2007 Venture RS - new to me: thoughts, observations, and questions

[Se7enOfMine]

G'day folks,

Bit of a long post so buckle up.

So, some background: as a young lad, was around snowmobiles, all 2 strokes and mostly single cylinder, for as far back as I can remember. Never really had to work on em since the adults did that .. just got to enjoy. I'm paying for that now

After not having been on a sled for about 20 years, picked up an old 1996 583MXZ last year. Fun little sled with a few small issues (not important for here). After rejuvenating my love of the sport again, I decided to upgrade from the old iron to something a bit more modern (though I kept the old girl as a ditch banger). So I picked up a 2007 Venture RS. Only had 7000km on it as it was an older fella who had it and has since passed on. Got a good deal on 'er. Came with two covers, saddle bag, and an extra set of carbides.

So far, been really fun but so different. Due to the awful weather here, have only managed to get about 350km so far. Some thoughts, observations and questions:

1) MAN, the ride is good. I haven't even bothered playing around with the shock settings yet but the ride is butter smooth. Absorbs bumps and dips quite well. My little guy (age 6) loves the rear seat and hand warmers.

2) The power on this sled is incredible. I come from the small one cylinder 2 stroke 250-300cc world. Even my 583, which was a big jump, feels tame by comparison. The power band on the 4 stroke is so consistent and even. The throttle response is so direct and at 1000CC, it has more power than I am used to. I haven't even had it above 75 km/h yet. Since it sat for 5 years, I figure I'll let it get a few hundred kms on it before feeding it the onions. In any event, its definitely been an adjustment. The engine sounds "weird" to my ears, having only been used to the high screaming 2 strokes. My brain hasn't been wired to 'listen' for any sounds of trouble yet. I'll get there.

3) CHRIST, this thing is heavy. I got stuck the other day (long story) and wow, it is NOT pleasant to move this beast. Being a bit older and having a bad back, makes for a not so fun situation.

4) From the last point, I am now SUPER nervous to take it off trail. Again, I'm used to relatively small sleds that, even if you get stuck, its no big deal. Even with the 583, I took it off trail a bunch. Got struck a couple of times and it was relatively easy to get out. This thing is just a monster that going off trail a bit just makes me super nervous. Im sure I'll get over it at some point but right now, eeeeesh.

5) I can see what people talk about with the track hum. But its oddly ... calming. I actually don't mind it too much.

6) I plan on getting the plug n play power supply from yamaheater for next season. That will take care of the gps power. Then I'll get a ram mount/case for it to keep er protected

7) I rode a sled with a finger throttle (munster I believe) a few weeks back. AND. I. LOVE. IT. Looked at getting one for mine and they don't appear to be available for Yamaha sleds. Am I crazy? Then I found this goldfinger throttle but they appear to only be for the left hand (which .. just no). So, I ask thee: IS there a finger throttle available for this sled?

8) I plan on studding the track next season as there seems to be a trend in this area where temps really fluctuate, melting a lot of the snow base repeatedly. Add in a bunch of rain and there is a lot of slipping and sliding (which walks back to my getting stuck the other day). I know there are VERY varying thoughts on studding vs not studding. But, I think for a lot of icy terrain, it's the best plan.

I think that's it for now. I'm sure there is more but I'm tired

Thanks for reading folks.

 

[maim]

i regularly off trail my apex xtx's and did do it with my brothers 13 rs venture gt. when i get stuck, i take off my helmet and jacket, then i clear all the snow out of under the belly pan. next i walk beside the sled to pack the snow down so i do not have to lift as high. you want to pack it all the way to the ski spindle at least 12-24" wide. i then throw the rear away from the trail so it is easier to crawl back up onto it.

 

[Mooseman]

Yep, they don't call these Yamaton for nothing. And yes, they are comfortable to ride on. Getting older, I'm sorta looking for another one with power steering.

Keep an eye on slider wear if it hasn't been upgraded to Dupont slides or larger wheels.

 

[Se7enOfMine]

@maim: yeah that's pretty much what I did. Even still .. lifting that arse end is a monster effort haha But, I'm glad my plan of attack was the same as others. Great minds n all that

@Mooseman: yamaton haha That's hilarious. I hadn't heard that one before. As for the wear, I will definitely do that. My uncle's dad (who originally owned the sled) owned the Polaris dealer in our town abouuuut 20 years ago, before he retired. My uncle was the general mechanic at the shop. So he will be assisting me with maintenance on the sled until I get more used to it. I don't want to go to him ALL the time and be able to do stuff myself but there are just some things that are just WAY out of my wheelhouse. Before 'delivery' of the sled, he took out the carbs and cleaned them, replaced the fuel pumps, topped up the grease points, inspected and adjusted track tension, changed the oil, filled the fluids. Some of that I could have done, some not at all. Also, just noticed you are in Greely. I have a former work colleague around that area. Small world

Which sorta brings up a couple of other points that I didn't mention in my original post:

1) I'm a pretty tall guy and the handlebars on this sled appear to be really low. I know one can put risers but I have read some contradictory info regarding them and how they can cause issues? Not sure

2) I have been using regular 87 octane fuel thus far (two or three tank refills from not much less than 1/3 tank). It's not a high performance sled so I figured that would be fine. I thought that maybe every 4th or 5th tank, putting 91 but not even sure if its necessary. Every fill up I add some water remover as well. Anywhere on this that I am way off base?

