I hate my new V Star 650 custom

[debbrango]

Hi Ladies,
I'm sooooo freaking depressed.
I had a Virago 250 starter bike for a year which I absolutely loved.
I figured time to move up to something with a bit more power.
V STAR 650, blue flame, beautiful, bought all kinds of accessories for it.
Last sunday , I tried riding it. I sat on it in the store & when it was delivered at my house. well that's a lot different than actually riding it.
IT'S BIG! My husband rode it up to a big lot for me to get accustomed to it.
I got on, it felt fine, 1st gear wonderful, going in a straight line. awesome smooth, then it came time to slow down to turn. not awesome.
it almost went over 3 times on me, but i caught it.
this sunday i'm gonna go try again, it was a bit cold last week.
Normally when I hear the weather say sunny & 60 i can't sleep thinking about going on a ride. now i think god i hate that monster(what i call it).
in the show room i called it BEAUTY.
I'm hoping in about a week of practicing on it, I'll call it Beauty again.
I have a lot of trips planned on it this summer, MAWMR included.
debbie in baltimore

[Ladymx]

Debbie, DONT get discouraged. The 650 is alot bigger and has more weight then the 250. You need to give it some time, to get use to the new bike, which can take up to a month depending on how much you ride. I have had the smae problem with some of my up grade bikes, but with time they have turned out great. As for corners at slower speeds make sure your not hard on the front brake it will pull the front end to the ground. The other thing is the 250 is more forgiving to new riders, then the 650 is. This means any bad little habits you may hve started to do, you will notice on the 650. Like I said to get Discouraged. You will get use to the 650, with a little practice. Hang in there. from this to this in no time

[debbrango]

thanks, i know i'm gonna need time to practice.
and I will. i love riding tooooooooooo much!!

[old-n-slow]

Sorry ladies, had to but in. It's quite common to experience difficulty when moving up to a larger bike. There is an especially large jump from a 250 to a 650. Wait until you get used to that bigger bike. You are going to find it so much more stable on the highway in the wind etc that you will come to wonder how you ever managed to enjoy riding that 250.. Even the move from a 500 to a 750 can be intimidating (with certain models) and that is not as big a jump as from 250 to 650. Stick to slower speeds, back roads and in no time you will be wanting to experience more.

[rnr262]

I had been considering that bike! You're right, it is a beauty. Now, I may wait. (I'm still a few weeks off from my MSF course) Hope you find yourself loving it again soon.

[Rebeccaatthewell]

I started out on a 250 in the MSF course and had an 800 sitting at home waiting for me to ride as soon as I passed the course and had my licence. I was terrified for about 6 months and there were times that I thought I had lost my mind in wanting to learn to ride a motorcycle. (I didn't even know how to shift gears when I started) but it has been over a year now and I am starting to understand what the pull is. The more you ride the better you will get and the more confidence you will acquire. If you have the room to practice (like a deserted parking lot) start with large curves and circles until you feel better about the smaller ones and the faster speeds. Anyway, if you liked the 250 you will eventually love the bigger bike for on the road. So don't give up, I know what it's like to dread facing "the monster" but it will pass.

Becca

[scan]

I'll let Loonette give you the dirty details on this, as it is her story and bike, but she is currently riding a Mean Streak 1600. It is a big big bike and she is a bit of a shorty. She handles it very well. She started on a Honda Rebel 250, jumped to a Honda Shadow 1100, and now is on the 1600. She said the Shadow was hard to deal with in corners and but the 1600 is a piece of cake. You did make a key point though - riding and sitting on a bike is very different. Just to let you know, our experiance was sometimes you have to buy a bike and ride it to find out it isn't the right fit. I lost my butt on a Yamaha FZ6 before I found the bike I really loved. The FZ6 was a great bike, but it wasn't the right bike for me.

[debbrango]

FIRST let me say thanks to all you guys for all the encouragement.
My friend Jay had the bike at his house doing some adjustments & putting on a few accessories for me, including some Jardine Rumblers.
He happened to mention that the "AIR IN THE FRONT TIRE WAS REALLY LOW"!!!! HMMMMMMMMM
Anyway, I stopped over there after work to see my Monster bike, it looked even more beautiful then b4, I was so damn pissed that this bike was so pretty & I wasn't ready to ride it( so I thought).
He started it up & I heard my bike roaring, that was it, I had to learn to ride this freaking thing. He rode it to my house as I followed in my car, the whole time listening to my bike, I love them Jardine's. did i say that already?
Sunday morning came 7:30am, my husband & I got the monster on the trailer & up the mall we went.
I mounted the monster, first gear, second gear & away I went.
Practicing in the lower gears, as slower speeds was my problem.
Well, for some reason I had no problem at all.
I was amazed, why was it the second time I was on the monster so different????
COULD IT BE.....
1) THE AIR IN THE FRONT TIRE WASN'T TO LOW?????????
2) I didn't have a hangover???????????
3) It wasn't freezing out & I didn't have a hangover on a bike with the
AIR TO LOW IN THE FRONT TIRE?????? did I say that too?
Long story short, I rode around about 20 minutes, went over to where my husband was sitting drinking his coffee & said " LET'S GO FOR A RIDE!!!
He said you sure? Yep I am!
We were out all day Sunday & I love that bike!!!!!
Is there a point to this story???
yes, a small point:check the air in your tires!! u bet I will from now on.
thanks again, debbie in baltimore

[Ladymx]

That is wonderful, Im so glad that thing worked out and that your out enjoying your bike. Now it will be hard for your husband to get you off it I bet.

[Lion_Lady]

Hi Debbie!!! Was wondering how you were doing, after you dropped off MCUSA. (MotoGirls has been rejuvenated, by the way).

I just spotted this thread. Glad you're at it again. I'm about to move up myself and I must say I'm getting butterflies. (I 'set down' the sales demo that I borrowed for 4 days. Only damage was to the 'sacrificial plastic.') I pick up my new ride on Thursday. Its an R1150R Rockster... weighs almost 150 lbs more than my little CS. But it is sooo amazing to ride.

We'll have to get together for a ride one of these sunny days.

Pam