+Joshua Weinstein (runwaysandrails) Hey mate, really well done video, really enjoyed the editing and commenting style. I'm a new rider as well and something i've come across in my internet travels is a method of making the gear changing smoother. I noticed in your video how you where unhappy with the clunky behaviour of you gear box and also noticed how you change gear; in that you decide to change gear, cover the clutch and then move your foot down to the shifter. To make it smoother, try preloading the shifter with your foot before pulling in the clutch, it should simply flow into the next gear instead of clunking. By preloading I mean only lifting your foot into the shifter slightly, and then pulling in the clutch, it should require way less effort to shift up and will be a lot smoother. Happy riding.
+zupunus Hey man thanks for the really awesome suggestion! I'm def going to try this. My car is a manual trans and some days I swear it just shifts differently based on temperature or who knows what. Ghost in the machine perhaps. It's 70 here today too, but raining. What a shame or I'd be out right now riding. Thanks for watching and for the tip! Merry Christmas.
Daniel Vieau Hey Daniel, the answer is no because the speedo is connected to the front wheel. Thanks for watching! BTW, just ordered a 43T sprocket for the back wheel, gonna drop the RPM's another 7-10%. Should be nice!
Yeah it's nice when people just accept the motorcycle for what it is. These 250s are good looking bikes and alot of fun. If you parked one of these next to a Sportster, most people wouldn't know the difference
WOW! 60k views. I'm really happy that this video has helped people make a decision on the V-Star. It's certainly convinced me that videos like this from actual riders/users of vehicles/products/services empower consumers in this day and age and allow us to make informed choices. Thanks again!
thanks for the in depth review man. I live out here in Chicago and the basic rider courses start in feb looking forward to learning more about the motorcycle life and will look into a v star.
I was about to buy a 1200 XL HD Sporster as my first bike, but after riding it a few blocks, I couldnt cope with the huge size, the vibration and the classic noise from its big motor... some days later, I found this V Star 250 and I fell in love with it immediatly: it has a nice look, decent motor size, no vibration, no annoying motor sound, affordable price and nice gas mileage... even though it is a small bike, still catches several looks by just riding it around my neighborhood ! Such a shame that the speedometer is almost useless due to its inconvenient placement, most the chromed parts are not metal made of, and no branding visible at first sight... also the steering bar was cooler before they changed to this smaller one, apart from that, I´m happy with my bike! :)
Bought mine in 2016 when I had such a hard time finding parts for my 1976, Yamaha XS 360. My inseam is only 26" so sitting on a bike to where I can get my feet flat on the ground is huge! I had to modify the seat on my old bike by carving it out and sewing a new cover for it. Then I lowered the shocks as low as they could go. Still, had to tippy toe the ground when I stopped. I was in the dealership, saw this, sat on it, and bought it right then and there. It doesn't have the power of my 360, and I miss that, but it is comfortable to ride and does what I need it to do. Not sure about taking it on the highway because it is so light. For rides through the woods and country roads, it's prefect.
Agreed! It's definitely a great country road bike. And I'm not very tall myself so I definitely found the low seat height appealing. Where it lacks in power it makes up with ease of handling and certainly cost. Safe riding and thanks for watching!
Nice bike. I have a 1990 version. It's fun to ride around the country back roads but I've never changed the low gearing so stay away from the 70 mph zones. I've had mine 22 years, super dependable and easy maintenance. I have other bikes but it still gets ridden often.
Friend, I have a V-Star 250, from 1997 (in Brazil it is known as Virago). And it's impressive to see that mine (1997 and yours 2014) are identical, except for the arrow indicator panel, high light and neutral. Here in Brazil we "suffer" with this bike's carburetor and gas pump, but after so many years Yamaha keep them in the US, it gives an image that such parts are really good! But I confess that I don't understand why in Brazil this is a "terror" of this motorcycle.
That's very strange to hear! It's a solid bike with really good long lasting parts especially for it's price. Hopefully it's not too much of a terror down there for you. Safe riding!
I own a V Star 250 just like the one in this video. It's been a very capable, fun, and dependable bike for going on 9 years. Recently, I noticed that upon attaining the speed of around 55 mph, the bike seemed to run out of acceleration. Almost like it was beginning to run out of gas. Turns out, the rubber, y shaped manifold between the carburetor and the cylinder heads was cracked allowing too much air to get into the fuel mixture. After having the piece replaced , the problem went away. Other than a bad choke cable, with only periodic normal maintenance meaning chain,tire, sprocket, and oil filter and oil changes, the bike has performed flawlessly. Sure it's a 250, but after riding much larger bikes over the years, I can do virtually anything I want to do on a bike, with it. I ride this bike year round, and it's my only transportation. I'm of medium build so it fits me well. I appreciate its' easy to handle size as I'm getting older with wore out knees, so I plan on keeping it till it wears out. Thomas Quick aka old skool and I'm just saying. P. S. Run non ethanol in your motorcycles. It saves all the rubber parts in the fuel system.
Thank you for this. You are right with the countless videos out there about all these bikes that everyone recommends for new riders, I've noticed that NO new riders are actually making reviews! It's always someone who has been riding for years.
Hey man, my name is Dalton, I'm from Brazil and I've got a 1999 Silver Yamaha V Star that looks brand new despite of the age and that just now reached the total of 25476.2 miles of run and with which I rode 2485 miles on a trip from the south of Brazil to the northeast of it practicaly across the country on the bike, it took me around 8 days because I stopped at some cities for a couple of days and I rode slowly, enjoying the ride at around 55 miles per hour and the bike did just great, didn't give me any trouble, very trustable bike, comfortable even after long day rides like the one I rode for almost 530 miles. This trip was in august 2019 and I really miss long trips on it, it's just amazing. Well, here in Brazil the V Stars are not sold anymore since 2001 if I'm not mistaking and I was looking for videos of the V Star in the USA and found your video which is just amazing, thank you for posting it and since it's been 5 years since you posted this video and it's the first from your channel that I watch, please allow me to ask you if you still have that bike. Thanks again... got a new subscriber to your channel now all the way from BR. God bless man!
Glad you like the video! It has been a while since I posted it and unfortunately I sold the bike a couple of years ago After putting many thousands of miles on it. Like you I found it to be very versatile and could take it on long rides as well. That's too bad that they stopped selling it in your country. I wonder why! I suppose you could import one but it would probably cost a lot of money. if you find out any more details certainly posted here and let the community know. safe riding and happy travels my friend!
they're... not their... their belongs to them, they're is they are .. 🎉 I'm a writer, i can't help noticing... lol i just put a deposit down on one of these v-star 250s...
That bike was sold here in Brazil from 1997 to 2001, named as "Virago 250". I had one. It was a 1999 model. Rode about 20k mi in about two years, from 2000 to 2002. Miss it `til today. It`s an outstanding bike. And about the mufflers, at least in the Brazilian version, the upper pipe was functional. There was a muffler connecting the lower and the upper pipes
An absolutely great first and last bike At 76 it’s great to make the tight U-turn in the garage, not for highways but great on twisty back roads ! Love❤ it !
Congrats on the video. I am from Brazil, and here this motorcycle is called Virago, and mine is year 1995. I bought my Virago a little over a month, and both are very similar, despite the years of difference. Today, my Virago is with 66,000km shot. This motorcycle is great.
Alan Franz it was called the Virago here as well up until I think 2009 or 2010. I guess they really didn't feel the need to change the bike much since it is so good! Thanks for watching and safe riding!
A larger Virago kept me from buying due to high rev in top gear. Didn't think about changing sprockets then. Nice looking bikes. On the 250 what would happen if you went two teeth bigger on the front instead of smaller back also wonder if gearing up would reduce clutch life as am considering same on my Rebel........or getting a yamaha
Hey Josh, after watching your review a dozen times and a few others I took the plunge today. I picked up a '12 leftover with 0 miles with a major discount. Love it so far. My 59th birthday present. Thanks for your great review. Doug
I'm so glad to hear that! You certainly won't be disappointed, it's a great bike. In fact I was going to trade mine in after riding it for two seasons but I enjoy it so much that I picked up a new sprocket for the back 2 drop my RPMs even more and give it a little bit more life. Happy and safe riding!
Nice to find an informative review that gets straight down to business with no distracting music! Thank you from another fellow flyer. Greetings from Ireland.
Hey I watched this review like two years ago when shopping for my first bike, I was going to get a g310s or something and this really sold me on the vstar-- I still have it and ride it along with my VFR and Guzzi now. It's a lovely bike, and it taught me a whole lot about riding and wrenching. Changing the gearing was a huge improvement too. I'm still looking for an airhawk pad or something to make the seat a little more comfortable for long rides. Thanks for this!
I'm so glad! It really is a great bike. Many happy miles traveled on it. I agree the seat is, less than desirable lol. A small price to pay perhaps. May she bring you many more years of wonderful riding!
+We Were Once Kings Glad to hear it. MSF course is great. Very enjoyable, and I still ride with some of the people from my class, so def get to know them. Good to ride with people on your level to start. Best of luck!
