I like your bike and my suggestion is: ...Dont ever sell it! You’ll find you keep coming back to it over and over like I do ( I have two other bigger bikes) but these little V-Twins are so much fun! I bought my 2005 in 2016 so it was 11 years old but only 1100 miles on it! One owner! Basically the other owner had just broken it in for me! I bought it from a Yamaha dealership (he was selling it for a friend). I had the dealership add drag pipes ( so both pipes are connected to the cylinders separately ( not two into one like all the factory set ups). The dealership had to changed the carburetor jetting because of the drag pipes. From the factory, this bike run very lean. My mpg went down from 72 mpg to around 60 mpg after the pipe swap and jetting swap, but a small sacrifice for the way it now sounds! I had the dealership install a tachometer too. The tach was reading 6500 rpm at 55 mph in 5th gear. They then swapped the OEM front rear sprockets (15T/45T) for 17T/38T (after reading a lot of Virago 250 forums, this seemed like the best combo to get it acting like it had a 6th gear!) It doesn’t go any faster (mph), but the tach shows 5500 rpm now (rather than 6500 rpm) at 55 mph, so it doesn’t sound like a buzz saw on the freeway! And finally, I never cared for the chromed tear-shaped air cleaner module on the right front, ( or the chromed left front tear-shaped gas overflow module. I put a little round filter canister on the left side (with a chromed circular lid) and bought an aftermarket air cleaner (round filter canister and chromed lid) that resides on the right side just between the Twin cylinders. Now it looks like a Harley configuration. It’s my little Harley (a baby Harley, otherwise known as a Piglet! LOL! Anyhow, I hope you enjoy it for a long time!
A concern I have is that your rear turn signals are not fully visible to vehicles in back of you due to the width of your trunk case, especially not fully visible to vehicles as they get closer. Beautiful 250 with that nice white color you have! I just recently bought the same bike 2008 in the black cherry color. I also have a nice wider trunk for my 250 but realized it's too wide resulting in restricted views of my rear turn signals. For the wide trunk you're using, you can remove the passenger seat and find a way to snug the trunk up further to allow for vehicles to see your turn signals.
Waiting for parts is an old story with Yamaha, and I am not kidding. I lived in Japan, where almost all the local dealers sold the popular four brands. All the dealers in my prefecture said the same thing about Yamaha that it is the worst and Honda the best brand in regard to getting repair parts. I waited over six weeks for a shifting fork for the most popular Yamaha engine ever made at the time, the xs650. I was less than forty miles from the factory that made all the engine parts in Japan. No issue about international shipping there! Yamaha makes very competitive bikes, but they don't like to supply parts in a timely manner, they have a bad attitude after you buy their bikes.
I ride a 2014 V Star 250 as my only transportation. It's a great bike and I enjoy the ride. It is so light that when I am loaded down for the road, I can press down on the pack strapped to the luggage rack and the front wheel will come off the ground. The toolbox bolted on this bike has to have the same effect if there's any weight in it. Otherwise, as I've gotten older I want something easy to maneuver and the V Star 250 is the greatest. I've had larger bikes, but I can do most everything I used to do on bigger bikes, although maybe a little slower. Thomas Quick aka old skool and I'm just saying.
I was just given this exact same bike (technically I paid $10). It has almost exactly 20,000 miles on it, and is in pretty rough shape, but it runs well. It looks like whoever owned it originally must have dropped it 30 or 40 times, and the fork seals have dry rot. I'm hoping to fix it and get my motorcycle endorsement. The cables all look brand new so I think that someone was working on it at some point.
I know that when I have all my traveling gear strapped to my V Star 250, all it takes is a little push down on the luggage rack and the front wheel rises off the ground. The pivot point is the kick stand. Even fully loaded, I can still run 70 mph on the highway. It's a great little bike. Also, I removed and threw away my front fender over a year ago. I just like the way it looks. Q
It has a V twin engine which needs two pipes so why would the top pipe be fake, makes no sense at all. You can clearly see the top pipe goes into the rear cylinder as per normal.
I feel like it changes it from a beginners bike, into an intermediate bike. The bike is geared so that first gear is a granny gear, meaning that it helps beginners to not stall as easily, and have a smoother take off. Speed is similar to stock gearing still because of power restrictions, however, I would like to make a video testing it now with it straight piped and the needle shimmed. However, I still need larger jets to gain more power. Unfortunately I won't be able to test millage stock because I have the bike running straight piped now, but I can certainly test it as is and still see a comparison. Sorry for the lengthy reply, but I hope that it answers your questions to the best I can right now. Happy riding!
I like mine. Better mileage, higher top speed and 1st gear is useful now. (pretty much necessary) My speedo's been broke for a year or so so I don't even know the top speed. Suffice it to say my stock 96 did 90 @ 5000ft with 25,000 miles on it before. Now it should do 105 or maybe more (I weigh 135) I've been riding 40+ years and was reluctant to buy this "beginner bike" (and a cruiser at that) but 3.5 years later I'd buy a new one if I could. It's that much fun wringing everything out of it around town. Handles like a dream, stops on a dime and gets 75-80 mpg. Too much fun, whoohda thunk?
