Motorcycle.com

Good Bike for the Price

This is my first motorcycle at age 54, 215 lbs and 6'-4" it is a little small. I have made modifications to accomodate, but am thinking of upgrading to an FJR. Pros-can't beat the price, I have ridden with the windshield off and prefer it on. Saddlebags are great. I got an end of year deal an...d with rebate it was $1k off MSRP. Cons-Lack of power, don't mind the Interstate speeds but it seems to much for the bike. Fifth gear whine at 60-65 going down hill. I think I would be happier if I was about 6' but probably would still be looking for less noise and smoother ride. I would recommend this as a great first bike! Read Full Review

Owned it for a year

I'm a 54 year old computer professional who hasn't owned a bike since the early 70's. In Maine! When gasoline threatened the $5 a gallon mark, I decided I had to do something to lessen my $420 a month gas habit. After reading reviews and checking out other makes, I decided on a brand new 07 Vstar... 650 Silverado. At 544 lbs, I figured it was all my 5'6" 175lb frame could deal with. I Love it. It's reliable, smooth, extremely comfortable and enjoyable. I do all the basic maintenance and it's as easy as any other bike I've ever worked on. My gas mileage hovers right around 50mpg, a significant increase over my 16mpg SUV. The bike looks great, runs great, and even my wife loves it. My only issue would be that it needs a 6th gear to really be a freeway cruiser. Since I don't ride freeways unless there's no alternative so it's not much of an issue. This is a great bike for the money and I wouldn't hesitate recommending it to anyone who doesn't have a demanding requirement for an 1100 or larger. Read Full Review

Good starter bike

I got back into riding after a 15 year hiatus. I wanted a commuter bike that emphasized comfort, and I certainly got it. The bike was super easy to ride and handle and inspires confidence in the rider. I thought it was a great choice after such a long break. I've now had the bike for two years and I...'ve had some diappointments with it. Within a month, I wanted more power and speed. This bike easily tops out at 80-85 mph. Much of the chrome detailing started to rust very quickly. The right hand mirror never stays locked in place unless I tighten it to the point of immovability with a wrench. No adjusting it while riding. But the biggest knocks I've had so far are that I have already had to replace both the clutch (okay, my fault for fast shifting, probably) and the carburetor. I use top of the line gasoline, but the carb didn't last. And to top it off, I average only 32 miles to the gallon. Pretty pathetic for a motorcycle. Might get better if I slowed down a bit, but I have plenty of other riding friends who do an average of 80, and still average closer to 40 mpg. Overall I have been happy with my bike, but I wish it were a bit better in terms of power, speed, and gas mileage. Read Full Review