Nice video. Very informative. My friend just bought a 2012 with only 900 miles on it. I have ridden it over 100 miles and have to say that I am pleasantly surprised. I did not expect the small v-twin to make me smile so much. It isn't "powerful" at all, but it has just the right power in the right places for commuting. Highway, not so much the focus of this bike, but it didn't really complain at an indicated 75mph for awhile. The handling is really quite fun for a cruiser styled bike, and the brakes, I felt, were quite good for it's setup. I would prefer a disc rear, but the front has plenty of stopping power and a friendly initial bite. The one thing that concerns me is the valve adjustment intervals. But that seems to be on par for most air cooled bikes of this displacement, but this is a show stopper for me. I don't like the idea of having to do all that maintenance at every oil change interval. The stock exhaust sound is also very pleasing. Overall, I always jump at the chance to take a ride on it. It is just fun.
Any bike is what the rider makes of it. You call the brakes garbage, I find they work just fine. I've ridden the exact same bike for over 6 years and I love it. I've had much larger bikes in the past and I've found I can basically do the same things on my current bike, a 2014 Yamaha Vstar 250, I could do on them. I believe your problem is a lack of experience and a negative attitude. If you find the brakes lacking, simply think further ahead or ride a little bit slower. Remember, the rider makes or breaks the bike. Ride safely Brother. Q
I just purchased a 2018 Yamaha V Star 250 from RideNow Austin, Tx and these are rare entry level bikes. I believe the cycle fit me better than similar bikes. I’ve taken a MSF course on a HD Streetbob and this Yamaha is a more comfortable bike. Thanks for sharing your review.
Joshua, great review. I had a look at one of these the other day, it's my first road bike so the dealer here in Australia suggested get the 250 and maybe after 12 months get the 650. I used to ride off road for years and the urge now to get back to riding is something I think about every day
Hey Jim thanks for watching! It is a great bike. Sadly, I'll be selling come spring time : ( This motorcycle has been incredible. Safe riding my friend.
This is a very good review, new riders out there. Last year I was buying a sightseeing bike that was better matched to my daughters Rebel (not the new one). I ended up buying a CB250 Honda Nighthawk primarily because they had the same motor. This Vstar was also my top choice, but a dealer had an immaculate Honda 9 yr old low miles for the right price a guy traded in to buy a big cruiser. The brakes. I don't know for sure, but with simple cable brakes on 250s I tend to feel the front drum is more responsive than the cable single front disk. Rebel has a single front disk, Nighthawk has a good sized drum. I can stop faster with my bike than my daughter's, and both are in excellent repair. I also found the VStar and Suzuki 250 cruisers a bit underbraked. He is fully right with the gears. The VStar has good HP and a lot of low end torque, thus very jumpy and harsh in low gears like a work truck. The higher gear modification will make it more smooth like the lower performance Honda with the smaller motor. The instrument also looks better than the Honda if not riding the bike, but the Honda Nighthawk two instrument cluster and center ignition is better for the rider in all lighting. The Rebel, is about the same as the Yamaha or Suzuki with one clock, and small indicators bulbs. All these bikes have simple gear shifts and get a bit clunky in the 2 through neutral to 1st. They are a pain to get into N while the motor is on and the gearbox is hot. Easy when off. I often notice 1st will take a hard stomp at times if not shifting down at about 5mph. It may fight you a bit at a dead stop. 2-5 is always easy. Clutchless shifting works fine on those speeds with a good ear for rev matching. Oh that tank is awfully small. The Nighthawk had a 4.5 gal tank with reserve. At 90mpg (yeah I get that too on country roads at 50mph avg) easily 360 miles, but I tend to stop and fill after about 3 gal myself. My loop rides are often 130 to 200 miles three or four hours. The smaller tank is sufficient for that. Hope this helps the new buyer. I've had many different bikes since 13 and that was more decades ago than I like to remember.
Thanks for the nice words and def agree with everything you have to say! Really wish the V-Star had that bigger tank, oh what a difference it would make! Alas, it doesn't. Still a great first bike as are many out there on the market. The most important thing is to be safe. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Wonderful review. Nice job. I have a 2013 Vstar 250, love it. I just recently finished the motorcycle safety training course, best money I've spent in a while. I agree, very beneficial.
Josh ................ I'm just the opposite story, almost 75 and got my first bike, a 1941 H-D 74 when I was 14 years old for $200. I've been all over the spectrum since then, used to flat track and race TT on Nortons in the '60's, retired on a Virago 750 in the 90's (hated that bike because of the sucky starter) and finally settled on a Suzuki 1400 Intruder 6 years ago. Now approaching old age and I just don't have the muscle power to keep the Intruder shiney side up, so I sold it a couple of days ago - sniff, cry. I'm looking at something to last me until I take the long dirt nap and the Yamaha 250 looks like just what I need. Thanks for your great video! The local shop has a 2014 Pearl White for $3,250. I'm going to offer them $2,850. I'll be happy at $3K. Rich - Gig Harbor, WA
The Yamaha was great for a while, but after I had a stroke I didn't even remember to renew it's license. I'm all recovered now, except for being older and weaker. If I wait for another month I can renew the Yamaha license for a full year, so what to do in the meantime? Why, buy a 1981 Honda CM200t Twinstar with 7K miles on it, of course. License it with a collector license plate (good forever) and restore a great looking bike as new!
been shopping for a commuter style cruiser small yet with pep and i can honestly say i do love the Yamaha V Star 250....... think I have found my next toy :)
The front brake on my 1995 stops me on a dime, maybe the quickest stops I've ever made. Squeeze that lever. Gear ratio change is a must. Now it's a dream.
I've got to squeeze mine really, really hard to stop quickly even with brand new brake pads. (Same year.) For normal stops it's not a problem but it can get annoying if I'm focusing on it.
Respect from greece my friend we have the same bike and what you saying is olmost what i have to say for this great bike my virago is 1990 model still alive and fresh very attractive motorcycle .
Love your bike and great review too. I had a 2004 250 Virago....almost the same. Fantastic little bike topped out at 140 kph. and got 80 mpg. Loved it. Enjoy the ride and safe riding!
Looks like a very cool 250! I've just bought a Yamaha RX-S 100 for when i turn 17 in a couple of months, and have just been browsing what other slightly bigger bikes i may want in a couple of years. And I've gotta say, this bike looks absolutely great!
I was browsing Yamaha's page, and once I saw that the V Star 250 was actually a V-Twin, I just had to see what it sounded like. I have to say, I'm really impressed. It seems to capture a lot of the typical sound of a much larger cruiser. Really makes me wonder what would happen if Yamaha were to come out with a midrange model, something around 500-650cc. Also, I realize this video is almost three years old now, but have you considered putting braided brake lines on the bike? That can help a lot with strengthening braking performance on many bikes, just by helping to alleviate the lines swelling when under pressure.
A good call with the braided lines. Unfortunately I did sell this bike to upgrade to something a bit larger. With that said, you're right about the V-Twin sound. I think it's better at idle and lower speeds when you get that typical resonance, versus at high speed when this bike starts to sound like a lawnmower. Haha. But, overall given the price, quality, size and handling characteristics they did a really nice job building a beginner bike that doesn't feel, look, or sound like a beginner bike! Thanks for watching and safe riding!
Hey, no problem! Cruiser style bikes aren't really my thing, but it's still neat to check out all the entry level options out there. It just really caught my attention, because i can't think of any other modern bikes from the major Japanese players that have multi cylinder engines in that size range. They all seem to be moving to single cylinder thumpers.
There are actually 125cc V-twins for sale in europe, some of which have liquid cooling and fuel injection! This V-star has neither. Hopefully Yamaha will update it with at least fuel injection soon. America misses out of plenty of cool bikes with small engines, they just don't sell here. But In 15 years when the first fuel injected Honda Varadero 125 is 25 years old, i'm importing the shit out of one. Little multicylinder engines are just too cool. Unfortunately modern trends are going away from more cylinders..
The V-Star name should really be reserved for the third generation Yamaha cruisers, this is a (second generation) Virago 250 in the video, and the Virago series include 125cc, 250cc, 535cc, 750cc and 1100cc bikes. The first gen was the Midnight Special, which was a 650cc bike if I recall correctly. The (actual) V-star 250 has significantly better breaks, if I assume correctly from the break pad size comparison, it has a dual cylinder caliper.
Ahhh, this one brings back memories. I had the 2016 build. same pearl-white ...... threw some bags, a sissy bar and a window on her though. My Sis has it now, and I'm riding a 2019 Bolt, ... still stock :). Stay Safe.
The bolt is a nice bike! Glad your v Star got a lot of use though. I sold mine to pay for other expensive hobbies LOL but I'll be getting back to riding soon. Ride safe my friend and thanks for watching
I ride this bike - my biggest complaint is that I wish the cluster would remind you which gear you're in! I agree with the rest of the review, great looking bike that's fun to ride!
True true, as a beginner bike that might be a nice feature, but interestingly enough you tend to only find that on the higher end models. Oh well. Thanks for watching, and ride safe!
I bought this bike for learning and i love it but i out grew it after 6months i wish i got a bigger bike especially for the freeway. Love it but wish i got bigger and not many accessories or mods you can do on it since its so small.
