2001 Yamaha Road Star Silverado

[WJMDT]

So I'm 38 yo, 6'1", 280lbs. I'm just now getting into riding. I'm a pretty laid back, conservative guy. :)

I have a friend that wants to make me a good deal on his 2001 YRRS. In my research YRRS riders love their bikes. But I've also read that it would be a LOT of bike for a new rider.

What do you guys think? If I take it slow and easy for a while until I get more comfy, you think I'll be OK? Or is the idea of a noob on a bike that big just absurd?

Thanks for your input.

[Pedro Silva Machado]

Yeaaaa... you may want to think a little more conservative if you are just starting. I am into sports bikes so the concept of a 1600 cc engine always puzzles me. But the though of somebody coming out of riding school straight into a turbocharged Suzuki Hayabusa capable of reaching 220 mph just gives me nightmares... And the same thinking applies to electing a 1600cc cruiser for a first bike. Maybe start with a 2005 V-Star (that you can get for about $3,500) and take it from there. Just my opinion.

[WJMDT]

Yeah, that's kinda what I thought people would think. You may very well be right... Of course I have a couple of advantages over the worse case scenario.

One, I'm not a kid. And I don't act like a kid. I'm not out to impress anyone. I want to live to see my kid graduate high school. :icon_cool: Also, I'm pretty tall/strong.

Second, it's NOT a sportbike that will do 220. And I don't have a need for speed. I just wanna cruise around slowly and see the hill country on a big, comfortable bike. And, it's only going to be a good weather, weekend kinda bike. I work from home anyway, so no commuting.

Follow up question: If 1600cc is too big for a noob, and knowing that I'm tall and heavy, what size bike will get me around comfortably on freeways and highways AND not make people say, "Look at that fat guy on the bike"? I mean I'm not trying to impress anyone, but I do have feelings... :biggrin: So, is 900 too small? Is 1300 still to big? Is 1100 just right? Remember, I want a cruiser or tourer, nothing sporty.

Also, I know this is all just opinions. Everyone has a different thought. Just give me yours. Thanks so much!

[Jeff10236]

Yeah, that's kinda what I thought people would think. You may very well be right... Of course I have a couple of advantages over the worse case scenario.

One, I'm not a kid. And I don't act like a kid. I'm not out to impress anyone. I want to live to see my kid graduate high school. :icon_cool: Also, I'm pretty tall/strong.

Second, it's NOT a sportbike that will do 220. And I don't have a need for speed. I just wanna cruise around slowly and see the hill country on a big, comfortable bike. And, it's only going to be a good weather, weekend kinda bike. I work from home anyway, so no commuting.

Follow up question: If 1600cc is too big for a noob, and knowing that I'm tall and heavy, what size bike will get me around comfortably on freeways and highways AND not make people say, "Look at that fat guy on the bike"? I mean I'm not trying to impress anyone, but I do have feelings... :biggrin: So, is 900 too small? Is 1300 still to big? Is 1100 just right? Remember, I want a cruiser or tourer, nothing sporty.

Also, I know this is all just opinions. Everyone has a different thought. Just give me yours. Thanks so much!

Yeah, new riders come on all the time with why they are different and the usual rules about what is safe don't apply to them. Is it possible to start on too big a bike and survive, yes. It also greatly increases your chances of getting yourself killed or seriously injured, no matter how careful you are. No amount of maturity or conservative/safe attitudes can make up for a lack of experience.

With a 1600cc cruiser you have two main problems no matter how conservatively you plan to ride.

When you first start, there will be times that you accelerate harder than you thought, you won't have the experience and you'll misjudge something. That will push you back in your seat and the feeling will be that of falling over. What do you reflexively do when you feel yourself falling backwards? You grab something and pull yourself up. When that something is the throttle (and that is what you'll already be holding on to), you have now added to your acceleration, and quickly. With a more reasonably sized engine it will be scary, but you'll recover and you'll learn (you will probably not do this anymore after a month or two, maybe more if you don't ride that often). With a very powerful bike you may grab too much throttle and take off- too many new riders have left this world that way.

The other issue is the weight. Low speed maneuvers are the toughest, it takes a while to get them down. The extra weight will increase your chances of dropping it at low speeds, it will make it harder for you to lift it back up when you drop it, and it may increase the chances and severity of injury.

So, what is the right size bike?

