It is a pretty bike. I'm old and have owned 16 motorcycles, currently a $38.000 2020 HD and I'd still love to own a V-Star like yours just to run around on. Stay safe and enjoy every journey.
I just got the 2016 model in white as my first bike ever... I'm just over 5ft tall and about 150lbs... and I can handle it just fine. Once I get the hang of the clutch it will be all good.
When you hear your engine spuddering that's when you switch to your reserve tank. It's basically your gas light. The reserve tanks are the two chrome egg shaped things on either side of your gas tank
I live in Arizona also, where did you buy it? and is it for sale? I'm looking for a bike to use to commute during college at UofA and i can't find this bike anywhere and I love it.
I'm 5'4" with a 27 inch inseam and this bike is incredible for short and/or short legged riders. It's low, thin and stupidly light. Plus it has mid-controls (foot peg positions) instead of forward controls which restricts us shorter people. Keep in mind that mid-controls are easier to scrap if you corner too hard. I do believe you can modify it for forward controls given the design of the frame.
I want to start on this bike too. Especially sense it has the V twin. Other 250's always have a single cylinder, this one has a bit more acceleration power.
Any thoughts on this bike vs. a Ninja 300 ABS? I haven't ridden in 20+ years and getting back on the saddle. Did the MSF course last year and started to feel comfortable in a few hours..
i bought the same bike 2 months ago but wanted to ask i want a windshield for it what website would you recommend to order one from I'm here in Utah and i also want to get saddlebags
Are you planning on changing the exhaust on the bike to give it more of a Harley Davidson sound i just purchased my first bike it is a lifan 250 i like the bike planning on buying another one once mine is payed off
Hey man I just bought one. Super happy with it but the guy I bought it from didn’t speak English can you do a video on how to use it the choker add a little knob by the left die I think it was the fuel valve
Nice bike you have there, do you remember when the valves need to be checked & adjusted if needed ? I think it's a short time, well shorter than some. Thanks, yl
Nice review, kiddo. My first bike and still own it, is a 650 VStar Classic Silverado with full dressing. I bought it as used from Yamaha in 2015 and it's a 2008, with just 18181 kms. It has a 4+ gal. tank and safely gets on avg. 65 mpg. Love the driveshaft on it. She'll reach a limit of 120 mph. I'm only 5'6" and sit comfortably flat footed, like we should. Sounds good to. Everything on it is stock except the blue haze LED's over the engine. Life is awesome, friend. Ride safe and take it from an old fart, be cool.🙂
thinking about getting this for my little girl what is the weight of the bike I have a 1900 raider love you can check it out on my page and do you know the horse power on it thanks and be safe
Zam San & andrew fulmer .....No so. it's about 320+ lbs with a full tank of gas. It's a very lite bike, and why it gets such good mpg, that with a great design motor. Unless you was referring to another bike ? This weight is for the V-star 250, it's not a bolt, a completely different bike, it's made by Yamaha too, maybe that has caused some confusion. In the US ect, they are called first a Virago 250, or Dragstar 250, and now V-Star 250, a bike that changed little over the years. Thinking of buying one myself, just for the backroads. yl
Hey, how is the power of the 250 on the freeway? planning to buy a bike in the next 2 weeks...just visited the yamaha dealer here in SF.. am torn between V star 250 and a 650 Custom.. am 5'6 190 pounds....first time bike buyer in the states... whtas your experience on the 250 so far? my worry is i should not out grow the bike in 6 months...
if your going to do mostly freewat riding than go for the 650 custom, the 250 is awesome for commuter city bike or for anyone expecting to not go very fast or very far. You will outgrow it, i did very quickly, got a fz6r now
Since the bike was cold, he used the choke valve which constricts air flow and allows a better mixture of fuel and air until it warms up. You saw how he slowly took the choke off which, in turn, slowly adds more air until the choke valve is completely open.
