Opinions on this Venture I've been eyeballing.

[caseyjones955]

I setup my max for distance riding, sort of, just got the aux tank-n-all, wifey expresses an interest in coming with when she is able and Maxine is no 2-up machine. I ruled out a Venture and decided on a GL1500 after I lost out on a local 1300 Venture for $1000. I'm coming back around to a Venture but I have yet to throw a leg over one with my 34" inseam. I rode a GL1800 when they were new and was impressed by the engine but expected more comfort for a tall rider. I threw a leg over a 1500 and it seemed much better, never ridden one. I have read that the Venture is great for taller guys.

I touched base with some Wing owners and they are unbelievably cool people, some taller ones prefer the GL1500. I'm torn and I think either would make a great mile eater 2-up. I have been checking out this sweety in Ft Collins. It's a day away but I can live with that. I would only consider a Venture if a 1300 and Royal. Absence of reverse is a consideration but not a deal breaker. Good intercom and wind protection is a serious plus.

I'm interested in opinions and experience from current or former Venture owners, maybe even those with experience with wings to. Here is the link to one that has had my attention for awhile. I put a call in to find out his best OTD price. I was funded to get a GL1500SE or Aspencade on the cheaper side of the price range but a recent unexpected expense hit me in the nards and it's hard to ignore the Ventures being about half price of a decent GL1500.

http://www.fortcollinsmotorsports.com/default.asp?page=xInventoryDetail&id=1555064&source=craigslist

Thoughts, opinions and experience welcome. It's cool, you can even flame me if you want, I can take it! :clapping:

Oh, it did not escape my attention that I could install Vmax cams, heads and vboost bits if I get bored.

Forgot to add, not looking at the later Venture Star that looks like a Road King, anything that even casts a shadow resembling an HD is a deal breaker.

Thanks gents.

 

[ga_max]

Looks nice to me but I'm not an expert.

 

[Rollie]

Check out the venture riders forum....

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/content.php

I would get one in a heartbeat if touring was my goal. Motors are almost bulletproof , over engineered and similar to our Vmax motor. 100 H.P. is easy to reach with just a few tweaks. Royal Stars are very nice too , and you can customize them after your touring days are reduced.


My Royal Star / Speedstar

 

[Itgoes]

Wow, that's in amazing shape!

I had one for several years, they are great bikes. A buddy of mine went from NJ to California and back on the same exact bike in the ad.....same color everything.

Only negative that I can think of is that they are quite top heavy, so they can be a handful when going real slow or pushing around the garage. Once rolling though they are quite nimble for their size.

 

[jfeagins]

I loved the schitt out of the 86 Venture Royale I had. Nearly cried when I delivered it to the new buyer. My wife did cry. We had our 1st date on it. The only issue I know of was the same as plagues our Vmaxes, in that the CDI box can falter when they get older. Sean Morley has the fix for that nowadays. The wife & I both moved on to owning our Honda Runes, and I pull a trailer with mine, to handle our long distance needs, and so, it spelled the end of my Venture ownership days. I still miss it, especially when I see one such as in this sale listing that is in such good shape, as mine was.

A few pics of mine right before I put it up for sale:

 

[brad bruggeman]

I had an 88 that I purchased from my dad when he bought a 1500 good wing.If you had or have had a vmax u will not be happy with a 1500 wing"real slouch,slow'.A 1800 wing is a whole different bike when it comes to performance.A 1800 wing and a 1300 venture are a close match performance wise.At least mine was.I run a 03 wing from stop light up to 100mph ,less than a bike length difference. As far as being tall,I am 6'1 and I didn,'t have much problem with it.I have put 750 miles on it in a day on a couple of occasions.You might want to remove the storage pouches in front of your knees to help.It had 55,000 miles in it when I got it,I put another 25,000 on it.My neighbor has it now with 110,000 on it.So with proper maintenance and care they will last a long time.I would be careful though due to some parts for them are discontinued and not available any more.Especially non mechanical parts such as body parts and electrical.Hope this helps,good luck.

 

[caseyjones955]

Thanks for all the comebacks. I have read in a few places about brittle bodywork with age and intermittently failing electronics but I cant imagine theres no fix. It's hard to ignore how cheaply you can buy nice ones what with their age. I think most bikes that were on the showroom floor before The Grateful Dead stopped touring with Garcia have pretty much fully depreciated, regardless of their condition. It might be just the deal I'm looking for. I didnt realize the GL1500 was much slower, I figured they would be comparable, performance is a primary consideration, right along with price. It is nice to know how it stacks up to a GL1500 performance wise.

This particular bike has been on CL for quite a while so maybe something up with it, or quarter-century old touring bikes are not really a hot item. I have to work 7 days at the end of this month so if it's still there after that I'll go and have a peek, prolly snag it if it is what it appears to be. If I'm willing to cross a state line or two I can buy these things all day long for $2000, normally I would not consider a dealership but we'll see if I can get it out the door for $2500, it looks cleaner than most and claims a full service history so there is value in that.

hhmmmm a 1300cc Venture with Vboost, food for thought.