@@revitwithlucian2186 My best was 2.36l/100km and the average is 2.8. Please convert it to mpg yourself because I don't know how large the gallon is in your location. Scott, are these 90 and 105 kilometers or miles? Mine doesn't go faster than 110km/h(70mph) in normal conditions. I need a strong wind in my back and a downhill to reach 130(80). And that is at sea level.
I’m getting the 2019 version next month. And i wanted is there a key that starts the bike? How long does it take to ride when it’s cold outside ? Also does it tell you about a gas gauge? Or how do you know when you need more gas ?
Looking at one for my son. I currently have a harley street glide but had a vstar 1100 I know the 1100 doesn't have fuel gauge but does have reserve. My cousin has the bike now and soon as it sputters he reaches down and flips to reserve and finds a gas station.
The key fits the ignition and the front wheel security lock. The carburetur appreciates it if you warm up the engine a minute or two before take-off, but it will go when cold if you give it a bit more throttle. No gas guage- 2.4 gal. tank. I think the .4 gal part is the reserve tank if you need it. It easily goes over 150 miles per tankful.
Thinking about getting one of these for my wife as her 1st bike. She is 5' and weighs 115 lbs. You said you were 5'10" and it fit you well. Do you think she will be able to handle it? We live out in the country and would primarily be on back roads with max speeds between 30 - 50 MPH with some faster 60 MPH zones. Do you think this would be a good machine for her? Thanx.
I think that this would be a perfect bike. It does great at highway speeds, and cruises nicely on the back roads. The bike comes with adjustable rear suspension, so it can make it a better ride when she rides it, or if you were to want to take it for a rip too. The bike is nice and low to the ground, and also very light. And flickability is very strong for this bike. You just gotta hope she doesn't get a thirst for more power from a bigger bike lol. But I think that this would be a great bike, but nothing like going to the dealer to have her get a feel for it.
What is going to keep that home-made, tool-box bracket from pivoting up and forward, during a hard stop, and hitting you in the back or on the head? Use saddle bags instead. Good luck!
It was bolted down to the luggage rack. It held on very well through acceleration, stops, and twisty roads with no change to how I rode it. It was much cheaper to make and had more storage than saddlebags as well.
I own a 250 Virago and a Hyosung GV250. Both are 250 V-Twins! A lot of countries issue motorcycle driver’s license according to the cc’s of the bike. The Hyosung is from South Korea. A lot of Asian bikes, (for export to other countries), have their 250cc class listed as “mopeds”! Beauty is in the Eyes of the Beholder! It’s a beast on mpg and a beast for hauling riders around with only 19 HP! It’s a beast for being almost “bullet-proof”! (It’s a Japanese Bike and they are well known for Dependability!) Okay, I’ll admit a 250 cc cruiser isn’t a beast for power like a 650 (or over), but for two lane country roads posted at 55 mph, it’s all you need!
@@DIA4000 Thanks for for your affirmation! I’ve previously owned a 650 VStar, 950VStar, and a 650 Vulcan S but sold them all! Those bikes are great for leaving cars in the dust on a freeway! I just don’t have a desire to fly thru the air at 80+ mph (if someone fails to see me on the road!) I’m perfectly happy doing 45 on a 55 mph road (as long as I’m not backing up traffic behind me.) Thanks for your approval!
I believe the speedometer cable is attached to the front wheel so it shouldn’t be a factor swapping sprockets to more or less teeth! Mine is a 2006 Virago and swapped out the 15(F)/45(R) to 17/38. My bike has a tachometer and 5th gear at 55mph went from 6500 rpms down to 5500 rpms. Don’t expect it to go faster (mph)! I think there is just to much drag for this little engine. It does sound like I’m in 6th gear now, rather than 5th ( of course these bikes are 5 speeds so there isn’t a 6th gear (but it’ll sound like you shifted into 6th after the sprocket swap to 17/38!) 1st gear now feels more like a “normal” bike now too! I can shift into 2nd gear at 10mph now instead of 5mph and sounds like the “normal” rpm to be shifting at that rpm and speed.
I'm a few inches shorter, and it wasn't too bad for me, but best way to know for sure is to find one to sit on. There's always ways to lift the bike up, or put forward controls on to kick your feet out further too though
I've been looking at this bike for a starter for a while now. I'm a bigger guy, wide shoulders, 6'2, 200 pounds. Do you think this would be a comfortable fit for me?
This bike might be a little too small for you stock, but only for your height. This thing does great while me (180 lbs) and a passenger (110 lbs), still does highway speeds perfectly and accelerates very nicely. What you would need to purchase for the bike if you were to get it are something called forward controls, which extend the front pegs, shift lever, and brake lever forward so your legs are more extended. I'm 5'10" and I personally would like to extend the pegs myself. Hope this helps, and happy riding!
