Hand/Foot Controls: The Yamaha 950 has a wide handlebar with beautifully crafted risers. The bar is solid with little to no vibes felt through the grips and gives me great leverage while cornering. The levers and switches are well placed for my medium size hands. The oval shaped mirrors are clear and provide amble rear view. The speedo is tank mounted so it’s a bit low to view with my flip-up helmet but the gauge is large with big numbers. It also provides all of the standard warning lights including low fuel, an electronic clock and odometer with 3 trip meters (2 distance meters and 1 fuel meter).
Driver floorboards come standard on the V-Star which I prefer and are forward mounted. The boards allow me to change foot positions for a more comfortable ride. The rubber covers are springy so the boards soak up the vibes well. I do feel some vibes at highway speeds but it’s in no way intrusive. An adjustable heel-toe shifter is also standard. It took some getting used to but now that I’ve ridin’ the bike for almost 900 miles, I couldn’t see riding without it. The brake pedal is large, automotive style which is another plus and the boards are large enough where the controls don’t get in the way.
Seat: The seat has a low profile, hugging the frame. It’s wide enough for us full figured gals and narrow enough where I can almost flat-foot it. It provides decent support overall however I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s an all day tripper.
Long Rides: The longest I’ve ridin’ the 950 is a 30 mile jaunt on mainly back roads through several scenic towns. The V-Star is smooth and responsive with a nice low rumble from the 2-in-1 exhaust. I’d recommend changing the seat and adding pullback risers. My bum started to feel numb by the time I reached home. The handlebar is at the perfect height for me but I’d prefer it closer. As it is, I’m leaning slightly forward to reach the hand controls with my arms nearly straight.
Highway Power/Zip: The 942cc air cooled engine is sweet. The surge of power I get with the twist of the throttle is addictive. It has plenty of power to spare while cruising at 70 mph when you have to pass. And the growl from the exhaust is music to my ears. As I said, I do feel some vibes the higher the speeds get but it’s not intrusive.
Tight Turns: Tight turns with short arms and a wide handlebar is challenging for me but manageable. With practice, I’ll soon master it.
Twisty Roads: The V-Star sweep into corners smoothly and readily. It is one of the lowest bikes around so taking the twisties can be fun or unnerving depending on your riding style. The boards scrape easily if you ride too aggressively but they do tilt up and have replaceable feelers so no expensive parts get damaged. I don’t ride aggressively in turns (straights are another matter ;) but I have scraped the boards a few times.
The sound they make isn’t pleasant but it’s a good reminder to slow down. The suspension is very good and soaks up the bumps quite well.
Wind/Rain/Heat: I have yet to ride in the rain. On windy days, the bike feels solid at 600+ pounds wet. Although it is air cooled, the heat felt from the engine is nominal with some occasional hot spots right at the back of my thighs. Thankfully, I can shift my feet on the spacious boards to alleviate that. The exhaust has well placed heat shields as well for summer stop and go traffic.
Braking Power: The stopping power of the 950 is fantastic. The brake lever does require a firm squeeze though as I use two fingers. The foot brake can lock up as I’ve done it once before in an emergency but it didn’t upset the bike at all and stayed straight.
What I Changed: I’ve had the bike lowered an inch which allows me to comfortably flat foot it. I bought 4” pullback risers but I need longer cables for them to work. Unfortunately, the aftermarket hasn’t caught up yet as longer cables is not readily available for the 950 but it’s not a deal breaker. I’m very happy with the bike.
Driver floorboards come standard on the V-Star which I prefer and are forward mounted. The boards allow me to change foot positions for a more comfortable ride. The rubber covers are springy so the boards soak up the vibes well. I do feel some vibes at highway speeds but it’s in no way intrusive. An adjustable heel-toe shifter is also standard. It took some getting used to but now that I’ve ridin’ the bike for almost 900 miles, I couldn’t see riding without it. The brake pedal is large, automotive style which is another plus and the boards are large enough where the controls don’t get in the way.
Seat: The seat has a low profile, hugging the frame. It’s wide enough for us full figured gals and narrow enough where I can almost flat-foot it. It provides decent support overall however I wouldn’t go so far as to say it’s an all day tripper.Long Rides: The longest I’ve ridin’ the 950 is a 30 mile jaunt on mainly back roads through several scenic towns. The V-Star is smooth and responsive with a nice low rumble from the 2-in-1 exhaust. I’d recommend changing the seat and adding pullback risers. My bum started to feel numb by the time I reached home. The handlebar is at the perfect height for me but I’d prefer it closer. As it is, I’m leaning slightly forward to reach the hand controls with my arms nearly straight.
Highway Power/Zip: The 942cc air cooled engine is sweet. The surge of power I get with the twist of the throttle is addictive. It has plenty of power to spare while cruising at 70 mph when you have to pass. And the growl from the exhaust is music to my ears. As I said, I do feel some vibes the higher the speeds get but it’s not intrusive.Tight Turns: Tight turns with short arms and a wide handlebar is challenging for me but manageable. With practice, I’ll soon master it.
Twisty Roads: The V-Star sweep into corners smoothly and readily. It is one of the lowest bikes around so taking the twisties can be fun or unnerving depending on your riding style. The boards scrape easily if you ride too aggressively but they do tilt up and have replaceable feelers so no expensive parts get damaged. I don’t ride aggressively in turns (straights are another matter ;) but I have scraped the boards a few times.
The sound they make isn’t pleasant but it’s a good reminder to slow down. The suspension is very good and soaks up the bumps quite well.Wind/Rain/Heat: I have yet to ride in the rain. On windy days, the bike feels solid at 600+ pounds wet. Although it is air cooled, the heat felt from the engine is nominal with some occasional hot spots right at the back of my thighs. Thankfully, I can shift my feet on the spacious boards to alleviate that. The exhaust has well placed heat shields as well for summer stop and go traffic.
Braking Power: The stopping power of the 950 is fantastic. The brake lever does require a firm squeeze though as I use two fingers. The foot brake can lock up as I’ve done it once before in an emergency but it didn’t upset the bike at all and stayed straight.
What I Changed: I’ve had the bike lowered an inch which allows me to comfortably flat foot it. I bought 4” pullback risers but I need longer cables for them to work. Unfortunately, the aftermarket hasn’t caught up yet as longer cables is not readily available for the 950 but it’s not a deal breaker. I’m very happy with the bike.
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