1998 the lap of luxury
Amsnow
Yamaha Venture 700
Grins: Excellent trail manners. Good touring power. Lowest stickerprice.
Groans: Not easily serviced.
The Venture lineup benefited from Yamaha's six-sled expansion in the700 class. The Venture 700 is more or less a long track version of the Vmax700 XT. They share the motor assembly as well as suspension systems, thoughthe rear ProAction Plus is designed for the two-up touring machine's specialneeds.
Last year we had a Venture 600 for long term testing. It was a prettygood sled for solo tour riding, but passengers made it clear they preferredriding on our Grand Touring SE if given the option. This year, Yamaha hasaddressed some of the passenger comfort issues.
To start off, last year's Venture machines left the rider's hands unprotectedfrom the wind. This year, the rear hand grips are shielded nicely. Lastyear, riders had to have arms that dragged on the ground to comfortablyreach the grips, this year the grips are height adjustable. Last year, therider got a faceful of wind and snow. This year, a taller windshield improvesprotection. From a passenger's perspective, this is a much better touringmachine.
From a driver's perspective, this is a much better machine, too. Thelightweight 698cc liquid-cooled triple proved it's worth last year in the700 SX. This year that mill is everywhere. Featuring new liquid-heated 33mMikuni carbs to prevent icing, the Venture keeps a steady flow of fuel andair going into the engine in all conditions.
In turning, our test riders reported a slightly above average experience,characterized by pushing. The culprit? Those pesky rocker skis. The stocksteelies with plastic skins just don't achieve the bite needed in cornering.Yamaha knows it, yet hasn't acted on a remedy for any sled except the SRXs.While it's good news for USI and Simmons, it's still a point of frustrationfor the paying public.
Yamaha has put together a quality suspension package for the Venture.The long track version of the ProAction Plus scored equal to or better thanSki-Doo's Grand Touring SE in both low and high speed ride and comfort.The front end features Yammie's trailing arm setup, with hydraulic shocksand stabilizer bar, which handled better and rode slightly more comfortablyat high speed than at low. Getting full use from all nine inches of nosetravel makes this sled a joy to ride.
In the rear, the long track ProAction Plus scored best of class in lowspeed comfort, and tied with the Air Ski-Doo for best high speed comfort.Our riders also found that the ProAction Plus rear handled on par with thePantera and GT, and better than the Ultra. The Venture's rear suspension's11.5-inches of travel are monitored by a pair of hydraulic shocks, whichperform adequately for tour riding.
Where the Venture falls off from the rest of the class is in serviceability.While the front suspension is fairly easy to tune, the rear is not. Also,the carbs posed a bit of trouble to access for rejetting. The water linesand fuel lines and throttle lines all get a bit messy when you're tuning.On the up side, the spark plugs and drive belt accessibility is convenient-no pipes or close body panels get in the way.
Visually, the forest green Venture will appeal to most consumers. Itisn't bright and flashy, and there's no checker boards to be found on it.It's a subdued and mature look, sure to please the two-up connoisseur. Theexcitement factor stems from the Vmax hood sculpting and crisp graphic lineswhich extend from the screened vent holes.
Our assessment of the Venture is positive. The 700 motor is well suitedfor the bigger machine, with or without a copilot. The rider will be morecomfortable on this year's two-up Yamahas than ever before. At $7,999 thisis definitely more bang for your buck.