- This topic has 43 replies, 19 voices, and was last updated 14 years, 9 months ago by ironi.
yamaha belt drive v-star 1300
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September 3, 2008 at 12:58 am #11589CityHunter357Participant
I’ve been commuting and tooling around town on my Honda Shadow Aero 750. It’s a mid-size V-Twin, very comfortable, not too heavy, shaft drive, liquid cooled. I was hesitant at first to start out on something like it, but to be honest with you, after taking it slow and getting used to it, it’s been great!! I’d highly recommend you take a look at this model in addition to the others you mentioned.
–“You don’t get to be old bein’ no foo, see? Lotta young wise men that’s deaaad as a motha!#@% ain’t they?– Richard Pryor as “Mudbone”
September 3, 2008 at 1:46 am #11591AmorylParticipantHow’s the gas milage? I’ve read that cruiser comparison before, honestly had overlooked the hyosung, but I’d noticed that what they claimed the “average range” when divided by the tank capacity puts mileage on all of them really low. based on the tank size and it’s claimed range they’re saying the GV250 gets about the same MPG as a V-Star 650, about 48mpg. I’ve heard lots of people, even on here, put the V-star 250 at 70+ which I guess isn’t far off from the 75-80 that people are claiming as average….
the MPG could be a deal breaker for me…thats a huge hit in average MPG vs other 250’s if it’s true.
September 5, 2008 at 4:47 am #11682AnonymousGuestI came across this forum, and thought I’d add my 2 cents worth. I bought a Yamaha V-star 1300 a bit ago, and am delighted with it. I hadn’t ridden in almost 20 years, so I guess that I fall into the ‘beginner’ category (did some dirtbike riding when younger, and rode a Maxim 750 for a bit .. long ago tho). Lest, I digress… while shopping for a bike, I checked out many different models and sizes, and at 6’2″, 215 lbs, the majority of the bikes in the 750-900 cc range had me looking like a gorilla on a tricycle. The 1100 Silverado was really nice, and I was strongly leaning toward that, however, several coworkers convinced me that, due to the mountainous terrain here, the 1100 would be a bit underpowered getting over the mountain passes with me and a passenger. So, after weighing all options, and, finding a great deal on a 1300, I made the purchase. The 1300 is a bit heavy, I suppose, however, like was said in an earlier post, the bike is very well balanced, and is very comfortable to ride. I haven’t had any problems with city driving, nor has handling been a problem. I’m really enjoying the bike. It has power on demand and is more than capable of traversing twisting roads and narrow mountain passes with finesse. As for the post that referred to ‘trading up’ after a few months or so, I have to disagree. This is just enough bike for my needs.
One thing that I WILL second is the recommendation to take an MSF course BEFORE making any purchase. Not only do some dealers offer rebates if you have the MSF card, it also will lower most insurance premiums. Not to mention the fact that the course makes one aware of all of the challenges that come with operating a bike.
Also, like many folks have alluded to, don’t buy a bike that intimidates you in any way.Safe Riding.
September 5, 2008 at 5:33 am #11683zgotzillaParticipantGlad you posted this. I have a new Rebel that I love, but am looking at my next bike with a bit more power, and started to consider the Aero earlier this week. Now I will look at it in depth. Thanks for the info.
September 5, 2008 at 1:25 pm #11696BuddParticipantYeah, those 1100s are severely underpowered.
“I am the best there is at what I do, and what I do ain’t nice.”-Wolverine
September 5, 2008 at 1:31 pm #11698AndrewParticipantYeah, I avoid hills because there’s no way my 250 would be able to take them.
September 5, 2008 at 3:26 pm #11704cwjGuest1) Go to a gym (they usually let you try one day for free anyway)
2) ask for the squat/leg press machines
3) slap on 600 lbs*
4) assuming you haven’t worn yourself out putting the plates on, try to lift.
5) apply experience to decision to buy 600 lb* (dry weight) bike
* or weight applicable to bike you’re considering. Test may also be applicable in choosing a pet, shrub, or significant other.
September 5, 2008 at 5:57 pm #11711MattParticipantSome 600 pound bikes are actually remarkably easy to move about. The trick is the very low centre of gravity.
Of course, they are only easy until that crucial moment when they pass their magic angle, and suddenly all 600 pounds would rather rest on the engine case than the wheels… once that happens, as my friend says “Ain’t nuthin doin’.”
So far the only cruiser I’ve had to pick up off its side was my Mom’s VLX. Which I *think* is just over 500lbs wet. It was actually surprisingly easy to get back upright – that isn’t to say it wasn’t a pain in the legs, but I was expecting harder. I’m guessing, based on that one incident alone, that at 6 foot and 185 pounds I’m strong enough to right a bike just shy of 600 pounds wet.
Man, if an electra-glide owner ever drops his bike, I feel for him. His chiropractor is gonna make a mint!
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“The two seconds between ‘Oh S**!’ and the crash isn’t a lot of practice time.”September 5, 2008 at 6:16 pm #11715AndrewParticipantIt also helps to know how to pick up a bike. Some guys will get away with not doing it right on smaller bikes but on the heavy ones few people are arm lifting a 600 lb bike.
