Decisions, decisions, decisions.

[biggersm]

Since you seem to want a V-Twin of some sort and don't need a full touring motorcycle have you considered the Vaquero? That lime green edition is certainly unique. However by the time you set it up for Lori to be comfortable too I guess you might as well have a Nomad.

I'm not a big fan of our local Kawasaki/Honda dealer's maintenance folks. It's very long story documented elsewhere in the forum and one of the two mistakes they made for one servicing could have got me killed, but the sales folks at the same dealer are OK. I drove a deal with them that got our Goldwing at a great price (mentioned above) by simply proving that I could do the same elsewhere.

I hope everyone understands my humor about the Victory motorcycle. If I were limited to either a Victory or HD as my only two choices I would choose the Victory.

[gearheadfla]

Not that I'm looking for a V-Twin, but other than the Wing there is really nothing else to choose from in my price range, but I've got to admit, a V-twin with a good set of pipes, (not so loud that it set offs car alarms) sound really good barking up the road. I may gear back and look for something with a good back seat ( not a pad) and a simple backrest for our local events we do. We still have the XII for our planned touring this summer to Ohio and Tenn. She rode the bar hopper I had before and was OK with being on it for a couple hours at a time before the butt started tingling, lol, We did see a used Valkyrie the other day but is didn't look like the best kept bike in the shed, chrome all pitted and that just drives me nuts. But what a HUGE engine on it (6cyl) like your wing.

[AZTommy]

Look at this thing Jim. It looks like a 21st Century motorcycle. You want something that turns heads, is totally different and shouts individualality. This is the machine. Isn't that what you liked about the XII?

Looks like a X11 after a bad wind storm

[bearclaw]

The new Voyager really caught my eye. I really enjoy riding it.The wife and I ride in the Rocky Mountains, and it has never lacked for power. The 6th gear is grat for highway cruising. Helps the mileage a little. I bought the ABS model, and after some back and forth price swapping with the dealer, I gave up a little more than $13K. I threw in a couple of hundred to extd the warranty. I now have 5 years/unlimited mileage front to back warranty coverage.I think I got a good deal for the money I paid. And, if I didn't, it's too late now, cause it is parked in my garage every night. We really enjoy this machine, and it is very comfortable and easy to ride.

[Winddancer]

I know my next bike will be one of these...
Has the look of a V-Twin but is a V-4, and rides like a dream..

[MalamuteMike]

I would never buy a Honda, mainly because they lied about why they moved the goldwing back to Japan, they said because of the all the major design changes the plant here in Ohio would need rebuilt that was a lie, all they changed was the plastic, they wanted the building to use as a warehouse for the auto plant, 2nd I see them do to many stupid things that a 2nd grader would say "boy that's really stupid"

[biggersm]

The new Voyager really caught my eye. I really enjoy riding it.The wife and I ride in the Rocky Mountains, and it has never lacked for power. The 6th gear is grat for highway cruising. Helps the mileage a little. I bought the ABS model, and after some back and forth price swapping with the dealer, I gave up a little more than $13K. I threw in a couple of hundred to extd the warranty. I now have 5 years/unlimited mileage front to back warranty coverage.I think I got a good deal for the money I paid. And, if I didn't, it's too late now, cause it is parked in my garage every night. We really enjoy this machine, and it is very comfortable and easy to ride.

Congratulations on the great deal. If we were equally as fortunate we might be on a Voyager 1700 instead of a Goldwing right now.

I know my next bike will be one of these...
Has the look of a V-Twin but is a V-4, and rides like a dream..

I couldn't see the picture in the form but when I quoted I noticed that you were talking about a Yamaha Venture (perhaps the picture is larger than 640 x 480). The dash to me is a little too car like and I would miss the tachometer. Another problem is that it has carburetors (some might like that others such as myself not so much). The Venture has certainly been around for a long time and has a big following.