Not really. I felt the engine go from a purr to a whine at around 45 - 50MPH, so 70 definitely felt like a strain. However, I feel a lot of that has to do with gearing, as the engine has plenty of torque for the class. I swapped the sprockets from a 16f-45r to a 17f-42r. With my experience, I felt a sacrificed a tad too much torque, but that transition from purr to whine now happens about 65MPH, which means it now cruises on the highway instead of straining. When I'm riding out the torque band, I don't hit 5th gear until 50MPH, where the stock gearing I'd be in 5th by 40. I'd definitely go for a sprocket change, though not as much as I did. I'd recommend just swapping the front sprocket to a 17 tooth and see how it feels from there before swapping the rear sprocket. As of now, if I ride with steep hills, I have to be in 3rd to climb them, and I barely have enough torque in 1st to accelerate from a dead stop mid-hill on a fairly steep incline, and that feels like way too much wear on the clutch. It is fantastic for city/highway though.
In my humble worthless opinion, even if they could, motorcycles should never go that fast. Even with a car, the maximum legal speed in my state is 65, and in practice people drive at 70-75. On a bike if anything (ANYTHING) happens at 65 MPH, you're dead, or at least handicapped (not sure which is worse). Again, that's my humble opinion, I'm not anyone's dad to give free advice, I'm just a random guy on RUclips.
Well, cars shouldn't go any faster than 30MPH because of the damage they can cause to other people and property. And there in lies the point. With a motorcycle, the risk is solely to yourself, where as cars the driver risks everyone's health around them (and that's without considering the environmental impact as well impact to traffic conditions). Most motorcyclist accidents aren't even caused by the rider, but rather another driver who wasn't paying attention. One could argue that riding a motorcycle is safer because the rider has more control to avoid hazards. This is why I pay about the same for comprehensive insurance on my bike compared to just liability for 2001 Honda Civic. If it's my risk, I should be able to take it.
armourdaddy805 Thanks man! I may add, since I wrote that comment I have become a rider of the same Yamaha Vstar myself. I love it, but the thought of falling terrifies me every time I ride. I go 40-50, maximum 55, and I know this isn't right. :) I wear all possible protective gear, and I still wonder "why am I doing this?" :) haha I'm sure at some point I'll sell it... when I have kids maybe.
If that's your first bike I would recommend your second bike being just a sport bike. You'll get decent performance but if you fall it won't cost a bajillion dollars to repair
Awesome man. I love riding so much. Fz6r is a great choice, but right now I'm looking also to get my second bike. Im choosing between the new Honda CBR650F and the R6. R6 definitely is the more powerful bike, but its seating position is annoying. So, yeah.
thats what persuaded me for the fz6r, seating feels amazing and i never get sore, on my cruiser my shoulder would hurt occasionally or my back, the new bike offers comfort and power, not as much as the supers but it will do for me. IN the end its all up to the rider and for me comfort was a big factor.
it usually takes a good minute and a half. IF i needed to go at that moment i would leave the choke half on and ride with higher revs, probably bad for it but it took its sweet time in the worst situations
For 250 cc bikes it depends. Your weight, incline of the road, wind, etc. No wind on a straight, level road for a 160 lbs person is probably 75 - 80 mph. Short highway trips will probably be fine considering you'll be at almost full throttle, but I wouldn't go too long.
I've read that changing the sprockets out from the stock 16/45 to 17 (front) and 40 (rear) will give you the same torque on the bottom end and better speed (lower RPM's) on the top end as well. I have a 2007 Virago 250 (same bike) and my sprockets come in tomorrow. Getting them put on not this weekend but next and I'm hopeful that I'll find that missing "6th" gear, lol. Note: The chain you would need for the 17/40 setup would be a #520 chain with 212 links, instead of the #520 with the stock 214 links.
So I've had my new sprockets and chain on for about a month now. I did find that missing "6th gear" and the bottom end torque is still almost as powerful. The only complaint is that there is no power above 4th gear, so passing someone who is going faster than 60 takes a bit too long for my preference. That lack of power is where the small 250cc size of the engine really shows. I think if I had to do it again I would keep the 16 tooth gear on the front and go with a sprocket just a few teeth larger than the stock 45. My feeling is that you would get the same "6th gear", but without sacrificing the torque and therefore the power on the top end. Of course you would have to go with like a 216 link chain if you went more than two teeth up above 45.
and if any of you are a big guy stay away when I was 19 I got a cm250 Honda and after 3 weeks wish I would have got a bigger one im 6"2 and when I got it I was about 190 and the bike is to small for that size if you new to riding and not 17 like my little girl start with a 600 or 650 and you wont out grow it in 4 weeks any 250 is for around town I sold my 1100 v star to get something bigger and when I did I went to the top with a 1900 raider it think like 800 pounds 100 hp and 113 cub in it will fly and me and wife can go anywhere on it and no strain on it at all ck it out ride safe and by the way is yahama still giving the 1 year star member ship
It is a pretty bike. I'm old and have owned 16 motorcycles, currently a $38.000 2020 HD and I'd still love to own a V-Star like yours just to run around on. Stay safe and enjoy every journey.
