2012 Yamaha reviews

I purchased my V-Star 950 Tourer in April and love it. I traded in a Honda 750 Shadow and there is no comparison. This bike handles great with either one or two people. My wife even loves this bike which is a great plus. The only drawback are the floorboards, if you lean too far they drag - a little scary at first. The seat could be a little more comfortable but not bad. This will be the only upgrade that I will make. I did put on Star passenger floorboards for my wife. It gets great gas mileage with lots of power. Overall, it's great bike and a keeper for me. I have gotten many compliments and turned a lot of heads with this bike, even Harley riders complimented on this bike. Show less

I've been riding for five years and this is my 4th bike. I started on a Gixxer 600, went to a 1000 then to a Harley which I hated and now I just picked up a 2012 YZF-R6. I switched to a Yamaha because of a few reasons. I think it's the best looking bike out of the 600 class. I know it has tons of power for a 600 and it's a little cheaper than a Gixxer 600. I am definitely going to look into an aftermarket seat because like all the other bikes, it feels like you are sitting on a piece of cardboard. I only have about 50 highway miles on it. Break in period is up to 600 miles. I'm dying to open it up around the turns but I'm going to be good until I hit the 600 mile mark. If you are considering a 600cc sport bike, take a look at the R6, you wont be disappointed! Show less

I really like how this bike handles and looks plus this bike gets great fuel mileage. I am averaging 55 mpg. I replaced the factory seat with a saddleman seat. What a difference. Show less

I absolutely love this bike! I traded in a Sportster and have absolutely no regrets. The ride is smooth. I have enough power to keep up with all the big boys. The lines of the bike are sweet...she is absolutely beautiful. I'm always getting compliments! I have made a few changes but only to customize her for me...as she was excellent straight off the floor! Show less

I own a Kawasaki 900 LT and just bought the Yamaha 950 Tourer for my wife. This is a FANTASTIC motorcycle! I love it and these are my comparisons between the two: The Yamaha has great bags that lock, which is a huge plus, and they are larger! The mag wheels are a great plus! The Yamaha doesn't shift quite a smoothly as the Kawasaki, and the Kawasaki is a little more quick through the gears. They both have belt drives. The Yamaha feels lighter, and is very easy to drive, especially in tight spots and harder curves. I like the way it handles, because my Kawasaki is heavy! The Kawasaki rides smoother, but in all fairness the Yamaha is brand new and may need to be tweaked on the suspension a little. Overall, if these two bikes were side by side and I had to choose only one, I'd grab the Yamaha because it's so easy and fun to drive! Show less

I went from a V Star 650 to the V Star 950 Tourer and love my new ride. I did have to buy the wind deflector for the forks as the wind came up around the tank and hit me in the chest. Once those were installed all is great. I can't wait to get on the road. Show less

If you are looking for a dual sport bike that is VERY capable off-road and still allow you to use it for your commute to work then this could be the one for you. If you are an experienced dirtbiker/racer then you may not be as happy with this bike. I wanted a bike to ride where my cruiser shouldn't go. I ride the WR to the trailheads and from there can take off on forest roads, Jeep and ATV doubletracks and occasional singletrack trails. NO problems! If I need to ride roads anywhere in between, no big deal, I'm street legal. I have short legs so the 36.5 inch seat height concerned me but this bike can be lowered up to an inch by turning a nut on the lower shackle of the rear suspension. It can be lowered even more with purchase of a "Yamalink". I found no need to change the factory setting as I quickly became used to the height. Typical road use gets me about 74 mpg. - off road closer to 55 mpg. It can easily be ridden at sustained speeds of 55-65 mph. (and more). The speedometer accuracy (reads too fast by approx 10%) is my only complaint so far but I mount a portable GPS unit on it for my "adventures" anyway so I get an accurate speed from it. Gotta go ride now... Show less

It's a great scooter for the money. It's cheap insurance at $100 a year. I get 132 mpg., plus it does go 40 mph. with me on it. Show less

I love the ride, stance and the feel - smooth, easy ride. It has a fairly large feel, but not intimidating for a rider of my skills. I dragged the floorboards a couple of times, but in all I love it! The anemic factory exhaust will be my first upgrade probably followed by a more comfortable seat. Show less

The Majesty was the perfect purchase! I have had it a little over a month, it's wonderful. Storage - two full size helmets under the seat. It's great for a trip to the store. 66 miles to the gallon, who can complain? It easily accommodates my wife and I on the bike. It's not as flashy as a sports bike, but large enough to accommodate two full size adults. When I tell people it's a scooter, they are amazed. I have had it up to 85 mph. It still has plenty of room to go, but I don't want to push it. I highly recommend! Show less