[doug of so fla]

Well Jim & Bigger after 25 years and over 400,00 mi on XII,s you will probably find out this weekend anyway, but all this talk about what to buy?? Somehow I just snapped yesterday and bought a 2007 burgundy Honda Goldwing w/ Nav, heat with 24000mi on it and a bunch of chrome. Really looks nice and was in great shape. I just turned over 100,00 on my 02 XII a perfect bike.. I traded it at the Gator Harley dealer in Leesburg. Apparently they do not like Jap bikes in there show room. cause it was buried in their warehouse where my 02 XII is now . and if someone wants a good deal on a perfect XII with XTRAS! call Rick At Gator Harley. It will not be there very long because they will probably wholesale it out soon. Transferring all my stuff from the XII to the wing, I can tell you the XII holds more crap!!! The wing was on e-bay may still be there. Course it has been raining since I bought it!!! Now I have to read the manuals!!! 52 frigging buttons to learn at my age!!! cuat Leesburg. Bikefest !!!

[Winddancer]

Bigger..
thanks.. fixed the pic..

Yes it is carbed, but I can live with that..

[gearheadfla]

Well Jim & Bigger after 25 years and over 400,00 mi on XII,s you will probably find out this weekend anyway, but all this talk about what to buy?? Somehow I just snapped yesterday and bought a 2007 burgundy Honda Goldwing w/ Nav, heat with 24000mi on it and a bunch of chrome. Really looks nice and was in great shape. I just turned over 100,00 on my 02 XII a perfect bike.. I traded it at the Gator Harley dealer in Leesburg. Apparently they do not like Jap bikes in there show room. cause it was buried in their warehouse where my 02 XII is now . and if someone wants a good deal on a perfect XII with XTRAS! call Rick At Gator Harley. It will not be there very long because they will probably wholesale it out soon. Transferring all my stuff from the XII to the wing, I can tell you the XII holds more crap!!! The wing was on e-bay may still be there. Course it has been raining since I bought it!!! Now I have to read the manuals!!! 52 frigging buttons to learn at my age!!! cuat Leesburg. Bikefest !!!

OH NOOOOOOO, Doug is a winger now? Just PLEASE tell me it ain't a TRIKE, or YELLOW or WHITE, opps sorry Mike about the white thing.

[David (N. Alabama)]

I know my next bike will be one of these...
Has the look of a V-Twin but is a V-4, and rides like a dream..

If your idea if riding like a dream is 1970s Cadillac, then I agree with you.

[biggersm]

I just changed my own post about the Venture. My original post self corrected carburated to carbonated. Darn computer thinks it is smarter than I am. Gasoline with a indigestion problem, what would be the cure?

I don't favor one Japanese brand over another but ironically my first four consecutive motorcycles were Yamaha (see the story in the other brands forum). Have you ever looked at the passenger backrest (as seen from the front of the bike not the side). I think it would look real interesting in red vinyl; almost like the opening of the Rocky Horror Picture Show.

Doug: I'll tell you what I know on Saturday (the e-mail will go out before I go to bed tonight, along with post here on the forum for some of friends that may still be in Florida from the far North latitudes). The only takeway is that Honda's legal team has your safety (and Honda's pocketbook) in mind and they lock out many of the buttons when the bike is in motion. Maybe we can have a air filter change party someday (more like a weekend to accomplish that crazy task).

[cushman eagle]

The Ventures are a nice looking bike,to the point I was interested in one before I bought my Voyager XII.I would rather have seen a tachometer on them ,but the thing that discouraged me on them is they do not have hydraulic valve lash adjustment[from the information I was able to find].I have about 85,000 miles of Suzuki GS experience ,which equates to too many hours adjusting valves, and the frustration of trying to get the valve cover gasket to seal

[David (N. Alabama)]

The Ventures are a nice looking bike,to the point I was interested in one before I bought my Voyager XII.I would rather have seen a tachometer on them ,but the thing that discouraged me on them is they do not have hydraulic valve lash adjustment[from the information I was able to find].I have about 85,000 miles of Suzuki GS experience ,which equates to too many hours adjusting valves, and the frustration of trying to get the valve cover gasket to seal

Yes, but a lot of owners ignore the valve adjustments on that bike and sell it at 30,000 miles to the next owner who ignores it and sells the bike at 60,000 miles and so on.

