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Which star to get?

5K views 33 replies 18 participants last post by  BryanB 
#1 ·
So for awhile I have been set on getting a new v star 950. I liked how it felt sitting on it and that it has fuel injection. However I keep seeing lightly used v star 1100 with a lot of goodies I want ie bags, back rest, and pipes. Also have seen some road stars for a great price. Most of my riding is local with some cruising longer distance, but no cross country trips yet. Any good suggestions or advice on choosing?
 
#2 ·
Jump on a 1100 and see if you like the way it sits. How big are you? The bigger the rider the biggerthe bike, I think. Me, I am 6´4, 250lbs and the 1100 is good for me. I do a lot of long distance for vacations to the coast and back. 6'8 hours is not a problem. My longest ride on my honey was 14 hours, and I still got up and rode the next day. 1100´s have alot to offer-
 
#4 ·
I was grinning reading this one !

I been in your shoes before ! so which bike is calling to you ?
I swear to whomever your supposed to swear too that my bike picked me lol ! I walked all over the shop, it's a big one and kept on coming back by the beast ! drove it home the next morning.

Your size is important, knee clearance in tight parking lot turns, how adjustable are the bars, what goodies are already installed is a big point for me. What kind of shape is the bike in, how well was it taken care of, total miles. Price.

You got to decide and live with it. Good luck and let us know when you / It selects you / it !
 
#5 ·
I was told when buying my first street bike (Vstar 650 Custom) that I would be back for a bigger bike within a year.

It took 8 months, and two of those were spent looking for what I wanted, the 1100 Custom I ride today.

That was 7 months ago, and I'm already drooling at Raiders, and if the right deal on a Victory Hammer presented itself, I could be tempted.

Buy the Roadliner and spare yourself the steps you would otherwise take to get the same bike.
 
#6 ·
It's like dcody40 stated which ever bike calls for you.I'm 6'1" 205 and my arse felt just fine on a strat. It doesn't cost any thing to sit on all of them to see if your butt fits the seat.Just like buying a pair of shoes.
 
#8 ·
I am 5'3 brown haired green eyed... Opps sorry I thought we were giving stats. Dont be afraid of power go for the 1600 like I did. I love my Roadstar! When I started looking I fell in love with a custom 650 VStar. My boyfriend took it for a test drive since I didnt have my license or even taken my class yet. He said I would outgrow in within 6 months. So like DC I keep looking. I even contacted a guy to look at his bike with money in hand. My boyfriend liked the price and it was an 1100. Then I just happened to look one more time since the guy was out of town and not able to show me. That is when Independence found me I fell in love with her. I got my bike and license and bike in late July and I think I already have 2500 miles on her and I dont get to ride her as much as I want. I agree with the guys go sit on tons of bikes and you will know when you sit on yours.

nativity
 
#9 ·
Roadliner or 1100 definitely...Id say 1100 over 950 because it's cheaper, proven design(not that the 950 isnt or bad or anything), and seems to have a much bigger aftermarket then the 950......950 does look quite a bit better though lol
 
#10 ·
http://m.cycletrader.com/listing/2003-Yamaha-V-Star-1100-Classic-101227664

This is actually the 1100 I sat on. Seems like a nice deal. Only thing I need is pipes. Two things that make me want the 950 though, easier for me to finance than come up with one lump of cash. And I get a warranty. Three things maybe, with fuel injection if I add something I just have to tweak the efi box and not dig into the carbs.
 
#11 ·
i'm 5'10" and pushing 240 and have hazel eyes and i like it when the girl picks the place on a date. wait, what are we doing here?

my 950 is my daily transportation and i've taken it from Austin to Ashville doing about 90 most of the way so i can attest that it has plenty of power. i've customized the hell out of mine and highly recommend it. it's my first bike and i'm gonna ride it until it falls apart.
 
#12 ·
Ok this might stir something up.Go big or go home. "STRATOLINER"




Just playn around don't take it personal.
 
#13 ·
When I bought my 1100 a few years ago I was looking at the 950, too. I ended up going with the 1100 because I found a great deal on a well equipped and well cared for one with low miles. I am very happy with my 1100 and plan to keep it for a long time. It is a great riding bike with plenty of power, easy to work on, and plenty of aftermarket parts available. I'm sure with the belt drive and fuel injection the 950 would be equally great, but price won out for me. Everyone I know with a 950 is happy with their choice.
You can't go wrong with either one! Good luck!
 
#17 ·
I'm 6'3" 225 and put 5600 miles on my 950 in a year. Longest ride in that time was probably 400 miles in a day.

It was my first bike, so I opted for the smaller displacement to give myself some time to get used to riding on 2 wheels. It has plenty of torque and will cruise 75 down the interstate just fine. Now, the RPM's do get a tad high at that speed, but I've been assured that the bike can handle it. It's a ricer for Pete's sake ;)

Like said before, sit on several and get the one that feels right. Now, if the 950's handlebars feel a little cramped, don't worry. I loosened 4 bolts, rotated them back a little, and now they feel much better and give me more room.

Good luck in your search.
 
#18 ·
Before I bought my Vstar 1100 silverado I had a Kawasaki Vulcan 1500, the Vulcan had tons more power but handled like a tank, with the Vstar I still have plenty of power and handles like it is on rails and I am 6 ft and almost 300 lbs and it runs plenty fast for passing and cruising
 
#19 · (Edited)
Bryan, you may want to look at Dealerships in your area to see if they have any New Old Stock? I wanted a Raider and just happen to see one that was brand new but two years old. I checked the retail prices and used prices of the Raider before jumping on the deal. I ended up buying a new Raider with a 12 month warranty for the same money a used one would have cost. On top of the deal, I also got a very low interest rate from Yamaha when I financed it through them.