Thanks for the reply! After doing some more research and talking to the dealer out at the shop for a while, I decided to go with the 650cc Suzuki S40. Very similar bike to the Yamaha, just a bit bigger and with a single cylinder. The review was great and helped me think about what I want in a bike though. The size was just a bit too small for me when I tested it out. Thanks a lot!
th-cam.com/video/d58ztnYA7k0/w-d-xo.html Here's a video of someone who actually got drags on a yamaha route 66, which is nearly equivalent to this bike, just much older
I left comments on sprocket swaps under Comments (from “M.” and another under a reply to “J.” ‘s question where he asked “Does changing sprockets mess with the speedometer?” The answer to the later is NO ( the speedometer readings come from the front wheel, not the engine!) To answer your question: I went from 15/45 sprockets to 17/38 sprockets. I believe if you look around on some Virago 250 “forums” (or V-Star 250 forums) under sprocket swaps for this bike, you’ll find someone who made up charts for different sprocket combinations for this bike. I’m pretty sure the 17/38 required a new chain with a different amount of links than the OEM chain. My combo was purchased from JT Sprockets. Don’t quote me on this but I believe they have a “kit” that includes the correct chain (or at least tell you the required chain needed for this sprocket combo), but like I said, don’t hold me to it. Mine was done two years ago and I again, think they’re available on Amazon but look up those “forums” for verification before diving in!
I like the 250! I have had any bike you care to mention including Harley, triumph, Honda shadow1100 etc. all big bikes. No real reason for it other than posing. There is a difference between actually riding and posing. A perfect all around bike now that they don’t manufacture Ujm like they used to. Check your ego and enjoy the ride
I saw one of these at a bike show last weekend and thought it would be good on fuel, cheaper to insure, light and easy to handle for someone like me who hasn't ridden in 40 years, with enough power but not an over abundance of it, suitable for a smaller guy, washable air filter, easy access to the front sprocket for changing, carburetor you could service yourself. It seems to have no check engine light which can only be a good thing. Too bad about the cover falling off. I saw a guy take one off on another video and thought it looked born to come off by itself. Please tell me about the dummy tailpipe. It seems the top one isn't connected? But you drilled that one out, I'm not understanding it.
The side cover born to come off for sure. My wife has a 2015 version of this exact bike and the same thing happened. Luckily, she was just practicing in a parking lot and we realized it right before we left. The grommet was lost but the cover was still been held by the two claws in the front of the cover. Then we searched in the whole parking lot and finally found the missed grommet. After got back home, I went to Walmart and bought a Gorilla Hot Glue Gun. Installed the grommet back to its place first, then applied the glue between the grommet and chassis. So far so good.
I’ve owned one of these. It’s definitely critical to reset the trip meter since it doesn’t have a gas gauge. Once you’re past 100 miles it’s close to fill up time ⛽️
@@tommorris2050 My wife bought this bike from its previous owner and he told us the exact same thing, 100 miles. He also said he just filled the tank for us and reset the trip meter. The trip meter was only 30 miles when I got the key from him. The 30 miles is because he rides from the gas station to my house. Then my wife and I jumped onto the bike and went to enjoy the first ride on this bike. However, the bike ran out of the gas at the trip meter reads 68 miles and that was my first time riding a bike without a gas gauge. I did not have any experience in the carburetor at that moment so we ended up with the engine stalled. I thought the bike has some problems, but actually, if I turn the fuel valve to RES, I should be fine. Finally, I started the engine again by using the full choke + Prime position of the fuel valve. What I learned is 1) read the owner manual first, 2) do not trust the gas that filled by other people LOL
I have the same Yamaha from 2015. It’s only over 400 miles away, but I don’t know what’s wrong. I can’t drive it. If anyone wants it, I can buy it cheaply. I’m near 19116 in Northeast Philadelphia.
0-60? Yes it does lol but in reality its probably in the range of 6-10 seconds. I'd have to double check my videos because I traded it in last year in 2020
@@revitwithlucian2186 Oh I see you got that Harley that's pretty good are you going to outfit it with storage, 1600cc that's a big jump how you like that
@@whendashow6935 I'm loving the bike, im hoping to work on a new video to talk about what I've done with the bike so far. But I actually traded in the Yamaha for a 2020 Kawasaki Z125
I put drag pipes (with removable baffles) on mine (ordered from Japan ... I think $400 plus I needed the carbs rejected for drag pipes, but trust me, ..... mine sounds nothing like a dirt bike, chainsaw, or weed wacker! (And that’s with the baffles in!)
@@vscolkitt Where those pipes you got a cut above eBay and Ali Express pipes? Are you still liking them? Who re-jetted your carbs, and how much $ was that? Thanks
Store some spare gas in an aluminum drink bottle... and store it in the fake exhaust. Run out of gas for whatever reason... saved. 1L gets you 20 miles because you will be babying it probably 25.
