The Royal Star Venture is simply Yamaha's maximum tourer, with every-thing the serious cross-country rider needs, including electronic cruise control, air-assisted suspension, four-speaker sound, plenty of storage and a liquid-cooled V-four engine.

2008 Yamaha Royal Star Venture

Specifications
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  • Model: 2008 Yamaha Royal Star Venture
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Introduction


The Yamaha Royal Star Venture is the motorcycle you always knew you’d own one day and that day has most likely come for you my friend. Take it coast to coast and enjoy the comfort, power and style that only a top-shelf touring bike can offer. Combining classic styling, unmatched comfort, class-leading power and flawless engineering, the 2008 Yamaha Royal Star Venture invites you to swing a leg over and get away from it all to have the time of your live. Across town or across America, this sweet ride promises to be the best companion ever.

History


When Yamaha created the Venture Touring Bike back in 1983, it went all the way. At the time it was first introduced, the Yamaha Venture Royale was the first liquid-cooled, 4-stroke, V4 Yamaha and featured adjustable air suspension, luggage and stereo as standard equipment.

Considered by many to be ahead of its time in innovations and leading edge technology, the premier touring motorcycle manufactured by Yamaha from 1983-1993 wrote history with its powerful and smooth V4 engine and excellent handling resulted in what may have been the predecessor of sport touring bikes available today. Many Ventures are still on the open road today managing to go strong and prove that they were made to be ridden for years and years in a row.

Yamaha resurrected the Venture Motorcycle in 1999. Presented as the Royal Star Venture, the new bike had the same perky engine and transmission as the first generation Venture but except that, it shared little with its predecessor. The most striking difference was the body style which was more in line with an American Cruiser type motorcycle than the sport tourer body style of the ’83 to ’93.

Competition


In its golden age the Yamaha Royal Star Venture would have competed with the Honda Gold Wing but its most important revamp suddenly changed that and now the big V4 powered motorcycle is up against bigger bore x stroke Harley Davidson touring motorcycles which, of course, gas up only two cylinders fully loaded with history.

The Harley-Davidson FLHTC Electra Glide Classic invites you to take the really, really long way home as it is built for the ages.

Turn up the Harman/Kardon Advanced Audio System and enjoy a motorcycle loaded with both passenger and rider luxury. New comfort-stitched seat ensures a comfy ride for you, and the wraparound backrest allows you to have a properly accommodated passenger. The passenger-friendly adjustable Tour-Pak will actually make the person in your back even more commode than you’ll be.

All that comfort gets powered down the highway by a black and chrome Twin Cam 96 engine and six gears.

New this year is a full chrome tank console with inset, and Brembo brakes. ABS and cruise control are available as installed options so it will be hard not to smile when someone tells you to hit the road. That someone could very easily be a Yamaha Royal Star Venture owner.

Exterior


The first think that strikes you when you take a look at this Yamaha is size. Weighing over 800 pounds, the Royal Star Venture is more than imposing. It is the result of a wonderful combination: classically-styled tourer with a modern, awesome performing engine.

The large, powerful 12V 60/55-watt remote-adjustable halogen headlight is there to make sure that the coast is clear while riding at nighttime and it also cuts a stylish profile by creating the starting point for wind protection offered by a wide, fork-mounted fairing and windshield accompanied by wind deflectors and frame-mounted lower cowlings. These are all wrapped around the massive, six-gallon fuel tank which only needs a look taken at to prove that this bike is really built for the open road.

What goes next can only deep deeper that thought in your mind because the ergonomically-designed bucket-type seats featuring plush, wraparound passenger backrest are built for unbeatable long-range comfort.

The rear end introduces our eyes to those beautifully looking hard-shell saddlebags each featuring handy, one-touch openers and spacious 9.3-gallon storage space with interior pouch. The saddlebag’s color is matched to the tourer’s color which can be either Black Cherry Raven or Charcoal Silver.

No matter what color you choose (you will also see that the price is slightly influenced by this choice), the fit and finish will be awesome. Flawless paint, extensive chrome and brushed stainless steel accents as well as deep, valanced steel fenders will be a true relaxation source when you’re not riding it.

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Test Drive


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.