As for what size is right for you? Like many others have said, sit on the different bikes. While sitting on the bike, do the bottoms of your feet touch the ground? Do the controls feel within reach, or are they too far away? As size goes, keep in mind the bigger the bike, the heavier it is. Another important detail is hold the bike up in a riding position while sitting on it. Find out before putting your name on the dotted line if the ride you're conisdering feels too top heavy? If it does and you're not even moving? Forget that one!

You don't want something so small you'll be unhappy with it in a couple of months, then you'd still be paying for something you Hate!
But, buy something too large and it can bite you. Large bikes go down the road very well. It's when you need to make the quick moves at slow speeds that throw people off that can lead to a crash.

Just so you know (if you don't already?) Most crashes happen to riders when they are by them-self and during a slow sweeping turn at speed. If you buy a bike that is too big and heavy for you to handle (again depending on your experience) it may cause you to feel insecure. Take it from me, being overwhelmed takes all of the joy out of riding! Please don't ask me how I know.....:eek:

Just be reasonable. Don't buy one that's too small. But don't get greedy and buy one that's too big and heavy because you're getting a super sweet deal on it. Don't get in over your head! You know your skill level. We don't!

What-ever you decide to do? Just be safe! Oh, and take some pictures of your new ride so we can drool.:D
 
#21 · (Edited)
Bryan, the only thing to watch out for is Trade in Value of an old stock new bike. This sort of deal works out great if you plan on keeping the bike for a few years? If you find you've out grown the current motorcycle and want to sell it, the selling price may not be what you need to get out of it to pay it off.

As an example. My Raider is a very popular motorcycle. The problem with this is the manufacturer produced too many, and now they have some of these older bikes still in stock. This brings the retail and used selling values down. Just watch what you buy, and keep an eye on selling values before you buy. Just because someone has an add selling their bike for a large amount of money, doesn't mean they got that price. Or sold it for that matter! Something else, search the NADA for used values to get a good idea of what I mean. Unfortunatey, even these numbers are some-what inflated. So be careful!

Also, Yamaha (Star) has a nice new entry into the market called the Stryker. The design is close to the Raider and has a 1300 engine. Just in-case you haven't seen this new one?

Have fun searching,

Silverstreek
 
#22 ·
what did ya Pick??

I went through all that and I picked a V star 1300. I had a Honda 600 which was good in traffic, but the 1300 is just as easy in traffic and on the highway there is no comparison, bigger and heavier wins every-time. If I was on Highway all the time I would go Roadstar. But since I am inside the beltway a lot of the time the 1300 is a good size bike. It's not overwhelming and big enough for the highway too.
 
#23 ·
Hey B_______S , What 1300 did you find? Was it another Honda? And if so, what model was it? I owned the 1300 C (the sportier version) Honda produced. I really liked the ride and handeling, but the RPM's at highway speeds were really high for my licking. I was always trying to shift into a higher gear.

If i'm thinking correctly? Didn't Honda use the 1300 engine and transmission for their answer to the Yamaha Raider, the Honda Fury? You didn't buy that one did you?

Oh, we need a picture if you can figure out how to download one on here?

Keep Safe!
 
#24 · (Edited)
It may be a mute point for a lot of people who need a bike between now and the spring, but...

Buy in the fall, Sell in the spring.

It's as true today as it was 35 years ago. I've been keeping tabs on the 650s for sale on CL since I bought my pony in October and the prices being asked just now seemed to have jumped about $500 on average. They'll go up another few hundred the closer we get to April. I would imagine the phenomenon is also true at dealers.

I remember 33+ years ago that I either lost my As* or didn't make a sale at all almost every time I tried to sell a bike in the fall. It would almost be worth buying a couple of real steals in the fall and waiting 6 months to bag a thousand+ over and above taxes and transfer.
 
#29 · (Edited)
Silverstreek,

Could you possibly post the full-size version of your avitar? Firstl, I think the bike looks awesome. Second, It looks like you've got a visor on your headlight and possibly visors on your turn signals. I've got a '03 650 V-star and I'm back and forth on getting visors. I can't find many good profiles of V-star customs with visors. I'd appreciate it if you could post the full picture. I think many here would.

Edit: I just realized that must be the shape of the Raider headlight. I'd still like to see the full-size picture though.
 
#32 · (Edited)
I believe you'd be disappointed with my avatar? That picture belongs to my old Honda 1300-C. I left it there until I get a good picture of my Raider to replace it. I'm in the process of adding the handlebars and running light on it right now. When I'm done, I get a picture of it!

I did not install the visors on the signal lens' or the headlight. The headlight came like that from the factory. I did replace the handlebars, seat and a bunch of other stuff. This is what the bike looked like when I sold it.

The reason I sold the 1300 was I kept looking for another gear when on the highway. I'd be in 5th, and kept hitting the shifter looking for 6th. It was that bad!

It ain't a Yamaha, but here it is. Double click the photo if you want a closer view?
 

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#33 ·
Thanks Silverstreek. I appreciate it.

That's a very nice looking Honda.

Though I didn't buy it for freeway riding, after taking my 650 out on the four-lane a couple of times, I know exactly what you mean about wanting a 6th gear.

Looking forward to seeing the Raider.
 
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