V-Star.. Good size bike for me?

[The Last Boyscout]

Don't let changing the oil scare you away. I had an after market filter relocation kit installed on my 1100. Best money spent. Now you won't have to worry about taking the exhaust pipe off. The relocation kit will set you back about $ 200.00. Well worth the money.

[adri]

If there's one person to trust on the V-Star 1100 on this forum, it's Boyscout. Rolled it over and then some?

[Cat13]

If you don't buy before spring, take my Sportster for a spin - it won't be bored out (yet), but should be fine for the long ride (previous owner modified gearing ratio so the revs are lower at highway speeds), should still have enough torque to boot around the city - trying to convert the masses

My dad for a while was trying to convince me to get a harley, but only cus he wanted one and couldnt justify the cost lol. What I am looking for is a larger cruiser. I want something for trips and highway. Something to commute to and from work also. If I got something more sporty I'd be going for a M90 But thank you very much for the offer. Noticed you are selling a pair of hard bags which if you still have when I get my bike I might talk to you about How are you liking the sportster?

Plus I think you may have to remove the exhaust on the 650 to change the oil filter!!!!

I worried about that but there are oil filter relocation kits which make it a breeze to change the oil. So far after all my research is my only concern is about the low torque and the comments about wanting a sixth gear.

[mchatel]

As others have already indicated here, go with the 1100, if you're able to. I have a 650 Vstar Classic - I love it...but if it wasn't my first bike, I would have gone with the 1100.

I can confirm too, on the 650, you do *not* have to remove your exhaust, to get at the oil filter, or to change the oil. That is only true of the 1100's.

Hurry up Spring!

[The Last Boyscout]

My dad for a while was trying to convince me to get a harley, but only cus he wanted one and couldnt justify the cost lol. What I am looking for is a larger cruiser. I want something for trips and highway. Something to commute to and from work also. If I got something more sporty I'd be going for a M90 But thank you very much for the offer. Noticed you are selling a pair of hard bags which if you still have when I get my bike I might talk to you about How are you liking the sportster?



I worried about that but there are oil filter relocation kits which make it a breeze to change the oil. So far after all my research is my only concern is about the low torque and the comments about wanting a sixth gear.

I also added a kuryakyn hypercharger air breather and jet kit. Will add a couple of lb/torque and a couple of hp.Will give you a little more throttle response and the extra power you want. Looks great and worth the money.Made a big difference on my vstar.

[Cat13]

I also added a kuryakyn hypercharger air breather and jet kit. Will add a couple of lb/torque and a couple of hp.Will give you a little more throttle response and the extra power you want. Looks great and worth the money.Made a big difference on my vstar.

OOOOOOOooooh your a genius! Thank you!!! I was kinda worried about that! We were starting to do research on how to get more throttle response!

Since according to Adri your a Vstar king, anything else I should be aware of or look at putting on?

[adri]

The Sporty looks awesome parked in my buddy's garage - further review pending spring time lol.

[canuckerjay]

Most people with v-stars eventually opt for a pod kit instead of the hypercharger. The hypercharger is a ram-air effect that is difficult to tune, and still uses the stock air box. I used to have it, then went with the pods and rejetted. Bike was night and day. More power compared to the hypercharger setup, and I stopped reaching for a 6th gear on the highway. I liked the look of the hypercharger, though, so I just left it on even though it's only cosmetic now.

[The Last Boyscout]

OOOOOOOooooh your a genius! Thank you!!! I was kinda worried about that! We were starting to do research on how to get more throttle response!

Since according to Adri your a Vstar king, anything else I should be aware of or look at putting on?

If your going to do any long distance touring. I didn't like the stock seat. I'm 5'7 and the shape drove my tailbone nuts. two weeks later ordered a mustang saddle can ride all day now and not even bother me. A nice set of hard bags are nice to keep your stuff dry on a rainy road trip. As for tuning.... Always took mine to Northern for a tune up. Pretty much the only ones i'll let touch my bike. Never had a problem with getting it tuned up. They also installed the hypercharger and jet kit.

[Cat13]

If your going to do any long distance touring. I didn't like the stock seat. I'm 5'7 and the shape drove my tailbone nuts. two weeks later ordered a mustang saddle can ride all day now and not even bother me. A nice set of hard bags are nice to keep your stuff dry on a rainy road trip. As for tuning.... Always took mine to Northern for a tune up. Pretty much the only ones i'll let touch my bike. Never had a problem with getting it tuned up. They also installed the hypercharger and jet kit.

Def something to look at. For now cost is a factor. I will prob opt for a sheep skin for now. Going to be riding to NS this summer with my Dad. My first long trip. But my dad will want to stop and not push too much. Plus I cycle so a motorcycle seat is more comfortable than the thong of a seat I cycle with lol. Hell I rode on Gilligans bike all last summer. He has no ***** pad. Just a fiberglass seat.

Again thank you though You and canuckerjay have been extremely helpful!