 

[one2dmax]

You can always build one like we did

 

[caseyjones955]

You can always build one like we did

That looks simply badass without all the chrome details, it feels like a great winter project. This one in the pic has the vmax top end?

 

[scuff]

I just sold my 86 Venture with more miles for more money, had a little bit more chrome but in similar shape, I now have a 2000 GL 1500SE, the Venture whoops the GL1500 in every way except one parts availability, the Venture.org website is awesome too, I say buy it you won't regret it, I used to beat up on my buddy with a 1200 sportster with my Venture all the time great fun that was LOL

 

[caseyjones955]

I never got my call returned so I called again this morning and asked for a different sales guy, after asking some questions I found out the bike has some damaged fairings not mentioned or in the ad. There is also a $650 dealer fee in addition to the list price of $3599. Once I mentioned the CL ad he did acknowledge the $2499 price but the dealer fee stands as a point of negotiation. I had to ask specific questions to learn these things. He will be emailing pics of the damaged areas today but after all these red flags I will likely pass on this one. If I can pin him down to an OTD price range I may still go look but wont make any decision until I get a peek at the several Royals privately for sale in that area. It's just not ethical to omit pertinent information from an ad, it feels deceptive. This is why I generally avoid dealerships. I'll look at several and see which is the best buy but leaning heavily towards a private seller at this point. How pissed would I be had I driven out there only to find out about exorbitant dealer fees and unlisted damaged areas...

I have read a bit about damaged bodywork and difficult availability of good parts, are these fiberglass or what, is there a feasible way to repair damaged fairings on these models or should I be looking only at examples with good body work? I havnt ruled this one out yet, not until I see the pics but it's not looking so good anymore.

Private examples I see with a quick search are: It looks quite possible to score a very nice one for well under 2500 with a little shopping around.

https://fortcollins.craigslist.org/mcy/5523352717.html

https://fortcollins.craigslist.org/mcy/5520393307.html

https://cosprings.craigslist.org/mcy/5533193488.html

 

[Itgoes]

Many Ventures have damage on the upper part of the fairing above the turn signal....mine did from the previous owner, I touched it up.

 

[Itgoes]

I like that one from Berthoud. Looks well taken care of.

Don't be afraid of the mileage as far as the motor goes......good for over 100,000 miles.

Probably better off than buying from the dealer.

 

[Fire-medic]

Tell them, "no dealer fee." That's just running up the cost, obviously. It is called, "excess profit-taking." It's also referred to in the industry as a "sucker's junk fee." If you're gullible enough to pay it, they're very willing to demand it. They will be glad to get the bike off the inventory, hold firm, and if they refuse to negotiate, walk. Let them sit on it.

I never got my call returned so I called again this morning and asked for a different sales guy, after asking some questions I found out the bike has some damaged fairings not mentioned or in the ad. There is also a $650 dealer fee in addition to the list price of $3599. Once I mentioned the CL ad he did acknowledge the $2499 price but the dealer fee stands as a point of negotiation. I had to ask specific questions to learn these things. He will be emailing pics of the damaged areas today but after all these red flags I will likely pass on this one. If I can pin him down to an OTD price range I may still go look but wont make any decision until I get a peek at the several Royals privately for sale in that area. It's just not ethical to omit pertinent information from an ad, it feels deceptive. This is why I generally avoid dealerships. I'll look at several and see which is the best buy but leaning heavily towards a private seller at this point. How pissed would I be had I driven out there only to find out about exorbitant dealer fees and unlisted damaged areas...

I have read a bit about damaged bodywork and difficult availability of good parts, are these fiberglass or what, is there a feasible way to repair damaged fairings on these models or should I be looking only at examples with good body work? I havnt ruled this one out yet, not until I see the pics but it's not looking so good anymore.

Private examples I see with a quick search are: It looks quite possible to score a very nice one for well under 2500 with a little shopping around.

https://fortcollins.craigslist.org/mcy/5523352717.html

https://fortcollins.craigslist.org/mcy/5520393307.html

https://cosprings.craigslist.org/mcy/5533193488.html

 

[caseyjones955]

I have never even paid a doc fee, I negotiate all that away by making only out the door offers. I will pay 0% of this dealer fee and let him know that. It looks like the entire right side fairing is held together with duct tape. I told him I would share it with a friend who works with this sort of thing and get back to him. It looks to me like it will need a new fairing on that side, and probably some other parts. I'm not sure what other damage is present that has not been disclosed. I told him he should probably update the CL listing with these photos, I think you guys will agree that the listing made it look like a decent solid needs-nothing bike.

I let him know that in a few days I would formulate a fair "out the door" offer. I'm going to see what this fiberglass guy says first but $1200 out the door (0 added fees of any kind) is probably my ceiling at this point, and thats only if it runs like a top as claimed. I know damn well thats more than they gave for it. I have to say it's a little disappointing, it looked like the right machine in the right condition for the right price. As it stands it might be anything but.