Jack Hawthorn when comparing to anything larger like a sports bike or harleys, then yes it's not a beast. But since we aren't doing that and I'm talking about how despite the small displacement, it still has quite the power.
My bad. I'm buying one in a month - would you say the 17 front sprocket(and a 40 rear) is a necessity for 70-80mph speeds and does that improve acceleration at the high end? I'm going to be on UK A roads a lot which are very busy so it needs to be able to get up to speed quick from stationary(i.e. a really slow 50 - 70 would be bad).
the sprocket choice i made was for having lower engine rpm at highway speeds, so it negatively impacts acceleration in return for higher speeds, however i have not been able to get more speed yet due to needing to properly tune the carb for the exhaust. so it comes with a 45 tooth rear sprocket and a 16 front if i remember correctly. so if you want more acceleration, you might want to look for something in the range of like 47-50 tooth rear sprocket for more acceleration.
![[LIVE] : ONE ลุมพินี 88 | คู่เอก "ป้อมเพชร vs อัสลามจอน"](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/1ZqTVVbMgbo/mqdefault.jpg)
I'm an old man who has owned 16 motorcycles over the years. Yours is a GOOD LOOKING bike and sounds great! Ride safely and enjoy every journey.
I have the exact same bike with practically the same amount of miles on it. I love it! It's a great bike.
I like your bike and my suggestion is: ...Dont ever sell it! You’ll find you keep coming back to it over and over like I do ( I have two other bigger bikes) but these little V-Twins are so much fun! I bought my 2005 in 2016 so it was 11 years old but only 1100 miles on it! One owner! Basically the other owner had just broken it in for me! I bought it from a Yamaha dealership (he was selling it for a friend). I had the dealership add drag pipes ( so both pipes are connected to the cylinders separately ( not two into one like all the factory set ups). The dealership had to changed the carburetor jetting because of the drag pipes. From the factory, this bike run very lean. My mpg went down from 72 mpg to around 60 mpg after the pipe swap and jetting swap, but a small sacrifice for the way it now sounds! I had the dealership install a tachometer too. The tach was reading 6500 rpm at 55 mph in 5th gear. They then swapped the OEM front rear sprockets (15T/45T) for 17T/38T (after reading a lot of Virago 250 forums, this seemed like the best combo to get it acting like it had a 6th gear!) It doesn’t go any faster (mph), but the tach shows 5500 rpm now (rather than 6500 rpm) at 55 mph, so it doesn’t sound like a buzz saw on the freeway! And finally, I never cared for the chromed tear-shaped air cleaner module on the right front, ( or the chromed left front tear-shaped gas overflow module. I put a little round filter canister on the left side (with a chromed circular lid) and bought an aftermarket air cleaner (round filter canister and chromed lid) that resides on the right side just between the Twin cylinders. Now it looks like a Harley configuration. It’s my little Harley (a baby Harley, otherwise known as a Piglet! LOL! Anyhow, I hope you enjoy it for a long time!
Where did you get your two things to replace the bulbous chrome thingies?
@@Balithazzarr Sorry but I don't remember where I purchased? I found them searching on the web for VStar 250 Modifications.
That tool box is an excellent place to carry your anvil!😃
this is gonna be my first bike for sure. great review
Was it your first bike?
You won't regret it . I still love my 2009 Virago/VStar 250 even though I've ridden a lot of other "superior" bikes.
@@TherealJJOliver late response. But it wasn’t lol. My first bike was a Honda shadow vlx 600! I also own a Harley shovel head.
@@pouglwaw5932 now that you’ve responded. I still might look into one. I completely forgot I commented this
I LOVE what you did with the tool box. These are still some of the BEST bikes ever made. The Yamaha 250 is SO DAMN popular.
Imagine how much drag that tool box generates...
imagine how many stuff that box can carry.
My wife's has 50,000 miles on it. Still going strong!
A concern I have is that your rear turn signals are not fully visible to vehicles in back of you due to the width of your trunk case, especially not fully visible to vehicles as they get closer. Beautiful 250 with that nice white color you have! I just recently bought the same bike 2008 in the black cherry color.
I also have a nice wider trunk for my 250 but realized it's too wide resulting in restricted views of my rear turn signals. For the wide trunk you're using, you can remove the passenger seat and find a way to snug the trunk up further to allow for vehicles to see your turn signals.
Waiting for parts is an old story with Yamaha, and I am not kidding. I lived in Japan, where almost all the local dealers sold the popular four brands. All the dealers in my prefecture said the same thing about Yamaha that it is the worst and Honda the best brand in regard to getting repair parts. I waited over six weeks for a shifting fork for the most popular Yamaha engine ever made at the time, the xs650. I was less than forty miles from the factory that made all the engine parts in Japan. No issue about international shipping there! Yamaha makes very competitive bikes, but they don't like to supply parts in a timely manner, they have a bad attitude after you buy their bikes.
