...but would have wished Yamaha would have given you two keys...and an a keylock tumbler ignition, and taken $1,000.00 dollars or more off of the MSRP...

 

The one thing I don't understand..is that whomever had to have his/her entire security system/ignition start installed new..is only (from what I read in the manual) necessary if you lose your unique-to-the-bike access code. Who in their right mind, would not go home the first day with the bike, and take a jump drive and make ten or more copies of this access code? Or print it out, and keep in in your purse wallet as a camouflaged numerical number? That's the first thing I'm going to do, the day I bring my bike home. Make multiple copies and put them into my deposit box, and other secure places for quick access. Who wouldn't DO THIS?!?!? You'd only have to replace the whole unit..if you lost that code shipped with your bike, and given to you with the rest of your documentaion on delivery day.

LOL at the scenario described. And agree 100%. Also don’t like that you can’t tell if the key is on or off readily.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Oh sure, not in anyway mandatory, just that would avoid one having to go through the authentication PIN routine, every time you'd run the bike, if there was a full Proximity FOB failure. It does happen. Did so once with my car. But as you feel, most likely a failure would be temporary, and only require a battery refresh. Yeppers. You stating; 'Awesome bike'...makes me smile all the more. Hopefully, by the end of next week, or at the worst, one week after that...I can come back here..and give my actual ride-it-home experience, and also hopefully, not blow too many people off of the computer screen with my normal level of exuberance. I was never a good introvert. Tried it...hasn't worked for over 60 years, lol.

 

Keep enjoying your bike..and always ride, to ride again. Congrats's on your early delivery, you lucky guy!

BTW, if you ever see a guy, on a red SVTC, with an enormous smile, that you'd be totally embarrassed to have upon your own face...wave at him, or them......for that's probably me/us..... I'll be suffering from SVTC'itis....keeps your cheeks pitched upwards, lips slightly ajar, peaked at the coners. No cure...

Cheers,

Joe

Wasn't such an early delivery as I was suppose to have it last August but then came a 3 mth delay,, that was ok,,, as my thinking is fix it before i get it. It is a pleasure to ride for sure,,, just looking forward to warmer days to really enjoy the comforts

Brett

Wasn't such an early delivery as I was suppose to have it last August but then came a 3 mth delay,, that was ok,,, as my thinking is fix it before i get it. It is a pleasure to ride for sure,,, just looking forward to warmer days to really enjoy the comforts

 

Brett

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Oh, so you Brett, were really in on the first round, huh?. Yeah..well, I guess you heard it trickle down that there was a crank-case gasket that did not go on right (perhaps an off-key, robotic arm?!?) but that a lot of the first production (the first 500 were reported to be hand-built by assigned teams (the ones spread out for all those Demo Day rides) off of the actual assembly line, that were leaking oil, when the engine got warm. So they were pulled back from dealer distribution. 'That' apparently was the 'needed correction to the Japan assembly line, delaying release and shipment to Christmas, so according to the trickle talk read.

Be warned Brett, I am armed with a full cup of coffee...so, as I await our baby's delivery, here are some purchase logic thoughts that rattled around in our heads last October....

The good Yamaha Corp 'thank you for believing in us'...is to myself, that **full-blanket five (5) year warranty**, and no mile gimmick penny-anty, restrictions applied. With that, there was no qualms about purchasing a first production year motorcycle. It would have been for us,... had it been a one year, or perhaps a 3 year. But five? If anything shows up...with all that time and mileage one can put on over five (5) years...it will be fixed, or the new modified following production year parts will be put on. I don't see any 'sage wisdom' value for holding off, on taking ownership in a two or three envelope with this model.

Here's my wife's and my talking points, and purchase logic:

1. The risk of not getting in on the five (5) year warranty introduction.

2. That there definitely will be a 3 to 4 percent price increase along with inflation for each following year of production...and on a $27,000 to $33,000 (in the Great White North), that amounts to quite a bit more than we and you, have paid, introduction year.

3. The very design of this motor, is a classic design, and the only modifications would have been going to a four-valved head (of which we already have out of the gate), a different fuel-injection mapping (which we can place on our bikes if wanted post introduction year...)

4. They might go with a partial water cool solution as Harley did for the Milwaukee 8...***BUT***..that will cancel out with top heavy cooling liquid and thicker metal water jackets, what is probably the best handling cruiser on the market today. It will change the center-of-gravity geometry at the middle of the bike, which is predominately, why they chose a semi-dry lubricating, air-oil cool engine in the very first place.

That they have an uber-low profile, a very narrow engine profile, and it is exactly the ride and stability Yamaha was gunning for, so, in our opinion, any modification to the engine central core would not be happening....and that cancels out a good argument to wait this model out a few years and sit in the bush and of course loosing riding and enjoyment opportunities.

If I am coming across as quite opinionated in this post...well, probably am, lol I just thought to put out my purchase logic for my wife and myself. This bike is a major, major financial investment for anybody, let alone ourselves (heading into Retirement Years) so...there was a lot of Due Diligence research by myself before we went into the dealership last October and plopped down our $500.00 deposit.

Brett, that they pulled all production back, (the found leaking crank case gasket) which cost Yamaha big bucks, and a little PR drizzle, told myself, that this is a critical junction, and venture (if you excuse the pun), and they want only raves and positive feed back, first year, from the deliveries, WHICH THEY ARE CERTAINLY GETTING from those such as you...actually riding, and not merely talking about it!

