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Tell me about your 950 Tourers

2K views 17 replies 10 participants last post by  lesblank 
#1 ·
Considering a new bike. Been on a Suzuki Volusia for 8 years. Had a 2011 Nomad briefly, but didn't care for the weight. Considering a 950 or maybe a 1300. I test rode a Tour Deluxe a few years ago, but didn't care for the gearing.

So what's the good and bad on the 950?
 
#2 ·
Bought a used one last year. Like everything about it other than the factory seat...dreadful but it could be because of my noassatall...but great bike. Easy to maneuver, decent mileage, decent pick up, not a screamer but it will throw you back a little if you twist hard enough. Good bike for an old guy..mine is the touring model. factory bags and windshield. Added LED headlight and factory passing lamps. Also recommend the Kuryakyn Run/Turn/Brake kit. Helps light up the back of the bike.
 
#3 · (Edited)
the 950 and VS1300 are the two fuel injected belt drive Vstar bikes at the lower displacement end of the product line. 950 is air cooled, 1300 is water cooled.

the 650 and 1100 are the two carbed shaft drive, air cooled bikes at the lower end. From a distance these two bikes look almost identical (1100 has more disk brakes)

they are all great bikes - I believe the 1100 is the most popular bike by number sold


If you plan on getting one bike and keeping it till it wears out at 100k miles on the odo, Id say get the 1300 or the 1100

the 1100 is the simpler bike with its carbs and shaft drive and air cooling, but you will not regret buying either one.

If you want the faster/more powerful bike, I would again recommend the 1100 or 1300 over the 650 or 950.
I would rather have a fully stock bike with a bigger engine than a smaller one that has been modified for more HP.

the only riding factor Ive heard on the 950 is it tends to scrap the pegs easy on corners and curves - dont hear that about any other Vstar bikes.
 
#8 ·
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#9 ·
Hi!
Welcome from East Tennessee. Wife and I each ride a 950. Mine is the tourer, hers is the base model and both 2009. Mine has a number of mods to it, and hers has a cobra slip on muffler. We get great gas mileage, yet the floorboards are easy to scrape. Both bikes are easy to work on, easy oil changes, etc. I’ve driven the 1300 and it’s very similar, but with much better brakes and good handling. If you’re going to travel a bit, I’d suggest the 1300 for the larger motor and brakes. If you will be commuting and a little traveling, the 950 easily get the job done. Ditto on ditching the factory seat on both the 950 and 1300. They are the weak spot. Keep us posted on what you choose. I’ve included a pic of our bikes side by side. Hers is the blue, mine the black one.



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#10 ·
Agree with almost everything here on the 950. I've had mine (2015 950T factory crash bars & passing lights) 4.5 years now and 30K miles. I'm in love. I ride mostly 2 lane back roads 45 - 65 MPH. It's perfect for that. Occasional slab rides at 75 two up are no strain. Definitely ditch the stock seat. I'm very happy with the Mustang seat on mine, others prefer other seats. To each his own.

As for dragging pegs, I do that only rarely, usually in slow turns when the surface is uneven. But I do have the shock preload about middle (6 if I remember right - I'm 190 lbs). I wonder if the folks dragging have theirs set less.

Mods I've done are a Cobra Fi2000R Digital Fuel Processor (Closed Loop 92-1775CL), Drilled out stock muffler (drilled a bit more than some) K&N in the stock A/F housing. Don't need any more. In fact, still don't know what WOT feels like as I've never needed it.

Been riding since 1969 and this is my most satisfying ride so far.

Welcome and good luck with whatever you decide on!!
 
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#11 ·
....still don't know what WOT feels like as I've never needed it....
What?! how is that possible after 5 years?!

you have to crank it WFO every once in a while in 4th gear to uhm... blow the cobwebs out of the fuel injectors!
 
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#12 ·
I had an 1100 for 3 years before upgrading to a Nomad. The oil changes take a little longer but it wasn't that bad and it gave me a chance to do some cleaning in areas I couldn't normally reach. You do have to remove the front exhaust to get to a couple of bolts but I never had any issues. Everything came apart easy and went back together just as easily. I could do an oil change in about a half hour - 40 minutes after I'd done it a couple of times. The worst part is keeping track of all the cover bolts as they are all different lengths. If you forget to do that you'll make the job a lot more frustrating.

As for performance and power, it's no neck snapper but it had plenty of power for around town and secondary road cruising. It could hold its own at highway speeds too. I just wanted something a little bigger for two up touring, but I wish I could've keep my 1100 too. And it was reliable. Almost 20 years old and I wouldn't have hesitated to ride it anywhere. Awesome bike.
 
#14 ·
Wow, thank you all for the replies. Great community you have here. The Volusiariders forum is not near as active anymore.

I'd really like to find something in between the Volusia and the Nomad, but it's proving to be a difficult task.

Haven't ridden a 950 yet, but it's on my short list.

Road Star and Roadliner/Stratoliner I think would be comparable to the 1700 Nomad I had. Even with a new seat and risers, it just wasn't comfortable to me. I'm 5'9" with 32 inch inseam, but shortish arms. The 1300 VStar I test rode fit me pretty good. I guess I would get used to the gearing. Just need to ride a 950 before I make a decision.
 
#15 · (Edited)
on all these bikes if you have to take a cover off anywhere on the bike, make a little drawing in your owners manual back page, or the notebook you use to keep track of your maintenance, and show the size of each bolt as you take it off

the tendency it to put them on a paper towel in the pattern you took them out, but "Stuff" happens, a gust of wind, you get a cramp in your leg and move your foot, get distracted and kick the bolts....

and they REALLY have to go back in the right place - if you put a long bolt in a 'short' hole, it will hit something and do unbelievable damage inside the engine

then your 10 minute oil change turns into a 4 day engine removal and hundreds of dollars of parts to replace the thing that hits the long bolt when you start it up.

Take the extra 2 minutes, draw the little diagram and mark the bolt sizes.
 
#16 ·
What works for me, get a cardboard box big enough to place whatever you are taking off, turn over, use bottom. As you take bolts off punch a hole with screw driver and stick bolt in a pattern of part. Did it today as there were three different length bolts holding same part in. Simple and not much brain work needed.

 
#18 ·
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