I ride a 2014 V Star 250 as my only transportation. It's a great bike and I enjoy the ride. It is so light that when I am loaded down for the road, I can press down on the pack strapped to the luggage rack and the front wheel will come off the ground. The toolbox bolted on this bike has to have the same effect if there's any weight in it. Otherwise, as I've gotten older I want something easy to maneuver and the V Star 250 is the greatest. I've had larger bikes, but I can do most everything I used to do on bigger bikes, although maybe a little slower. Thomas Quick aka old skool and I'm just saying.
I finished my MSF course 2 weeks ago and looking for my first bike and I want this yamaha so bad
Was it your first motorcycle or you bought the other one?
@@GorN_Rebel I bought Yamaha MT-03
@@Voltomess thanks. Safe roads for you
Have to downsize from my 06 Aero 750 due to weakness from cancer. Looking at a 2015 250 vstar.
I was just given this exact same bike (technically I paid $10). It has almost exactly 20,000 miles on it, and is in pretty rough shape, but it runs well. It looks like whoever owned it originally must have dropped it 30 or 40 times, and the fork seals have dry rot. I'm hoping to fix it and get my motorcycle endorsement. The cables all look brand new so I think that someone was working on it at some point.
Thanks, I'd love to learn to ride and this bike has caught my eye big time.
I know that when I have all my traveling gear strapped to my V Star 250, all it takes is a little push down on the luggage rack and the front wheel rises off the ground. The pivot point is the kick stand. Even fully loaded, I can still run 70 mph on the highway. It's a great little bike. Also, I removed and threw away my front fender over a year ago. I just like the way it looks. Q
Nice lunch box! I got one of these beast machines for Grandma and she loves it. I'm going to show her your lunch box. That's a great idea.
I'm gonna buy one tomorrow 2018! nice bike for a Lady
did you?
Tammy Winnell hell im 6'1 215 and been riding for 11 years and currently on a 1000cc inline 4 and am really considering one of these
goodfella21f wel got my FZ for long rides. This would be awesome for short trips
Good review. I like the looks of this bike and the old school simplicity. But do wish it was FI.
Looks like a great bike for the new rider!
I'm 6 ft and about 230 lbs, still losing weight. Would I look goofy on one of these?
Great bike !!! I'm doing a series now on making a bobber out of one!!!!
I just came from there LOL
@@anthonyli6810 Awesome!!!
I've a 2009 with over 11,000 miles on it.
I'm looking into to getting a 2009, do you still have this bike and is it still working well?
I’ve just got a 09 with 13,000, definitely worth the money and time. Upgrade when u can food for thought.
@@matthewsalvador9783 oh hell, I sold that bike almost 3 years ago. got an FZ-09 to go alongside my Dyna.
jm15 well this is awkward.... May I ask was it a troubled bike ??
@@matthewsalvador9783 no, I had no trouble with it at all. I just outgrew it. it was a "starter bike" for me.
love the sound all that and all you did was make a few holes inside the pipes did you have to adjust the carb or anything?
I brought this bike a week ago! I’m loving it! Where did you get the rack?
I actually made it myself out of electrical conduit and a waterproof tool box. The conduit is very strong and not very expensive either
@Rev it with Lucian
Having that tool box long ways and not vertically, makes it not aerodynamically.
This is the only bike i can ride because of my height.
Are you short or tall?
I would go with a top box and saddlebags. I am picturing a gallon of milk shifting down while in a turn.
Thank you; this was a great, in depth review.
Sorry I don't understand about the top pipe being fake. If it's fake then why did you have to drill it out and that would make any difference?
mjshaheed it's connected to the bottom pipe to make it look like it's real.
It has a V twin engine which needs two pipes so why would the top pipe be fake, makes no sense at all. You can clearly see the top pipe goes into the rear cylinder as per normal.
James Haydon it’s a dummy pipe. It’s a 2 into 1 exhaust system
Yamaha should update this model and use Fi instead of a carburetor.
No, they shouldn't. You can fix a carb. You can't fix a proprietary computer.
is this good to dodge traffic during peak hours?
Not super fast but it handles like a dream and stops on a dime.
I love your tool box mod very trailer park boys
How do you like your sprockets upgrade? What is your weight, and if you think that effects the mileage and speed, too?
I feel like it changes it from a beginners bike, into an intermediate bike. The bike is geared so that first gear is a granny gear, meaning that it helps beginners to not stall as easily, and have a smoother take off. Speed is similar to stock gearing still because of power restrictions, however, I would like to make a video testing it now with it straight piped and the needle shimmed. However, I still need larger jets to gain more power. Unfortunately I won't be able to test millage stock because I have the bike running straight piped now, but I can certainly test it as is and still see a comparison. Sorry for the lengthy reply, but I hope that it answers your questions to the best I can right now. Happy riding!
