Yamaha Venture Royale

[Pale Rider 07]

I was at a local shop last week and saw a Venture Royale parked outside, waiting on service. I think it was an 86, same year as the one I had. I had forgotten just how much that bike had to offer way back when. From the on-board suspension controls, to the integrated cruise control and CB radio. That was a fun bike to eat up the road with.

 

[SkooterG]

Yes, very neat bikes. Not too long ago I thought about adding one to the stable. But the age, and worry about parts availability stopped me. Amazing the technology it had on it way back then and that is noticeably missing from today's Yamaha line-up.

 

[iliveforcurves]

Ventures were great bikes. Progenitor of the original V-Max.

 

[stealth1]

I have a friend who bought one in '86.

He eventually bought 2 more and rode them until 2008 when he sold his 3rd one and bought one of the new cruiser style Ventures. He only kept that one about a year and now rides a Gold Wing.

 

[Niehart]

Sure liked mine. 132,000 Mile. Only problem was stator failures due to heat. Yamaha built a warranty kit for that at no cost to me except for down time.

 

[dcarver]

Buddy still has one in the stable - I rode it 2 summers ago on a 300+ day in the mountains and had a blast! Great bike.

 

[mvette]

I agree. I had a 1990 that I kept for 15 years. Absolutley trouble free. It had no recalls, no tick issue, no heat issue, no spider issue, no ignition switch issue, no ECU issue, no cracked subframe issue, and an engine to die for that would sound like a Chevy smallblock when wound up.

I sure do miss it. It was traded in for a new 2005 FJR. Didn't want to deal with a possible ticker, so I traded it for a new 2007 FJR.

Makes you wonder why Yamaha went to the but ugly Venture the have now. They should have refined and updated the previous styling of the Gen 1 Venture to compete with the Wing.

By the way, I do love my FJR, but is irritating to have to deal with all the things that are happening to them.

 

[Brodie]

Another "90 Venture Royale former owner here.

I loved that bike. Had it for 9 years, I called it my 800 lb. sport bike.The only reason I don't have it now is it got old on me. I was 4th owner and it had some issues. Don Carver is right, great bike however the newest one is going on 22 years old. Parts availability made me look at it long and hard back in '06. I could have spent quite a bit of coin to have a great "OLD" bike, it just didn't make sense. That is why I have a FJR today. I just can't stand the new Harley Wanna-Be Venture, dis-liked it when it came out in '99. Just not my cup of tea.

Now if Yamaha would bring back an updated Venture Royale with an 1800cc V4 direct fuel injected engine and all the amenities I'd sure look long and hard at it.

Just dreaming.

Brodie

 

[mvette]

Another "90 Venture Royale former owner here.

I loved that bike. Had it for 9 years, I called it my 800 lb. sport bike.The only reason I don't have it now is it got old on me. I was 4th owner and it had some issues. Don Carver is right, great bike however the newest one is going on 22 years old. Parts availability made me look at it long and hard back in '06. I could have spent quite a bit of coin to have a great "OLD" bike, it just didn't make sense. That is why I have a FJR today. I just can't stand the new Harley Wanna-Be Venture, dis-liked it when it came out in '99. Just not my cup of tea.

Now if Yamaha would bring back an updated Venture Royale with an 1800cc V4 direct fuel injected engine and all the amenities I'd sure look long and hard at it.

Just dreaming.

Brodie

Your Venture was the same color combo as mine.

The idea of a new Venture Royale with the new V-Max engine would be nice too. Seems like with this hardware available, it wouldn't be that hard for Yamaha to drip this drive train into a sport touring platform. We can always dream!