 

[Mooseman]

I use 91 octane all the time even though it says I can use 87. Why? To avoid having ethanol. Except for Petro-Canada, most premium fuels don't have ethanol. So if the season ends abruptly, like it always does, there isn't ethanol in the tank to turn the gas to crap over the summer. Never had an issue with this starting it next season. And ethanol free fuels gets better mileage and power. I have fuel injection so it's not as sensitive to ethanol as carbs.

 

[maim]

as to your questions,

1) on my brothers , i swapped in my stock apex xtx riser as it was 2" taller than the stock riser on that sled. with cable re routing, you can go to +4" taller on the bars. the trick is to make sure that at full lock turn that the tors does not activate. +2" usually nothing has to be done with the cables.

2) as it is carbed sled, it will run better on 87 vs 91 based on my experiance with rx sleds. i just usually start running 91 with stabilizer/seafoam only in all my sleds that can run 87 mid feb-early march based on my local conditions to have them on high octane when end of season hits. i start all the sleds every month and run them up to full temp during the off season spinning the tracks. saves on carb issues the next season

 

[Fast Lane]

My 973cc runs best of 87 octane. Keep an eye on slider wear and inside skid wheels. My sled eats those wheels all the time.

I got my sled stuck this year several times. Lots of snow for us this year. I was out by myself the first time. I couldnt lift the sled out of the trench it dug. I cut down a tree and used it as a 2x4. I used it to lift/pry up on my rear bumper.

The second time I got it stuck it took a friend and myself over an hour to get it out. We burn lots of calories that day!

 

[Fast]

G'day folks,

Bit of a long post so buckle up.

So, some background: as a young lad, was around snowmobiles, all 2 strokes and mostly single cylinder, for as far back as I can remember. Never really had to work on em since the adults did that .. just got to enjoy. I'm paying for that now

After not having been on a sled for about 20 years, picked up an old 1996 583MXZ last year. Fun little sled with a few small issues (not important for here). After rejuvenating my love of the sport again, I decided to upgrade from the old iron to something a bit more modern (though I kept the old girl as a ditch banger). So I picked up a 2007 Venture RS. Only had 7000km on it as it was an older fella who had it and has since passed on. Got a good deal on 'er. Came with two covers, saddle bag, and an extra set of carbides.

So far, been really fun but so different. Due to the awful weather here, have only managed to get about 350km so far. Some thoughts, observations and questions:

1) MAN, the ride is good. I haven't even bothered playing around with the shock settings yet but the ride is butter smooth. Absorbs bumps and dips quite well. My little guy (age 6) loves the rear seat and hand warmers.

2) The power on this sled is incredible. I come from the small one cylinder 2 stroke 250-300cc world. Even my 583, which was a big jump, feels tame by comparison. The power band on the 4 stroke is so consistent and even. The throttle response is so direct and at 1000CC, it has more power than I am used to. I haven't even had it above 75 km/h yet. Since it sat for 5 years, I figure I'll let it get a few hundred kms on it before feeding it the onions. In any event, its definitely been an adjustment. The engine sounds "weird" to my ears, having only been used to the high screaming 2 strokes. My brain hasn't been wired to 'listen' for any sounds of trouble yet. I'll get there.

3) CHRIST, this thing is heavy. I got stuck the other day (long story) and wow, it is NOT pleasant to move this beast. Being a bit older and having a bad back, makes for a not so fun situation.

4) From the last point, I am now SUPER nervous to take it off trail. Again, I'm used to relatively small sleds that, even if you get stuck, its no big deal. Even with the 583, I took it off trail a bunch. Got struck a couple of times and it was relatively easy to get out. This thing is just a monster that going off trail a bit just makes me super nervous. Im sure I'll get over it at some point but right now, eeeeesh.

5) I can see what people talk about with the track hum. But its oddly ... calming. I actually don't mind it too much.

6) I plan on getting the plug n play power supply from yamaheater for next season. That will take care of the gps power. Then I'll get a ram mount/case for it to keep er protected

7) I rode a sled with a finger throttle (munster I believe) a few weeks back. AND. I. LOVE. IT. Looked at getting one for mine and they don't appear to be available for Yamaha sleds. Am I crazy? Then I found this goldfinger throttle but they appear to only be for the left hand (which .. just no). So, I ask thee: IS there a finger throttle available for this sled?

8) I plan on studding the track next season as there seems to be a trend in this area where temps really fluctuate, melting a lot of the snow base repeatedly. Add in a bunch of rain and there is a lot of slipping and sliding (which walks back to my getting stuck the other day). I know there are VERY varying thoughts on studding vs not studding. But, I think for a lot of icy terrain, it's the best plan.

I think that's it for now. I'm sure there is more but I'm tired

Thanks for reading folks.

