2003 Yamaha reviews

I purchased an 03 R1 in WV. The 04 models were already out so I got a great deal for a new R1. I've had two other new sportbikes and a cruiser over the last nine years, and they were all good bikes, but none of them have compared to the R1. I have had no problems with the bike. I chose the 03 because of the price and I wasn't sure about buying a bike with the exhaust under the seat. I was afraid that there would be excessive heat, but that doesn't seem to be a problem from what I've read. I moved to Lafayette, LA in 05 and miss the mountains and curves in WV. I can't wait to ride it again in the mountains where the bike really shines. If you're looking for a used sportbike and can find a used 03 R1 that's in good condition, I highly recommend the purchase. Be careful and please do your racing on a track! Show less

This has to be one of the best motox bikes that have ever been manufactured. I have owned this 2003 Yz 250F for a couple years and it has treated me better than any other bike I have owned. If you do proper maintenance on this bike it will last you forever. In comparison to other two strokes, I don't think there is. I live in Maine where the winters are ICE cold and the summers have perfect riding conditions with average temperatures from 65-80 from May till September. My only problem is craving to ride it in April when the snow is melting. I took the bike out and didn't do my routine maintenance before ripping down my road with it and unfortunately blew it. My own fault but $1,800 later and my bike still hasn't given me a problem (knock on wood). This bike is perfect for the average trail rider down to the every day motocrosser. I definitely recommend this bike to anyone who loves pure horsepower, immediate throttle response and reliability!! Do oil changes with Yamalube factory oil every week and you shouldn't ever have a problem and remember to always clean your air filter and lube your chain before every ride. It WILL prolong the life of your bike. Show less

I've had this bike for about six months now and it is awesome. The power is great and I smoke all my friends on the track or on a straight away. It's a reliable bike. I had to re-jet the carbs for the altitude because it came from Colorado where it was a little more above sea level than Albuquerque. Show less

I own a 2003 V Star Custom and I have 5100 miles on it. I bought the bike new as a left over. The bike is all I need. It has good pick and handles good. I live in New England and it handles the mountain roads very well, you need to shift more. The back tire is one of the biggest, even the new Harley Sportster has a smaller tire. Bike is great at 55 to 60, you can do this all day long. The negative so far has been a replacement of the fork seals at 3,000 miles at a cost of $225, the 500 mile check up which includes valve adjustment came to $310. The maintenance schedule call for valve adjustment every 4,000 miles. I tried to have Yamaha pick up some of the cost of the fork seals as I told them that they were either put in wrong at the factory or the seals themselves were bad, no luck. If the bike truly needs valve adjustment every 4,000 mles this is going to be an expensive bike to own. I have retired and plan to do a lot more riding. The dealer here gets about $200 to adjust the valves. Love the bike but I have owned other bikes where the valve adjustments were every 10,000 miles. They were not V twins. I am going to listen carefully to the valves and see if I can go to 7,000. To date I have spent over $500 dollars and have 5,100 miles on the bike and if I do the valves it will go up to $725. This seems a little high. I should have checked the maintenance schedule before I purchased the bike. I have some good manuals. I am thinking of adjusting the valves myself, this could be a bad idea. Have fun out there. Show less

I use to ride a YZF 600 but I have now moved to a R1 BIG BOY. I love it!! There is nothing that compares to instant throttle response. When you roll that grip back and you have to tighten your hold on the bike because it wants to throw you off, than you know you have a powerful machine. I ride it rain or shine and I feel safe doing so because of the superb way that it was designed. Show less

I would make this bike a six speed, improve the heat issue above 90 degrees outside and maybe bump the displacement up to a 1400 or 1500cc. The 'o6 FJR has made some of the improvements so I will probably trade my '03 for an '06. I was considering the new Kawasaki 1400 Concours but I don't think it looks as good as the FJR. Show less

This bike is a great bike for new riders. It's great to learn the basics on. I've had the bike for 3 1/2 years and it has been very reliable and has no damage from minor spills. Show less

You can have your FatBoys and your Runes...for overall boulevard bruiser good looks, power, options and comfort...I'll take my Roadie any day!! Simply put, this is a rider's bike. Gobs of torque, and all the bells and whistles one needs to make a ride in relative comfort to Sturgis, Hollister, or wherever the road takes you. The Silverado edition adds great value with the windshield, studded seats (if you like that classic style as I do), backrest and saddle bags. Have taken this baby from northern BC to Sturgis twice now, as well as rides around Washington and Oregon State, never had a problem with anything...just too much fun!! Show less

THE FIRST TIME I EVER STRADDLED A DIRT BIKE WAS LAST SPRING "05" SO I WANTED SOMETHING SMALL AND WITH LITTLE POWER. I PURCHASED A 2003 TTR 125L AND WAS VERY PLEASED. I HAD THE BIKE FOR A FULL YEAR AND WRECKED THE BIKE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, BUT THE BIKE JUST KEPT GOING. NOW I ADMIT THAT THE BIKE WAS A LITTLE SMALL FOR MY SIZE, BUT THE BIKE DID EVERYTHING I NEEDED IT TO DO FOR A BEGINNER. THE BIKE WAS A WONDERFUL PURCHASE. Show less

I bought my 2003 Roadstar Silverado new in 2004. Ater the first ride I fell in love with it. Great torque and power. I have done 400 mile day trips on it with never a problem. Even if I got a new bike I wouldn`t sell this one, she`s a keeper. Show less