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3K views 26 replies 9 participants last post by  Diogenes415 
#1 ·
Hello all, new member here. Traded my Vulcan 800 Classic for a 09 V Star 1300 with a little over 11,000 miles on it. So far I love the bike, really surprised, this thing has some balls. :grin:
 
#2 ·
its surprising how much tighter an engine can be made, and how much more power you can coax out of it, when its water cooled. I have always liked the simplicity of an air cooled engine, but water cooling definitely has advantages.
 
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#3 ·
I hadn't ridden a bike for 30 years, so I started with the Kawasaki 800 Classic. Didn't know if I could handle a big bike, I'll be 68 in a couple weeks. Only had it a month and a half and traded it back in where i bought it. Only lost a few hundred on it, but I was happy with the deal. My 1300 is setup a solo bike but that's just fine, as my wife died last year, and I don't think ridding double is something I'd try today. I raced motocross in the early seventys to early eightys, and had bikes until my son was born. My wife wouldn't ride with me anymore, didn't want to leave a baby parent less, so I sold it. She talked about us getting a trike a few years ago, but I didn't want that so I bought a Corvette convertible, still have it too.
 
#4 · (Edited)
Sounds similar to my experience. I purchased a new Yamaha IT175 in 1978, and rode it in the woods and on trails for most of my adult life. Sold it about 20 years ago. 5 Years ago I took the MSF course and got my license, and got my VS 650

<- photo in my garage page

also setup to ride solo. Put 28,000 miles on it so far, and loving every mile. 60 years old, in upstate NY.

I'm thinking of getting a bigger bike for longer rides, a 1300 like yours, maybe a Roadstar 1600, or I might get a FJR1300 sport touring bike, mostly for the fairing on the interstate.
 
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#6 ·
Welcome from Houston, Texas. There are many of us that are return riders after a long layoff. I started a thread a week ago about how "mature" people were. Our site is experiencing some issues right now and the comments on some threads can not be seen, but here is the link.

http://www.starbikeforums.com/forums/36-lounge/113714-how-mature-you.html

Ride safe and often.
 
#9 ·
TY I'll be 68 in a couple weeks, but I really don't know how mature I am.:grin: Been a motor head all my life. I was drag racing in the late 60s with a 67 then a 69 Camaro. Then raced motocross in the the early 70s to the early 80s, a long with my 73 Yamaha 650 Twin. Sold that for a Yamaha 750 twin, big mistake. Went through a divorce, in 80. Got remarried and bought a 650 Yamaha Maxim in 81, sold it in 87 after my son was born. My bride died a year ago last Friday. We talked about a bike a few years ago but she wanted a trike, and I didn't. She got cancer, had surgery in Nov of 15, so everything else stopped. I took care of her at home until she died, she was young too. 59 yrs old.
 
#8 ·
TY, won't let me post pics of the bike. I was able to upload the avatar though. Just got in from a short ride and got caught in the rain, but it was worth it. Went to visit an old buddy biker friend, he's had bikes forever. He's got a Harley Fat Boy and a BMW full dresser. He likes long rides, trying to talk me into going with him from Central Il. to central Tenn in the middle of June. Had to pass on that, not ready for a long ride like that, don't know if I will ever be able to do that, plus I've got 3 small dogs, and won't leave them.
 
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#10 ·
Charlie, you have been thru some rough times. I have realized that very many of the things that happen that affect us, are random events that we have no control over. All we can do is take whatever abilities and assets we have at our disposal, and make the best of the situations we find ourselves in.

I smiled when I read your comment about the 750 twin being a big mistake. I read about that bike having issues - apparently they made up for the mistakes on that bike with the 750 triple. I have never ridden a triple, but would not mind having one.
 
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#12 ·
The 750 triple was a very good bike, so was the 850, but the 650 quad would out run them both. That 650 quad reminded me of a 2 stroke. It had a power band like a 2 stroke, came on real hard about 6000 rpm and pulled hard til about 10500. I was young when I bought that bike and ran the crap out of it, well I was 30, that's young.:grin: I even give a few 1000s a run for the money with that quad. My buddy back then had a hopped up H2 Kawasaki 750, ported and piped and my 650 would still out run it. I had to watch it because it wanted to come over in 2nd when I was on it hard. Had a lot of fun on that bike til I got remarried in late 81. She put a little sense in me.:grin:
 
#13 ·
Reading this and many of the other very informative posts, and thinking I would be in a minority, only to find out I am not the only person who used to ride 30 years ago only to find myself wanting and purchasing one. There are a lot that are in the same boat with me. Kind of the same circus, just different clowns and announcers.

I rode most of my younger adult life. Everything from an original Honda CX-500 Deluxe to Shadow Cruiser to a Gold Wing Aspencade in late 80's. So as you see they all were Honda's. I also do enjoy riding an ATV/SXS Kawasaki Teryx with friends in Southern WV, East TN, and Appalachia VA on the various trail systems that have become so popular with the off-road riding trends. Over the years I had friends that rode Yamaha machines and said I'll get me one, one day. Well I actually went into the Yamaha Store to pick up some oil and filters for my SXS and there it was. It was like the stars began twinkling, a 2005 Yamaha VStar 1100 Silverado was sitting there saying "hey you please take me home with you". After discussing the unreasonably low price I could purchase it for, I had to do the deed and went home and dug up a jar and bought it. That was December 2017 in SC. I rode it 63 miles in four months. I stopped by the dealership last month and he asked if I was riding that bike I bought, I said not really, but I will one day. He needed some floor stock and made me an offer I couldn't refuse and sold it back to the dealership.