[debron]

The Ventures are a nice looking bike,to the point I was interested in one before I bought my Voyager XII.I would rather have seen a tachometer on them ,but the thing that discouraged me on them is they do not have hydraulic valve lash adjustment[from the information I was able to find].I have about 85,000 miles of Suzuki GS experience ,which equates to too many hours adjusting valves, and the frustration of trying to get the valve cover gasket to seal

I very nearly bought an '08 RSV (7,500 miles) but didn't because of the valve adjustment issue. Found out it's required every 26,000 miles and costs $800 - $1,000 to get it done (not something I would want to tackle myself.) You have to measure for shims, order them, then hope you measured correctly.....


All the Yamaha models require periodic valve adjustments which just seems criminal to me. Yamahas are great bikes but I don't see one in my future for that reason.

[David (N. Alabama)]

I very nearly bought an '08 RSV (7,500 miles) but didn't because of the valve adjustment issue. Found out it's required every 26,000 miles and costs $800 - $1,000 to get it done (not something I would want to tackle myself.) You have to measure for shims, order them, then hope you measured correctly.....


All the Yamaha models require periodic valve adjustments which just seems criminal to me. Yamahas are great bikes but I don't see one in my future for that reason.

Plus the XII is like riding a sport bike compared to the RSV!

[gearheadfla]

I owned a 07 Yamahammer V-Star, and everytime I went to do a valve adjustment, it didn't need it, makes me wonder.

[debron]

I owned a 07 Yamahammer V-Star, and everytime I went to do a valve adjustment, it didn't need it, makes me wonder.

I've wondered too, but the first time you skip it you end up with burned valves!

[kjsett]

I owned a 07 Yamahammer V-Star, and everytime I went to do a valve adjustment, it didn't need it, makes me wonder.

I've wondered too, but the first time you skip it you end up with burned valves!

My son, who sold me the 03 V-XII had called me on Sunday to talk about something, but got his mom instead. Well.....
called last night to tell me he had bought a 2000 Yamaha Venture. Real pretty red, but that's about all I know about it. After at least 6 HD's he is finally coming back to Japanese bikes for actual riding. I guess he still likes the HD for show rides around town, but wanted something comfortable and reliable.
I will pass on this info to make sure he knows about the valves (Thanks).
He called also to see if we can hook on a ride to California (with his mom on the V-twin VN800a noisy bike) for Memorial day - it will be fun (if he can keep up).

[David (N. Alabama)]

I owned a 07 Yamahammer V-Star, and everytime I went to do a valve adjustment, it didn't need it, makes me wonder.

I've wondered too, but the first time you skip it you end up with burned valves!

My son, who sold me the 03 V-XII had called me on Sunday to talk about something, but got his mom instead. Well.....
called last night to tell me he had bought a 2000 Yamaha Venture. Real pretty red, but that's about all I know about it. After at least 6 HD's he is finally coming back to Japanese bikes for actual riding. I guess he still likes the HD for show rides around town, but wanted something comfortable and reliable.
I will pass on this info to make sure he knows about the valves (Thanks).
He called also to see if we can hook on ay ride to California (with his mom on the V-twin VN800a noisy bike) for Memorial day - it will be fun (if he can keep up).

I am amazed at how many people make fun of HD, but yet the vast majority of bikes I see touring america are HD motorcycles. Of course a couple guys I talked with travel with their titles in hand in case they need to trade in the bike to continue on their trip. That is not a bad idea because none of the japanese dealers stock parts to repair any of the bikes they sell.