Yeah def a beginner bike, and highways aren't pleasant for sure! I'm dropping the rear sprocket to 43 tooth in hopes of upping the gearing even more. That'll give me one more season with it.
Best review of this bike I've seen. Been riding for a few years now. Had a 500cc Honda Ascot VT (amazing bike BTW), I now have my little 125 Zuma :P (more fun and practical than people think - or give credit to) and have been looking at this 250 V Star the entire time... Not on the fence, just saving some cash ;)
Sick of people saying smaller bikes are beginner bikes. I love smaller bikes, and I’ve been riding for years. I’ve ridden 1200 sportsters, 1100 shadows, 650dual sports, all kinds of bikes. Right now I’m on a crf230l, love it. It’s not a fast bike, but it’s super easy to throw your leg over it, move it around, great on gas, I get about 75mpg. I’m looking at a vstar now because it’s cheap, great on gas and I don’t go off the pavement much these days, so a little commuter street bike would be nice.
Great review...was initially looking at the 650 cruiser as my first bike, but after doing the pre-learners weekend course here in Australia just redently, I am going back to my original plan of getting a 250. Thanks for the honest objective review...much appreciated! Safe riding...
I saw one of these at the dealership used. It was nothing nice to look at and had quite a bit of rust. But I sat on it and it felt like it was custom made for me. I should have test rode it. I will definitely keep my eye out for one without rust.
I am a new rider, buying this bike is the greatest best thing that I have done within the last year as I continue to learn to ride. The more I ride the better I get. It is a 2011 Yamaha XV250 Virago.
That's awesome! It's a great bike for beginners, but you can get a lot of life out of it with a bit of work. The gas mileage is incredible and very little mx! Safe riding friend!
Agreed! Though I've never ridden a Harley I have ridden much larger bikes and I still find myself loving this tiny little v Star. A testament to the engineering behind it! Thanks for watching and ride safe my friend!
@@brooklawnb12 hi, nice review. I just purchased a 2019 V-star 250 And love it, but I thought it was just me that had trouble with the first gear being so low. Did you only change the 16 tooth sprocket to a17 tooth sprocket, and leave the 45 tooth sprocket alone? If so, that would be great because I could probably get that done for me fairly cheaply. Thanks for the information!
@@grayson1946 correct! I know a lot of people also dropped the size of the rear sprocket but I was unwilling to make that kind of investment honestly. I found that just the front sprocket was more than enough to make it a much more rideable bike! Glad to hear you're enjoying it, safe riding my friend! And thanks for watching!
@@brooklawnb12 Thanks for answering! That’s good news. I’m going to do just what you did. Should save me a lot of money. The trouble with the stock first gear is you can only go about 3 miles an hour before you have to shift! Half the time I can’t make it around the corner without shifting! 🤣🤣🤣
@@grayson1946 exactly right! Where I live in Jersey it wasn't the worst on the nice country roads, just sort of an inconvenience. But when I tried going on to the highways with my fellow Jersey drivers it was downright suicidal lol might as well have been riding a lawn mower into battle. Lol
dude this is probably one of the best if not the best review of a motorcycle I have seen in a while, simple straight to the point and no listing the specs garbage that people tend to do when I can just look them up online. This is great congratulations.
It's a great bike! The design is rather impressive given not only the price point but the fact that this is an entry level motorcycle. Safe riding, thanks for watching!
Good review! First thing I did with mine, was gear it up. WAY better. I get 100 mpg out of mine, taking it easy. That's an Imperial gallon, though....I'm in the UK.
Thanks! I plan on keeping it for another season and probably switching from the 45 tooth to the 43 tooth rear sprocket. I think that will do an even nicer job on the highways around here where people drive like madmen! I also rigged up a USB charger for my phone so I can use it as a GPS. But other than that its all stock. thanks for watching!
Very well done video on this bike. Great job. No BS but with a bit of humor. My manager at work has a girlfriend who wants to get a bike, she's a new rider and I'm suggesting this bike and this video for her to watch. Thanks.
Thank you for the nice comments! I tried to keep this on the lighter side while also being informative. Hope that person finds a good bike like this one. Thanks for watching and ride safe!
Great video. I just bought one of these. It's my very first bike and I love it. I have looked in to the brakes. EBC has a set of front pads for it that I'm seriously looking in to. I agree, they are a bit on the gooey side. Thanks for the tip on the front sprocket. I'm gonna look in to that as well. Keep her in the wind.
Glad you enjoyed the video, it really is a great bike. I'm hoping to upgrade the rear sprocket this summer to extend this bikes life. I mean, it's a first bike for sure...but I don't feel the need to not keep it for at least a few seasons. And if you go up to 17 teeth on the front and down to 43 on the rear, you'll have the same chain length so it'll put the rear tire back where it was. I feel like right now I'm constantly tensioning the chain. But a small price to pay for increased fuel mileage and rideability! Enjoy the V-Star, and let me know if you end up getting those new brakes!
I own one of these, and concur about not seeing the instrument cluster @ Hitting the turn signal occasionally because I can't see the indicator. Other than that, I have no real complaints about it, I don't mind the brakes compared to my Chinese Kymco K-Pipe 125. I can say that my replacement tires (Pirelli Route 66) are rather horrible winter tires compared to stock. They were fine for summer tires though.
Good information on the tires thanks for sharing! And yes this bike definitely will give you some PTSD about turning off the indicator LOL. Happy and safe riding!
150 miles = 240 Km which is plenty for me. Getting a 2020 silver model this week :) first vehicle I've ever even had..being poor sucks so glad this bike new is $5,800 OTD.
Thanks for the great review. The v-twin exhaust was what caught my eye initially. Too bad on the cheesy semi-fake upper exhaust although for me, the biggest negative is the carburetor which will need to be cleaned and rebuilt if the bike sits too much, which for majority of owners will be the case. I'd gladly pay more for fuel injection to avoid this.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Yeah, having a carb is a bit dated but of course they're just trying to keep the bike simple and cheap too. Safe riding and thanks for watching!
Hey Josh, As usual your advise is right on point. Went to a 17 tooth sprocket. It is like a whole new motorcycle. Rides great even up to 80 mph. You are the man! Now looking for a windshield for the cooler months. Thanks. Doug
So glad you like the upgraded sprocket! I just switched out the rear too, went from 45 to 43 because you don't have to change the chain. It lost a bit of oomph on the highway esp going up hill, but it dropped the RPM'S about another 9% which is awesome. Easily take it over 90 now. I thought about a windshield, but I really enjoy the air. Often ride with my visor up just for more air. But yeah, gonna be chilly soon here in Jersey! Safe riding!
Great video! We have a Kymco Venox 250 right now, but I am really looking at a sweet Yamaha Star they have at our dealer here for a really great price, and I had never seen one before. I am short, so I can't really handle a bigger cc bike.. Your video has pretty much convinced me that the Star would work out great. But yeah, I'm gonna have to replace that sprocket on her! Thanks!
Excellent review! You really did a thorough job explaining all the pros and cons there. I am looking into getting one as an alternate to my Shadow 750 since I recently moved to the city from suburbia. And I second your endorsement for the rider safety course. I've been riding for 7 years and there are still lessons from that course that go through my mind every time I'm on my bike. Definitely saved me many times as well!
+Rob Behler (JackieTheTruck) I wasn't a believer until I took the course! I figured at first that it was an easy way to zip through the process and get on the road. But, sure enough, those lessons are still fresh in my mind. Thanks for the nice comments, good luck with your purchase if you go for it. I can def see the advantage of a 250 over a 750 in the city. And it is a zippy little bike for that purpose!
Mate that is a great review/video. Heaps of good info and its clear you actually know your bike unlike some people who do a review after only 150 kilometers :)
Thanks for the kind words! FYI I just changed the rear sprocket too: from a 45 to a 43 tooth. I didn't think the bike could get better, but it did! Up until a few weeks ago I was hell bent on selling the bike (for I had felt I might have outgrown it) and getting a new Triumph. But not now. Going to definitely keep it another year! Still waiting to see if the fuel mileage went up again with the sprocket swap. Thanks for watching!
I bought this (my first bike) a few months back. I'm loving out so far but I'm sure I'll upgrade by my 1 year mark just so I can do better on the interstate.
Yeah highway riding on it really isn't pleasant. Even with the gearing change, it's so light that you really feel the resistance from the wind. For back roads though, amazing bike! Safe riding my friend!
Anyone regearing one of these you dont want to go from 16/45 to 17/40. When your in 5 on the highway its too low. Do like Josh and just put a 17 on the front. There is an online motorcycle calculator and if you go beyond 14% your 21hp wont pull 5th on the highway. I just did 16/42 and it was enough. About the same as Josh's 17/45. Josh's is way easier
Great video...best I like is honest comments...first I thought you were a Yamaha salesman, but after few more comments I notice I was wrong...safe riding!
Good Video, pleasant narration. You have captured the feeling of the ride from 0 - 60 well. And the other things like brakes etc. I have had larger bikes years ago but find this quite agile as it doesn't overwhelm me with weight. Highway riding is no problem as I just adjust and plan ahead for events on the road that require max power. Every year I think of going bigger but then I go for a ride and think no its just too much fun and supplies me with all I need for motorcycling
+Steve Coe Thanks for the nice comments! It is a great bike and I'm going to make highway riding even nicer next spring by going down to a 43 tooth rear sprocket to drop the RPM's even further. It'll be a sad day I retire this bike, it is a wonderful motorcycle! Thanks for watching!
