Tell me about the VStar 1100's

[Jeffro600]

I love my CBR and will probably keep it until it either dies or i die on it... :D But i want something i can go for a LONG ride on comfortably. Ive been seriously looking at the Yamaha VStar 1100's. I want something thats cruiser oriented but with a decent amount of power. Anyone on the board have one? Whats your thoughts on it vs other cruisers of similar size out there?

[Warrlord]

Although it's a dependable, comfy bike, after a CBR, you'll be severely disappointed in the power of it. You might wanna check out some Roadstar forums, I remeber reading about the owners complaining about removing the exhaust to change the oil filter, that would be a PITA to me.

If you're leaning towards Yamaha, the Warrior & the Roadstar have have a 102inch 1670cc air-cooled pushrod Vtwin that has quite a bit of grunt, although more pricey than the Vstar 1100. The Roadliner/Stratoliner has a 113 inch 1854cc Vtwin, with more grunt than the Warrior & Road Star. I had a Warrior & loved it. I bought a Strato because it's bigger for 2 up riding. It blew the Warrior away so I sold it.

The Honda VTX 1300 & 1800 are nice bikes & have a lot of grunt also.

The Suzuki M109 is a nice bike & will kill all the above bikes in the power department.

The Harley Vrod is a nice bike & will kill the M109.

Even the big inch cruisers won't be equal to your CBR in the top end power department so if you're willing to live with it, a Vtwin cruiser around the 1100cc range would be alright then. But after a CBR, you might go through withdrawals when you twist your wrist. :) That's my take on it after riding all the above bikes except the VTX 1300.

[Budman]

I converted from street bikes to cruisers, the 1100 Vstar is a pretty nice bike. My dad had one, and it fit him well. i am too tall for a Vstar. They sit way too lay for me. I am a big fan of the 1100 honda shadows, and the VTXs. Don't worry about the conversion to cruisers, it is a piece of cake to do.

[ZappBranigan]

There is a good motorcycle forum called MotorcycleUSA.com (http://forum.motorcycle-usa.com/) You can register there and ask the question - I know quite a few V-Star riders are on that board, it's one of the more popular cruisers.

Also, did you know that Yamaha has just come out with a V-Star 1300? Belt driven and water cooled, as opposed to the shaft drive, air-cooled 650 and 1100. Personally, I love shaft drives, though I've also come to love my Thunderbird's chain. Belts are less maintenance than a chain but very expensive to replace if you get a rock between the belt and the pulley. Ask the HD guys what they're paying for their belts, it's not pretty! I could buy two chains and two sets of sprockets for what some of the dealers charge!

[Jeffro600]

Im still keeping the CBR as i just finished paying it off last month, i just want something thats more comfortable for me and my better half to go on longer trips. Not looking for a hotrod, but something that can get up and go if called upon while still being comfortable at the same time.