Well I missed it and had to replace it with another. So I looked a week or two and not being able to find that "pearl" that I could take home. I went back up to the same local Yamaha Dealership and lo and behold, sitting right there it was. A 2014 Yamaha VStar 1300 Deluxe one owner with 4400 miles in Gem Condition. All factory stock with the original Garmin GPS and the Ipod Sound System almost untouched. We discussed the deal and when he made me another offer I couldn't refuse, I was able to take it home and had to go dig up another jar for the rest of the money.

SO, now here I am again ready to ride and and it is taking me longer than I thought to find that "feel good feeling" while riding it. I have put around 30 miles on it so far and looking forward to many many more once I can get past the thought of it being 30 years since I felt comfortable riding. BUT, it will come and can see the riding trips just around the corner calling my name. Thanks for reading my story and where ever you chose to ride, ride safe...MD in SC
 
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#14 ·
My1100

if you are not feeling secure and confidant on your 1300 you should consider taking a MSF course. Since you had street bikes before you don't need to take the beginners course, there are advanced courses that will help you connect better with your bike, learn to understand its characteristics, and you will learn how to swerve around obstacles, countersteer on curves with confidence, ride over potholes and 2x4s, and how to brake your bike at its limit without dropping it.

Since I had owned an off road bike most of my adult life, I "knew how to ride a motorcycle thank you". When I was 55 I decided to get my license and get a street bike, and taking the beginners MSF course was an easy 3 day process to get my license. Since I did not have a motorcycle yet, that is what I did. I thought it would be a formality.

I was amazed at how many things I did not know that I did not know. I had developed excellent riding skills for trails going thru the woods, but had a lot to learn about riding on the streets. For example, the instructor must have told me 20 times "Look up! don't look in front of your front wheel - keep you eyes level and look 100 feet ahead".

Nothing makes riding more enjoyable than confidence - knowing that no matter what happens, you have been trained, and you have been practicing, and you know what to do.
 
#15 · (Edited)
"Look up! don't look in front of your front wheel - keep you eyes level and look 100 feet ahead"

That is the best advice I've seen yet. I have always done this, even driving a car, guess it came from street riding in my early years. You'd be surprised how many people that buy a large Motor Home, then complain that they are having trouble keeping it in the lane. That's because they don't look far enough down the road. I'm finding it difficult to get used to leaning the bike while turning but it's coming back. I have to say that this 1300 is the very best bike I've ever rode, I love this thing.
 
#16 ·
When I returned to riding a street bike on a regular basis I went back and took the MSF course and learned so many small things that I use regularly while riding. The trail riding I did as a kid helped, and learning to always be looking for a way out through the MSF course has been a great help. The confidence will come and knowing the limitations of your bike will help you work as a unit. In the spring I like to go to an open parking lot and practice the basics I learned in the course and get the feel of the bike again. I highly recommend the course and watching the videos on YouTube from Kevin on the Mcrider series.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
#19 · (Edited)
Sorry for your loss. That bites the hairy one!
I am going on a 1400 mile trip in 4.5 days starting on the evening of May 29 & ending on Sunday the 3rd. I maybe 23 years your junior. BUT, I am telling you to get on that bike and ride! You won't regret it! I too have been not riding for 30 years. And am pissed at myself for taking this long to get back on 2 wheels. Riding is my therapy.
 
#20 ·
Sorry for your loss. That bites the hairy one!
I am going on a 1400 mile trip in 4.5 days starting on the evening of May 29 & ending on Sunday the 3rd. I maybe 23 years your junior. BUT, I am telling to get on that bike and ride! You won't regret it! I too have been not riding for 30 years. And am pissed at myself for taking this long to get back on 2 wheels. Riding is my therapy.
TY, just because I quit riding after my son was born doesn't mean I didn't do anything. I've lived a full life, and am glad I did. Started drag racing, then bikes, then snowmobiles aggressive riding them too. Really got too old for that, then went back to drag racing. Built a tube chassis 92 Grand Am for myself and a back half 96 Firebird for my son. Sold the tube car in 2011 when I thought I didn't need to be driving a car that fast. Sold my sons car in in 2015 after his daughter was born. Good thing too because my wife got sick in the fall of 2015 and I concentrated on taking care of her. She meant more to me than anything else in my life. I've had a very tuff year, that's why I bought the bike. My mind don't wonder when I'm riding the bike. Everything else I have and do reminds me of my wife, not that I want to forget, I don't, but I need something to get me smiling again. I think the bike will do it. I just gave my son my 77 Trans Am, I've had since his momma and I were dating. We also have a Corvette convertible, but every time I've tried to drive it, makes me sad.
 
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