January 16, 2009 at 3:40 am #15718JonathanGuestI started out on a 1998 1100 Honda Aero. I loved the big bike feel and the powerful engine. It was my first bike and it was the right price for a beginner so I took it. It then begin to fall apart because the dude I bought it from rigged it to sell and failed to mention everything that was wrong with it. I sold it and bought a Suzuki Volusia 800 (now the Boulevard C50), and it was a great bike. Lightweight and handled well, and had the big look. I am currently trying to sell it because I upgraded to a Vstar 1300. It handles even better than my 800 did, even going slow. Has all the power I need. The only complaint is that the handlebars have you leaning a bit too far forward to the point that sometimes I feel like I’m riding a sport bike, but other than that it is an awesome bike. I’m not going to give this one up any time soon!
January 16, 2009 at 3:57 pm #15724Clay DowlingParticipantI started on Honda’s VF750C, the Magna. Don’t believe anything you hear about off the line acceleration being lacking in a four cylinder. The throttle is very gentle on this bike, but if you decided you really needed to move fast off the line, the power is there. That’s also true of a 250 though. Even little motorcycles are fast.
I nearly fell into the trap of buying a bigger bike for my first ride too, mostly because a) naked Goldwings are beautiful and b) there were two available in my area for cheap. Fortunately a friend pointed me to Craigslist, where I found a smaller bike in the same price range. Even this bike is bigger than recommended for starting, but at least wasn’t the behemoth of a 1200cc tourer.
January 16, 2009 at 6:16 pm #15725DaggerParticipantMan this is an old thread.. But I’ll put my 2 cents in anyways.. I started on my V-Star 650 that I still have.. Been riding it since last Sept. and I love it.. I wouldn’t want to start off on a bigger bike.. (Well.. Maybe now that they have the 950’s I might have gone with that) The 650 has everything look wise that the bigger cc V-Stars do.. Only complaint is it’s a bit smaller so tall riders might want to look into getting the forward control extensions put on.. That’s what I did and I’m so much more comfortable on it now.. My plan right now is to keep riding the 650 until probably this summer, then moving up to an 1100 or 1300.. I love the V-Star line of bikes and I’m very happy with all the additional hardware there is out there to customize it..
Dagger
February 12, 2009 at 2:56 am #16425AnonymousGuestI almost bought a Honda VTX1300 as my first bike. Even put money down on it. At the time I had never even sat on a bike that was running. I knew the mechanics of shifting, what controlled what and so forth, but never rode. After weeks with my head in the clouds, and hearing a bunch of horror stories, I decided to do the right thing. I bought a fairly cheap, brand new, off-brand dual sport bike, and tore up my back yard before hitting the trails. Only after that did I tag it, insure it and venture out on the neighborhood streets. Got a learners permit and had my brother-in-law take me out several times to empty parking lots to practice slow manuevers, and then the highways. Did the MSF course and got my license. Now I have an 08 Suzuki M50 (805cc) and I’m having a blast. When starting in the dirt, you learn how to control a bike in all kinds of dangerous situations, without being dangerous i.e. tire slides, locking brakes, running over obstacles etc. You can’t practice that on the pavement. Case in point, I believe in starting small and trading up. For those who say they can’t afford to trade up and want a bigger bike to start, I say you can’t afford to miss out on what you can learn from a smaller bike. Am I the “perfect rider”? Heck no. I still have a lot of learning miles ahead. But I now know what my limitations are and I don’t exceed them. That something that would have been absent had I bought that 1300.
August 2, 2009 at 5:40 pm #21153ironiParticipanti’m a new rider. took the MSF course on a 250cc suzuki. i had started looking for a v-star 650 custom to be my first bike, but failed to find a used one in my area. instead i happened upon a v-star 1100 custom in great condition for a great price. at first, i rejected the idea, but ended up changing my mind and getting it. i’ve been riding it for a week. so far it hasn’t killed me or scared me, or made me believe that i went too big for my first bike. when it’s in motion, it feels very much like the 650 but with more power. i doubt i would be more comfortable on a smaller/lighter bike. i can handle this bike at parking lot speeds and parking lots are where heavier bikes really show their weight (by the way, i’m only 5′ 5″, 150lb, i have no prior riding experience and i was not any better or worse than my classmates at MSF). i feel that perhaps it may take me longer to get up the courage to get on the highway or into heavy traffic on this bike, but the real question is – is it really a good idea to get on a highway or into heavy traffic sooner rather than later, no matter what kind of bike one rides? i find that i have a lot of respect for this bike and it’s this respect that keeps me riding within my abilities. at this point, i know that my abilities are lacking. they would still be lacking if my bike was lighter. rushing into more dangerous riding would be no less foolish on a 650 or even a 250.
i feel i should also add that my first car was not what anyone would call a beginner’s car. it was an 89 buick regal – 3.1 liter v6 rear wheel drive. definitely not a very forgiving car to drive even in perfect weather, let alone the frequent rain and snow of north jersey. all i can say is, i could not wish for a better first car. it taught me everything i needed to know.
of course, this is all just a matter of opinion. if i end up hurting myself and learning a lesson, i’ll make sure to come back here and post my epiphany.
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