Lengthy replies are the best: More information! Thanks! Considering doing the same on mine, but for now, just concentrating on finishing the rebuild.
I like mine. Better mileage, higher top speed and 1st gear is useful now. (pretty much necessary) My speedo's been broke for a year or so so I don't even know the top speed. Suffice it to say my stock 96 did 90 @ 5000ft with 25,000 miles on it before. Now it should do 105 or maybe more (I weigh 135) I've been riding 40+ years and was reluctant to buy this "beginner bike" (and a cruiser at that) but 3.5 years later I'd buy a new one if I could. It's that much fun wringing everything out of it around town. Handles like a dream, stops on a dime and gets 75-80 mpg. Too much fun, whoohda thunk?
@@revitwithlucian2186 My best was 2.36l/100km and the average is 2.8. Please convert it to mpg yourself because I don't know how large the gallon is in your location.
Scott, are these 90 and 105 kilometers or miles? Mine doesn't go faster than 110km/h(70mph) in normal conditions. I need a strong wind in my back and a downhill to reach 130(80). And that is at sea level.
I’m getting the 2019 version next month. And i wanted is there a key that starts the bike? How long does it take to ride when it’s cold outside ? Also does it tell you about a gas gauge? Or how do you know when you need more gas ?
Looking at one for my son. I currently have a harley street glide but had a vstar 1100 I know the 1100 doesn't have fuel gauge but does have reserve. My cousin has the bike now and soon as it sputters he reaches down and flips to reserve and finds a gas station.
The key fits the ignition and the front wheel security lock. The carburetur appreciates it if you warm up the engine a minute or two before take-off, but it will go when cold if you give it a bit more throttle. No gas guage- 2.4 gal. tank. I think the .4 gal part is the reserve tank if you need it. It easily goes over 150 miles per tankful.
Thinking about getting one of these for my wife as her 1st bike. She is 5' and weighs 115 lbs. You said you were 5'10" and it fit you well. Do you think she will be able to handle it? We live out in the country and would primarily be on back roads with max speeds between 30 - 50 MPH with some faster 60 MPH zones. Do you think this would be a good machine for her? Thanx.
I think that this would be a perfect bike. It does great at highway speeds, and cruises nicely on the back roads. The bike comes with adjustable rear suspension, so it can make it a better ride when she rides it, or if you were to want to take it for a rip too. The bike is nice and low to the ground, and also very light. And flickability is very strong for this bike. You just gotta hope she doesn't get a thirst for more power from a bigger bike lol. But I think that this would be a great bike, but nothing like going to the dealer to have her get a feel for it.
Thanx very much for the input.
It's a great bike, I had the 650 a nice ride. 250 should be good for her.
That tool box looks like a piano on back. What would anyone need with a box like that?
Never know. He might be delivering pizzas or Uber eats.
What is going to keep that home-made, tool-box bracket from pivoting up and forward, during a hard stop, and hitting you in the back or on the head? Use saddle bags instead. Good luck!
It was bolted down to the luggage rack. It held on very well through acceleration, stops, and twisty roads with no change to how I rode it. It was much cheaper to make and had more storage than saddlebags as well.
That’s a big lunch box... btw I have the same bike but mines a 2009 vstar 250 and also the top exhaust is a fake
Those are excellent 1st bikes they are bulletproof
i think beast of a machine is the wrong term
Well you think wrong on that then :)
650s on up are beasts
I own a 250 Virago and a Hyosung GV250. Both are 250 V-Twins! A lot of countries issue motorcycle driver’s license according to the cc’s of the bike. The Hyosung is from South Korea. A lot of Asian bikes, (for export to other countries), have their 250cc class listed as “mopeds”! Beauty is in the Eyes of the Beholder! It’s a beast on mpg and a beast for hauling riders around with only 19 HP! It’s a beast for being almost “bullet-proof”! (It’s a Japanese Bike and they are well known for Dependability!) Okay, I’ll admit a 250 cc cruiser isn’t a beast for power like a 650 (or over), but for two lane country roads posted at 55 mph, it’s all you need!
@@vscolkitt totally agree! Just sold mine, but only because i never used it in my small city. But if i ever need one ill buy the same again!
@@DIA4000 Thanks for for your affirmation! I’ve previously owned a 650 VStar, 950VStar, and a 650 Vulcan S but sold them all! Those bikes are great for leaving cars in the dust on a freeway! I just don’t have a desire to fly thru the air at 80+ mph (if someone fails to see me on the road!) I’m perfectly happy doing 45 on a 55 mph road (as long as I’m not backing up traffic behind me.) Thanks for your approval!
Did the sproket conversion alter the speedometer?