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SPECIFICATIONS

 

Engine and Transmission


Displacement: 79-cubic-inch (1294cc)
Type: Liquid-cooled 70-degree V-four; DOHC, 4 valves per cylinder
Bore x Stroke: 79mm x 66mm
Compression Ratio: 10.0:1
Carburetion: (4) 32mm Mikuni CV
Ignition: TCI
Transmission: 5-speed, wide-ratio w/5th-gear overdrive; hydraulic clutch
Final Drive: Shaft

Chassis and Dimensions


Suspension/Front: Telescopic fork; air-assist, 5.5-in travel
Suspension/Rear: Single shock; air-assist, 4.1-in travel
Brakes/Front: Dual hydraulic disc, 298mm
Brakes/Rear: Hydraulic disc, 320mm
Tires/Front: 150/80-16
Tires/Rear: 150/90-15
Length: 104.5 in
Width: 35.4 in
Height: 61.6 in
Seat Height: 29.5 in
Wheelbase: 67.1 in
Dry Weight: 807 lb
Fuel Capacity: 6.0 gal

Other


Warranty: 5 Year (Limited Factory Warranty)

Colors: Black Cherry/Raven; Charcoal Silver

Features

 

Key Feature:


-This fully loaded luxury touring machine comes with everything serious rider need, including a four-speaker sound system/CB radio/intercom CD-compatible sound system and a powerful and smooth V-four engine.

-There’s plenty of lockable storage in the form of a 15-gallon trunk and a pair of color-matched 9.3-gallon sidebags; that’s 33.6 gallon total.

-Ergonomically designed bucket-type seat with plush, wraparound passenger backrest for unbeatable long-range comfort.

-Industry’s premier rider support package includes a fi ve-year, unlimited mileage warranty and 24-hour roadside assistance program.

-The Royal Star Venture S gets chrome accents to the front end.

Engine:


-79-cubic-inch liquid-cooled, V-four tuned to put out class-leading power – 97hp @ 6000 rpm and maximum torque at 89 ft.-lb. @ 4750 rpm – for incomparable touring performance.

-Four heated 32mm Mikuni carburetors with TPS deliver seamless throttle response and greater power across the entire rev range.

-Compact design, dual-intake system enhances performance without sacrificing fuel tank capacity.

-Large-capacity radiator ensures superior engine cooling for maximum efficiency.

-Single-axis internal counterbalancer reduces engine vibration.

-Wide-ratio, five-speed transmission with 5th-gear overdrive geared for both highway passing power and lower-rev cruising speeds.

-Maintenance-free hydraulic clutch.

-Smooth, low-maintenance shaft drive.

-Four-into-two exhaust system puts out a throaty exhaust note and creates a long, low profile that’s easily customizable.

Chassis/Suspension:


-High-integrity, single-backbone frame with solid engine mounting and 29-degree caster angle delivers quick, responsive steering and excellent handling.

-Class-leading long wheelbase (67.1-inches) provides exceptional roomy ergonomics for great rider control and comfort.

-Air-adjustable telescopic front fork designed with 29-degree caster angle and 5.5 inches of travel smoothes out the bump and adjusts for varying load capacities.

-Air-adjustable link-type rear suspension features a vertically mounted single shock with 4.1 inches of travel for outstanding long-distance ride quality.

-Large-diameter front and rear disc brakes with sintered pads provide strong, linear stopping power.

-Wide, fork-mounted fairing, windshield, wind deflectors and frame-mounted lower cowlings offer outstanding weather protection.

-Full-sized floating-type rider and passenger floorboards reduce vibration and are positioned for optimal long-distance comfort.

Additional Features:


-Incomparable fit and finish includes flawless paint with extensive chrome and brushed stainless steel accents as well as deep, valanced steel fenders.

-6-gallon fuel tank with low-fuel warning light ensures outstanding long-distance touring range.

-Large, powerful 12V 60/55-watt remote-adjustable halogen headlight maximizes nighttime visibility and cuts a stylish profile.

-Separate cigarette lighter-type DC outlets for both rider and passenger.

-Ignition switch with integrated steering lock mounted to front of fuel tank for extra convenience.

-Vintage-style console and instrument panel features: digital speedometer, odometer, dual tripmeters, fuel tripmeter, clock, fuel gauge, cruise control, TPS self-diagnosis, speed sensor, and neutral, high beam, turn signals and low oil level indicator lights.

-Electronic cruise control switch located on right handlebar controls for ease of use.

-Handlebar-mounted 40-channel CB radio with dual antenna for CB and AM/FM radio.

-Single-point audio control system AM/FM radio, cassette and intercom is CD changer-compatible and headset-ready.

-Four-speakers (14 watts per channel) system with automatic, speed-regulated volume control to help hear over wind noise.

-Two-way rider/passenger intercom system.

-Huge, 15-gallon rear trunk with easy, one-touch opener can hold two full-faced helmets and includes a lined interior storage pouch.

-Color-matched hard-shell saddlebags each feature handy, one-touch openers and spacious 9.3-gallon storage with interior pouch.

-12V 18AH maintenance-free battery ensures easy, reliable starting.