Bonneville America Forums Forums General Motorcycle Forums Other Bikes 2008 V Star 1300 Tourer

This guy at work had this crappy 10 year old Goldwing with faded paint. He's beeen looking for a new bike. He had been looking at Yamahas. This past Friday I went over to the maintenance shed where I sometimes park my TBA. Sitting next to the old Goldwing was a brand new 1300 V-star tourer in Black cherry. I have to admit it was gorgeous. Better looking then anything I saw at the Harley shop yesterday (well maybe not better then the $30,000 sreaming Eagle Street glide). Sticker for an '08 was $11,190. He picked it up for $8,900 since it was a left over '08. Sure it weighs 800 lbs but I thought that was a heck of a deal.
www.starmotorcycles.com/star/products/modelhome/527/1/home.aspx

I get really close to buying on of them several times a year. They run like Rolex watches and look really good.

The amount of power they produce is far less than what you should get from the displacement. Look through a service manual and you will find the engineering to be less than stellar. The intake system is a plumbers nightmare and, on shaft drive versions, it's easier to buy a new bike than replace the rear tire.

Hmmmm...."interesting", Paul! I found this picture of that V-Star's motor on the web. And geeee, I got to wonderin' why Yamaha's designers and engineers thought it "necessary" to put those fins pictured here around those cylinder barrels of that WATER-COOLED motor of that "OLD SCHOOL" lookin' Cruiser, HUH???!!!!

hmmm, never heard a bad word about cost of ownership on them. The new 1300 I think is belt not shaft. 74lbs. of torque at the rear is plenty for a cruiser. lb for lb more than we have. Seems like a lot of bike for around 11k. Maybe the tourer is shaft. Never heard of a shaft failure on one to be honest.

Test rides all seem good by the experts. I am probably wrong.

I almost bought one. It does not corner well per some reviews I read.It seems better for super slab riders.It will also drag floorboards readily.I have yet to drag a peg on my BA.

Dwight, you are a riot. lol

Its a tourer I think. I am not sure it was made not to drag pegs or run hard in the twisty mountains. I think it was made to ride long distances loaded up with gear.

Yamaha has won many awards for design and engineering on many of the motors they have manufactured. I don't know about this motor though, I haven't looked for the information, but in general, they are very efficient and durable.

It's been my experience and as a musician... just about Yamaha ANYTHING is a pretty good product.

Well, I know my trusty old 1980 XS1100 Special was just about bullet-proof, even after 65K miles on the clock.

(except for that dodgy 2nd gear, which I understand was a common problem with that particular model)

YES, it's nice...but still a Japanese bike. No thanks.