+Joshua Weinstein (runwaysandrails) True. I had changed my front sprocket to 17 tooth. Acceleration is a bit more sluggish but now I can ride 60mph easy.
+coyote102076 Thanks man! Totally agree about the exhaust. I considered it...BUT....I don't know, at the end of the day I'll drop the gearing a bit more by replacing the rear sprocket and maybe change a couple of other accessories. I suppose I have to live with the fact it's a 250. Haha. Thanks for watching.
I've had 250s and I've had bikes well over a 1,000 CC. Right about the time I had my first Harley I also had a Ninja 250 for daily commuting. There's something really cool about all bikes. I've been wanting to get another low displacement bike for a High MPG daily commuter and I've been thinking about this or the Rebel 300.... or maybe a CBR 300.
It's a perfect first bike, no doubt. Great handling, very forgiving. And when you inevitably ding it up a bit (and you will lol), you won't feel like you hurt a 20k bike! Best of luck and safe riding!
Hi Joshua,nice review! It was well detailed. I'm really considering getting my first motorbike soon and this seems like an interesting choice if I do say so myself! Greetings from Ireland
Greetings from New Jersey! It really is a great bike. You would think I'd be tired of it by now, but I keep finding new ways to enjoy it. It's versatile and a decent looker for such a small cc bike. I wish you the best of luck with your first bike. Thanks for watching and safe riding!
Back in the 60s a 250cc was a fairly good size bike. The biggest Honda was a 450. Gas was a quarter a gallon or 33 cents a gallon for 100 octane. (Premium)
Your shifter is hooked up incorrectly on the spline shaft. There is a dot on the end of the shaft that needs to be aligned with the opening of the clamp. This insures the push/pull rod is at a right angle to the shaft optimizing the shift
So exhaust will come out of both, but the top one has exhaust ducted into it from an assembly just behind it. The easiest way to tell is to look at the rear cylinder and see if the chrome pipe connects to it. I should have gotten a picture of it for the video from the other side, but it essentially just dead ends. The real pipe is black and it runs down to that aforementioned assembly. Honestly, it's not a huge deal cause exhaust still comes from both pipes. Just something that will always be there in the back of your mind.
Not really a fake exhaust just chrome sleeved the front exhaust is the same only being in view they made a tidier job of it. Reason is to stop blueing of the chrome and makes the pipes look more meaty as the inner pipes are quite small bore on a 250. They do the same on my Moto Guzzi V7lll special it keeps em looking nice.
Nice video, I have the same bike in black a 2010 build. Coupla points, the mushy front brakes could in fact be the mushy front suspension, standard these things dive way down under front braking, so much that you sub conscientiously let go the brakes a bit, I have gone up to 15 weight fork oil and also added 6 mm of pre-load shims on top of the springs. This tightens up the front quite a bit and I can make it squat right down on the front tyre now under heavy brakes without it feeling like the wheel is falling off. There is also something odd with your gear shift linkages, factory setting should have both the front and rear shift rod joints in a vertical position with the lever at rest if that makes sense. Running synthetic 10W 40 oil the shifting on mine is now perfect. I'm going to get a 17 tooth sprocket and try it out, sounds like a simple mod to get rid of some of the revving which does get a bit old after an hour on the highway. Have to agree with you these are great small bikes, it's more fun riding a small bike hard and fast than riding a fast bike slow. Cheers Ray
+whorayful Thanks Ray for the suggestions, I think tightening up the front fork might certainly help out as like you said, it's a bit mushy. As for the linkages I'll pay attention to them when I uncover the bike in the spring, damn winter is really cramping my riding habits! And def go for the 17 tooth sprocket. What a difference it makes. I"m thinking about dropping the rear to a 43 tooth this spring as well, should be about another 11-14% reduction in RPM's. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for showing the gas filling. I was wondering if it stops when the fuel tank is full or you have to visually check and fill. It seems like you have to watch the gas.
The fake exhaust is actually a feature! It is there to make sure you replace it with a much better sounding real exhaust system. The best sounding ones I've heard is the straight pipes with slash cut ends and a small baffle in each, from West Eagle Exhausts. (baffles sold separately). Thing is, Virago's are hands down the best sounding V-twins under 1000cc. I'm saving up to buy a 250 soon, simply because of the great sound and good looks. I'll order the replacement plumbing at the same time.
great review, I am looking at this as well as Royal Enfield INT 650 for my first bike, wasnt sure if 250 has enough power but for the price this looks like an amazing beginner bike. Also shout out to suburban NJ!!!! 908 for life babyyyy
If I had enough money i would deffo go for INT 650, it is a way more modernized bike compared to V-Star. guess you’ve picked up yours rn, so doesn’t matter any way haha. have fun bro
Thanks Joshua---you were encouraging all along. Cannot tell you how many people advised "get a bigger bike," but who were not familiar w/ the V-Star 250. I stuck to my plan, and found a garaged, one-owner bike, no damage, 7k miles, w/windshield. Good test drive by very experienced MC pal. Needs a new battery. Cannot wait to get started. YES--will take MSF course, after some parking lot training by my friends. THX
Glad you stuck to your plan! Totally worth it with that bike. You won't be disappointed! Maybe I'll be seeing your review of the 2012 V-Star on youtube in the near future! : )
00:01 Bike Walk-Around
3:46 Exhaust Sound
4:10 Test Ride
5:16 Full Throttle Acceleration
6:59 Final Thoughts
+Joshua Weinstein (runwaysandrails) Hey mate, really well done video, really enjoyed the editing and commenting style.
I'm a new rider as well and something i've come across in my internet travels is a method of making the gear changing smoother. I noticed in your video how you where unhappy with the clunky behaviour of you gear box and also noticed how you change gear; in that you decide to change gear, cover the clutch and then move your foot down to the shifter.
To make it smoother, try preloading the shifter with your foot before pulling in the clutch, it should simply flow into the next gear instead of clunking.
By preloading I mean only lifting your foot into the shifter slightly, and then pulling in the clutch, it should require way less effort to shift up and will be a lot smoother.
Happy riding.
+zupunus Hey man thanks for the really awesome suggestion! I'm def going to try this. My car is a manual trans and some days I swear it just shifts differently based on temperature or who knows what. Ghost in the machine perhaps. It's 70 here today too, but raining. What a shame or I'd be out right now riding. Thanks for watching and for the tip! Merry Christmas.
Hey Josh, when you put in taller gearing did you have to re-calibrate the speedo? Thanks!
Daniel Vieau Hey Daniel, the answer is no because the speedo is connected to the front wheel. Thanks for watching! BTW, just ordered a 43T sprocket for the back wheel, gonna drop the RPM's another 7-10%. Should be nice!
Joshua Weinstein Thanks
Finally, a mature, sane, un-testosterone-soaked, HONEST eval of a motorcycle...Kudos on all that, and your handsome bike. Ride On !
blusnuby2 haha thanks very much! Ride safe my friend!
Yeah it's nice when people just accept the motorcycle for what it is. These 250s are good looking bikes and alot of fun. If you parked one of these next to a Sportster, most people wouldn't know the difference
WOW! 60k views. I'm really happy that this video has helped people make a decision on the V-Star. It's certainly convinced me that videos like this from actual riders/users of vehicles/products/services empower consumers in this day and age and allow us to make informed choices. Thanks again!
thanks for the in depth review man. I live out here in Chicago and the basic rider courses start in feb looking forward to learning more about the motorcycle life and will look into a v star.
"and you gotta love it's super manly horn" lol. That cracked me up
364k views now.
I was about to buy a 1200 XL HD Sporster as my first bike, but after riding it a few blocks, I couldnt cope with the huge size, the vibration and the classic noise from its big motor... some days later, I found this V Star 250 and I fell in love with it immediatly: it has a nice look, decent motor size, no vibration, no annoying motor sound, affordable price and nice gas mileage... even though it is a small bike, still catches several looks by just riding it around my neighborhood ! Such a shame that the speedometer is almost useless due to its inconvenient placement, most the chromed parts are not metal made of, and no branding visible at first sight... also the steering bar was cooler before they changed to this smaller one, apart from that, I´m happy with my bike! :)
Well i disagree the 1200 is a better motorcycle but they also dont make them anymore. This is better on fuel economy.
Bought mine in 2016 when I had such a hard time finding parts for my 1976, Yamaha XS 360. My inseam is only 26" so sitting on a bike to where I can get my feet flat on the ground is huge! I had to modify the seat on my old bike by carving it out and sewing a new cover for it. Then I lowered the shocks as low as they could go. Still, had to tippy toe the ground when I stopped. I was in the dealership, saw this, sat on it, and bought it right then and there. It doesn't have the power of my 360, and I miss that, but it is comfortable to ride and does what I need it to do. Not sure about taking it on the highway because it is so light. For rides through the woods and country roads, it's prefect.
Agreed! It's definitely a great country road bike. And I'm not very tall myself so I definitely found the low seat height appealing. Where it lacks in power it makes up with ease of handling and certainly cost. Safe riding and thanks for watching!
