1983Yamaha XVZ 1200TK Venture

36 fields on record

The 1983 Yamaha XVZ 1200TK Venture is a Japanese touring bike powered by a 1198cc liquid-cooled V4 making 97 hp. It weighs 320 kg dry and has a 5-speed gearbox and a 20-litre tank.

Capacity: 1198.0 ccm
Engine: V four, four-stroke
Gearbox: 5-speed
Dry weight: 320.0 kg
Seat height: 787 mm
Power: 97.0 HP (72.3 kW) @ 7000 RPM

⇄ Compare with another bike ＋ Add to garage All model years

How it rides

Editorial estimate from the spec sheet - not lab tested

Off-road & trail10%

Cornering35%

City riding35%

Daily riding55%

Touring90%

Two-up65%

Track10%

Best for: Touring motorcycle built for its class - distance comfort and touring.
Built for: A touring motorcycle from Yamaha, built around an 1198cc engine - a real production model, but this profile is formula-generated from its class and spec sheet rather than individually reviewed.
Not ideal for: Not for aggressive off-road or track use.

Scores are derived from the spec sheet using the same model across every bike, so they compare like for like.

Will it fit you?

Worked out in your browser - nothing is sent to us

Your height

Inseam (optional)

Units

At 787mm, a rider of 68.9" with a 31" (estimated) inseam will reach the ground with both feet flat on the 1983 Yamaha XVZ 1200TK Venture, with a relaxed knee angle of around 120 degrees and an upright riding position.

Assumes about 30mm of suspension sag once seated. This is an approximation from category-typical geometry, not a measurement of this bike or of you - sit on one before you buy.

More bikes at 751-820 mm — Middle Ground →

Find bikes that fit your height →

Reliability & safety

Bike Reliability score, safety recalls and owner complaints

Bike Reliability

How the score works →

out of 100Good

The Yamaha XVZ 1200TK Venture passed its annual roadworthiness test first time 86.6% of the time, 3.6 points above expected for bikes of the same age and mileage. That beats 64% of models.

Bikes first registered in 1983 have 53 tests, too few for their own score, so this covers every year.

86.6%Passed first time

8.0%Failed outright

5.4%Fixed during test

38,000Typical miles

112Tests

Against its rivals · ranks 2 of 6

#	Model (all years)	Score	Tests
1	Harley-Davidson FLHTC 1340 Electra Glide Classic	67 Good	560
2	Yamaha XVZ 1200TK Venture	64 Good	112
3	Kawasaki Z 1300	59 Average	1,431
4	Harley-Davidson FLTC 1340 Tour Glide Classic	47 Average	180
5	Kawasaki GPZ 1100	44 Average	5,636
6	Honda GL 1100 Gold Wing	34 Below average	4,499

Rivals are the most-viewed bikes on MotorcycleDB in the same category and engine size, from within three years of this model.

From British annual roadworthiness tests, 2005-2025. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 (DVSA MOT test data, Great Britain). How Bike Reliability works.

Full specifications

Engine

Capacity: 1198.0 ccm
Power: 97.0 HP (72.3 kW) @ 7000 RPM
Torque: 107.4 Nm (11.0 kgf-m)
Engine type: V four, four-stroke
Power/weight ratio: 0.3031 HP/kg (dry)
Compression: 10.5:1
Cooling system: Liquid
Fuel system: Carburettor
Starting: Electric
Ignition: Electronic
Lubrication system: Wet sump

Transmission

Gearbox: 5-speed
Transmission type: Manual
Final drive: Shaft
Clutch: Wet, multiple disc

Performance

Top speed: 199.0 km/h (123.7 mph)

Dimensions & weight

Wheelbase: 1610 mm
Seat height: 787 mm
Dry weight: 320.0 kg
Wet weight: 340.0 kg
Fuel capacity: 20.00 litres
Ground clearance: 142 mm

Chassis & suspension

Frame: Double-downtube, full-cradle frame; round-section steel swing arm
Front suspension: Center-axle, air-adjustable fork with 40mm tubes, anti-dive valving
Rear suspension: Single air-adjustable shock absorber, adjustable for rebound dampening, producing
Front wheel travel: 130 mm
Rear wheel travel: 108 mm
Rake (fork angle): 28.5°
Trail: 125 mm