I believe the speedometer cable is attached to the front wheel so it shouldn’t be a factor swapping sprockets to more or less teeth! Mine is a 2006 Virago and swapped out the 15(F)/45(R) to 17/38. My bike has a tachometer and 5th gear at 55mph went from 6500 rpms down to 5500 rpms. Don’t expect it to go faster (mph)! I think there is just to much drag for this little engine. It does sound like I’m in 6th gear now, rather than 5th ( of course these bikes are 5 speeds so there isn’t a 6th gear (but it’ll sound like you shifted into 6th after the sprocket swap to 17/38!) 1st gear now feels more like a “normal” bike now too! I can shift into 2nd gear at 10mph now instead of 5mph and sounds like the “normal” rpm to be shifting at that rpm and speed.
Does the Factory chain work with this mod? Or It should be a different one. Thanks a lot.
A dude in my MSF class dumped a brand-arse new one of these, fresh off the truck from the dealer. Fail.
Holy cow! Nice steamer trunk on the back!
Great video, how did you drill out the exhaust baffles?
I used a hole saw that was about 1.5 inches I believe
Cool thanks!
I’m 6’1 170 at most all I need is 55-65 so this bikes good enough on power but I heard they are small, would I be cramped on one?
I'm a few inches shorter, and it wasn't too bad for me, but best way to know for sure is to find one to sit on. There's always ways to lift the bike up, or put forward controls on to kick your feet out further too though
That trunk could hold a lot of food.
I bet he's a blast at parties !
Rather see him at my party than you
I've been looking at this bike for a starter for a while now. I'm a bigger guy, wide shoulders, 6'2, 200 pounds. Do you think this would be a comfortable fit for me?
This bike might be a little too small for you stock, but only for your height. This thing does great while me (180 lbs) and a passenger (110 lbs), still does highway speeds perfectly and accelerates very nicely. What you would need to purchase for the bike if you were to get it are something called forward controls, which extend the front pegs, shift lever, and brake lever forward so your legs are more extended. I'm 5'10" and I personally would like to extend the pegs myself. Hope this helps, and happy riding!
Thanks for the reply! After doing some more research and talking to the dealer out at the shop for a while, I decided to go with the 650cc Suzuki S40. Very similar bike to the Yamaha, just a bit bigger and with a single cylinder. The review was great and helped me think about what I want in a bike though. The size was just a bit too small for me when I tested it out. Thanks a lot!
Box mounted like that is extremely dangerous.
Good looking motorcycle.
Do they have a drag pipe kit that works off of each cylinder for this bike?
Custom install of course.
th-cam.com/video/d58ztnYA7k0/w-d-xo.html Here's a video of someone who actually got drags on a yamaha route 66, which is nearly equivalent to this bike, just much older
My 2005 has drag pipes. I ordered them from Japan and cost about $400. Check out .... Japan.webike.net
I just saw a video of this exact bike that had a real exhaust it sounded good to.....
very nice Sir.
Nice!
that exhaust was sexy.
How did you do it yourself with professional help????
Do you use a rear tire stand?
Nice bike!
So fo those new sprockets help with the freeway vibration? I would like to try it too. I have the same bike. What kind of sprockets are they?
Can someone share the link for a good chain and sprocket (17/40) kit, maybe on amazon... tks
I left comments on sprocket swaps under Comments (from “M.” and another under a reply to “J.” ‘s question where he asked “Does changing sprockets mess with the speedometer?”
The answer to the later is NO ( the speedometer readings come from the front wheel, not the engine!)
To answer your question: I went from 15/45 sprockets to 17/38 sprockets. I believe if you look around on some Virago 250 “forums” (or V-Star 250 forums) under sprocket swaps for this bike, you’ll find someone who made up charts for different sprocket combinations for this bike. I’m pretty sure the 17/38 required a new chain with a different amount of links than the OEM chain.
My combo was purchased from JT Sprockets. Don’t quote me on this but I believe they have a “kit” that includes the correct chain (or at least tell you the required chain needed for this sprocket combo), but like I said, don’t hold me to it. Mine was done two years ago and I again, think they’re available on Amazon but look up those “forums” for verification before diving in!
@@vscolkitt Thanks for that. Are you still happy with your set up? I’m going to go this route.
I like the 250! I have had any bike you care to mention including Harley, triumph, Honda shadow1100 etc. all big bikes. No real reason for it other than posing. There is a difference between actually riding and posing. A perfect all around bike now that they don’t manufacture Ujm like they used to. Check your ego and enjoy the ride
I saw one of these at a bike show last weekend and thought it would be good on fuel, cheaper to insure, light and easy to handle for someone like me who hasn't ridden in 40 years, with enough power but not an over abundance of it, suitable for a smaller guy, washable air filter, easy access to the front sprocket for changing, carburetor you could service yourself. It seems to have no check engine light which can only be a good thing. Too bad about the cover falling off. I saw a guy take one off on another video and thought it looked born to come off by itself. Please tell me about the dummy tailpipe. It seems the top one isn't connected? But you drilled that one out, I'm not understanding it.
