2008 Yamaha Royal Star Venture
I finally got the opportunity to test Yamaha’s luxury touring machine, the Royal Star Venture. I have to admit I was amazed by its size, and although the specs were still in my head, I just couldn’t take my eyes of the massive cruiser.
Finally realizing that it is still a motorcycle and it is meant to be ridden, I started the powerful V4 engine and let it worm up a little bit as it hasn’t been started for a few days and this was a cold November…morning.
After a few minutes of listen the discrete idling engine, the true challenge awaited me right from the beginning of my test drive: slow speed maneuvering. The Venture ways 807 pounds so it kind of changed my opinion about going to the gym and working out a little bit. In fact, low speed maneuvering in a crowdy parking will have the same effect as going to the gym. Oh, let’s not be mean. All I had to do was to show it the way and the bike was ready to take me in the journey of my life.
Everything has a starting point and my trip started in the city. Here, the bike proved very efficient and able to be ridden in this unfriendly environment. Its engine felt well at home while the clonky transmission made me miss the second gear a couple of time. This was just a matter of getting used to the bike and soon I was leaving behind stop signs and red light with a twist of the throttle.
The amount of power delivered all through the rpm range (which is more than decent by the way) makes riding the Venture a real blast and once you’ve lived this sensation it is hard to be satisfied by another bike in the same category. Don’t let yourself fooled by its weight and dimensions! This bike can go and it does it like a dream.
Also in the city I wanted to test the air-adjustable telescopic front fork and link-type rear suspension so I quickly set the suspension and went on my way with 190 pounds of friend Mike. The suspensions unit proved efficient and delivered a plush ride for me and my buddy and I was anxious to take it on the freeway but I needed to check other important equipment.
Brakes are important on each and every bike no matter size, weight, or the fact that the machine feels lighter once on the move. Yamaha’s large diameter front and rear disc brakes featuring sintered pads provided strong, linear stopping power and demonstrated that safety comes first at Yamaha.
I got rid of my “load” and quickly headed out of town. By that time, I felt like I was riding my own bike and I started listening to the four-speaker sound system which increases volume concomitant with the speed increase so it is a smart choice to lay back and concentrate only on the ride, as the rest is being done for you.
If you feel like completely relaxing, hit the electronic cruise control switch and enjoy the views and the road ahead in complete awareness of being on a true luxury cruising machine.
This kind of luxury would have been a thing of the past if not for the wide fork-mounted fairing and windshield which create the habitat needed on this kind of bikes and for this kind of touring pleasure.
Now that I was accommodated in complete comfort and I felt like I could go like this for hours an hours I felt like I needed to test the engine at its true capabilities and guess what? The atmosphere on board hasn’t changed much but the engine really changed my opinion on cruisers, not to mention touring. That 79 cubic-inch liquid-cooled V-four produces a claimed 97 hp @ 6000 rpm and maximum torque at 89 ft.-lb. 4750 rpm and I felt the rush on my own skin. Let me tell you that there is nothing in its class that would come close to it. Simply awesome!
Accelerating all through the rpm range required gear changes and I notice that tall fifth gear is also suitable for high-speed passing and that is mostly due to that monster engine.
At high speed, owners of previous model years would have experienced a strange whistle noise from the straight cut gears used on the clutch basket and the primary gear. This issue became known by Yamaha and on the 2008 Yamaha Royal Star Venture I couldn’t hear anything strange.
Price
The Yamaha Royal Star Venture proves that good things don’t come to an end, but everything comes at a price. So if you will like it Black Cherry/Raven painted, the MSRP of $17,299 is the one that you should consider. But if you are more requiring and things don’t seem adequate for you until the Charcoal Silver enters the scene, the suggested retail price of $17,599 will be surely taken in consideration. The choice is yours and no matter what, thrill will gain new meanings.
Conclusion
Call it the ultimate long-range power trip. The 2008 Royal Star Venture combines classic styling, flawless engineering and amazing comfort. Take it wherever you want to go, and enjoy the ride with the peace of mind that a five-year warranty provides. You simply won’t get better that this.
Forgot your password?