Kawasaki Concours Forum

Riding => It's not a Concours - other Bikes => Topic started by: Awaz on September 01, 2011, 09:22:11 AM

Title: Yamaha V-twin
Post by: Awaz on September 01, 2011, 09:22:11 AM
A few days back, I was riding around and saw this cruiser in a parking lot. It appeared to be a yamaha - perhaps one of their v-star offerings (before they got spun out).  I could tell it was older. Perhaps late 90s or early 2000s. I do not know if the owner customized it, but it had a stretched out banana looking gas tank. The back fender curved around the back wheel further down than most motorcycle I have seen. It did not have a fat tire that most cruisers these days do - perhaps a 140. I did not think nothing of it at that time. But it appears my nephew (who took just started riding a 250cc) has a big inclination towards cruisers and already wanting to ride my fatboy. I told him if he gets a 'real' job (he is 18 now) and holds it for 6 months, I will help him with a nice cruiser. That made me think of that motorcycle I saw, that I liked over most Harley Davidson. So, was trying to find out what model was that. I went by the place I saw it, and of course, it is not there anymore. Google is not helping me much as it shows newer v-stars. Also, my guess it was a yamaha

EDIT: A bit more searching shows that it could be Yamaha v-star 1100. Looks like the fender and gas tank are custom though. Wish I had a picture.
Title: Re: Yamaha V-twin
Post by: jayke on September 01, 2011, 11:26:51 AM
Sure it's not an old Virago?  They were the Yamaha cruisers before the V-Stars
Title: Re: Yamaha V-twin
Post by: Jim M. on September 01, 2011, 12:03:37 PM
I agree. it sounds like a Virago.

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-E3spFa8fK8M/Ti0pqAyOuLI/AAAAAAAAAfE/Dg1yngyqB3s/s400/YamahaVIRAGO535.jpg)

Title: Re: Yamaha V-twin
Post by: Awaz on September 01, 2011, 01:08:02 PM
No, it was not a Virago. It was a bit more stretched out. I do not remember it having a skinny tire up front.
Title: Re: Yamaha V-twin
Post by: Cholla on September 02, 2011, 11:58:08 AM
The V-Stars still use the Virago engines. Sounds like what you saw was a custom bike. But the description of the fender sounds like the one on a Honda Rune. Yes, I know, different engine and all, but did the fender look like that?
Title: Re: Yamaha V-twin
Post by: Awaz on September 02, 2011, 01:41:40 PM
It is definitely not a rune. I have come to the conclusion it was probably a V star classic with custom fender and gas tank.
Title: Re: Yamaha V-twin
Post by: Jim M. on September 03, 2011, 11:47:53 AM
Yamaha Raider?

(http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/PhotoGallerys/xlarge/Raider.jpg)

Title: Re: Yamaha V-twin
Post by: zsiska on September 06, 2011, 03:03:20 AM
This is not my Vstar 1100, but it is what I used to fix mine up.  The only real differences between mine and the one in the pic is that mine has hard bags, a Mustang seat, and different aftermarket pipes.  There are tons of things you can do to these bikes.  Here is a link with a bunch of pics.

http://www.vstar1100.com/gallery6.htm (http://www.vstar1100.com/gallery6.htm)