2019 Yamaha V Star 650 Custom (XVS650) Review

[@7316bobe]

I am 66 years of age. I have had 12 sport bikes over the years starting with a 1969 Honda 750 4 cylinder motorcycle in 1972. I had lots of motorcycles and the last one that I had was a 1980 Yamaha Xj650 4 cylinder motorcycle. I even bought a brand new Triumph 750 twin Bonneville in 1978 and I had a 1964 Royal Enfield 500 that I restored and rode for about 10 months. My ankle had a fusion operation in 2015 and I could not ride sport bikes any more. I did find that I could ride cruisers ok because of the feet forward position. I bought one of these XVS650 motorcycles only mine is a 2006 Classic which I like better than the custom. It took a few months to get to feel ok riding it because the feet positions are completely different to a sport bike. I put a windscreen on a set of leather panniers and crash bars front and back. This motorcycle does every thing that I ask of it. It has plenty of torque and on road power. It will cruise all day at 120 KPH which is the speed limit in Australia. I have had this motorcycle for 3 years and it has only ever been serviced. It has never let me down and I put up a lot of kilometers each year on tour and going all over the place. I put a Delkevic exhaust on a few months ago and It goes even better now. These motorcycles have all the power any body could want they have a bullet proof motor and I will never sell mine. I probably have another 10 years of riding left in me now and this motorcycle will last me the rest of that time. I can tell you right now that I have a touring friend that has a 2010 Harley-Davidson and he has had heaps more mechanical trouble with that after paying twice the money that I payed for my Yamaha V Star 650. These are good motorcycles and well worth a try. You can google DelKevic exhaust and they sell them on ebay. They come complete from the motor head to the end of the mufflers. They come with all the bolts and brackets. I fitted mine in under 1 hour and you do not have to rejet the carburettors.

[@BikeReviewcomau]

Sounds like you have had some awesome bikes over the years.... I agree, these are fantastic cruisers and they handle better than most people realise - certainly better than most of the H-D models... How do you find your back? Now that I ride cruisers I find they hurt my back compared to sportsbikes as you can't take your weight with your legs over bumps etc with the feet forward position...

[@7316bobe]

@@BikeReviewcomau "The back". I had "the back" problem for a while and thought that I may have to give up riding all together. I went online and found that plenty of people have had the back problem with cruiser type motorcycles. Most of them found relief from buying and fitting a Air Hawk air comfort seating system. I bought the "AHRL Airhawk R Large", and it fitted the seat of my V Star perfectly anything smaller would have been no good. My back came good and with this Air Hawk I have had no problems since. They cost 179 dollars but I feel that they are worth the money. My brother has one on his Triumph America and my friend with the 2010 Harley has one as well. They let your back and spine ride on a cushion of air that takes all the jarring out of your back and it makes a bigger difference than I thought that it would. You do not need much air in it so it looks flat on the motorcycle seat but when you sit into the seat then you can instantly feel the difference. Without the Air Hawk my back is in pain after about an hour but with the Air Hawk I can easily ride for 3 hours have a spell and ride on for another 3 hours and I still have no back pain. When you are setting your motorcycle up the handle bar position is important. Loosen them off a bit sit on the seat and push the bars back and forth until you get to where you are sitting comfortably and then tighten the bars back up. For a while now I have been looking at buying a rider back rest but with the Air Hawk I have not had to go there yet. To be really honest if you do not like the look of the Air Hawk you may have to go back to a sport bike. I never did have any back problems while riding sport bikes and I would be still riding a sport bike myself if it was not for my bad ankle. Hope this all helps a bit from Bob Tasmania Australia.

[@yvettesaxon8572]

I’m a new rider and had never ridden before getting my Learners. Qualified to ride without supervision 3 months later and I’m in love. Easy to ride as a 60kg female. Gets up to speed comfortably and is a pleasure to ride. Clutch and throttle are nice and easy to manage. A little heavy at a stop but nothing that isn’t pretty easy to get used to. In love ❤️

[@willstorm8331]

My last ride was a K 1100 bmw and after touring on that for about ten years where I first found it plush and comfortable as I aged it became a monster. I now own this bike and with panniers I take it camping, cruisering through mountain roads and its dirt road manners are pretty damn good. I'm a smaller rider and it suits me really well. Test ride one.

[@elietarazi8401]

Bought one in the beginning of 2017 still got it, still ride it and love it. Put short shot Vance and Hines on and even Harley riders have given me thumbs up for its loud rumble. Recommended, as it is bulletproof mechanically and an easy bike to maintain.

[@bsct71]

I've ridden one. Even though I'm a full license holder I found it it a great bike to ride. The "idiosyncrasie" that you thought detracted from the bike didn't bother me. 650 Yamaha vs the HD 500, the Yamaha looks great, the Harley Davidson doesn't in "my opinion". To anyone thinking of buying one do so.

[@willstorm8331]

Wells said man.

[@antoniovidigal]

End of the V-star 650 Classic (XVS650A) and V-star 650 Custom (XVS650) in 31-12-2020 for all markets. Last markets were AU/NZ. I hope Yamaha will make Bolt R-Spec 650 (XV650R) with electronic injection for 2022 or 2023. Will see

[@bthomson7770]

Wife just got one of these, thanks for sharing your review!

[@geoffreyjones2872]

A great review thankyou.I am seriously thinking of buying this bike.

[@BikeReviewcomau]

Geoffrey Jones cheers, good luck!

