Considering trading in Wing
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·The Yamaha is a nice bike, But if I needed a lower seat, I would get a one for the wing that is not as high as the stock one is.
Cobra and others make some real nice ones.
Cobra and others make some real nice ones.
I think the Royal Star Tour Delux is one of the very good cruisers. IMO almost as good as the Wing. With the seat height at 29" you should be more comfortable. Their engine, being a 1300cc V4 at about 100HP is almost as smooth as the Wing and has ample power. I like that bike and you can put all the add-ons necessary to almost duplicate what we have on our Wings.
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My son in law had one, nice bike but heavy on front end, less power, not the handling of wing. Strong winds didn't seem to blow you around as much as wing, carb not FI. Less money to buy than wing. What little I rode it it was comfortable for me, best to take one for a spin before buying. check out http://forums.delphiforums.com/vrider for some extra research.
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1,443 Posts
trike it...you'll have more fun...and enjoy riding again, see more, and get more for wing when you sell.....
Is part of your decision based on a bike that is 5 years old?
The Star is a good bike. I don't know what the seat height is on the Boluevard but I don't think either bike will let you down. The Star does have a strong riding population and lots of add-ons.
If it were my decision I would find a place to rent one and take ot for a ride over a route that I am familiar with to make a real comparison.
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5,890 Posts
+1:coffee1:
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345 Posts
Go with the Stratoliner if you decide to bail from your wing. You might want to wait for the new Kaw touring bike. It looks like it is going to be a winner.
GaryO
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4,127 Posts
The Royal Star Venture (RSV) or the Royal Star Tour Deluxe? A know a buddy with a RSV and with the pillow top seat, the RSV sits similar to the hieght of the Wing. He actually lowered his a bit to flat foot it. He and I have similar inseams at 29".
The RSV is a nice ride but for the following cons (carburated, no-abs, no reverse, fork mounted fairing, top heavy, and a comparitively weak charging system that doesn't allow for much in the way of heated clothing). The V-4 sounds good though!
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2,618 Posts
I traded a 05 royal star tour deluxe in on the Wing. It comes with a 5 year warranty, lot better than Honda. It is more retro look and its 4 cyclinder, 1300 cc is plenty powerful. Its cruise works great, just like a car. It has the 1957 Ford Fairlane retro looking speedometer, but is digital and clicks upward and backward, like a second hand on a clock. It has a far better seating and legs positioning system and is shaft and liquid cooled. You don't need reverse on it, at lease I never did. It is a lot cheaper than the wing and is a great bike. I think it is a great bike on curves and is not top heavy or front heavy, as some have said. It has the pull back handle bars that can interfere with your legs, if long legged, on parking lot turns. Saddle bags are far better than the wings. Yamaha warranty provides roadside assistance as part of the warranty. The roadside assistance is great...I used it once in the hills of West Virginia.
just my opinion,
Ken
just my opinion,
Ken
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3,341 Posts
Exellent choice. Just remember it isn't a Wing. There are pros and cons and VERY cheap ways to fix or greatly lessen the top heavy problem. (I didn't think it was bad) It has a good power plant, carbs aren't a bad thing but I was hoping for EFI. Luggage is big and it just looks cool. It does handle slower than the wing and has a slightly longer wheelbase. But lets face it, although fun to ride most of us will never push a Wing to its potential.
Good luck.
Good luck.
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3,303 Posts
Youd didnot say how long you have owned the bike. If it is since 04 why trade now? if you just bought it, there are threads here on the board that addresses the issues that you have. You have bought one of the best touring bikes in the world and spent alot of money for it. I would see alternatives first and again if they do not work then get the Venture but certainly test drive one as you are getting a smaller 4 cylinder engine and a heavier bike
We traded our 06 Royal Star Tour Deluxe in on our 08 Wing and didn't look back! The RSTD is a great bike but dosen't handle like the Wing, the Wing feels much lighter and handles better. I always felt uneasy on the RSTD. I can easly back the wing up even without using reverse. My wife had to get off of the RSTD and push to help me back it up. The RSTD was top heavy too. I feel that you should ride an RSTD for a while so you could compare it to your Wing and then make your decision. The Wing is going to be very hard to beat!
