I had one. The are a brilliant first bike. Highly recommended. Easy to ride because of a low centre of gravity (compared to the BA). Less power than the BA but enough power to get you out of trouble and for overtaking. I weigh 200lb. It will struggle if you want to cruise faster than about 80mph.
I could adjust the clutch on mine so I don't understand the criticism there.
The engine is as solid as a rock and will never quit. Easy to work on. The air intake is restricted and convoluted but I simply removed it, put K&N pods on (under the tank), re-jetted and gutted the stock exhausts. There is an economical kit (Gonzo from memory) for this. I got significant more HP as a result.
I think Greybeard is a little harsh here. IMO they handle quite well - certainly not a dog - and with a bit less clearance than the BA I was scraping the pegs quite frequently.
The driveshaft/diff has pros and cons (as do chains). Pros: virtually maintenance free - use Honda Moly past smeared (not packed) on the drive shaft then forget. Cons: The diffs have been known to implode - mine did under warranty - but the 2nd one was good and I did about 20,000kms on it and was still sweet. The diff also sucks up more HP than a chain.
IMPORTANT: Check the play in the drive shaft. Parked on side-stand in gear the driveshaft should only rotate with about 1/8" play. Any more play and it will probably be costing you money in the near future.
The V-star650 forum on Delphi forums is a very good, active and helpful forum - nearly as good as this one.
Hope this helps.
