Yamaha V-Max reviews

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

I stepped up from an '06 Shadow Spirit and this bike truly lives up to the hype. V Star consistently beats out HD year after year in quality and price. This bike is the perfect example. I didn't want a ride that would shake me like a rag doll (HD) nor did I want a weekender (BMW/Goldwing) that costs as much as a luxury cage. I simply wanted a bike that performed nicely, sipped fuel and handled well. This purchase was the best money I ever spent. Unlike HD owners, I don't have buyer's remorse and my wife liked it so much that she went out and bought herself a '10 Star 950 Tourer. Oh, and I didn't have to pay $5k extra for a tank badge...if you know what I mean. Show less

I bought mine in December of 2011 from a local dealer with 23,500 miles on it. I have right at 27K on it now and could not be happier with my choice. I love it overall, but that seat gets uncomfortable on long rides after several hours. 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

you're crazy if you can't see the bang for the buck in this bike. If you have any choice, use this dealership. Top notch service. Show less

This bike gives me the style, comfort and power I need. The stock exhaust are terrible sounding. I put a set of COBRA pipes on it and it sounds like a true bagger. I've ridden Suzuki, Hyosung, Harley, Honda and United Motors. This bike is better than them all. I love it! Show less

Being an experienced rider that took a few years off, I decided to get a small inexpensive bike. I was really surprised how well this bike performs for a 250, plenty of power. I would almost go as far as to say that it rivals the Intruder 800 I used to have. I had it up to 80 mph. with a little more throttle still left. The V twin gives it big cruiser looks and has a little rumble to it as well. It blows the Honda Rebel clear out of the water. Show less

I have had the bike for about six months and will have 4,000 miles on it after this weekend. Construction/fit/finish are excellent, as expected from a Yamaha. The ride is comfortable; power ample for two-up on the freeway and fabulous for solos; exhaust note is quiet but still throaty. The saddle is comfy up to about six hours, and I'm not sure anything is comfy beyond then. Bags and windshield are wonderful, although full-size helmets won't fit and the helmet hook is so inconvenient as to be worthless. The looks are macho, but not quite "Sons of Anarchy." She sits low, so I've got solid foot placement even on slanted roads and parking lots. I'm an old street biker (also Yamahas) who loves the twisties, and the 950 Tourer scrapes her floorboards when I get excited and toss her side-to-side. It was scary at first but is now just a little annoying. My riding partner says it gives off sparks at night -- so maybe that's cool. The ignition key placement is poor: keychain rattles against plastic trim, and there's little room for mounting GPS, iPod, etc. Overall, this bike is great for almost anyone with a few month's experience: easy to ride, well-balanced, nice power. I highly recommend it. Show less

I purchased this V Star on Friday, March 30, 2012. I was looking at a new C50T but the cost was a little high. This bike only had 1,300 miles and the waranty extended until August 2014. I bought the bike without my temps. The service manager drove it home for me and I started it up everyday until I got my temps. I've been riding in my neighborhood everyday. I'm going to take the state motorcycle training course soon. Us older guys need to be careful. Can't wait to get on the open road. Show less