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DragStar 650
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First things first: I know this has been said a million times, but I still don’t think it has been said enough. Thanks for a great site! Since I have been struck with the temporary insanity that is motorcycles, I have been surfing all the corners of the internet for news, pictures and info about these two-wheeled devils. In a jungle of so-called “reviews” by, so-called “professionals” it is extremely hard for a newcomer to sort the good advice from mere adds for motorcycles disguised as unbiased reviews. So, again, thank you for the help that I HOPED to find on the internet!
As I mentioned I recently got struck by motorcycle fever. I can’t tell you why it has never struck me before – but suddenly I’m SO in love with the idea of riding a motorcycle, that I have signed up for a license class, and have pretty much spend all my spare time researching which one and what gear to get once I get the license.
The gear is – thanks to the terrible, terrible article on this site about a girl that got a bad case of roadrash – now sorted. I’ll be going for a fullface instead openfaced helmet, thicker gloves, and REAL riding boots. I DON’T wanna end up getting a skin transplant.
That just leaves the bike. I am totally and utterly in love with cruisers. Well, that is to say – totally and utterly in love for a guy who has not taken his license yet. Everything might change once I have ridden the school bikes a few times, but for now – I am riding a big looking- and sounding cruiser in my dreamworld. I know, I know – all the reviews and advice in here says: GO for the 250 or 500cc bike, and IF you ever think it is too small for you, THEN you can trade it up for a bigger one. So, a bit sad, I visited my local Kawasaki dealer to take a look at the Ninja 250. You how 5 year olds look when then are STILL sitting on their small plastic motorcycles they got when they were 2? Well, that is kinda how I felt on the Ninja 250 with my 6” frame clocking in at a little over 200 pounds. This was NOT the dream scenario I had been walking around with in my head. Ok, ok – next stop the Suzuki dealer. He was very nice, and instantly told me that beeing a newbie, he would advice me to take a look at the faried GS500F – which I also remembered you guys giving the thumbs up. And while I sat on the, not as beautiful as the Ninja, but still, good looking 500, I couldn’t take my eyes off the M800 (I think Americans call it the M50) standing next to me.
So – over the next few day I looked at some Suzuki LS650 Savage and some Yamaha XV 535 Virago’s. These bikes were a lot more to my liking visually – and seating wise – but they still looked… well… flimsy. I know that looks are not all, but I must admit that this dream of mine is not a rational one. I HAVE a car. A nice one. I drive it every day. What I am looking for is needs to be something I really, really like for this addiction to be satisfied. And for me to like it, it has to LOOK right and SOUND right. I doesn’t need to be powerful – but it does have to LOOK like it is.
My question is: Would I be totally and utterly insane to buy a Yamaha XVS 650 DragStar as my first bike? Or even the Suzuki M800? Both of them are in my price range, if I buy them used. I would love to get some input from anyone that has had one. I read – and enjoyed – ‘Uncle Bernie’s’ review of the S40 – but would love some info on the XVS650.
Best regards,
/JoachimEDIT: To give you an idea of what I was looking for, does any of you remember the LucasArts video game called ‘Full Throttle’ from the 90’s? THAT’s what I want! I wanna be Ben!
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