 

[brad bruggeman]

I can not stress the difference in performance enough between the 1500 wing and venture.Like night and day,not in the same zip code.The 1800 wing is a better comparison to the venture performance wise.I am not saying the 1500 isn't a good tourer because it is,it's just much slower than the 1800.I loved my venture and miss it a lot sometimes.Just hard to get parts for,that's all.The only thing fishy about the picture of the one you are looking at is that all of the emblems are missing.That would hint of a repaint or someone removed them to suit their own taste.But there is nothing wrong with that.

 

[brad bruggeman]

I setup my max for distance riding, sort of, just got the aux tank-n-all, wifey expresses an interest in coming with when she is able and Maxine is no 2-up machine. I ruled out a Venture and decided on a GL1500 after I lost out on a local 1300 Venture for $1000. I'm coming back around to a Venture but I have yet to throw a leg over one with my 34" inseam. I rode a GL1800 when they were new and was impressed by the engine but expected more comfort for a tall rider. I threw a leg over a 1500 and it seemed much better, never ridden one. I have read that the Venture is great for taller guys.

I touched base with some Wing owners and they are unbelievably cool people, some taller ones prefer the GL1500. I'm torn and I think either would make a great mile eater 2-up. I have been checking out this sweety in Ft Collins. It's a day away but I can live with that. I would only consider a Venture if a 1300 and Royal. Absence of reverse is a consideration but not a deal breaker. Good intercom and wind protection is a serious plus.

I'm interested in opinions and experience from current or former Venture owners, maybe even those with experience with wings to. Here is the link to one that has had my attention for awhile. I put a call in to find out his best OTD price. I was funded to get a GL1500SE or Aspencade on the cheaper side of the price range but a recent unexpected expense hit me in the nards and it's hard to ignore the Ventures being about half price of a decent GL1500.

http://www.fortcollinsmotorsports.com/default.asp?page=xInventoryDetail&id=1555064&source=craigslist

Thoughts, opinions and experience welcome. It's cool, you can even flame me if you want, I can take it! :clapping:

Oh, it did not escape my attention that I could install Vmax cams, heads and vboost bits if I get bored.

Forgot to add, not looking at the later Venture Star that looks like a Road King, anything that even casts a shadow resembling an HD is a deal breaker.

Thanks gents.

Did you close in on that picture of the throttle side of fairing?Looks like duct tape holding the fairing together in a couple places????Might be a good idea to check to see if you can get those replacement parts before purchasing.

 

[caseyjones955]

I can find the parts on ebay for around 300-500 depending on how deep the damage goes, then match painting a vehicle this old is not easy so I assume I'll respray the whole bike to make it right, so paint supplies and labor, plus whatever other undisclosed issues exist. I dont need a pristine bike but intact and all one color is a good start.

I think the sales guy I spoke with was straight up, but the dealership appears to be a real steamer. $650 dealership fee, not in this lifetime. Based on some CL searching I can get intact models in good to great condition for $1500-2500. I'm more than likely to go ahead and get one I can ride without having to dick around with right away. From what I have seen the market bear I would have to buy this one for around $1000 OTD to make it worth going to get. I'm quite sure they wont accept that offer, and if they do it's more likely I'll have lots of extra Venture parts and a 1300cc Vmax next spring.

I'm really glad you guys chimed in with the info on how it compares to a GL1500, I went to Rice Cycle today, local dealership that has a couple GL1500 models on the floor and after sitting for a few minutes they got a little cramped feeling, real problem is they are so wide that the highway pegs really spread out. Undeniably nice bikes though, considering performance and price differences it sounds like one of these private seller Ventures is the ticket.

 

[CaptainKyle]

I am way late on this but I like both bikes like everyone said the Venture performs better but aftermarket parts market is way better for the wing. I am on my 3rd 1500 wing now and from what I have seen the wing motors last even longer than the ventures.

I know there are plenty of wings out there with over 300,000 miles & a couple with 500,000 . I had one I sold before I left Texas that had 178,000 on it & ran like the day it was new. I definitely would not call the 1500 fast but I don't consider it extremely slow either & they corner decent to nce you get used to them.

 

[brad bruggeman]

I am way late on this but I like both bikes like everyone said the Venture performs better but aftermarket parts market is way better for the wing. I am on my 3rd 1500 wing now and from what I have seen the wing motors last even longer than the ventures.

I know there are plenty of wings out there with over 300,000 miles & a couple with 500,000 . I had one I sold before I left Texas that had 178,000 on it & ran like the day it was new. I definitely would not call the 1500 fast but I don't consider it extremely slow either & they corner decent to nce you get used to them.

Yes,the wing is long lasting and very dependable,but from my experience they are slower than the 1200 wing they replaced but smoother.Overall the Gold Wing in general is the best touring bike ever made.The performance of the 1500 is pour for the size of the power plant though.Anyone that has ever riden a 1800 and 1500 both cannot argue that.They are both very different when it comes to power and performance.