How.do.you Know What Model Vstar You Have

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Cruisers don't always get the attention they deserve here at MO. Function of the reason is the racing background of most of the staff hither. So when we sent Marker Miller, professional AMA Formula X-Treme racer, and current Isle of man TT competitor to evaluate a cruiser — the 1998 Yamaha V-Star 650 Classic — we knew he'd come dorsum with something out of the ordinary. Miller was used to getting his genu down at triple digit speeds aboard his YZF-R1, just while reviewing the 650 Archetype he likewise saw some parallels between the two. Sounds crazy, but because the breadth of motorcycles, cruisers included, Miller has ridden, the idea didn't seem so far fetched after all. In this Church of MO edition, let's take a await at how the 16 year-former V-Star and R1 worlds collide.

1998 Yamaha 5-Star 650 Classic

Past Mark Miller Jun. 19, 1998

LOS ANGELES, June, 1998 — Over the past couple years, I've been invited to activity model merely nigh every believable Japanese cruiser on the market. At present I have been given an opportunity to ride Yamaha's new 650 5-Star Classic.

If you were to visit any of your local motorbike dealers today and browse through a few of the brochures, chances are the rider you'll be looking at about ofttimes is this funny-looking, cruiser wanna-be guy — me. From a Kawasaki Vulcan to a Honda Aero, I've ridden them all. Who would accept thought a professional roadracer would also have some fairly good cognition of street cruisers equally well? I'grand happy to say that I've been fortunate.

This is not Marking Miller. This is another funny looking, cruiser wanna-be guy.

How did the new V-Star stack upward to the competition? In my stance, many of the cruisers on the market are very like in design, performance and advent. And so, to make this review just a little more interesting, I'm going to compare this Yamaha motorcycle to the Yamaha motorcycle I'm currently racing around the country in the AMA Formula Extreme Series: the YZF1000-R1.

Huh?

True, these bikes come from unlike ends of the spectrum regarding what they were designed to do, but I call back at that place is still very much that tin can be learned past putting these 2 bikes up against each other in a chip of a mock shoot-out.

When I arrived in my pick-upwards to load the bike and take information technology home, I figured I would throw the V-Star into the back and booty it home. It's just a footling 650cc cruiser, right? Wrong. This wheel is a full-sized, honest-to-goodness street machine with big tires, a wide tank and cute, heavy chrome pieces everywhere. Definitely not a little 250 Rebel here.

Luckily, I brought my girlfriend, Tammi, along for the ride and I said something similar this: "I think I'm only going to ride this thing home after all. Would you mind driving the truck back by yourself? I would detest to throw my back out or something trying to load information technology right before the side by side race." Little did she know I just wanted to mount this cool, sparkling motorbike right away, not to mention be able to divide lanes all the way home instead of sit in L.A.'south rush-hour traffic.

Needless to say, if this had been a 390-pound R1, I could have hands thrown it with practically one mitt into the back of the truck. Even so, do you think I wouldn't have ridden the R1 home besides? Poor Tammi.

I fired upwardly the V-Star and took off. The get-go thing I noticed when slicing through traffic were the very broad handlebars. They felt wider than ones on other cruisers I had ridden recently. I had to be really careful not to slap too many car mirrors on my jaunt home; you never know if 1 of the cars you hit belongs to someone that happens to live but down the street from you.

On the other mitt, the R1 is skinny plenty that you would have to exist a pretty lame rider to really hitting a car mirror while splitting lanes, not that it would affair much, since the driver would not exist able to make out the blur that but flew by.

One time the traffic opened up a fleck, I was able to cruise at a higher speed and experience what this wheel would exist similar to ride across the country. The seat was very comfortable, and even the placement of the pes pegs, shifters, and brake controls were all in a perfect location. Afterward, when I had Tammi riding pillion, she had no complaints, even going as far as saying that it was a joy to exist on the rear of the V-Star.

Put Tammi — or, for that affair, your girlfriend — on the back of the R1 and it'south a different story. Don't stop for sandwiches if you don't want to hear the whining. Tammi was non a happy camper on the back of that token slab of cream, especially when her knees are practically college than her ears. In some other setting, this is not an altogether undesirable position, simply for a day of etching a canyon road on your shiny R1 sportbike, I think Tammi would normally opt to remain back at the ranch.