The side cover born to come off for sure. My wife has a 2015 version of this exact bike and the same thing happened. Luckily, she was just practicing in a parking lot and we realized it right before we left. The grommet was lost but the cover was still been held by the two claws in the front of the cover. Then we searched in the whole parking lot and finally found the missed grommet. After got back home, I went to Walmart and bought a Gorilla Hot Glue Gun. Installed the grommet back to its place first, then applied the glue between the grommet and chassis. So far so good.
do you have to do maintenance on the spokes?
As far as I'm aware, they do not need maintenance. I have not seen or felt any problems from them at all this season either.
How is it for beingner bike
Can you reset the trip meter on this ? Stupid question I know
Yeah, there's the old twist style to reset the trip. Dont ever feel bad for asking questions :)
I’ve owned one of these. It’s definitely critical to reset the trip meter since it doesn’t have a gas gauge. Once you’re past 100 miles it’s close to fill up time ⛽️
@@tommorris2050 My wife bought this bike from its previous owner and he told us the exact same thing, 100 miles. He also said he just filled the tank for us and reset the trip meter. The trip meter was only 30 miles when I got the key from him. The 30 miles is because he rides from the gas station to my house. Then my wife and I jumped onto the bike and went to enjoy the first ride on this bike. However, the bike ran out of the gas at the trip meter reads 68 miles and that was my first time riding a bike without a gas gauge. I did not have any experience in the carburetor at that moment so we ended up with the engine stalled. I thought the bike has some problems, but actually, if I turn the fuel valve to RES, I should be fine. Finally, I started the engine again by using the full choke + Prime position of the fuel valve. What I learned is 1) read the owner manual first, 2) do not trust the gas that filled by other people LOL
I have the same Yamaha from 2015. It’s only over 400 miles away, but I don’t know what’s wrong. I can’t drive it. If anyone wants it, I can buy it cheaply. I’m near 19116 in Northeast Philadelphia.
Beatifull !!
I love my yama 250
What's the 0 to 60 accel time
0-60? Yes it does lol but in reality its probably in the range of 6-10 seconds. I'd have to double check my videos because I traded it in last year in 2020
@@revitwithlucian2186 Oh I see you got that Harley that's pretty good are you going to outfit it with storage, 1600cc that's a big jump how you like that
@@whendashow6935 I'm loving the bike, im hoping to work on a new video to talk about what I've done with the bike so far. But I actually traded in the Yamaha for a 2020 Kawasaki Z125
Would you happen to know where I could buy saddle bags for this bike?
jeremy hernandez revzilla or yamaha directly
sounds like my dirt bike😂
I put drag pipes (with removable baffles) on mine (ordered from Japan ... I think $400 plus I needed the carbs rejected for drag pipes, but trust me, ..... mine sounds nothing like a dirt bike, chainsaw, or weed wacker! (And that’s with the baffles in!)
@@vscolkitt Where those pipes you got a cut above eBay and Ali Express pipes? Are you still liking them? Who re-jetted your carbs, and how much $ was that? Thanks
Store some spare gas in an aluminum drink bottle... and store it in the fake exhaust. Run out of gas for whatever reason... saved. 1L gets you 20 miles because you will be babying it probably 25.
David Crabb fake exhaust ???
one of the exhaust is fake.
john doe no
why are you blacking out part of the video? strange way of editing.
Honestl, its just an editing mistake, nothing done on purpose.
One of the most beautiful bikes with a most ugly tool box. Why?
Turbo 9:20 srt 4
Accelerating hard lol
Are these automatic
Hailey Phillips nope. Only 5 speed manual. 1 down 4 up
Rev it with Lucian any bikes that have this look that’s auto by chance
The box is gay af!
I guess you can't wait to get one.
Qué cajón más vulgar
Looks so underpowered...a girl's bike?
Or.. get this, a beginner bike. Or a commuter bike. Or a very extremely cheap bike to purchase, Insure, maintain, and fuel.
@@revitwithlucian2186 thanks,it looks like a nice bike,reminds me of my 1st bike an 1100 Shadow,same color,it does look cute.
a 250 is not a "beast"
Jack Hawthorn when comparing to anything larger like a sports bike or harleys, then yes it's not a beast. But since we aren't doing that and I'm talking about how despite the small displacement, it still has quite the power.
My bad. I'm buying one in a month - would you say the 17 front sprocket(and a 40 rear) is a necessity for 70-80mph speeds and does that improve acceleration at the high end? I'm going to be on UK A roads a lot which are very busy so it needs to be able to get up to speed quick from stationary(i.e. a really slow 50 - 70 would be bad).
the sprocket choice i made was for having lower engine rpm at highway speeds, so it negatively impacts acceleration in return for higher speeds, however i have not been able to get more speed yet due to needing to properly tune the carb for the exhaust. so it comes with a 45 tooth rear sprocket and a 16 front if i remember correctly. so if you want more acceleration, you might want to look for something in the range of like 47-50 tooth rear sprocket for more acceleration.
Cheers, thanks for the advice