Honda Shadow 750 vs Yamaha V-Star 650: help to choose

[InvisibleRider]

Hello everybody,
I am considering to buy my first mid-size cruiser. Both bikes look very appealing to me. Tried both of them and really like them both (surprise, surprise!). I am really stuck now with my decision: which one.

I am 6'2 and 200 lb.
I understand that it's all personal, but...
Please, give your comments on the bikes: riding comfort, fuel economy, handling, maintains or whatever.
Appreciate your help.
Thanks, guys.

[DivideOverflow]

The Shadow 750 is a much better bike in my opinion. The V-Star 650 is a real pig, my 250cc cruiser pulled away from the V-star.... it can barely get out of its own way.

I've ridden a Shadow Spirit 750, and I really liked it (for what it was, I'm more of a sportbike type guy now). It was comfortable enough, handled fine around town, I didn't get it on the highway (it was a test ride). I'm 6'0 and about 235lbs, for comparison. The fuel economy should be around 40mpg I believe.

Honda's have historically cheap maintenance, and great reliability. I just never liked the V-Star series for some reason... Part of that reason being that you can't even change the oil without an oil filter re-location kit on the 1100. The other reason being that the 650 was slower than my 250, and didn't handle as well either.

I'd definitely pick the honda. Also, if you haven't checked out the Vulcan 800 (or 900), you might want to. It is a good bike as well, and I would put that over the Yamaha on my list.

[Scott58]

I looked pretty hard at the Vstar 650 silverado last year and ended up getting the Suzuki S50 (the dealer sold both and they were parked next to each other). I didn't like the feel of the vstar after sitting on the S50 (plus it's heavier then what I like). It had everything I wanted already on it, but in the end I took the S50 and outfitted it the same way the vstar was. Glad i did. Got less money in it and it has alot more power for interstate riding (which I do alot of).

Don't know much about the Honda, but my Rebel is near bullet proof and the quality is equal to if not superior to my suzuki in fit and finish at 1/2 the cost. If I was faced with your decision I'd get the shadow based on the quality of the Rebel.

[celt]

I had a 750 ACE and have ridden my friend's Boulevard C50, and I'd take either of those over the V star.

[MotoF150]

I would pick the Yamaha 650 V Star over the Honda 750 cause of the weight and difference in power, the Yamaha is lower weight and has better 1/4 mile and HP numbers, the Yamaha is easiser to ride and handle, both bikes are not that fast and quick but the Yamaha is faster and it looks better too.

[Tarheel365]

I would pick the Yamaha 650 V Star over the Honda 750 cause of the weight and difference in power, the Yamaha is lower weight and has better 1/4 mile and HP numbers, the Yamaha is easiser to ride and handle, both bikes are not that fast and quick but the Yamaha is faster and it looks better too.

don't listen to this tool. he buys bikes w/o research at all.

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadte ... 0_classic/

http://www.thundermfg.com/store/downloa ... 0vstar.gif

PERFORMANCE
Fuel mileage: 37.2 to 45.0 mpg, 40.1 mpg average
Average range: 172 mi.
RPM at 60 mph, top gear: 4180
200 yard, top-gear-acceleration from 50 mph, terminal speed: 69.0 mph
Quarter-mile acceleration: 15.91 sec., 80.4 mph

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadte ... pirit_750/

http://www.thundermfg.com/store/downloa ... shadow.gif

PERFORMANCE
Fuel mileage: 36 to 41 mpg, 38.9 mpg avg.
Average range: 133 miles
Rpm at 60 mph, top-gear: 3400
200 yard, top-gear acceleration from 50 mph, terminal speed: 69.97 mph
Quarter-mile acceleration: 12.28 sec., 83.9 mph

[Scott58]

12.28 sec 1/4? Not without lots of additional money.

[DivideOverflow]

Shadow Spirit 750
Price: $5999 - Wet weight: 528 lbs. - Engine: 745cc liquid-cooled OHC 52-degree V-twin, 3 valves per cylinder - Fuel capacity: 3.6 gal. - Fuel mileage: 44.0 mpg - 1/4 mile acceleration: 14.83 sec., 86.7 mph

http://www.motorcyclecruiser.com/roadte ... omparison/

Yeah, the 12 sec 1/4 was likely a typo, or the dropped it 1/4 mile down a mountain. But it is definitely faster than the 650... and there is a MAJOR difference when riding them.

EDIT: ALTHOUGH, I just found a link on motorcyclist stating a 12 sec quarter on the shadow spirit in 01. Maybe we need to dig up their 2001 bike and see what the difference is!
Shadow Spirit 750 ('01) 41.4 @ 5750 43.2 @ 3500 11.98 @ 86.7 9.15 523 4/01
http://www.motorcyclistonline.com/performancedata/

[flynrider]

That's gotta be a typo. I've ridden several shadows and none of them were even close to being 12 second bikes. Also, the 86.7 mph terminal speed would lead me to believe the time was a typo.

To the OP, I also would also pick the Shadow. Ride is noticably zippier than the V-Star at the low end and the top end.

[DivideOverflow]

Yeah, but the 12.23 and 11.98 at two different places is very, very suspect. I dunno... The 14.83 sounds very believable, though. That is pretty quick, too. There are a lot of ricers dying to break the 15 second mark...haha.

I saw a head conversion kit with cams a few years ago for the Shadow 750... wasn't able to find it tonight though. But those mods costed about a grand for both, and brought the bike up to 70ish hp and 85 ft-lbs with aftermarket exhaust. I had considered getting a Spirit 750 and those mods when I was looking for my third bike... but I decided to get the VF700 instead. I still wouldn't mind one for tooling around town, though.