If it was a sportsbike, 250cc, maybe 500cc. Because it is not, you can possibly go as high as 900 or 950cc safely (if you do very well in the MSF course and/or have previous experience with dirt bikes). Yes, the 650cc, 750cc, 800cc, and 900cc bikes are probably what is 'just right'. You might be OK with one of the old carburated 1100cc bikes, but that is definitely pushing the limits, and I'd only suggest it if you have some prior experience. If you have no prior experience and you haven't taken the MSF course before you start riding, I wouldn't go over 650cc (the V-Star), or maybe 750cc (the Honda Shadow).

I started on an 800cc Suzuki Boulevard C50 and it was just right (that was after passing the MSF course with flying colors). For the first few weeks I wished I went smaller, but it was fine in no time, and I haven't outgrown it yet (though for really long trips I'd prefer something set up for touring- though the engine is fine). Me? I'm a hair under 6', and I've been losing weight so I'm down to 280 (I was 295-300 when I started riding a year ago). I started a couple months before my 40th birthday.

[WJMDT]

Thanks. I greatly appreciate both of your replies. This was the kind of information i was looking for.

I will be taking the MSF this coming weekend and then I think I'll start looking for an 800 or 900 cc cruiser.

Thanks again. BTW, I still invite others to respond if you have opinions!!

[Jeff10236]

Those are good sizes to start with for a cruiser. You won't get tired of them too quickly, and they won't be too much when you start. Don't forget to look at 750cc, 650cc, and maybe 950cc just because there are three terrific machines made in those displacements- they are basically in the same family as the 800-900cc bikes with minor performance differences (the 650cc Yamaha V-Star is usually a popular starter bike, the 750cc Honda Shadow is a terrific bike to start on, and the 950cc Yamaha V-Star 950 is a sweet bike- many start on these three bikes, many choose to never move "up" to something else).

The frames are just a hair smaller than the bigger bikes so you should have enough room around town and for short to medium rides. For long highway rides you might want to add a crash bar and highway pegs (I like the crash bar/engine guards anyway for a little cheap, $200-300, insurance to help prevent too much damage to the bike should I drop it). If you have really long legs and they are a little too cramped, you can usually pay to have the controls moved forward a bit.

[KMWilliams]

Thanks. ...
Thanks again. BTW, I still invite others to respond if you have opinions!!

How about from a guy who is 6'6" 275 and rides a 650 V-Star?


At your size a V-Star 650 will work well for you. I cam back to riding after 20 years without a bike. I picked my 05 up with low miles (246 to be exact) for 3500 bucks. You can probably find one even cheaper now.

Also on my short list was a Honda 750 Shadow, Suzuki Boulevard S40, and HD Sportster.

Welcome and good luck.

[WJMDT]

That's great to know, thanks. So how did you decide between that Yam, Hon and Suz? Did you just wait for the right deal to come along? Or did you decide that the V-Star was your fav?

[KMWilliams]

... Did you just wait for the right deal to come along? ...


Ding!


I'm sure I would have been just as happy with the other bikes.

[AikinutNY]

That's great to know, thanks. So how did you decide between that Yam, Hon and Suz? Did you just wait for the right deal to come along? Or did you decide that the V-Star was your fav?
I asked myself what kind of riding I was going to do. That was two up short trips of one-two hours. Maybe overnight stays! My wife and I are "normal" sized so 800 or up was mininmum. AFTER I learned to ride again! I bought a 87 Honda 250 to get reaquainted and for my wife to learn.

Then I went to buy a "REAL" bike. What are your mechanical abilities? Do you have a place to work on the bike? My answers were no to both, so it was going to be new or very recent. What dealers do you have? Mine were: H-D, Victory, Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki, and Yamaha. The first two are pricey new and the first dealer is a PIA, so they were out. I had a shaft drive bike in Germany and wanted another rather than chain drive.

I was going to buy a Suzuki M or C-50 with low miles, but I found my 2007 1100 Silverado with 50 miles at a great price. OH! I had a CD waiting to be available and that was my entrance ticket, $8K for every thing tax, tag, insurance, and bike. Also, jackets with armor, helmets( full face or modular) and two pair of gloves!

