Rode a 650 V Star Today!

[Lurch]

I've wanted to try one of these for a long time. I had a feeling I'd like it, and I really did. This is a 2005 bike. I had a blast on it for the 20 minutes or so I rode it. The Cobra pipes sound good and they had it tuned real good and it ran beautiful. It has 16,000 miles. I've seen them come into that shop with 50,000+ miles and running like new. They say they are one tough little motor. I could have swapped him + cash but I'm going to run my Kawi for now. Maybe in the Fall I'll pick up one of these. I like the riding position more than I thought I would.

 

[95busa]

I'm selling an '05 VStar 650 Silverado with 4300 miles on it for $3000, with K&N, EBC Clutch springs...just changed plugs, engine oil and filter, and final drive oil. Bike is very cherry. I have a cabin in Gatlinburg if you're interested I could meet you.

 

[webfors]

Beautiful bike! I might have to head south of the border to buy one at a decent price.

 

[davedude]

Did it have a naff power for you?

 

[Lurch]

Originally Posted By: 95busa
I'm selling an '05 VStar 650 Silverado with 4300 miles on it for $3000, with K&N, EBC Clutch springs...just changed plugs, engine oil and filter, and final drive oil. Bike is very cherry. I have a cabin in Gatlinburg if you're interested I could meet you.


Sounds nice. Post pics of it sometime if you can. I couldn't buy it unless I sold mine first, and I just got it back after putting $300 into a valve adjustment, and now that thing runs like a new bike.

I'm in the Tri Cities area, so you probably go right through here on I-81.

 

[Lurch]

Originally Posted By: davedude
Did it have a naff power for you?


Yes, it does. It's slow compared to my other bike but at my age I'm not looking for maximum 1/4 mile speed anyway. Actually I'd be better off on one of these because they aren't as easy to get a ticket on. My Kawi you just twist the throttle and could be way over the speed limit before you get out of 2nd gear.

 

[ddrumman2004]

I have an 06 Vstar 650 Classic that fits me just fine. I have it all fixed up with windshield, lowers, bags, Mustang seat, luggage rack etc....plus a set of Bub Big Willy pipes.

It sounds great, not loud or obnoxious and will run down the road at speeds that would get me in trouble. Plus it will get 50 mpg if I don't "dog" it.

I'm short and can flat-foot the bike while sitting on it.

I have toyed with the idea of a larger displacement bike, even owned a 91 Goldwing once, but this 650 is all I need, no more than I ride.

 

[Lurch]

How is maintaining a V Star 650 compared to my Kawi ZR-7S? Do the valves need to be adjusted at certain intervals?

I toy with the idea of listing my bike on CL for a swap deal on a nice V Star, Magna, or Shadow.

Does a V Star / cruiser bike hurt your back after an hour or so of riding?

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: Lurch
How is maintaining a V Star 650 compared to my Kawi ZR-7S? Do the valves need to be adjusted at certain intervals?

I toy with the idea of listing my bike on CL for a swap deal on a nice V Star, Magna, or Shadow.

Does a V Star / cruiser bike hurt your back after an hour or so of riding?


Some people I know who ride cruiser style bikes with forward controls complain about the riding position after extended periods of time in the saddle. A guy I know who owns a Fatboy just replaced the stock seat because his back gets sore after an hour of riding. Considering that his butt wasn't the problem but his back was, it will be interesting to see if it works out for him.

Another friend of mine who rides a Kawasaki 900 Vulcan also feels a bit cramped after an hour or so in the saddle due to having forward controls. He said it causes him to sit on his tail bone which gets a bit uncomfortable after a while.

I ride a Valkyrie with standard foot pegs and controls. It's actually quite comfortable but, after a few hours, it's refreshing just to get off the machine for a bit of a stretch. At 70 mph cruising speeds, it usually works out well with a fuel stop.

Believe it or not, the KLR650 is a bike I can ride for hours. Decent seat and plush suspension make long rides easy.

 

[ryanschillinger]

I recently sold my 98 Honda Shadow Spirit 1100 to buy a Yamaha Roadliner 1900. You might like the Shadow 1100 better than the little 650. Hydraulic lifters for no valve adjustments, shaft drive, simple carbs, water cooled. I've seen them on craigslist with close to 100k miles. Mine had 21k and ran like a brand new bike. It had enough power to climb hills on the freeways and everything, I was just ready for a bigger bike. The shadow cruised at 75 on the freeway with plenty of power to spare and handled nicely. I sold it for $3200 but you can find them cheaper than that. I had some really nice upgrades, like progressive supsension and mustang seat. Great bike, looked much better without the windshield....