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356 Posts
I have ridden the UK spec road star and the drag star, both were lovely bikes and easy to ride..... until i met the goldwing
you wont go far wrong with the yamaha if thats your only choice, personally i would have a narrower and lower seat for the goldy. just my opinion though.
good luck..
you wont go far wrong with the yamaha if thats your only choice, personally i would have a narrower and lower seat for the goldy. just my opinion though.
good luck..
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4,340 Posts
I have a couple other bikes but just one Gold Wing.
Yes, the Wing has some impressive features and one of them is passenger comfort. My wife rides with me a LOT.
In my mind, the biggest detractment to the Gold Wing (and the reason it makes the best touring bike) is that it's BIG.
I completely understand wanting a "lower-slung" bike. I can just about flat-foot my Wing if I get in just the right position and am wearing boots. It's much taller than my other bikes.
Really, our Gold Wing belongs to my wife - I'm just the pilot. If she decides to quit riding then I'll have a Wing for sale.
I looked hard at the Royal Star Tour Deluxe. One thing I liked was that they've been making that same engine FOREVER. That's good, right? Carbs, but what the heck. Those lower fairings on the crash bars are not removable. For me, THAT was a detractment.
The Royal Star Venture was even taller than my Wing - so that one was "out".
The Stratoliners are NICE and feel soooo much lighter than they are - BUT they are air-cooled. Probably not an issue, but something to think about.
I got a VStar1300...... for those days when I'm "on the loose". :shrug:
Yes, the Wing has some impressive features and one of them is passenger comfort. My wife rides with me a LOT.
In my mind, the biggest detractment to the Gold Wing (and the reason it makes the best touring bike) is that it's BIG.
I completely understand wanting a "lower-slung" bike. I can just about flat-foot my Wing if I get in just the right position and am wearing boots. It's much taller than my other bikes.
Really, our Gold Wing belongs to my wife - I'm just the pilot. If she decides to quit riding then I'll have a Wing for sale.
I looked hard at the Royal Star Tour Deluxe. One thing I liked was that they've been making that same engine FOREVER. That's good, right? Carbs, but what the heck. Those lower fairings on the crash bars are not removable. For me, THAT was a detractment.
The Royal Star Venture was even taller than my Wing - so that one was "out".
The Stratoliners are NICE and feel soooo much lighter than they are - BUT they are air-cooled. Probably not an issue, but something to think about.
I got a VStar1300...... for those days when I'm "on the loose". :shrug:
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24,623 Posts
Having been the proud and disgusted owner of a 2007 Royal Star Venture I would highly recommend a long test ride on either the venture or the tour deluxe prior to purchase.
The Dreaded clutch whine........some have it bad, some not so bad, but all have it some. It is a very high pitched whine, and if you get one with it, not a whole lot of resolution to it. On mine two clutch baskets later it was simply moved to a lower rpm range, the range you use the most cruising in town or in traffic.
You can go to www.venturerider.org and do some research on this and one of the solutions that works is just to wear ear plugs or turn up the radio.
They are a bit top heavy , not at all balanced like the wings. If you get one 4 to six inches off center, it is going over and it will not lay on the crash bars like a wing either, it is going to go over and damage something.
The brakes are antiquated (however you say that) and are single front and single rear. The front is very spongy and the rear is very touchy and it is very easy to lock up the rear brake. Dangerously so. You can find a lot of discussion about that on the venture site also. I had installed the Rick Butler brake mod on mine, did help a bit, but mainly just slowed down the ultimate result. But did give you time to think when you did lock the rear.
No ABS is available.
Some of the bikes have a problem with the heads not being torqued properly and start leaking oil, mine did, it was a 2007 model. That is most likely solved on the newer ones.
Poor lighting, only one small rear brake light. Does not come with any front running lights and it has a very poor charging system, almost identical to some of the older wings such as the 1200. Cannot add a lot to it.
No new design for years, kinda goes along with the charging system. No new changes or made better.
Is very comfortable on the road though, and has the easy rider feet forward riding position. Pillow top low seat.
Saddlebag mounting screws love to strip out, you dare not mess with them much, there is a mod for that too, you can find that on the venture site.
Front crash bars with the addition of highway pegs are very weak and flex and if you do drop the bike they bend, you will find a mod for this on the venture site, is a way to brace them up with flat iron and some chrome clamps.
The V-4 engine has plenty of power, runs nice, loves to run just like the wings, but has no engine compression as far as using the gear box to downshift during hard riding in the mountains or similar areas, engine seems to just keep going, so engine compression cannot be counted on.