I just got the 2016 model in white as my first bike ever... I'm just over 5ft tall and about 150lbs... and I can handle it just fine. Once I get the hang of the clutch it will be all good.
When you hear your engine spuddering that's when you switch to your reserve tank. It's basically your gas light. The reserve tanks are the two chrome egg shaped things on either side of your gas tank
I live in Arizona also, where did you buy it? and is it for sale? I'm looking for a bike to use to commute during college at UofA and i can't find this bike anywhere and I love it.
how is it on the highway ?
Getting this exact bike (Literally same year and color) this Saturday as my first bike!
how do you like the bike, im 5 5 so this bike looks really good to me. you buy used or new?
I'm 5'4" with a 27 inch inseam and this bike is incredible for short and/or short legged riders. It's low, thin and stupidly light. Plus it has mid-controls (foot peg positions) instead of forward controls which restricts us shorter people. Keep in mind that mid-controls are easier to scrap if you corner too hard. I do believe you can modify it for forward controls given the design of the frame.
I want to start on this bike too. Especially sense it has the V twin. Other 250's always have a single cylinder, this one has a bit more acceleration power.
True- good acceleration with that beautiful V-twin sound. Like a refined Harley.
Any thoughts on this bike vs. a Ninja 300 ABS? I haven't ridden in 20+ years and getting back on the saddle. Did the MSF course last year and started to feel comfortable in a few hours..
i bought the same bike 2 months ago but wanted to ask i want a windshield for it what website would you recommend to order one from I'm here in Utah and i also want to get saddlebags
how would you possibly know if a bike is good or not? its your first bike!
Are you planning on changing the exhaust on the bike to give it more of a Harley Davidson sound i just purchased my first bike it is a lifan 250 i like the bike planning on buying another one once mine is payed off
hey there sorry its a bit late, but just wanted to let you know i got rid of it in the summer, i upgraded to a yamaha fz6r.
Hey man I just bought one. Super happy with it but the guy I bought it from didn’t speak English can you do a video on how to use it the choker add a little knob by the left die I think it was the fuel valve
I love this bike so much! SIMPLE, Cool, and comfortable! I love RED bikes! Old video, but still helpful!
How the hell cold does it get in Arizona?
Is that safety sticker on the tank under the clear coat? I hate it when they do that. Looks so stupid in the middle of the tank.
uwwdelta no it's not under clear coat. But it is glued on with some pretty gnarly adhesive so getting it off is a bitch but doable
Nice bike you have there, do you remember when the valves need to be checked & adjusted if needed ? I think it's a short time, well shorter than some. Thanks, yl
I know this is over a year old...have you realized you have a reserve tank yet? That's what you switch to to prevent running out of gas doing 50mph
Does it have enough space for a passenger?
Nice review, kiddo. My first bike and still own it, is a 650 VStar Classic Silverado with full dressing. I bought it as used from Yamaha in 2015 and it's a 2008, with just 18181 kms. It has a 4+ gal. tank and safely gets on avg. 65 mpg. Love the driveshaft on it. She'll reach a limit of 120 mph. I'm only 5'6" and sit comfortably flat footed, like we should. Sounds good to. Everything on it is stock except the blue haze LED's over the engine. Life is awesome, friend. Ride safe and take it from an old fart, be cool.🙂
Hey I just bought this bike what have you guys found the best speeds to shift at I'm still new to the whole thing
is it available in Indonesi already?. anybody knows?.
thinking about getting this for my little girl what is the weight of the bike I have a 1900 raider love you can check it out on my page and do you know the horse power on it thanks and be safe
That is called a bolt
The bike is around 400lb
Zam San & andrew fulmer .....No so. it's about 320+ lbs with a full tank of gas. It's a very lite bike, and why it gets such good mpg, that with a great design motor. Unless you was referring to another bike ? This weight is for the V-star 250, it's not a bolt, a completely different bike, it's made by Yamaha too, maybe that has caused some confusion. In the US ect, they are called first a Virago 250, or Dragstar 250, and now V-Star 250, a bike that changed little over the years. Thinking of buying one myself, just for the backroads. yl
I have a question . How hard is it to change the oil and does it have a proper oil filter or a metal mesh filter?
