00:01 Bike Walk-Around 3:46 Exhaust Sound 4:10 Test Ride 5:16 Full Throttle Acceleration 6:59 Final Thoughts

@zupunus

8 жыл бұрын

+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.

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

+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.

@DV-cm3tb

7 жыл бұрын

Hey Josh, when you put in taller gearing did you have to re-calibrate the speedo? Thanks!

@brooklawnb12

7 жыл бұрын

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!

@DV-cm3tb

7 жыл бұрын

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 !

@brooklawnb12

5 жыл бұрын

blusnuby2 haha thanks very much! Ride safe my friend!

@pauld.b7129

4 жыл бұрын

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!

@djjohnson9389

6 жыл бұрын

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.

@whysoserious9026

5 жыл бұрын

"and you gotta love it's super manly horn" lol. That cracked me up

@KlingonCaptain

Жыл бұрын

364k views now.

best review ive found in 6 hrs of searching lol

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

+We Were Once Kings Thank you! Just wanted to offer my insight, glad you enjoyed it!

@HoodMelodyFilms

8 жыл бұрын

Joshua Weinstein im taking msf class soon. Trying to narrow down a bike. This helped alot as far as pros and cons

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

+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!

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.

@brooklawnb12

Жыл бұрын

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!

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.

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!

We still watching it thanks a lot for the help I just bought one and it’s my first bike

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.

@brooklawnb12

3 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome! Safe riding, and flying!

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! :)

@TheAnnoyingBoss

5 ай бұрын

Well i disagree the 1200 is a better motorcycle but they also dont make them anymore. This is better on fuel economy.

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...

Great bike, thank you 👍 I ride on 125 virago and these moments make me so happy 😁

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!

@brooklawnb12

3 жыл бұрын

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!

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.

@brooklawnb12

3 жыл бұрын

That's awesome! Glad to hear after 22 years it's still going! Safe riding and thanks for watching!

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.

Quite satisfying, indeed. Welcome, new rider!

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

+monckee Thank you good sir!

Im actually getting ready to buy this exact color and model, when doing the push off start are you already in first with the clutch down? I used to drive a manual car so i sort of have a good enough knowledge with manual transmissions I just wanted to be sure! Thanks in advance!

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 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

@brooklawnb12

7 жыл бұрын

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!

Amazing video. Thanks for all the great info.

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!

@brooklawnb12

4 жыл бұрын

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!

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.

@brooklawnb12

2 жыл бұрын

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!

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

@brooklawnb12

7 жыл бұрын

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.

I’m looking at the newer models, but this review was really well-done! I really enjoyed it!

@brooklawnb12

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! I'd be curious what the difference is would be with the new models. 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!

I am considering starting into motorcycle riding and find this a very informative review! Thank you!

@brooklawnb12

4 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome! Happy and safe riding and thanks for watching!

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!

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

+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!

I think I found my starter bike! Looks awesome, thanks for the video.

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

+David DM You're welcome! You won't be disappointed! Sorry the delay in replying, usually better at getting back to comments! Ride safe!

@jesusfayce

8 жыл бұрын

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.

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

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.

Nice review! Thank you for sharing.

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.

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

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!

Very well done/ Kudos for mentioning the MSF course.

@brooklawnb12

4 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it and yeah, that course is great got to give credit where credit is do! Thanks for watching and safe riding!

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.

wow thank you for the review man, i gonna consider this bike next time buying a new bike

@brooklawnb12

5 жыл бұрын

Sadeepa Alwis you're very welcome! Happy 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.

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

You're very welcome! I couldn't be happier with this bike.

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.

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

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!

Great review especially for a newbie like me ! Thank you !

@brooklawnb12

5 жыл бұрын

You're welcome! Safe riding!

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.

@brooklawnb12

6 жыл бұрын

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!

@putheflamesou

5 жыл бұрын

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

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

@brooklawnb12

7 жыл бұрын

Glad to hear it! You will not be disappointed! Safe riding my friend.

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 :)

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

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

Thanks man! Enjoy the bike!

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!

@brooklawnb12

6 жыл бұрын

I highly recommend! Thanks for watching and safe riding my friend!

@DualShockTree

6 жыл бұрын

Joshua Weinstein no problem, and you too buddy!

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 :)

@brooklawnb12

7 жыл бұрын

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!