Funny thing is the apex feels light now when lifting compared the sidewinder

 

[Se7enOfMine]

Heya folks. Well, it's that time of year again. Figured Id try to get the sled started .. and I'm having some issues. Due to a LOT of family stuff over the last 6 months, I hadn't been able to start it since end of April

To add, my usual mechanic (my uncle) is having some health issues so I don't want to bother him. So, I figured I'd come here and ask some q's

So, tried to start it. Turns over (so battery is good) but won't catch. Pulled the hoses off the IN port off the fuel pumps, squirted some fuel in there to wet the diaphragms, hoses back on. Nothing. Thought I'd then try putting a schooch of gas in the plug holes buuuuut this is where I got stuck. This is going to sound ridiculous but the style of plug boots really threw for a whirl.

I was going to switch gears and try pulling the hoses from the OUT port of the pumps but my hands were getting cold so I came inside.

Questions (pics in last post)

1) Picture #1: Does the plug boot release from the black plastic part where it meets the block OR does it separate from the seam just under the 6519? I will say that the top piece (from the 6519 seam), where the wire comes in, spins. So Im assuming that's where it comes loose but I didnt want to start yankin' on it. Thoughts?

2) Picture #2: Another thing occured to me. I have two, what appear to be shut off valves. The one NOT in this picture is easy .. it has "off" and "on" written on the valve. That one is set to on. But this one ... there's nothing written anywhere so Im not entirely certain if it should be in this position OR the other position.

3) I have another unrelated issue. The throttle is WAY loose. Im guessing the kids were playing on the sled and knocked it and didnt tell me. It's loose as in it feels like a toilet flush handle .. it jiggles and wiggles .. without putting any pressure on it. I have a video but cant seem to upload it. So not sure what to do there.

Anywho, I think that's it for now. Looking forward to getting some advice

Thanks folks!

 

[maim]

your picture 1 is the top of the coil. you need to unplug it and then wiggle and pull to get them out to get to the plugs.

sounds like all the gas in the carb bowls evaporated like they do during the summer when not started every 20-30 days. you can do gas down the cylinders, crank it using a car battery as you need to kill the stock battery at least once to fill the carbs up or you can blow in the vent line from the gas tank to use air pressure to fill the carbs. might need to clean the carbs and put in new pilots as they are prone to be plugged when they sit any legnth of time.

the shut offs might have been put there so that the carb bowl's could be run dry at end of season or as security measure so theif could not get far.

as for the throttle, you can bypass the tors and make sure that the cable connection is at idle position at the carbs as being stuck open is possible.

 

[RobX-1]

Here's a pic of the coil to give you an idea as to what you have to wrestle loose and pop off the spark plug:

When my fuel pumps would loose their prime or when I remove the carb rack and disassemble the carbs for their annual cleaning, I like to locate this T or plug as this is where the fuel vent tube terminates so disconnecting the hose from this T and blowing into the hose while cranking always worked for me to get my RX-1 going:

 

[RobX-1]

Concerning your fuel shut-off, that is in the open position as I have the same on my RX-1 and they are currently in the off position since I have the carb rack removed atm:

 

[Se7enOfMine]

Okie dokie. Did some more digging.

Understood on the plug boot/coil. MAN, those are long (that's what she said). So before I go yanking on those, I'd like to see if I can get the carb bowls full.

Rob-X: thank you for the exploded view pic. It's likely just me but Im not 100% if I am seeing the right thing. First pic in this post is a view of the engine from the front. Would the vent tube be the furthest on the right? Its aluminum -> rubber hose -> to alum.

In the same pic, the top red shut off is currently set to ON. I assume the bottom one follows the same position to be on? Ie. both pointed up?

For the throttle: the throttle has pressure when i push on it (as if to give it power). When I push the throttle, the rail on the carbs moves back and forth smoothly. Im more talking about ... the whole lever is just loose. In the two next pics: first one is what I believe to be the proper 'position' of the throttle mechanism. It's only here when I hold it in place. The second pic is where the throttle sits without being held. Its 'off center' so to speak. If I jiggle the throttle, it bounces around .. yet the cable stays taut, if that makes any sense.

 

[RobX-1]

Rob-X: thank you for the exploded view pic. It's likely just me but Im not 100% if I am seeing the right thing. First pic in this post is a view of the engine from the front. Would the vent tube be the furthest on the right? Its aluminum -> rubber hose -> to alum.

This is what you are looking for. The gas tank vent hose going to that T will have a spring wrapped around it. Disconnect the hose from that stem and with the gas cap on and while cranking the engine, blow into this tube as it will pressurize the gas tank and help prime carbs:

 

[RobX-1]

In the same pic, the top red shut off is currently set to ON. I assume the bottom one follows the same position to be on? Ie. both pointed up?

I would agree with that assessment on one condition...that your two shut off valves are the same. Unless I am mistaken, they sure look different to me so cannot comment on the valve levers being directed the same between the two you are using. It's just when I saw the one shut off value you have looked identical to the two I am using, I just provided the direction I turn them when turning off. Mine are also mounted in a different location but here they are in the ON position.

Since I wasn't sure how your fuel shutoff valves are oriented, I used these shutoff lever's stops (circled in red) to compare against yours to inform you of their current position: