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VENTURE ROYALE Touring to a different beat

A FAIR NUMBER OF TOURING RIDers march to the beat of the Honda Gold Wing. But there also are those riders who prefer a different cadence. Yamaha's Venture Royale should appeal to those who step to that different drum.

As its $10,999 1ist price suggests, the Venture doesn't lack much in the way of touring amenities. It comes standard with an on-board

compressor to help with suspension adjustments. an AM/FM stereo tape system. (`B radio, cruise control, soft carrying bags for its integral hard luggage. and a plush dual sad dle that is equipped with an adjust able passenger backrest.

Partially restyled since its in troduction in I 983. the Venture re tains a somewhat non-contemporary look and specification. For instance, it comes with electric anti-dive front suspension (remember that?) and a ribbed front tire (remember those?). But it also comes with a brute of an engine, a 1 294cc dohc V-Four, ca pable of stirring performance. This is. after all, the basis of the engine that powers Yamaha's `-Max monsterbike.

But the Venture Rovale is no monster. It's a very comfortable ma chine that can travel over everything from interstates to backroads in great comfort. The elements that make it so adaptable are fully adjustable suspension. a good seat and a solid chassis that doesn't pro test until it's pushed hard. Want a

plush ride? Use the computer-as sisted control panel to lightly pressurize the fork and rear shock. Want a firmer ride, and a bit more ground clearance for a winding road? The system pressurizes the fork and shock to the level you feel necessary for your load and pace. Rear rebound damping also is easily adjustable.

Heavy loads and brisk speeds are no problem at all, thanks to the Venture Royate's engine. (`irs test bike, a California model with extralean carhuretion, didn't deliver the off-idle torjue of previously tested 49-state models. But it still ran strongly once the tach needle pointed to 2500. and came fully onsong at 4000 rpm. Our average fuel economy was 36.5 mpg. with a high of 42.9 out on the interstate, and a low, on mountain roads, of 3 I .7. With the bike's 5.3-gallon tank full, this translates to an average range of 193 miles.

The Venture's engine may he a performer. hut its chaSSis would pre fer to cruise. Even with the suspen SiOfl pumped up, the bike will drag its undercarriage during hard corner ing. and very brisk riding will in troduce the Venture pilot to chassis oscillation, both in corners and while riding in a straight line. The Venture's front-brake lever actuates just one of its two front discs, and when used alone, it isn't up to performance antics. For really hard stops. the brake pedal. which links the rear brake and the second front caliper. Moto Guzzi-like. must also be used. When this is done, the big. heavy bike stops smartly and smoothly.

Big. heavy motorcycles arc just what many tourine riders want. This one, with its high vel of trim and powerful engine, will be just the ticket for those who want plush, as well as performance. Jon F. Thompson