1988 Yamaha XVZ1300D Venture Royale review from United States of America
"Superb machine, too bad they're discontinued"
What things have gone wrong with the motorcycle?
Over the 8 years I've had the machine, the most costly replacement was the stator. I understand these usually go out around the 50k-60k mark.
Recently, I replaced the carburator diaphragms, seems they also tend to wear out around the 50-60k mark.
I also recently replaced the clutch, it began slipping under acceleration in 4th & 5th gears. Actually, I'm surprised the clutch lasted as long as it did considering the PO used to haul a rather large trailer behind the bike.
General comments?
The 1st Generation Yamaha Ventures were direct competition to Honda's Goldwings. In my opinion, Yamaha did a great job in keeping the pressure on Honda. The Venture handled better than the Goldwing, & when Yamaha bored the engine out to 1300cc, even Honda's 1500/6 Goldwing could barely match the Venture for power & acceleration.
The Venture was as comfortable as the Wing, though it had a more sporting seating arrangement. You feel like you're riding "in" a Venture, while you feel like you're riding "on" a Goldwing.
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| 1986 - XVZ1300D Venture Royale Superb! |
| Would you buy another motorcycle from this manufacturer? | Yes |
| Model Year | 1989 |
| First year of ownership | 1997 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2005 |
| Acceleration marks | 8/10 |
| Roll-on Performance marks | 8/10 |
| Handling marks | 8/10 |
| Braking marks | 8/10 |
| Reliability marks | 8/10 |
| Comfort marks | 9/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 6/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 8/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 33000 miles |
| Most recent distance | 56000 miles |
| Previous motorcycle | Honda GL100 Interstate |
| Date of Entry | 20th June, 2005 |