2008 Yamaha V Star Review

Introduction

The V Star 650 Classic features an authentic 40 cubic-inch, air-cooled V-twin. With long, low styling and lots of chrome, this V Star is ready to impress.

Only the price tag will tell you this machine is a mid-size model. Everything else – the long, low styling, the authentic 40 cubic-inch V-twin, the painstaking attention to detail - - will just plain knock you out. Take one for a nice long ride, and you’ll see why. Big on value and good looks, the V Star 650 Classic punches way above its weight. It’s a champion by unanimous decision.

History

1998 Yamaha V Star 650 Classic

Yamaha started it all with the first V Star Classic back in 1998 when it began offering this Star middleweight model. American styling, steel fenders and bodywork, long 64” wheelbase and a 70-degree V-twin engine are the basic features which made a statement almost a decade ago and which are still going strong now.

Based on the proven Yamaha Virago 535 engine, the V Star (Dragstar in Europe) cylinders were bored out from 5 mm to 81 mm and stroked from 4 mm to 63 mm, to net a displacement of 649cc. The V Star comes in two models: the custom with a lower seat height 695.96 mm and slightly less weight, and the classic with a higher seat height of 708.66 mm. The custom is approximately 500.44 lbs and the classic approximately 4.40 lbs heavier. The American versions of this bike have a lower HP of 33 @6500 rpm. Reasons for this restricted version may have to do with American EPA requirements.

The basic V Star Custom takes its styling from Harley’s Fatboy as it features fatter mudguards than the standard bike and shrouded forks.

Competition

2008 Honda Shadow Aero

With the Honda Aero, the Japanese manufacturer uses the same technique that lead to the creation of the V Star Classic only that this time we are talking about 750cc. Full sized looks and 750cc performance without the full-sized price tag. Sound like a stretch? Not when you’re talking about the Honda Shadow Aero. Stunning is one way to describe its long, low, retro styling simply drenched in chrome from tip to tail and boosting classic valanced fenders, spoked wheels and five all-new colors. Staggering is another – especially once you see that all this muscular V-twin style and performance could be yours for a mid-sized price.

The Boulevard C50 has the soul of a classic cruiser combined with V-twin performance that gives you a charge every time you twist the throttle. The Boulevard C50’s Classic design begins with the flowing lines of its kicked-out front end and pullback handlebars, which perfectly complement its teardrop tank, stepped seat and boldly valanced rear fender. These lines, of course, show off its spacious seating position, which promises a comfortable ride hour after hour. Down the boulevard or on the open highway, the C50’s V-twin powerplant is engineered for pure excitement. With strong low-end and mid-range torque, it accelerates hard from just above idle. Yet, thanks to it advanced engineering, it’s incredibly smooth at highway cruising speeds.

2008 Suzuki Boulevard C50

Exterior

2008 V Star 650 Classic

The V Star 650 Classic is all about retro style given by its cool and consecrated lines that practically define a cruiser. This bike has the talent of making itself look bigger than it actually is because, of course, when it comes to cruising machines bigger is always better.

The front end creates a beautiful balance between the steel valaced front fender, the solid looking fork and chromed halogen headlight. This equilibrium is borrowed from its bigger brothers, although the single hydraulic disc betrays the big-bike look. Not entirely though, because many big cruising motorcycles sometimes happen to feature a single front disc brake. The handlebars are slightly leaned back and offer space for those nice looking chromed mirrors.

Furthermore, the large 4.2-gallon teardrop fuel tank features beautiful speedometer designed with a large face for easy reading of the information that it provides. The seat height is low in order to allow shorter people to find their place on this machine and it also fills the gap between the fuel tank and that steel valanced rear fender.

In order to feature complete classic look, this Star received spoked wheels and lots of chrome accents that contribute at creating a timeless machine. Let’s not forget industry-leading Star Family fit and finish which always features lustrous paint and this is no exception.

It is funny how a bike that leads to the creation of a bigger one, now inspires its looks from that very same model. I am talking about the V Star 650 Classic and V Star 1100 Classic. The first implements the big-boy look found on the bigger bike. This can be noticed while taking a look to the cylinders, exhaust and virtually all the elements of which I wrote about.

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