That was how I got my V Star 1100. Oil change was a pain at first! But it starts every time in the spring after the glaciers recede and has never quit on me! 100 miles each day during summer for work!:thumbsup:

[MntShadow]

I've got a Honda Shadow 750 Aero, First bike after 30+ years not riding.
I'm just under 6' and 165lb. My reasons for the Aero were that I wanted a classic style bike but did not want to have to learn to ride with floorboards after being off a bike for that long, The Aero is the only classic bike I found with pegs and I loved the looks.
I know of quite a few people weighing in well over 200lbs that ride them and love it. They have plenty of power to get you into trouble if you are not careful.
It is a great bike for a larger person to get back into riding.
http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y27/sybs2/DSCN0144.jpg

[WJMDT]

Thanks for all the advice guys! So Friday afternoon I picked up a brand new 2009 Candy Diamond Red Kawasaki Vulcan 900.

Love it! Already put 200 miles on it just cruisin around town showing it off!

My friend has now decided to keep his Yam RS and we plan to log a lot of miles together!

Thanks again for your help!! :)

[WJMDT]

MtnShadow, that's a good looking bike. And thanks for the input. After sitting on the Shadow, Boulevard, V-Star and Vulcan, i just felt most at home on the Vulcan. Also, I love the floorboards, heel shifter and positive neutral features.

I'll try to get some pics up this week!

[Jim8208]

Congratulations on your new ride. You made a good choice. Take it easy and keep the rubber side down.

[Jeff10236]

Thanks for all the advice guys! So Friday afternoon I picked up a brand new 2009 Candy Diamond Red Kawasaki Vulcan 900.

Love it! Already put 200 miles on it just cruisin around town showing it off!

My friend has now decided to keep his Yam RS and we plan to log a lot of miles together!

Thanks again for your help!! :)

After sitting on the Shadow, Boulevard, V-Star and Vulcan, i just felt most at home on the Vulcan. Also, I love the floorboards, heel shifter and positive neutral features.

I'll try to get some pics up this week!

Congratulations. Great choice.

When I was looking I actually liked the feel of the Vulcan 900 best when sitting on it too. I ended up with the Boulevard only because I got a better deal on it. The Vulcan is a really nice bike. I hope you enjoy it.

[WJMDT]

Yeah, if the deal had been better on the Boulevard I would have gotten it like you did. They were that close in my book. It just so happened that I was able to get the better deal on the Vulcan (and it felt a tiny bit better). :)

[skooter Bum]

I'm 6-2 300lbs.
I ride a 2008 V-1100 Custom and it has enough power to hual my fat butt around without any problem.
I would look at the 1100 before you buy a V 650 or anything in that cc range.
:71baldboy:

[WJMDT]

Well, I ended up with a Vulcan 900 and I really like it! It's got plenty of power for getting around town and short tours. I do wish it has a 6th gear for smoother highway driving, but overall I'm happy!

[Jeff10236]

Well, I ended up with a Vulcan 900 and I really like it! It's got plenty of power for getting around town and short tours. I do wish it has a 6th gear for smoother highway driving, but overall I'm happy!

You can say that again (6th gear). My Suzuki C50 is 800cc and has enough power for anything I want it to do (when going over 70 or 75 it does vibrate a bit too much, but it has more than enough power to do it). However, for long highway rides a 6th gear would be really nice- with it, I'm not sure I'd really ever need to upgrade to something bigger.

[WJMDT]

30 day update:

Tomorrow is my one month anniversary with my Vulcan 900 and I still love it! Only two things I would change if I could. A better seat and a 6th gear. I think all of the bikes in this category have similar issues. I'll have a new seat before long.

I've got well over 1300 miles logged already. That's nearly 50 miles per day and I don't commute to work (I work from home) or go on long trips. That's just cruising around town and nearby towns! :)

Anyway, I debaffled the exhaust yesterday and she sounds ALOT better. Almost as good as aftermarket exhaust. Which makes it a great FREE mod.:thumbsup:

If anyone has questions about what a good first bike is, I highly recommend the Vulcan 900!! Thanks again for everyone's advice above!!:)

[JBorg]

I really was into getting a Vulcan 900 until I found a good deal on a VL800 (c50). If you want to get better highway performance Scootworks make an overdrive pulley kit that will help.

Good luck w/ your bike!:thumbsup:

[RezZ]

I know you got the bike, but just a note... Buying a used bike off craigslist will not really lose you money. Especially if your using it to learn. Ride it for a few months and then resell it for the same thing provided you didn't drop it. Thats what my family did.