A small paper filter, easily changed by removing 3 small bolts with an Allen wrench.
Hey, how is the power of the 250 on the freeway? planning to buy a bike in the next 2 weeks...just visited the yamaha dealer here in SF.. am torn between V star 250 and a 650 Custom.. am 5'6 190 pounds....first time bike buyer in the states... whtas your experience on the 250 so far? my worry is i should not out grow the bike in 6 months...
if your going to do mostly freewat riding than go for the 650 custom, the 250 is awesome for commuter city bike or for anyone expecting to not go very fast or very far. You will outgrow it, i did very quickly, got a fz6r now
Great review. What is the average gas mileage on the bike?
75 miles
thanks man!
i have no idea about bikes, why the bike didnt start at first?
Since the bike was cold, he used the choke valve which constricts air flow and allows a better mixture of fuel and air until it warms up. You saw how he slowly took the choke off which, in turn, slowly adds more air until the choke valve is completely open.
question.. how tall are you? and how much do you weigh ? just curious how it fits for a larger guy
im 5'11 and i weigh 150
it fit me fine, i sometimes had back pain though after a 30 minute or more ride
thanks for the reply ! yeah i noticed tha tbike is for smaller guys i went with a Harley 1200 custom fit me a bit better
Can it cruise at 65-70 mph without straining?
Not really. I felt the engine go from a purr to a whine at around 45 - 50MPH, so 70 definitely felt like a strain. However, I feel a lot of that has to do with gearing, as the engine has plenty of torque for the class. I swapped the sprockets from a 16f-45r to a 17f-42r. With my experience, I felt a sacrificed a tad too much torque, but that transition from purr to whine now happens about 65MPH, which means it now cruises on the highway instead of straining. When I'm riding out the torque band, I don't hit 5th gear until 50MPH, where the stock gearing I'd be in 5th by 40. I'd definitely go for a sprocket change, though not as much as I did. I'd recommend just swapping the front sprocket to a 17 tooth and see how it feels from there before swapping the rear sprocket. As of now, if I ride with steep hills, I have to be in 3rd to climb them, and I barely have enough torque in 1st to accelerate from a dead stop mid-hill on a fairly steep incline, and that feels like way too much wear on the clutch. It is fantastic for city/highway though.
In my humble worthless opinion, even if they could, motorcycles should never go that fast. Even with a car, the maximum legal speed in my state is 65, and in practice people drive at 70-75. On a bike if anything (ANYTHING) happens at 65 MPH, you're dead, or at least handicapped (not sure which is worse). Again, that's my humble opinion, I'm not anyone's dad to give free advice, I'm just a random guy on RUclips.
Well, cars shouldn't go any faster than 30MPH because of the damage they can cause to other people and property. And there in lies the point. With a motorcycle, the risk is solely to yourself, where as cars the driver risks everyone's health around them (and that's without considering the environmental impact as well impact to traffic conditions). Most motorcyclist accidents aren't even caused by the rider, but rather another driver who wasn't paying attention. One could argue that riding a motorcycle is safer because the rider has more control to avoid hazards. This is why I pay about the same for comprehensive insurance on my bike compared to just liability for 2001 Honda Civic. If it's my risk, I should be able to take it.
***** i second that opinion and i am a dad of two and a rider since 1996
armourdaddy805 Thanks man! I may add, since I wrote that comment I have become a rider of the same Yamaha Vstar myself. I love it, but the thought of falling terrifies me every time I ride. I go 40-50, maximum 55, and I know this isn't right. :) I wear all possible protective gear, and I still wonder "why am I doing this?" :) haha I'm sure at some point I'll sell it... when I have kids maybe.