Nice bike. I have a 1990 version. It's fun to ride around the country back roads but I've never changed the low gearing so stay away from the 70 mph zones. I've had mine 22 years, super dependable and easy maintenance. I have other bikes but it still gets ridden often.
That's awesome! Glad to hear after 22 years it's still going! Safe riding and thanks for watching!
Friend, I have a V-Star 250, from 1997 (in Brazil it is known as Virago). And it's impressive to see that mine (1997 and yours 2014) are identical, except for the arrow indicator panel, high light and neutral. Here in Brazil we "suffer" with this bike's carburetor and gas pump, but after so many years Yamaha keep them in the US, it gives an image that such parts are really good! But I confess that I don't understand why in Brazil this is a "terror" of this motorcycle.
That's very strange to hear! It's a solid bike with really good long lasting parts especially for it's price. Hopefully it's not too much of a terror down there for you. Safe riding!
I own a V Star 250 just like the one in this video. It's been a very capable, fun, and dependable bike for going on 9 years. Recently, I noticed that upon attaining the speed of around 55 mph, the bike seemed to run out of acceleration. Almost like it was beginning to run out of gas. Turns out, the rubber, y shaped manifold between the carburetor and the cylinder heads was cracked allowing too much air to get into the fuel mixture. After having the piece replaced , the problem went away. Other than a bad choke cable, with only periodic normal maintenance meaning chain,tire, sprocket, and oil filter and oil changes, the bike has performed flawlessly. Sure it's a 250, but after riding much larger bikes over the years, I can do virtually anything I want to do on a bike, with it. I ride this bike year round, and it's my only transportation. I'm of medium build so it fits me well. I appreciate its' easy to handle size as I'm getting older with wore out knees, so I plan on keeping it till it wears out. Thomas Quick aka old skool and I'm just saying. P. S. Run non ethanol in your motorcycles. It saves all the rubber parts in the fuel system.
Thank you for this. You are right with the countless videos out there about all these bikes that everyone recommends for new riders, I've noticed that NO new riders are actually making reviews! It's always someone who has been riding for years.
I got one of these brand new back in 1988, when it was called the Yamaha Route 66. My first bike. Lots and lots of really great memories.
I had no idea they had a name prior to the Virago! That's awesome. They certainly continue to be a great bike. Thanks for watching!
Hey man, my name is Dalton, I'm from Brazil and I've got a 1999 Silver Yamaha V Star that looks brand new despite of the age and that just now reached the total of 25476.2 miles of run and with which I rode 2485 miles on a trip from the south of Brazil to the northeast of it practicaly across the country on the bike, it took me around 8 days because I stopped at some cities for a couple of days and I rode slowly, enjoying the ride at around 55 miles per hour and the bike did just great, didn't give me any trouble, very trustable bike, comfortable even after long day rides like the one I rode for almost 530 miles. This trip was in august 2019 and I really miss long trips on it, it's just amazing. Well, here in Brazil the V Stars are not sold anymore since 2001 if I'm not mistaking and I was looking for videos of the V Star in the USA and found your video which is just amazing, thank you for posting it and since it's been 5 years since you posted this video and it's the first from your channel that I watch, please allow me to ask you if you still have that bike. Thanks again... got a new subscriber to your channel now all the way from BR. God bless man!
Glad you like the video! It has been a while since I posted it and unfortunately I sold the bike a couple of years ago After putting many thousands of miles on it. Like you I found it to be very versatile and could take it on long rides as well. That's too bad that they stopped selling it in your country. I wonder why! I suppose you could import one but it would probably cost a lot of money. if you find out any more details certainly posted here and let the community know. safe riding and happy travels my friend!
Great bike, thank you 👍 I ride on 125 virago and these moments make me so happy 😁
We still watching it thanks a lot for the help I just bought one and it’s my first bike
This was my first motorbike back in 1990, 25 plus years later and their still building them.
they're... not their... their belongs to them, they're is they are .. 🎉 I'm a writer, i can't help noticing... lol i just put a deposit down on one of these v-star 250s...
That bike was sold here in Brazil from 1997 to 2001, named as "Virago 250". I had one. It was a 1999 model. Rode about 20k mi in about two years, from 2000 to 2002. Miss it `til today. It`s an outstanding bike. And about the mufflers, at least in the Brazilian version, the upper pipe was functional. There was a muffler connecting the lower and the upper pipes
It's a 2 cylinder v twin it's real on his as well.
An absolutely great first and last bike
At 76 it’s great to make the tight U-turn in the garage, not for highways but great on twisty back roads ! Love❤ it !
It's a phenomenal bike!!! Thanks for watching! Ride safe!
Congrats on the video. I am from Brazil, and here this motorcycle is called Virago, and mine is year 1995. I bought my Virago a little over a month, and both are very similar, despite the years of difference. Today, my Virago is with 66,000km shot. This motorcycle is great.
Alan Franz it was called the Virago here as well up until I think 2009 or 2010. I guess they really didn't feel the need to change the bike much since it is so good! Thanks for watching and safe riding!
A larger Virago kept me from buying due to high rev in top gear. Didn't think about changing sprockets then. Nice looking bikes. On the 250 what would happen if you went two teeth bigger on the front instead of smaller back also wonder if gearing up would reduce clutch life as am considering same on my Rebel........or getting a yamaha
Hey Josh, after watching your review a dozen times and a few others I took the plunge today. I picked up a '12 leftover with 0 miles with a major discount. Love it so far. My 59th birthday present. Thanks for your great review. Doug
I'm so glad to hear that! You certainly won't be disappointed, it's a great bike. In fact I was going to trade mine in after riding it for two seasons but I enjoy it so much that I picked up a new sprocket for the back 2 drop my RPMs even more and give it a little bit more life. Happy and safe riding!
Nice to find an informative review that gets straight down to business with no distracting music! Thank you from another fellow flyer. Greetings from Ireland.
You're very welcome! Safe riding, and flying!
I learned on the 125cc and loved it. After a period of having sports bikes i now have an xvs 650 (v star) love it.
Hey I watched this review like two years ago when shopping for my first bike, I was going to get a g310s or something and this really sold me on the vstar-- I still have it and ride it along with my VFR and Guzzi now. It's a lovely bike, and it taught me a whole lot about riding and wrenching. Changing the gearing was a huge improvement too. I'm still looking for an airhawk pad or something to make the seat a little more comfortable for long rides. Thanks for this!
I'm so glad! It really is a great bike. Many happy miles traveled on it. I agree the seat is, less than desirable lol. A small price to pay perhaps. May she bring you many more years of wonderful riding!
I think i'll pick one of these up. The fact that its a 250cc v twin is very nice, usually small motors like this are single cylinder.
Yeah it's a great looking bike for such a small engine!
best review ive found in 6 hrs of searching lol
+We Were Once Kings Thank you! Just wanted to offer my insight, glad you enjoyed it!
Joshua Weinstein im taking msf class soon. Trying to narrow down a bike. This helped alot as far as pros and cons
+We Were Once Kings Glad to hear it. MSF course is great. Very enjoyable, and I still ride with some of the people from my class, so def get to know them. Good to ride with people on your level to start. Best of luck!
Nice video. Very informative. My friend just bought a 2012 with only 900 miles on it. I have ridden it over 100 miles and have to say that I am pleasantly surprised. I did not expect the small v-twin to make me smile so much. It isn't "powerful" at all, but it has just the right power in the right places for commuting. Highway, not so much the focus of this bike, but it didn't really complain at an indicated 75mph for awhile. The handling is really quite fun for a cruiser styled bike, and the brakes, I felt, were quite good for it's setup. I would prefer a disc rear, but the front has plenty of stopping power and a friendly initial bite. The one thing that concerns me is the valve adjustment intervals. But that seems to be on par for most air cooled bikes of this displacement, but this is a show stopper for me. I don't like the idea of having to do all that maintenance at every oil change interval. The stock exhaust sound is also very pleasing. Overall, I always jump at the chance to take a ride on it. It is just fun.
Any bike is what the rider makes of it. You call the brakes garbage, I find they work just fine. I've ridden the exact same bike for over 6 years and I love it. I've had much larger bikes in the past and I've found I can basically do the same things on my current bike, a 2014 Yamaha Vstar 250, I could do on them. I believe your problem is a lack of experience and a negative attitude. If you find the brakes lacking, simply think further ahead or ride a little bit slower. Remember, the rider makes or breaks the bike. Ride safely Brother. Q
I just purchased a 2018 Yamaha V Star 250 from RideNow Austin, Tx and these are rare entry level bikes. I believe the cycle fit me better than similar bikes. I’ve taken a MSF course on a HD Streetbob and this Yamaha is a more comfortable bike. Thanks for sharing your review.
Joshua, great review. I had a look at one of these the other day, it's my first road bike so the dealer here in Australia suggested get the 250 and maybe after 12 months get the 650. I used to ride off road for years and the urge now to get back to riding is something I think about every day
Hey Jim thanks for watching! It is a great bike. Sadly, I'll be selling come spring time : ( This motorcycle has been incredible. Safe riding my friend.
