Yamaha Venture

The Yamaha Venture Royale is a premier touring motorcycle manufactured by Yamaha from 1983-1993. Two primary versions were produced. The Mk1 from 1983 through 1985 had a 1200cc engine and removable trunk and bags. The Mk2 was produced from 1986 through 1993 and had a 1300cc engine with the trunk and side bags rigidly mounted. Both models had a full fairing with a AM/FM cassette stereo and a air suspension control system built in. It also featured a CB radio as an option.

Considered by many to be ahead of its time in innovations and leading edge technology. Powerful and smooth V4 engine and excellent handling resulted in what may have been the predecessor of sport touring bikes available today. There are still many of these bikes on the road around the world racking up hundreds of thousands of miles. Yamaha resurrected the Venture Motorcycle in 1999. The Royal Star Venture has the same perky engine and transmission as the first generation Venture. But the body style was more in line with an American Cruiser type motorcycle than the sport tourer body style of the 83 to 93 years.

Venture clubs abound with big meetings every year in the US and Europe with most countries having national clubs. The web brought about many online clubs. VentureRider.org http://www.venturerider.org is the largest and most active of these clubs with members worldwide and regular meetings (VentureIns) and more informal get-togethers throughout North America and Europe. It also has a great technical resource for all model years as well as a classifieds area for those looking to buy and/or sell. VentureRider.org is a FREE site.

Other online clubs abound and also have a strong following at Venturers, http://www.venturers.org again with regular meetings (Rallies) and informal get-togethers. Venturers does charge a membership fee. and Delphi Forums http://forums.delphiforums.com/vrider/start. Delphi is advertising based with no membership fees required.

The 2007 VentureRider International Rally was held July 9th - 13th in Fort Collins Colorado.

The 2008 VentureRider International Rally will be held July 7th - 10th in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. http://www.venturerider.org/irally/

The 2009 VentureRider International Rally will be held August 3rd - 6th at The Hub in Marble Falls, Arkansas.

The 2008 International Venture Meet will be held in Spain, July 4th-6th http://venture-spain.com/foro/index.php?topic=251.0 and there will be Venture riders from all the European clubs as well as members of the Venturers attending from North America.

Other National Venture clubs:

United Kingdom http://www.yamahaventureclub.co.ukFrance http://www.ventureclubdefrance.comNorway http://www.ventureclubnorway.comHolland http://www.yamahaventureclubnederland.comDenmark http://www.ventureclub.dkSweden http://www.algonet.se/~venturen/Germany http://www.venture-royale-club.de