The Venture was the reason that I now own a Wing. And with the ownership of the Wing, no way would I ever consider a Venture. Just no where near the bike.
The front end on the Wings is a bit harsh, especially as the front tire wears, but other than that, it is much the superior bike. In all ways.
Even the Harley Ultra is available with decent brakes and even ABS if you wish, and as for the 5 year warranty, it is just about like the wings, depends on the dealers, some good, some not.
Kit
The Dreaded clutch whine........some have it bad, some not so bad, but all have it some. It is a very high pitched whine, and if you get one with it, not a whole lot of resolution to it. On mine two clutch baskets later it was simply moved to a lower rpm range, the range you use the most cruising in town or in traffic.
You can go to www.venturerider.org and do some research on this and one of the solutions that works is just to wear ear plugs or turn up the radio.
They are a bit top heavy , not at all balanced like the wings. If you get one 4 to six inches off center, it is going over and it will not lay on the crash bars like a wing either, it is going to go over and damage something.
The brakes are antiquated (however you say that) and are single front and single rear. The front is very spongy and the rear is very touchy and it is very easy to lock up the rear brake. Dangerously so. You can find a lot of discussion about that on the venture site also. I had installed the Rick Butler brake mod on mine, did help a bit, but mainly just slowed down the ultimate result. But did give you time to think when you did lock the rear.
No ABS is available.
Some of the bikes have a problem with the heads not being torqued properly and start leaking oil, mine did, it was a 2007 model. That is most likely solved on the newer ones.
Poor lighting, only one small rear brake light. Does not come with any front running lights and it has a very poor charging system, almost identical to some of the older wings such as the 1200. Cannot add a lot to it.
No new design for years, kinda goes along with the charging system. No new changes or made better.
Is very comfortable on the road though, and has the easy rider feet forward riding position. Pillow top low seat.
Saddlebag mounting screws love to strip out, you dare not mess with them much, there is a mod for that too, you can find that on the venture site.
Front crash bars with the addition of highway pegs are very weak and flex and if you do drop the bike they bend, you will find a mod for this on the venture site, is a way to brace them up with flat iron and some chrome clamps.
The V-4 engine has plenty of power, runs nice, loves to run just like the wings, but has no engine compression as far as using the gear box to downshift during hard riding in the mountains or similar areas, engine seems to just keep going, so engine compression cannot be counted on.
The Venture was the reason that I now own a Wing. And with the ownership of the Wing, no way would I ever consider a Venture. Just no where near the bike.
The front end on the Wings is a bit harsh, especially as the front tire wears, but other than that, it is much the superior bike. In all ways.
Even the Harley Ultra is available with decent brakes and even ABS if you wish, and as for the 5 year warranty, it is just about like the wings, depends on the dealers, some good, some not.
Kit
Dang, guy, how short are you? I'm 5'8" on a good day with a 28 inch inseam and Traxxion and I feel perfectly comfortable on the big girl. You just need to ride more.
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1,477 Posts
If you've always been a cruiser guy, you'll prefer the star. If you've grown up with standards and sport bikes, you'll miss the Wing.
There is no comparison in power and handling. When DieselDawg says the seating and leg position is "better", he means better for him and cruiser riders. I can't stand the cruiser position. This is so often neglected in these discussions, and it is ELEMENTAL to your preference.
I'm always confused when people say when they're alone or feeling their testosterone, they prefer to ride their Harley or other underpowered, ill handling cruiser. When I want to HOWL, I want the power and the handling.
Everybody's different. I'm a power junkie. Like I said. I think there's something wrong with me.
If the Wing is still intimidating you, get a different bike.
There is no comparison in power and handling. When DieselDawg says the seating and leg position is "better", he means better for him and cruiser riders. I can't stand the cruiser position. This is so often neglected in these discussions, and it is ELEMENTAL to your preference.
I'm always confused when people say when they're alone or feeling their testosterone, they prefer to ride their Harley or other underpowered, ill handling cruiser. When I want to HOWL, I want the power and the handling.
Everybody's different. I'm a power junkie. Like I said. I think there's something wrong with me.
If the Wing is still intimidating you, get a different bike.
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871 Posts
Trading Wing
Get on the web and check out Ultimate Seat, they have a lowrider model that will allow a 28 inch inseam to flat foot with your shock preload about half way. Your co-rider will be very pleased with the comfort of the passenger part of that seat
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