This is a very good review, new riders out there. Last year I was buying a sightseeing bike that was better matched to my daughters Rebel (not the new one). I ended up buying a CB250 Honda Nighthawk primarily because they had the same motor. This Vstar was also my top choice, but a dealer had an immaculate Honda 9 yr old low miles for the right price a guy traded in to buy a big cruiser.
The brakes. I don't know for sure, but with simple cable brakes on 250s I tend to feel the front drum is more responsive than the cable single front disk. Rebel has a single front disk, Nighthawk has a good sized drum. I can stop faster with my bike than my daughter's, and both are in excellent repair. I also found the VStar and Suzuki 250 cruisers a bit underbraked.
He is fully right with the gears. The VStar has good HP and a lot of low end torque, thus very jumpy and harsh in low gears like a work truck. The higher gear modification will make it more smooth like the lower performance Honda with the smaller motor.
The instrument also looks better than the Honda if not riding the bike, but the Honda Nighthawk two instrument cluster and center ignition is better for the rider in all lighting. The Rebel, is about the same as the Yamaha or Suzuki with one clock, and small indicators bulbs.
All these bikes have simple gear shifts and get a bit clunky in the 2 through neutral to 1st. They are a pain to get into N while the motor is on and the gearbox is hot. Easy when off. I often notice 1st will take a hard stomp at times if not shifting down at about 5mph. It may fight you a bit at a dead stop. 2-5 is always easy. Clutchless shifting works fine on those speeds with a good ear for rev matching.
Oh that tank is awfully small. The Nighthawk had a 4.5 gal tank with reserve. At 90mpg (yeah I get that too on country roads at 50mph avg) easily 360 miles, but I tend to stop and fill after about 3 gal myself. My loop rides are often 130 to 200 miles three or four hours. The smaller tank is sufficient for that.
Hope this helps the new buyer. I've had many different bikes since 13 and that was more decades ago than I like to remember.
Thanks for the nice words and def agree with everything you have to say! Really wish the V-Star had that bigger tank, oh what a difference it would make! Alas, it doesn't. Still a great first bike as are many out there on the market. The most important thing is to be safe. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Wonderful review. Nice job. I have a 2013 Vstar 250, love it. I just recently finished the motorcycle safety training course, best money I've spent in a while. I agree, very beneficial.
Josh ................
I'm just the opposite story, almost 75 and got my first bike, a 1941 H-D 74 when I was 14 years old for $200. I've been all over the spectrum since then, used to flat track and race TT on Nortons in the '60's, retired on a Virago 750 in the 90's (hated that bike because of the sucky starter) and finally settled on a Suzuki 1400 Intruder 6 years ago.
Now approaching old age and I just don't have the muscle power to keep the Intruder shiney side up, so I sold it a couple of days ago - sniff, cry. I'm looking at something to last me until I take the long dirt nap and the Yamaha 250 looks like just what I need. Thanks for your great video! The local shop has a 2014 Pearl White for $3,250. I'm going to offer them $2,850. I'll be happy at $3K.
Rich - Gig Harbor, WA
I hope to be so lucky and ride as long as you! Keep it up Rich, that's truly awesome!
The Yamaha was great for a while, but after I had a stroke I didn't even remember to renew it's license. I'm all recovered now, except for being older and weaker. If I wait for another month I can renew the Yamaha license for a full year, so what to do in the meantime? Why, buy a 1981 Honda CM200t Twinstar with 7K miles on it, of course. License it with a collector license plate (good forever) and restore a great looking bike as new!
been shopping for a commuter style cruiser small yet with pep and i can honestly say i do love the Yamaha V Star 250....... think I have found my next toy :)
Quite satisfying, indeed. Welcome, new rider!
+monckee Thank you good sir!
i ride a 1992 year xv250 for 22 years, and she never let me down :)
The front brake on my 1995 stops me on a dime, maybe the quickest stops I've ever made. Squeeze that lever. Gear ratio change is a must. Now it's a dream.
I've got to squeeze mine really, really hard to stop quickly even with brand new brake pads. (Same year.) For normal stops it's not a problem but it can get annoying if I'm focusing on it.
Respect from greece my friend we have the same bike and what you saying is olmost what i have to say for this great bike my virago is 1990 model still alive and fresh very attractive motorcycle .
That's awesome man! What a testament to their build quality. safe and happy riding my friend and thank you for watching!
Love your bike and great review too. I had a 2004 250 Virago....almost the same. Fantastic little bike topped out at 140 kph. and got 80 mpg. Loved it. Enjoy the ride and safe riding!
Looks like a very cool 250! I've just bought a Yamaha RX-S 100 for when i turn 17 in a couple of months, and have just been browsing what other slightly bigger bikes i may want in a couple of years. And I've gotta say, this bike looks absolutely great!
I highly recommend! Thanks for watching and safe riding my friend!
Joshua Weinstein no problem, and you too buddy!
I was browsing Yamaha's page, and once I saw that the V Star 250 was actually a V-Twin, I just had to see what it sounded like. I have to say, I'm really impressed. It seems to capture a lot of the typical sound of a much larger cruiser. Really makes me wonder what would happen if Yamaha were to come out with a midrange model, something around 500-650cc. Also, I realize this video is almost three years old now, but have you considered putting braided brake lines on the bike? That can help a lot with strengthening braking performance on many bikes, just by helping to alleviate the lines swelling when under pressure.
A good call with the braided lines. Unfortunately I did sell this bike to upgrade to something a bit larger. With that said, you're right about the V-Twin sound. I think it's better at idle and lower speeds when you get that typical resonance, versus at high speed when this bike starts to sound like a lawnmower. Haha. But, overall given the price, quality, size and handling characteristics they did a really nice job building a beginner bike that doesn't feel, look, or sound like a beginner bike! Thanks for watching and safe riding!
Hey, no problem! Cruiser style bikes aren't really my thing, but it's still neat to check out all the entry level options out there. It just really caught my attention, because i can't think of any other modern bikes from the major Japanese players that have multi cylinder engines in that size range. They all seem to be moving to single cylinder thumpers.
There are actually 125cc V-twins for sale in europe, some of which have liquid cooling and fuel injection! This V-star has neither. Hopefully Yamaha will update it with at least fuel injection soon. America misses out of plenty of cool bikes with small engines, they just don't sell here. But In 15 years when the first fuel injected Honda Varadero 125 is 25 years old, i'm importing the shit out of one.
Little multicylinder engines are just too cool. Unfortunately modern trends are going away from more cylinders..
The V-Star name should really be reserved for the third generation Yamaha cruisers, this is a (second generation) Virago 250 in the video, and the Virago series include 125cc, 250cc, 535cc, 750cc and 1100cc bikes. The first gen was the Midnight Special, which was a 650cc bike if I recall correctly.
The (actual) V-star 250 has significantly better breaks, if I assume correctly from the break pad size comparison, it has a dual cylinder caliper.
they already made larger motor models (400, 535, 650)
Ahhh, this one brings back memories. I had the 2016 build. same pearl-white ...... threw some bags, a sissy bar and a window on her though. My Sis has it now, and I'm riding a 2019 Bolt, ... still stock :). Stay Safe.
The bolt is a nice bike! Glad your v Star got a lot of use though. I sold mine to pay for other expensive hobbies LOL but I'll be getting back to riding soon. Ride safe my friend and thanks for watching
I ride this bike - my biggest complaint is that I wish the cluster would remind you which gear you're in! I agree with the rest of the review, great looking bike that's fun to ride!
True true, as a beginner bike that might be a nice feature, but interestingly enough you tend to only find that on the higher end models. Oh well. Thanks for watching, and ride safe!
Yes. Sometimes i end up in third when i should be in 2nd. I just think the gears on this bike require some getting used to
Almost sounds like a Khan Academy lol
I agree it's a good review. They are one tough bike. Watched my wife put more than 500 miles on her's in my pasture. THANKS for the post.
it's an amazing bike! I have a Yamaha SRV 250 and the engines look almost the same.
I think I found my starter bike! Looks awesome, thanks for the video.
+David DM You're welcome! You won't be disappointed! Sorry the delay in replying, usually better at getting back to comments! Ride safe!
I bought this bike for learning and i love it but i out grew it after 6months i wish i got a bigger bike especially for the freeway. Love it but wish i got bigger and not many accessories or mods you can do on it since its so small.
Yeah def a beginner bike, and highways aren't pleasant for sure! I'm dropping the rear sprocket to 43 tooth in hopes of upping the gearing even more. That'll give me one more season with it.
Best review of this bike I've seen. Been riding for a few years now. Had a 500cc Honda Ascot VT (amazing bike BTW), I now have my little 125 Zuma :P (more fun and practical than people think - or give credit to) and have been looking at this 250 V Star the entire time... Not on the fence, just saving some cash ;)
G420Law well thanks man for the nice comments! We always have another bike in mind don't we? Haha Happy and safe riding my friend!
I’m looking at the newer models, but this review was really well-done! I really enjoyed it!
Glad you enjoyed it! I'd be curious what the difference is would be with the new models. Safe riding!
they are the SAME as the older ones.