@JDMARLO

7 жыл бұрын

Cheers :) Nice to know that a sprocket change can make such a big difference.

Very well done review! Keep doing motorcycle vids

@brooklawnb12

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much! I certainly hope to do more in the future, thanks for watching and safe riding!

This was my first motorbike back in 1990, 25 plus years later and their still building them.

@robertleonard4995

2 жыл бұрын

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...

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.

awesome bike and nice review. I´m looking one of these and this was very helpfull to me. Thanks!!

@brooklawnb12

7 жыл бұрын

Glad I could help! I switched out the rear sprocket too this summer and it got even better! I had high hopes of having this bike for a year and upgrading (c'mon Bonneville!) but honestly, this suits me just fine. Great mileage, fun, easy to ride, and very little mx. Safe riding my friend!

@dimasgozzi642

7 жыл бұрын

God speed to you too and thanks again.

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

@brooklawnb12

7 жыл бұрын

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! Learned a lot about the bike. Have subbed. Thanks

Love the look of this bike . would want to purchase this masterpiece .

@brooklawnb12

3 жыл бұрын

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!

Awesome review man. Real smooth

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

+Mustache_Mel Thanks for watching!

Great review! Really helps with making a choice on a bike - thanks so much!

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

+phoenixrai You're very welcome and thanks for watching! Good luck with your purchase!

Great review and video, very informative !

@brooklawnb12

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks so much! She was a great bike. Ride safe and thanks for watching Michael!

Good review. Thanks for sharing

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 !

@brooklawnb12

23 күн бұрын

It's a phenomenal bike!!! Thanks for watching! Ride safe!

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

@ToGrimmToWin

10 ай бұрын

It's a 2 cylinder v twin it's real on his as well.

Such a beautiful bike

Awesome video, thank you!

Were you able to use the same chain and rear sprocket with the front sprocket swap? thanks for the video.

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 ;)

@brooklawnb12

6 жыл бұрын

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 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.

Good video, lots of information. Well done. Can you tell me which is the fake exhaust pipe? Thank you in advance and have a good safe ride.

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

@brooklawnb12

7 жыл бұрын

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!

it's an amazing bike! I have a Yamaha SRV 250 and the engines look almost the same.

Awesome review! My wife is thinking about getting this bike, I'm glad you talked about the gearing, that will definitely be the first thing I'll change. Is this something you did your self?

@brooklawnb12

6 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it! Sadly no, I did not do the work myself. I know my personal limitations and I'm terrible with handiwork like that. It's terrible. I can tell you that it took the guy about 40 mins to do each one, front and rear and I had it done during oil changes. Made riding the bike a true pleasure. Best of luck!

thanks again going to ride the Hudson route new york this weekend weather permitting

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!

@brooklawnb12

7 жыл бұрын

Haha yeah no I don't represent any dealers! Glad you enjoyed the video and safe riding!

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.

@brooklawnb12

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the kind words! Just wanted to keep it simple esp for newbies like me! Safe riding my friend!

Hey! Great video! Are you still around? After hearing you talking about changing the front spocket, I've decided to try it on mine, so... did you just change the front one? Did it need any other adjustments? I might get a K&N filter as well and see how it goes.

@brooklawnb12

4 жыл бұрын

I sold this bike a little while back for something larger and I did not do the work myself. I know a lot of people are very handy and good with engines and things like that but it's not me lol. I know my limitations and I don't think I could put together a pre-made birdhouse if I tried! I can tell you that it took the person about 90 minutes to do both the front and rear sprocket. He said it wasn't particularly challenging but was tricky enough at some points. I do not recall exactly what made it tough though. I'm sure you can find a lot of KZread tutorials out there however. I wish you luck. Thanks for watching and safe riding!

Thanks for the very informative video :) The only thing I couldn't find anywhere about virago or the V star 250 is how it handles with passenger behind. Is 2up too much for this bike, does it change the ride a lot (in terms of speed, acceleration and going uphill) and most important, does the 2up hurts the suspension?

@brooklawnb12

5 жыл бұрын

Hey thanks for watching my video! so I only rode with a passenger on the back twice and that was for a reason, I found the bike woefully underpowered. Back country roads weren't terrible but it was noticeable going uphill. Highways were nearly impossible to get up to speed on. Due the bikes small size a second passenger was very noticeable as far as handling characteristics were concerned. And for reference the passenger I carried on the back was only about a hundred twenty five pounds and I'm 170.