Everybody knows. c'mon...that an 1800 c.c. plus twin cylinder engine with pistons the size of large coffee can lids, are gonna push out some heat, alongside the latter cylinder exhaust pipe route on the left side of the motor. For those buying, the heat output, was a minor go/no-go in their decision making. It certainly was with us. In fact, we are going to make that heat production work for us. My wife is already talking (and so am I around the breakfast table), about how nice that lower calve heat will be on the cooling off evenings of late Spring (April through late May, and late September- late November) touring.

On our 2008 Honda Gold Wing, we had heated seats for the both of us, (but not also a heated back for either), I had heated grips, but Diane did not have anything to warm her hands (and we all know that eventually, just wearing gloves over them, will start to cool down amongst the fingers...) and she got cold or numb fingers. It was our riding history, to sometimes come home with air temperature in the low 40's to even the high 30's. She was uncomfortable and the Intercom System brought that to my ear, about every 5 miles. Being that I only could open up the very small and low riding exhaust cowl vents to direct warm air into the cockpit, didn't truly cut it for warmth, (and I am being totally honest and not falling into brand loyalty, mouth taping...) and by the time the air got to her...from those open exhaust cowls just ahead of my two foot pegs...the air was cold at best, so did nothing for the co-rider/passenger. Nothing.

With the rear cylinder exhaust pathway (on the SVTC) sweeping down in front of my left calve and her left calve, she will have a method to warm the cold night and early morning air of Spring and Fall rides, thus extending the riding season and adding **immensely** to her comfort. HAPPY WIFE, HAPPY LIFE! A lot of folks have only been talking about how this normal combustion production will cause them discomfort. That can been heard on quite a few YouTube Demo Day videos, and to be honest, you could tell, that the rider on those Demo Days, had no true intention in h*ll, of coming off of his/her present rig, and to pony up the asking price. It was a riding curiosity that drove the experience, and quite frankly Human nature will come out, in comments to reinforce 'their' decision as to why they, after riding it (for free...) would **NOT consider buying this bike**. C'mon...I could hear that in voice, and see it in body language. Not all, but some posting those videos. That certainly didn't dissuade you or us. My wife and I, coming from a Gold Wing (our last mount), are talking about how much any, or if-any heat production will **ENHANCE** our riding experience, and the amount of time, we can comfortably tour early and late into the season.

I guess it is all perspective. The touring couple with the glass half full, or half empty. The prospective single rider, or rider(s) coming into a demo environment, WANTING to like the bike, with a very anticipating positive demo attitude, rather than HOPING enough negative encountered, subliminally, to be able to walk away..and ride home on their whatever, reinforcing their not true intent to purchase. It was curiosity that rode them to the Demo Days. Not wanting to truly change the status quo. That is Human Nature in play. Regarding some of the 'it cooked my left thigh and leg comments heard', in the hot Summer months, one can wear riding chaps (we have them) and leather does not add to body warmth...it breathes and in fact cools the skin...and does a great job of heat deflection off of the skin. We'll wear ours (and look good doing it, lol) Stuff like that. Nylon riding pants the mesh kind also shield heat, but allow the leg and thigh to breathe. We wore that even on the Wing..to avoid sun damage, and still remain cool, that jeans doesn't offer. So, lots of things a rider can do, to off-set the natural heat production of this engine design. Lots of things...but...come those Spring or Fall nights, you and I Brett, have it hand's down over any other production bike that has all the heat of the motor collecting at the front of the bike (in the radiator for dispersion) and exhaust routes that travel directly underneath the cockpit. Great for 2 months of the year sure,...but my wife and I tour 8 months of the year, April through November! For those that live and ride in such states of the South West, sure...in those states in Summer, most people don't even GET on their bikes every day, because of the intense heat and humidity. I sure appreciate that...and for those, I think a 2017 and earlier, Honda Gold Wing, would be the better choice. Anywhere else in the U.S. or Canada? Nope...not the (best choice) with a purchase decision only driven by engine heat and exhaust routing. You have other choices...that will work: SVTC.

I can't tell you how many a night, as we were coming home cold, the both of us...that I didn't lean forwards and put my hand in front of the radiator side venting of our Gold Wing...and think of HOW MUCH, we needed that heat directed directly towards us inside the cockpit.... So...to end my coffee induced commentary...my wife and I are actually looking forward to all aspects of this motorcycle, in how it develops warm air...and how by its very design, we will take advantage of that warming heat, that we paid for, via the gas pump!

We are planning to put many, many thousand miles of rotation on those tires....and haven't been truly so excited, to be taking delivery of ANY bike...in quite a long time. We loved our Wings...but in the anticipation of an air/oil cooled, traditional big bore V-Twin...the ultra low center of gravity, the low seating position, and every other mechanical, or tech orientated feature of this beaut, we are like children at Christmas...and I have bore five holes into my computer desk, impatiently tapping my fingers upon the desk, reading about everybody **already out there**, like yourself...riding...doing...enjoying. Hopefully next week, or a week later at the most, We can also be riding, doing, enjoying along with you Brett!

So, if you made it down here, Brett in my coffee-induced, finger tappings, those are my personal (and by proxy, my wife's) thoughts and motivations to trading in our 2008 Gold Wing Premium Sound/Nav package, for the Yamaha Star Venture Trans Continental, and every instinct...tells me/us that (as in Raiders of the Lost Ark) the knight said; "You chose, wisely!".

Cheers Brett! Continued safe rides...hey..maybe we'll meet ya, somewhere around Boise, Idaho...lol. Check out the rider's that posted on their introduction rides courtesy of Yamaha...that glorious scenery, and think of your grey beauty...eating up those same miles! We certainly are...lol!!!!!!!! Don't strain your neck, DOING the rubber-neck dance. Lots, left and right to start that happening, LOLOLOLOL!

Joe