Yamaha V-Star 1100
YAMAHA V-STAR 1100
Quick Ride
For the biker on a budget
I LOVE YOUR HARLE" gushed my hair stylist, her comment accompanied by a
wide, toothy grin.
"It's a Yamaha."
"Oh."
Embarrassing opening lines aside, the fact that the V-Star 1100 Custom looks a lot like a made-in-Milwaukee Big Twinat least to most folks-is a compliment to Yamaha's stylists. Better yet, at $7899, the bigbore V-Star costs more than a third less than the least-expensive Twin Cam 88 and undercuts the 1200C Sportster Custom by $1250. Make that a hearty slap on the back.
In theory, meeting that price point was pretty easy. After all, the V-Star's sobc, two-valve per-cylinder, air-cooled, 1063cc V-Twin has its roots in the early-Eighties XV920. The car bureted, 75-degree powerplant has been restyled over the
years, and received such up dates as ceramic-composite cylinder plating and a throttleposition sensor, but the basic tooling was paid for years ago.
Actually, Yamaha makes three V-Star 1 lOOs. The Custom shown here is the skinny-front wheel, bullet-headlight, dragstyle model. The Classic gets the fat-tire, full-fender retro treatment. Ditto the Silverado,
which also receives a studded touring seat and passenger backrest, an adjustable wind screen, full-size floorboards and leather saddlebags. All three use
the same frame, 32-degree steering-head angle, triple-disc brakes, conventional fork, sin gle shock and staggered dual exhaust, and deliver power to their wire-spoked, 15-inch rear wheels via low-maintenance shaft drive.
Given its 30-pound-lighter claimed dry weight, the Custom is the snappier performer of the lot. It accelerates quickly away from stoplights and shifts effort lessly. A rorty rip through the five-speed gearbox will easily leave all manner of four-wheeled traffic sucking exhaust fumes.
LTUU~UH1~~Afl4U~L LUT11~. The chassis feels livelier, too, almost as if it's outfitted with heavier springs and firmer damping. Raked-out headstock notwithstanding, steering is light, no doubt aided by the wide handlebar and narrow 18inch front rubber. Thanks to its folding footpegs, the Custom also has a bit more cornering clearance.
Ergonomics are typical laidback cruiser, with a low seat that allows even shorter riders to easi ly flatfoot it at stoplights. Good for around-town running, in other words, but with weight centered squarely on your tailbone and no windbreak, long rides at highway speeds double as gym-quality gut workouts. The only other downer is the awkward angle of the non adjustable brake pedal.
All in all, though, a good bike at a good price. And perfect for a run to the barber. -Matthew Miles