[M50 Rider]

I would say quite honest got with at least a 750 or 800.. I went fron a 250 Single to a 400 twin to a 550GS 4 cylinder... 2 up riding you need the CC's and your size is fine... Honest Fuel injection and liquid cooled are on my HIGH want it list - shaft drive is a huge benefit on a cruiser- I bought a Suzuki M50 and love it- inexpensive (relatively ) and has all the things I wanted.
Good luck

[adri]

Like a drum brake...

[Morrissey]

The only way to know what the insurance will cost on a 650 vs 1100 is to call and get quotes. Don't go by what others tell you as rates vary wildly from one company to another depending on their individual criteria. Even two riders with very similar stats can sometimes come up with very different numbers.

As for the bike....If I am not mistaken the vstar 650 and 1100 share the same frame/dimensions, the only real difference being the displacement of the engine and a few extra pounds on the 1100. This was the same with the old Yamaha Virago 750 and 1100. Its a great technique that keeps manufacturing costs down and keeps the smaller engine bike from looking like a starter bike. If you can swing the insurance cost on the 1100, DO IT! On a used vstar the depreciation is pretty much done so the cost of a 650 vs an 1100 can sometimes be very similar, say $1000 bucks. The 1100 will last longer as it is not working as hard and you will not get bored of the 1100. If you buy the 650 in a year or two you'll be wanting the 1100 anyways. Go sit on one and if it fits, buy it and enjoy it!

[matt123]

Whats so bad about a rear drum brake.I've heard the same in some reviews.I honestly can't tell the difference and i have bikes with both.They both lockup very easily which is a feature I would rather not have.In the 2010 MCN performance index the Marader 800 (m50) is one of the best bikes in the emergency stop.Am i missing something?I would look for something that has cast rims,spokes suck. I would also get a little more power than you actually need.CC's alone do not make a bike more powerful there is more to it than that.Some 1100's are actually slower than some 800 bikes.The 800 drifter quicker than the vn900 as well.Look through some indexes and check off bikes that intrestyou then take them for a spin.I've never had a shop turn downs test ride on a used bike,time well spent before you spend any cash.

http://www.mcnews.com/mcn/articles/2010JanIndex.pdf

[RetroGrouch]

Whats so bad about a rear drum brake.

Absolutely nothing. Plenty of stopping power and no fluid to change and bleed. Rear drum brake has been put in the same basket as carburetors, ancient technology that deserve ridicule.

[CruisnGrrl]

gotta pull the wheel to service the brakes, dont have to bleed the oil on discs unless you change the oil.

[adri]

gotta pull the wheel to service the brakes, dont have to bleed the oil on discs unless you change the oil.

+1. Maintenance stuff is a pain in the ***. If drum brakes were as good as disks why don't Sport bikes use them? Brakes use friction to stop the rotation of the wheel which gives off heat. The better your brake can handle (disperse) the generated heat the better your stopping power will be. Drum generates heat in an enclosed space, disks do not, and some are even made of multiple parts (take floating rotors) to better dissipate heat and avoids warping.

Now imaging you're on the highway and need to hammer the brakes from top speed. Once the shoe in your drum brake overheats it's going to feel a lot weaker and spongier. The disks travel through air while braking and our better designed. They get contact from two pads generally with multiple calliper pistons and will result in better stopping power, regardless of what people post on the Internet because their bikes have drum brakes

Did I mention they're a pain in the *** to regularly check out and service? CG didn't mention it but every time you adjust your chain you'll need to make sure you properly adjust the drum. Get too much dust in there and your drum brake will squeal to high hell, my drum also sometimes squeaks if the bike was left in the rain for hours. Overall who needs the hassle? Even my "ancient technology" Harley Sportster has a rear disk.

[CruisnGrrl]

iirc the vstar has shaft drive, just have to change the oil x many km or x many months which ever comes first which means other than tire changes you won't see the drums to inspect them, and while we mention tires, iirc the vstar has spoked wheel limiting your tire choices

[matt123]

As far as maintenance your changing your tires at least twice maybe thee times before the brake shoes need to be replaced so thats not a big deal.The inside pads are impossible to see on my CBR and C50 so i have actually taken them apart a few times for no reason again not a big deal.
I agree that brake fade can be an issue on the track or bombing around the streets so I can see a huge benefit for sport bikes .
I personally don't think brake fade is an issue at speed on the highway for even a couple consecutive e stops considering rear brakes are only good for 30 to 40 % of your stopping power due to weight transfer and I ride a lot on the 401 and I75.
I guess Im saying for the application (cruisers) drum brakes are fine and may be a plus as it allows the use of shaft drive which is a big bonus for touring.They can also be adjusted to the cusp of lockup which is good for new riders .
Now that i think about it all shaft drive bikes are drum brake and thats probably why they're still around.V-max's are are rear drum and shaft drive.Most likely a toss up between brakes and low maintenance drive.
I absolutely agree disc brakes are the best(no brake fade)and i wouldn't buy a sport bike with drum brakes not that you can.

[CruisnGrrl]

you can have disk brakes with shaft drive, one example would be the XJ 1100



you can see the disk on the right side of the rear wheel, shaft on the left