[@d.w.bigglybigleague1709]

Nice review but had a little difficulty on sound...no big problem. Shaft drive?...I want one!

[@tdublove9558]

I'm glad the engine is restrained that was the point of buying my cruiser maximum speed limit is 70 mph where I live 🤷

[@kenwittlief255]

restrained means its carb'd with less HP than the engine can produce. The rev limiter kicks in at 101mph to stop you from mashing the pistons into the valves Air cooled VWs were like this too: a '70 beetle put out 54HP, and it would go well over 100,000 miles, because the engine was over-designed for its output, but you could put twin carbs and header exhaust on the VW and get 80HP out of it easily. You can put high flow exhaust and intake pods on a 650, and re-jet the carbs and take it from 40HP to 50HP, and it will still be reliable, and the rev limiter will still cut the engine off at 101mph, but you will get there faster

[@allannirvana]

They stopped selling this in US and Canada in 2016. It's still carburated... unbelievable. Get a FI Yamaha, how hard is it?

[@johnbroadbelt]

I'll be purchasing my xvs650 end of this year , it will be bobbered converted very quickly . Along the lines as " white noise " xvs650. Can't wait

[@7316bobe]

Please do not bob one of these fine motorcycles. If you bob one they just look SAD for the rest of time.

[@spongebozz8704]

i'm 6'3 or around 187cm do you think i'd fit well on this bike?

[@BikeReviewcomau]

You could be a bit cramped.... I'd say if possible, find a demo and have a seat, but that could be tough... Anyone owners able to comments?

[@eveen3492]

The only V Star being sold in the USA is the Yamaha V Star 250... all Yamaha cruisers have been discontinued in the USA Market :/

[@BikeReviewcomau]

Wow that is a shame - must be pollution laws?

[@eveen3492]

Sales. Motorcycle sales in the US have been low..especially cruisers.

[@7316bobe]

I checked and Yamaha V Star motorcycles are still being sold in the USA. The XVS 650 is in fact the biggest selling cruiser of all the USA cruiser market.

[@willstorm8331]

@@7316bobe Thanks for checking up about the info It made a fair bit of difference and sold me on this bike.

[@Loligo300]

I was trying to look up for this bike in the Yamaha web site but I only see the v star 250, are these discontinued? I would appreciate if someone could tell me some info about it.

[@nimai0108]

Loligo300 I don’t see them here in canada either. They are coming back in 2020 here in canada though.

[@7316bobe]

I saw a new one on the Yamaha show room floor in 2019.

[@gabe5138]

Is he saying, “Lambs machine or Lan machine...” what does that mean?

[@sacredrose]

Lams refers to the fact that the 650cc is able to be ridden legally to learn on.

[@yvettesaxon8572]

Learner approved motercycle

[@AutomotiveAllStars]

I want one

[@Soshi12005]

Is it difficult to ride if I’m short and will my legs be stretched out if I’m 5ft 6

[@bobdobalina798]

Thinking about one as a commuter 90kms each way

[@enzopant]

Ma la XVS 650 è di nuovo in produzione ? Io vivo in Svizzera e quí si trovano solo usate di fine anni novanta, e inizio anni duemila

[@XV250]

It's still sold in a few countries, such as Australia!

[@alexanderlavrov3970]

hi , what year is this bike ?

[@sle2979]

Im in Melbourne does anyone know a good place to buy these?

[@onfin3al6]

I had a 1100 V-STAR . The 650 is a maybe .

[@gabe5138]

What is a lambs mean?

[@antoniovidigal]

Learner Approved Machine

[@erickmiranda146]

We need to raise hell for them to sell the spline separately instead of make us pay 1,000 for a new shaft drive assembly when it fails 😒

[@jeeves6490]

I've had many Japanese shaft drive motorcycles, yet to have to replace or repair one. Wheelies will cause problems eventually, but that's about the only reason to avoid a shaft driven bike.

[@kenwittlief255]

if your drive shaft failed someone wiped off the 60% moly lube and put axle grease on the splines, probably when changing the rear tire these are 100,000 mile bikes, and the shaft drive is zero maintenance

[@MobySeniorDik]

Every bike should have ABS, it should be an absolute must

[@intoxicatedozzy4662]

w. arano not recommended if you’re a smart rider and know what you’re gonna do before you do it. But on a lams bike, you’re probably right.

[@7316bobe]

ABS is just another thing to go wrong. Cruiser motorcycles do not in my opinion need ABS but sport bikes do. Cruiser motorcycles are another deal where outright speed is no longer important. A fast sport bike can get you into trouble really fast but on a cruiser it is just so much of a slower nicer layed back style of riding that ABS is not important. Ride a cruiser and you will know what I am talking about.

[@asimple]

@@7316bobe hey man read up on your comment about all the bikes you had lol. For a learner would you suggest a v-star 650 or a Honda cb400? I am also from Australia, but up north. Thanks mate.

[@davez5201]

@@asimple I'm tossing up between the cbr500r and the v-star 650 for my first bike. Probs gonna go with the cbr500r due to the more modern tech, brakes etc. Tough choice though. I'd suggest figuring out what type of riding you want to do, that will help you choose the bike.

[@asimple]

@@davez5201 I went for the cb400, because it was a better all-round naked bike lol

[@gp85hkg]

naaah...my 2015 GV650 Aquila, all day (".)

[@cheemspotions7759]

It's definitely a lot faster. A GV650 Aquila would smoke my V Star 650 with no doubt. I think they are both lovely bikes though.

[@kenwittlief255]

not the same market not the same ride