However, the 5-Star did have a couple slight shortfalls when ridden above 65 mph. For starters, its tiny little mirrors kickoff vibrating to the point of becoming useless, and although the chassis is as rock solid as whatever larger bicycle I've ridden, the v-speed gearbox wants some other gear equally the 650cc engine really starts to over-rev. Personally, I would prefer a larger displacement engine on whatsoever cruiser I would own, but a slightly smaller rear sprocket on this bike would be a great first, giving information technology a lilliputian more than top speed. Yet, for the mere $five,899.00 cost tag that Yamaha is asking for this machine, it has plenty enough motor to go you around, even two-upwardly. The added bonus of having a smaller deportation is that fuel economy is very proficient. I could comfortably go 175-plus miles for the 4.2 gallon fuel capacity, riding the hell out of it every second the engine was on. Not too shabby.

The $11,000 R1, on the other paw, can practise 120+ mph in just the tertiary of its six gears, so I believe information technology goes without proverb that any expressway cruising speeds would non begin to labor the R1'southward ability establish. And who cares what the mileage is like on the R1?

The sleek, exposed driveshaft.

The four-piston front end-brake caliper performs with excellence on the V-Star, and the rear drum brake works equally well. One fun thing a cruiser does amend than whatsoever sportbike is this: You can back these things sideways going into corners, and the chassis will settle in, just like a flat-track bicycle, giving y'all tons of feel. My neighbors are going to be very happy when I accept to render the V-Star to Yamaha. I keep painting blackness skid-graffiti marks everywhere I become in the neighborhood. I could almost track my every daily motion by merely following the skid marks. Sorry, only it's just too fun.

This is Mark Miller on his funny-looking racebike.

I would be more leary of backing an R1 around street corners if I were whatever less experienced a rider than I am. The chassis, wheelbase, and steering head angle on an aggressive sportbike like an R1 can brand things very twitchy when sliding into a corner, full reverse lock, peculiarly if you don't know what to do with the clutch, the downshifts, the engine rpm, the front brake, and finally the rear brake. Plus, every cop within vi blocks would probably stop upwardly seeing yous doing it and, if you have my kind of luck, he'd want to brand an case out of y'all.The only other nitpick I have confronting the V-Star is that I don't care for having to await so far down to go a read on the tank-mounted speedometer. Granted, the speedo is fix-up in classic, retro manner, giving the front-end a clean look, but I prefer a set-upwards found a Honda Magna or a Sportster — straight above the headlight and between the bars.

Beefy forks for a 650.

The R1'south speedo is an LED apparatus that shows you exactly how fast you are going by displaying the actual number. Information technology's still connected and operational on both my race bikes. The fastest I've measured it (I proceed trying to remember to look down at it when I'k on the fastest straights) was 158 mph. I'd be curious to know if it has a topped-out reading, like 190 mph. I'll let you know.

Overall, the Yamaha 650 V-Star Classic is a well-rounded, affordable, fun bike to ride. It has good ground clearance, a good gear box, comfortable seat, powerful brakes, and a price that won't require that y'all get a 2nd mortgage to acquire one like some of the American cruisers. And I'm willing to bet that it will probably go on to run like new well afterward you lot've overhauled your 'Made-in-the-Us' product a couple times.

Sure, it volition lose out on the racetrack or canyon road against the YZF-R1, but with the right riders on each bike, they may be closer to each other than you lot might remember. Tammi loved the V-Star so much she even refused to get with me back to Marina del Rey to render the bike. If that isn't a stiff recommendation, I don't know what is.

Dyno Charts Specifications:

Manufacturer:          Yamaha          Model:          V-Star Classic          Price:          $5,899.00          Engine:          air-cooled, SOHC, V-Twin          Bore 10 stroke:          91 ten 63 mm          Deportation:          40 cubic inches                    Carburetion:          2 BSC 28 mm carburtors          Transmission:          V Speed          Wheelbase:          64 in (1656 mm)          Seat height:          28 in (711 mm)          Fuel capacity:          4.2 gallons (fifteen.9L)          Claimed dry weight:          496 lbs (225 kg)        

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Source: https://www.motorcycle.com/features/church-mo-1998-yamaha-v-star-650-classic.html

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