@nikolaborbandi6070

5 жыл бұрын

@@brooklawnb12 ShoestringPilot Just as I thought. I'm also velterweight (170 lbs) :), so it would be pretty much the same for me. Most of the riding will be daily comuting by myself, but every once in a while I would like to go on a roadtrip with my girlfriend. With everything you have said, it will probably hurt the suspension a little bit. Maybe 535 is better option, since all the mods are basically the same, and it looks as beautiful as this one. After all, it's a virago :)

Beautiful moto, beautiful local.

How is the figment? What’s your height and weight? I’m looking to get once at low cost so wondering what your size and weight for a rough reference

Great review. Thank you.

Great non sugar coated to the point review.

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.

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.

@brooklawnb12

4 жыл бұрын

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 review. I am also in the market for my first bike and this one I like. I just wondered about how tall and heavy you are?

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

+jason sperry Hey Jason, I'm 5'5" (so on the short side) and 175lbs. It's def a good bike for shorter riders, though most cruisers are. I've heard some people say that the bike feels roomier than some others even for taller people though (they specifically mentioned the Bolt when they made that statement). Happy riding!

@godwhomismike

8 жыл бұрын

+Joshua Weinstein (runwaysandrails) Good to know, I am the same weight/height.

love it , and I hope to buy one soon ...thx for your video

@brooklawnb12

2 жыл бұрын

My pleasure! Happy and safe riding!

Great Video. I am planning on a bike for my wife. She is 5' tall. Do you think this bike will fit her? Thanx.

I really liked the review. I've never had a bike in my life, in fact I know just a little about driving motorcycles, but I've always wanted to have a chopper-style one and this one looks great, with all that being said on a scale to 1 to 10 how would you recommend it?

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

+iamkubrick I would probably give it two ratings: As a beginner bike or a bike centered on economy, fuel efficiency, and value I'd give it a 9. As a bike that you could mod out and hold on to for the long term (e.g. a chopper, bobber, etc.) I'd give it a 5. It's very customizable as the V-Star line has a ton of after market products made for it, but the small displacement means limited ability to get the power you'd want for a really fun weekend bike. That being said, I still love this motorcycle. And if you're interested in doing the motorcycle route, take a MSF course. They're cheap and seriously worth it! Let me know if you have other questions. Thanks for watching!

NICE VIDEO MAN !! i just got my V250 , i bought it from a friend and it is my 1st bike , i feel good about this model due the great comments i`ve heard in every vídeo of this bike , only have one question , my bike has a little gas smell coming from the carburator ( as i said is my 1st bike ) , so when i stop the bike y fe el that smell ... is it normal? , cause is not leaking or anything , so i asume that ir should be smelling like that .. and is not a regular smoke smell like The one on the muffler . so what can you tell me about it?

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

+carlos mora Hey Carlos I'm no mechanic so I don't think I can properly diagnose it. It's possible the carb is running a bit rich and there's unburnt fuel entering the exhaust. You'll want to get it checked out because a rich mixture will foul your plugs too. It is a great bike so I hope this is the only issue you ever have with it, happy riding and thanks for watching!

Nice review. That’s some crazy fuel mileage. Do you use a stand for chain maintenance? I’ve heard the pit bull forward facing stand works great for cruisers

@brooklawnb12

6 жыл бұрын

The fuel mileage is nuts. Easily my favorite part of this bike! As for chain mx, nope, I just roll it backwards slowly through the garage lol. A stand would have been much easier! Thanks for watching!

@Monkeybongoes

4 жыл бұрын

@@brooklawnb12 Did the mpg improve after changing the rear wheel sprocket?

@brooklawnb12

4 жыл бұрын

@@Monkeybongoes Yes it did. Most of my riding was country roads e.g. 40-50mph. The rear sprocket helped most over 50mph and I would say I got another 4-5mpg after the sprocket change if you're willing to run those lower rpms all the time. Hope that answers your question!

Thought about getting a shadow 750 but now I'm considering this one instead... awesome vid brotha

@brooklawnb12

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you my friend! I guess it all depends on what you need and your personal skill level with motorcycles. I tend to always be super cautious and since this was my first motorcycle it was absolutely the perfect fit. Safe riding and thanks for watching!