If that's your first bike I would recommend your second bike being just a sport bike. You'll get decent performance but if you fall it won't cost a bajillion dollars to repair
Sorry for the lack of response its been awhile since log in. I did do that exactly. I just got a yamaha fz6r yesterday
Valtronas good choice.
thanks! im loving it so far, i take it night riding about 50 miles a night so far to get used to it at higher speeds without traffic around
Awesome man. I love riding so much. Fz6r is a great choice, but right now I'm looking also to get my second bike. Im choosing between the new Honda CBR650F and the R6. R6 definitely is the more powerful bike, but its seating position is annoying. So, yeah.
thats what persuaded me for the fz6r, seating feels amazing and i never get sore, on my cruiser my shoulder would hurt occasionally or my back, the new bike offers comfort and power, not as much as the supers but it will do for me. IN the end its all up to the rider and for me comfort was a big factor.
Great bike !! I'm doing a series now on turning one into a Bobber!!
Do you still have the bike? If so how many miles on it now? Do you still like it?
Hey what's going on with you today
how long does it take to warm up?
it usually takes a good minute and a half. IF i needed to go at that moment i would leave the choke half on and ride with higher revs, probably bad for it but it took its sweet time in the worst situations
does it leak much? and from where?
No leaks- you're thinking of a British bike.
Hey man i hope its goood. Im from Canada and just purchased the exact same bike . Its a 2014 yamaha Vstar 250 looks exactly like yours man
KluTCh wanna buy one too but2010 model in white.good luck and have fun
where is you glove compartment
It's called a backpack, or saddlebag.
What was your actual top speed
For 250 cc bikes it depends. Your weight, incline of the road, wind, etc. No wind on a straight, level road for a 160 lbs person is probably 75 - 80 mph. Short highway trips will probably be fine considering you'll be at almost full throttle, but I wouldn't go too long.
Thanks
I've read that changing the sprockets out from the stock 16/45 to 17 (front) and 40 (rear) will give you the same torque on the bottom end and better speed (lower RPM's) on the top end as well. I have a 2007 Virago 250 (same bike) and my sprockets come in tomorrow. Getting them put on not this weekend but next and I'm hopeful that I'll find that missing "6th" gear, lol.
Note: The chain you would need for the 17/40 setup would be a #520 chain with 212 links, instead of the #520 with the stock 214 links.
So I've had my new sprockets and chain on for about a month now. I did find that missing "6th gear" and the bottom end torque is still almost as powerful. The only complaint is that there is no power above 4th gear, so passing someone who is going faster than 60 takes a bit too long for my preference. That lack of power is where the small 250cc size of the engine really shows. I think if I had to do it again I would keep the 16 tooth gear on the front and go with a sprocket just a few teeth larger than the stock 45. My feeling is that you would get the same "6th gear", but without sacrificing the torque and therefore the power on the top end. Of course you would have to go with like a 216 link chain if you went more than two teeth up above 45.
bro im 17 from Canada and i got size 12 feet and im going to buy this bike next weeek!! the same colour tooo
KluTCh
A,BEAUTIFUL Bike
are you going to do your own oil and brake fluid change?
On bikes its really easy. You'd be wasting your money otherwise. It's a 15 min job at most when you figure it out
you have a reserve
Nice bike.I have sameone from 13
and if any of you are a big guy stay away when I was 19 I got a cm250 Honda and after 3 weeks wish I would have got a bigger one im 6"2 and when I got it I was about 190 and the bike is to small for that size if you new to riding and not 17 like my little girl start with a 600 or 650 and you wont out grow it in 4 weeks any 250 is for around town I sold my 1100 v star to get something bigger and when I did I went to the top with a 1900 raider it think like 800 pounds 100 hp and 113 cub in it will fly and me and wife can go anywhere on it and no strain on it at all ck it out ride safe and by the way is yahama still giving the 1 year star member ship
great looking bike. too bad honda changed the rebel look, I think it sucks, I'm glad Yamaha kept the look
Yes, the look and the sound are perfect.
Hey l have exactly same color 250 l like the bike.
Got my vstar for the same reason as you, and I'm gonna upgrade to a super sport too
i recommend a ninja 650 or a fz6r
not super but good
the half a tank of gas is not a valid con it's just your dealer being scummy
should have said love it
Looks more like a Virago.
Same bike- they stopped calling it a Virago about 2010.
need to get a job and get some money want
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