Sick of people saying smaller bikes are beginner bikes. I love smaller bikes, and I’ve been riding for years. I’ve ridden 1200 sportsters, 1100 shadows, 650dual sports, all kinds of bikes. Right now I’m on a crf230l, love it. It’s not a fast bike, but it’s super easy to throw your leg over it, move it around, great on gas, I get about 75mpg. I’m looking at a vstar now because it’s cheap, great on gas and I don’t go off the pavement much these days, so a little commuter street bike would be nice.
I have a 230L as well. Great bike. Nice in the city and very good on the back roads.
Great review...was initially looking at the 650 cruiser as my first bike, but after doing the pre-learners weekend course here in Australia just redently, I am going back to my original plan of getting a 250. Thanks for the honest objective review...much appreciated! Safe riding...
I saw one of these at the dealership used. It was nothing nice to look at and had quite a bit of rust. But I sat on it and it felt like it was custom made for me. I should have test rode it. I will definitely keep my eye out for one without rust.
Surprised they were selling one in such poor condition. But yeah they are great bikes. Hope another one comes your way! Safe riding.
I am a new rider, buying this bike is the greatest best thing that I have done within the last year as I continue to learn to ride. The more I ride the better I get. It is a 2011 Yamaha XV250 Virago.
That's awesome! It's a great bike for beginners, but you can get a lot of life out of it with a bit of work. The gas mileage is incredible and very little mx! Safe riding friend!
I been riding Harley's for 20 years and id still like to have this bike lol. They are a total blast to ride and ride hard 👍
Agreed! Though I've never ridden a Harley I have ridden much larger bikes and I still find myself loving this tiny little v Star. A testament to the engineering behind it! Thanks for watching and ride safe my friend!
@@brooklawnb12 hi, nice review. I just purchased a 2019 V-star 250 And love it, but I thought it was just me that had trouble with the first gear being so low. Did you only change the 16 tooth sprocket to a17 tooth sprocket, and leave the 45 tooth sprocket alone? If so, that would be great because I could probably get that done for me fairly cheaply. Thanks for the information!
@@grayson1946 correct! I know a lot of people also dropped the size of the rear sprocket but I was unwilling to make that kind of investment honestly. I found that just the front sprocket was more than enough to make it a much more rideable bike! Glad to hear you're enjoying it, safe riding my friend! And thanks for watching!
@@brooklawnb12 Thanks for answering! That’s good news. I’m going to do just what you did. Should save me a lot of money. The trouble with the stock first gear is you can only go about 3 miles an hour before you have to shift! Half the time I can’t make it around the corner without shifting! 🤣🤣🤣
@@grayson1946 exactly right! Where I live in Jersey it wasn't the worst on the nice country roads, just sort of an inconvenience. But when I tried going on to the highways with my fellow Jersey drivers it was downright suicidal lol might as well have been riding a lawn mower into battle. Lol
dude this is probably one of the best if not the best review of a motorcycle I have seen in a while, simple straight to the point and no listing the specs garbage that people tend to do when I can just look them up online. This is great congratulations.
Thank you for the kind words! Just wanted to keep it simple esp for newbies like me! Safe riding my friend!
Love the look of this bike . would want to purchase this masterpiece .
It's a great bike! The design is rather impressive given not only the price point but the fact that this is an entry level motorcycle. Safe riding, thanks for watching!
Great review, it was this or the Honda Grom for my first bike.
I am going to go this way, keep up the vids.
Tim
Thanks man! Enjoy the bike!
Good review! First thing I did with mine, was gear it up. WAY better. I get 100 mpg out of mine, taking it easy. That's an Imperial gallon, though....I'm in the UK.
Thanks! I plan on keeping it for another season and probably switching from the 45 tooth to the 43 tooth rear sprocket. I think that will do an even nicer job on the highways around here where people drive like madmen! I also rigged up a USB charger for my phone so I can use it as a GPS. But other than that its all stock. thanks for watching!
Very well done video on this bike. Great job. No BS but with a bit of humor. My manager at work has a girlfriend who wants to get a bike, she's a new rider and I'm suggesting this bike and this video for her to watch. Thanks.
Thank you for the nice comments! I tried to keep this on the lighter side while also being informative. Hope that person finds a good bike like this one. Thanks for watching and ride safe!
This little v-twin sounds amazing with a set of straight pipes and a delete of all the air intake system (replace with a single pod filter).
I am considering starting into motorcycle riding and find this a very informative review! Thank you!
You're very welcome! Happy and safe riding and thanks for watching!
Great video. I just bought one of these. It's my very first bike and I love it. I have looked in to the brakes. EBC has a set of front pads for it that I'm seriously looking in to. I agree, they are a bit on the gooey side.
Thanks for the tip on the front sprocket. I'm gonna look in to that as well. Keep her in the wind.
Glad you enjoyed the video, it really is a great bike. I'm hoping to upgrade the rear sprocket this summer to extend this bikes life. I mean, it's a first bike for sure...but I don't feel the need to not keep it for at least a few seasons. And if you go up to 17 teeth on the front and down to 43 on the rear, you'll have the same chain length so it'll put the rear tire back where it was. I feel like right now I'm constantly tensioning the chain. But a small price to pay for increased fuel mileage and rideability! Enjoy the V-Star, and let me know if you end up getting those new brakes!
I own one of these, and concur about not seeing the instrument cluster @ Hitting the turn signal occasionally because I can't see the indicator. Other than that, I have no real complaints about it, I don't mind the brakes compared to my Chinese Kymco K-Pipe 125. I can say that my replacement tires (Pirelli Route 66) are rather horrible winter tires compared to stock. They were fine for summer tires though.
Good information on the tires thanks for sharing! And yes this bike definitely will give you some PTSD about turning off the indicator LOL. Happy and safe riding!
150 miles = 240 Km which is plenty for me. Getting a 2020 silver model this week :) first vehicle I've ever even had..being poor sucks so glad this bike new is $5,800 OTD.
Thanks for the great review. The v-twin exhaust was what caught my eye initially. Too bad on the cheesy semi-fake upper exhaust although for me, the biggest negative is the carburetor which will need to be cleaned and rebuilt if the bike sits too much, which for majority of owners will be the case. I'd gladly pay more for fuel injection to avoid this.
Glad you enjoyed the video! Yeah, having a carb is a bit dated but of course they're just trying to keep the bike simple and cheap too. Safe riding and thanks for watching!
Hey Josh, As usual your advise is right on point. Went to a 17 tooth sprocket. It is like a whole new motorcycle. Rides great even up to 80 mph. You are the man! Now looking for a windshield for the cooler months. Thanks. Doug
So glad you like the upgraded sprocket! I just switched out the rear too, went from 45 to 43 because you don't have to change the chain. It lost a bit of oomph on the highway esp going up hill, but it dropped the RPM'S about another 9% which is awesome. Easily take it over 90 now. I thought about a windshield, but I really enjoy the air. Often ride with my visor up just for more air. But yeah, gonna be chilly soon here in Jersey! Safe riding!
Great video! We have a Kymco Venox 250 right now, but I am really looking at a sweet Yamaha Star they have at our dealer here for a really great price, and I had never seen one before. I am short, so I can't really handle a bigger cc bike.. Your video has pretty much convinced me that the Star would work out great. But yeah, I'm gonna have to replace that sprocket on her! Thanks!
wow thank you for the review man, i gonna consider this bike next time buying a new bike
Sadeepa Alwis you're very welcome! Happy and safe riding
Excellent review! You really did a thorough job explaining all the pros and cons there. I am looking into getting one as an alternate to my Shadow 750 since I recently moved to the city from suburbia.
And I second your endorsement for the rider safety course. I've been riding for 7 years and there are still lessons from that course that go through my mind every time I'm on my bike. Definitely saved me many times as well!
+Rob Behler (JackieTheTruck) I wasn't a believer until I took the course! I figured at first that it was an easy way to zip through the process and get on the road. But, sure enough, those lessons are still fresh in my mind. Thanks for the nice comments, good luck with your purchase if you go for it. I can def see the advantage of a 250 over a 750 in the city. And it is a zippy little bike for that purpose!
Dude awsome vid btw i am planning on buying yamaha virago v250 and im new to riding and this vid is just what i need thx
Glad to hear it! You will not be disappointed! Safe riding my friend.
Mate that is a great review/video.
Heaps of good info and its clear you actually know your bike unlike some people who do a review after only 150 kilometers :)
Thanks for the kind words! FYI I just changed the rear sprocket too: from a 45 to a 43 tooth. I didn't think the bike could get better, but it did! Up until a few weeks ago I was hell bent on selling the bike (for I had felt I might have outgrown it) and getting a new Triumph. But not now. Going to definitely keep it another year! Still waiting to see if the fuel mileage went up again with the sprocket swap. Thanks for watching!
Cheers :)
Nice to know that a sprocket change can make such a big difference.
I bought this (my first bike) a few months back. I'm loving out so far but I'm sure I'll upgrade by my 1 year mark just so I can do better on the interstate.
Yeah highway riding on it really isn't pleasant. Even with the gearing change, it's so light that you really feel the resistance from the wind. For back roads though, amazing bike! Safe riding my friend!
Joshua Weinstein I'm taking a 4 hr trip for Christmas I plan on avoiding the highway completely.