@itsx_1308

4 жыл бұрын

@@brooklawnb12 of course! Well done friend

Very nice video. Did I understand correctly that you changed the front sprocket to a 17 tooth model? Did you do that yourself? How costly? Thanks.

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

+Lou Linn That's correct! I didn't do it myself because while I consider myself well educated, I couldn't build a birdhouse without blowing something up, let alone change out this sprocket (I do however do the reg. mx on my bike like tensioning the chain, etc). Now I have a guy who comes to my house to do the work, and he undercuts the dealership on prices so I'm not sure if the cost would be the same for you, however I paid $300 for the sprocket change, oil change, and tune up (it was after 600 miles and everything had to be adjusted). When I called the dealer they said just the 'tune up/oil change' would be $300, so I feel like I got a good deal! Hope this helps and thanks for watching!

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.

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.

@brooklawnb12

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah it's a great looking bike for such a small engine!

Great review!

+Joshua Weinstein Hey you just helped me make up my mind about my first bike man, thank you so much!! Im new to bikes and well i was wondering how you made the brakes better, and how you were ale to change the gears for smoother high speeds?

@brooklawnb12

8 жыл бұрын

Glad I could help! Well, I haven't done anything about the brakes except to be a bit more mindful of quick stops. Honestly, in the long run perhaps it'll make me a more alert rider. As for the gearing, I swapped out the front sprocket which is a 16 tooth stock gear for a 17 tooth. That was it! You don't have to change the chain or anything. The rear sprocket can be dropped from a 45 tooth to a 43 tooth as well without any chain modifications, but after that you'll need to get a different one because the rear wheel won't have the travel to accommodate it. Before I would go through all 5 gears by 30mph, but now it takes to about 45mph which is a huge difference. Overall, great great bike! I was actually in the process of selling it and decided not to because I like it so much. Going to keep it through this summer and probably sell in the fall. I'll be sad to see it go!

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.

@brooklawnb12

5 жыл бұрын

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!

@InvidiousIgnoramus

5 жыл бұрын

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.

@Daschickenify

5 жыл бұрын

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..

@calysagora3615

9 ай бұрын

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.

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 .

@brooklawnb12

3 жыл бұрын

That's awesome man! What a testament to their build quality. safe and happy riding my friend and thank you for watching!

i ride a 1992 year xv250 for 22 years, and she never let me down :)

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.

@brooklawnb12

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah it's completely visual. Make sure the bike stays upright to get the most in! Thanks for watching!

Now what exactly did you say about the upgraded sprocket? Thanks

Great Video!, one question, how much did it cost you?

@brooklawnb12

6 жыл бұрын

Sorry for the slow reply to your question! I didn't get a notification from KZread. Anyway, I think after taxes and all that jazz it cost me about 4k. Hope that helps!

Love mine!

Well executed video. Very professional.

@brooklawnb12

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Just wanted to present a to the point and fair approach! Thanks for watching and safe riding!

I bought a 2018 V Star 250 last August. Raven Black metallic. I'm going to mod the pipe from the back cylinder to hook it to the upper one and block the rectangular one to the bottom pipe. I've seen one or two owners do that & it sounds better. More rumble. And I really want to raise the speedo up near the handlebars. Rather than at the base of the risers! I have to tilt my head down a tad with my modular full-face helmet to see it. Definitely annoying. And the shifter is way too low for my size 11 boot. The jury's still out on the 17-tooth front sprocket? You have to remember that, whatever you put on the top end, you take off the low end. So, acceleration may suffer?

Good video:) Q: Did you only change the front sprocket? Thanks

@brooklawnb12

3 жыл бұрын

Correct! I never changed the rear sprocket. I know one person who did and while it made the rideability even nicer by really dropping the RPMs at higher speeds, the bike became incredibly sluggish. I do not remember however what sprocket he switched the back to. Thanks for watching and safe riding!

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.

@brooklawnb12

3 жыл бұрын

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

Wow it sounds good

Great vid bro, but how many t on the back sprocket?

@brooklawnb12

7 жыл бұрын

For this video I still had the stock sprocket on the back, which is 45T. I have since upgraded to a 43T on the back which has further dropped the RPM's and I definitely suggest doing it. The 17T front and 43T back is the lowest gearing you can get for this bike without having to change the chain. Thanks for watching!