 

[ddrumman2004]

Yamaha specs valve checks every so many thousands of miles but it's been found that when they hardly go out of spec in thousands of miles as well. Mine are still in spec at 4000 miles. Also pull the rear wheel and check the splines on the drive shaft to make sure they have enough lube on them. The early years of V Stars came from the factory without enough lube. I think they corrected this in the early part of the last decade, as my 06 had plenty of lube on the splines.

The stock seat will make your rear sore after a long ride...mine did...so that's why I installed a Mustang seat. The Mustang is firmer in padding but more comfortable after a long ride. Plus, I have highway pegs on the crash bars if I feel I need to stretch out. But my short legs don't feel right stretched out straight!

I have rode mine for several hours non-stop and don't feel any worse for wear than when I started out.

I'm not trying to persuade you in any way....just get what you are more comfortable on. My oldest son bought a 92 Harley Softtail and while I can flat foot that bike, it's top-heavy and it's a job for this old man to straighten it up off the side stand.

 

[Lurch]

I know what you mean. I feel the V Star 650 would be a good size for me. I don't want to get into a bike that I'll have to break my neck just trying to get out of the garage. A 750 Magna or some 1100 Shadows would be fine, but a V Star 1100 is way too big and bulky for me. I could ride it but I just feel it's more machine than I need or want.

I've seen some nice 800 Vulcans and Suzuki Blvds.

I don't do many long rides usually, so if it does fatigue my back I can go home and possibly be more used to it next time.

 

[Lurch]

Originally Posted By: ryanschillinger
I recently sold my 98 Honda Shadow Spirit 1100 to buy a Yamaha Roadliner 1900. You might like the Shadow 1100 better than the little 650. Hydraulic lifters for no valve adjustments, shaft drive, simple carbs, water cooled. I've seen them on craigslist with close to 100k miles. Mine had 21k and ran like a brand new bike. It had enough power to climb hills on the freeways and everything, I was just ready for a bigger bike. The shadow cruised at 75 on the freeway with plenty of power to spare and handled nicely. I sold it for $3200 but you can find them cheaper than that. I had some really nice upgrades, like progressive supsension and mustang seat. Great bike, looked much better without the windshield....


Fine looking Shadow. I like that! Red is my favorite color too, as far as that goes.

 

[kballowe]

Originally Posted By: ddrumman2004
.......... Also pull the rear wheel and check the splines on the drive shaft to make sure they have enough lube on them. ............[/size]


We have seen two of these bikes with the rear wheel assembly virtually destroyed because of the lack of lubrication.
As the wise man said - make sure to check this. Also make sure to use the CORRECT grease... Honda recommends their "Moly 60" which has a very high moly content. I'm sure Yamaha has a similar product. If not, you can use the Honda stuff.

 

[95busa]

Alrighty, got it sold. Hope you get one, great bikes!

 

[Ken2]

+1 on re-lubing the driveshaft splines. I've seen a Boulevard with a $600 repair bill due to a dry driveshaft.

The 650 V-Star is an OK bike, but it is made cheap to sell cheap. Good starter bike. I like the Kawasaki 800 Vulcan for a mid-range cruiser, and some of the Hondas. I like my V-Strom more than any cruiser I've been on.

 

[Lurch]

Quote:

The 650 V-Star is an OK bike, but it is made cheap to sell cheap.



A whole new thread on this topic might be a good idea.

It's sure didn't look cheap or feel cheap when I rode it. It runs great and I was told by men at a bike shop that it's motor is one of the best Yamaha ever made, that it's been refined by Yamaha many times and is now pretty much bullet proof.

I think some people tend to look at Yamaha as a slightly lesser machine than Honda, Suzuki, etc., but the reality may be that they are at least as good or better.

 

[ryanschillinger]

My Roadliner is made by Yamaha, and I love the bike. I've only owned Kawasaki and Honda before this one. Honda Shadow 1100 is a killer bike. No valve adjustments, shaft drive, water cooled. Not very big or heavy, it was my first cruiser type of bike, and was really easy to ride. It had enough power to stay comfortable on the freeway.

 

[boraticus]

"I think some people tend to look at Yamaha as a slightly lesser machine than Honda, Suzuki, etc., but the reality may be that they are at least as good or better. "

Anyone who thinks Yamaha is inferior to the other Japanese brands doesn't know what they're talking about and obviously haven't owned one. They're as good as anything out there.

 

[Lurch]

The XS 650 vertical twin was a nice motor. Now they've replaced that with the XVS 650 "V Star" V Twin and it seems as good or better than that wonderful Vertical twin XS 650.