This looks such a cool bike! I have a ZX6R right now but my second bike for some ah-real nice cruising will be something like this!
Jimmy Rad it is great!! Might be selling it next spring though. That'll be a sad day. Thanks for watching and safe riding!
Anyone regearing one of these you dont want to go from 16/45 to 17/40. When your in 5 on the highway its too low. Do like Josh and just put a 17 on the front. There is an online motorcycle calculator and if you go beyond 14% your 21hp wont pull 5th on the highway. I just did 16/42 and it was enough. About the same as Josh's 17/45. Josh's is way easier
i have one, here in Brazil. My first bike and fun is certain.
Without a doubt! Thanks for watching and ride safe!
Great video...best I like is honest comments...first I thought you were a Yamaha salesman, but after few more comments I notice I was wrong...safe riding!
Haha yeah no I don't represent any dealers! Glad you enjoyed the video and safe riding!
Very well done/ Kudos for mentioning the MSF course.
Glad you enjoyed it and yeah, that course is great got to give credit where credit is do! Thanks for watching and safe riding!
New Subscriber. After seeing this review, this Motorcycle moved up to the top of my list for next big purchase. Cool video. Thanks for posting.
You're very welcome! I couldn't be happier with this bike.
Good Video, pleasant narration. You have captured the feeling of the ride from 0 - 60 well. And the other things like brakes etc. I have had larger bikes years ago but find this quite agile as it doesn't overwhelm me with weight. Highway riding is no problem as I just adjust and plan ahead for events on the road that require max power. Every year I think of going bigger but then I go for a ride and think no its just too much fun and supplies me with all I need for motorcycling
+Steve Coe Thanks for the nice comments! It is a great bike and I'm going to make highway riding even nicer next spring by going down to a 43 tooth rear sprocket to drop the RPM's even further. It'll be a sad day I retire this bike, it is a wonderful motorcycle! Thanks for watching!
+Joshua Weinstein (runwaysandrails)
True. I had changed my front sprocket to 17 tooth. Acceleration is a bit more sluggish but now I can ride 60mph easy.
excellent review
Great non sugar coated to the point review.
great VID. Needs a louder more manly sounding exhaust. lol I love that bike in white though. * two thumbs up *
+coyote102076 Thanks man! Totally agree about the exhaust. I considered it...BUT....I don't know, at the end of the day I'll drop the gearing a bit more by replacing the rear sprocket and maybe change a couple of other accessories. I suppose I have to live with the fact it's a 250. Haha. Thanks for watching.
I've had 250s and I've had bikes well over a 1,000 CC. Right about the time I had my first Harley I also had a Ninja 250 for daily commuting.
There's something really cool about all bikes. I've been wanting to get another low displacement bike for a High MPG daily commuter and I've been thinking about this or the Rebel 300.... or maybe a CBR 300.
I'm leaning towards this bike as my first
It's a perfect first bike, no doubt. Great handling, very forgiving. And when you inevitably ding it up a bit (and you will lol), you won't feel like you hurt a 20k bike! Best of luck and safe riding!
ShoestringPilot What about a CBR500R
I have one my self it's wit Vince Hines loud pipes and custom heads on it's a keeper bike. your bike is very nice that's cool 👍👍
Your bike must sound awesome! Agreed it's a great ride. Be safe out there and thanks for watching!
Hi Joshua,nice review! It was well detailed. I'm really considering getting my first motorbike soon and this seems like an interesting choice if I do say so myself!
Greetings from Ireland
Greetings from New Jersey! It really is a great bike. You would think I'd be tired of it by now, but I keep finding new ways to enjoy it. It's versatile and a decent looker for such a small cc bike. I wish you the best of luck with your first bike. Thanks for watching and safe riding!
Back in the 60s a 250cc was a fairly good size bike. The biggest Honda was a 450. Gas was a quarter a gallon or 33 cents a gallon for 100 octane. (Premium)
thanks again going to ride the Hudson route new york this weekend weather permitting
This is a great video. I am thinking to buy a new bike and I can't decide between this one and the Susuki S 40. But I like the Yamaha a lot More.
Both are great bikes! It's a good problem to have haha. Either way when you make your purchase ride safe out there! Thanks for watching!
Your shifter is hooked up incorrectly on the spline shaft. There is a dot on the end of the shaft that needs to be aligned with the opening of the clamp. This insures the push/pull rod is at a right angle to the shaft optimizing the shift
One fake exhaust pipe? Are you sure? My 2009 doesn't have that. Both pipes are functional.
So exhaust will come out of both, but the top one has exhaust ducted into it from an assembly just behind it. The easiest way to tell is to look at the rear cylinder and see if the chrome pipe connects to it. I should have gotten a picture of it for the video from the other side, but it essentially just dead ends. The real pipe is black and it runs down to that aforementioned assembly. Honestly, it's not a huge deal cause exhaust still comes from both pipes. Just something that will always be there in the back of your mind.
Not really a fake exhaust just chrome sleeved the front exhaust is the same only being in view they made a tidier job of it. Reason is to stop blueing of the chrome and makes the pipes look more meaty as the inner pipes are quite small bore on a 250. They do the same on my Moto Guzzi V7lll special it keeps em looking nice.
great bike I have a 2017 model which I enjoy very much.
That's awesome! Were there any significant changes between the 2014 and 2017 model?
@@brooklawnb12 not sure if there were any they look identical
Nice video, I have the same bike in black a 2010 build. Coupla points, the mushy front brakes could in fact be the mushy front suspension, standard these things dive way down under front braking, so much that you sub conscientiously let go the brakes a bit, I have gone up to 15 weight fork oil and also added 6 mm of pre-load shims on top of the springs. This tightens up the front quite a bit and I can make it squat right down on the front tyre now under heavy brakes without it feeling like the wheel is falling off. There is also something odd with your gear shift linkages, factory setting should have both the front and rear shift rod joints in a vertical position with the lever at rest if that makes sense. Running synthetic 10W 40 oil the shifting on mine is now perfect. I'm going to get a 17 tooth sprocket and try it out, sounds like a simple mod to get rid of some of the revving which does get a bit old after an hour on the highway. Have to agree with you these are great small bikes, it's more fun riding a small bike hard and fast than riding a fast bike slow. Cheers Ray
+whorayful Thanks Ray for the suggestions, I think tightening up the front fork might certainly help out as like you said, it's a bit mushy. As for the linkages I'll pay attention to them when I uncover the bike in the spring, damn winter is really cramping my riding habits! And def go for the 17 tooth sprocket. What a difference it makes. I"m thinking about dropping the rear to a 43 tooth this spring as well, should be about another 11-14% reduction in RPM's. Thanks for watching!
Thanks for showing the gas filling. I was wondering if it stops when the fuel tank is full or you have to visually check and fill. It seems like you have to watch the gas.
Yeah it's completely visual. Make sure the bike stays upright to get the most in! Thanks for watching!
Something comfy about the video + narration
Haha glad ya liked it. I've been told I have an airline pilot voice maybe that's why?
Great bikes !!! I'm doing a series now on making a bobber out of one!!!!
That's so cool! Hey if you remember when you finish drop the link here in a comment I would love to watch!
@@brooklawnb12 Here ya g!! th-cam.com/video/c3dMgL02csA/w-d-xo.html
The fake exhaust is actually a feature! It is there to make sure you replace it with a much better sounding real exhaust system. The best sounding ones I've heard is the straight pipes with slash cut ends and a small baffle in each, from West Eagle Exhausts. (baffles sold separately).
Thing is, Virago's are hands down the best sounding V-twins under 1000cc.
I'm saving up to buy a 250 soon, simply because of the great sound and good looks.
I'll order the replacement plumbing at the same time.
if i could go back id get a royal enfield instead
this is the bike we used in the MSF
Yep! Well some of the courses used this bike. It's a good one
Very well done review! Keep doing motorcycle vids
Thank you very much! I certainly hope to do more in the future, thanks for watching and safe riding!
great review, I am looking at this as well as Royal Enfield INT 650 for my first bike, wasnt sure if 250 has enough power but for the price this looks like an amazing beginner bike. Also shout out to suburban NJ!!!! 908 for life babyyyy
If I had enough money i would deffo go for INT 650, it is a way more modernized bike compared to V-Star. guess you’ve picked up yours rn, so doesn’t matter any way haha. have fun bro
not the only v-twin in its class
Just bought a 2012 V-Star----now I must learn to RIDE
Great choice! You'll get there. Def take the MSF class if there is one offered near by! Best of luck and happy (and safe) riding!
Thanks Joshua---you were encouraging all along. Cannot tell you how many people advised "get a bigger bike," but who were not familiar w/ the V-Star 250. I stuck to my plan, and found a garaged, one-owner bike, no damage, 7k miles, w/windshield. Good test drive by very experienced MC pal. Needs a new battery. Cannot wait to get started. YES--will take MSF course, after some parking lot training by my friends. THX
Glad you stuck to your plan! Totally worth it with that bike. You won't be disappointed! Maybe I'll be seeing your review of the 2012 V-Star on youtube in the near future! : )
YES--maybe. I think I have a lot of miles to go before I review anything.
Amazing video. Thanks for all the great info.