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2008 V Star 1300
Just a little bit about why I bought this particular bike.- Fuel injection
- Belt Drive
- Liquid cooled
Those are the 3 top reason I purchased this bike. When I was investigating my purchase this is what I was looking for, a fuel injected belt driven liquid cooled bike to fit my wants.
Now there maybe those out there that may ask why and really there is no fully logical reason other than this is all of the best new technology to go into bikes in recent years. I was looking for something that will last and be easy to maintain. I have been around bikes all my life. I am not a expert, just a guy who likes bikes and wanted to search out for the latest and greatest. Click for Photo Gallery
It became a year long search that lead me to many dealerships and lots of different options and even different brands.
I started first with the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 which had all three of the options. It is a great bike as well but I am a 6' 4" tall guy at about 270 lbs and it didn't seem to me that this would be enough power to keep me going (my own opinion). It was well designed and did fit my size. The only major drawback for me was all the studding on the seat (not my style).
Then I heard that Kawasaki was coming out with the new 1700cc with all the same options. So I waited again and went to another bike show and tried one for size. I was disappointed with the ergonomics of the bike. It felt like I was being pushed onto the tank. Then when a passenger got on it was worse. I felt very cramped. So I kept looking.
A Friend had a Suzuki CT 90 which he let me ride for a weekend. It didn't have all my wants (aka options) but it did have fuel injection. It was a nice ride, very smooth and did help me decide I needed more power for 2-up riding. Also I learned that I really preferred the Black and Chrome look.
After going to all the winter bike shows and trying all the different bikes out there I finally settled on the V Star 1300. I read all the reviews and checked out all the websites I decided it was the bike for me.
So now I started to shop around for the best deal. I found a 2007 at a dealer in Toronto who was really slashing the price for a non-tourer version. I talked to them about the bike and discussed options. After a second trip and almost ready to put that deposit on it.....I was suddenly very disappointed. I went in to the show room and was completely ignored by the sales staff. After about 10 minutes and being passed by 3 times I left the store and I have not been back.
Now I had the decision made but no bike. There was a new dealer opening up in my hometown and so one day I drove to the shop and saw he was going to have a opening in a few days. While I was peaking throught the windows the owners was there and invited me to see the shop. He gave me a tour and showed me all his bikes. This was a great start to a new relationship. His easy way and open and free flowing information helped me get the bike I wanted with all the options I could afford. And as I have mentioned before this was at The Power Garage in Woodstock.
Next task was to determine what options and accessories I wanted to put on my bike.
What to Add
During the search for the perfect bike for me I also investigated what I was going to add to the V Star 1300.
Here is what I choose to add
I had decided on the V Star 1300 but I wanted to get the base model and add to it. One of the reasons I did not get the Tourer version was the Leather Hard Saddlebags. They are nice big bags but the shape and leather covering didnt suit my style I wanted to get something that was painted to match the bike. But as you can see from the pictures and my equipment list I did not yet purchase any Hard Saddlebags. Here is what I choose to add
- Memphis Shades Batwing Fairing with Windsheild
- Driving Lights
- OEM Passenger Floor Boards
- OEM Quick Release Backrest
- Windshield Tool Bag
Back to what I have added already. I started to research a fairing. I really like the batwing style of the Harley's so I started to look for different brands and styles.
First up was the Hoppe Industries QUADZILLA Finished in durable Black Gelcoat. Both inner and outer shells are made of hand laid fiberglass. Looked to be a well made unit with all the options available.
Second was the Tsukayu Quick Detachable Fairing. Again a Gelcoat/Fiberglass design. This one has various designs and options to suit your needs. I was really considering this one for purchase as I liked the design and options available.
Third one I looked at and did some serious research was the Fairing offered by Wide Open Custom Plastic. This again was another solid design with several options available.
The Final type I looked at and finally purchased was the Memphis Shades Batwing Fairng. It is a base style Fairing, the outer shell is opaque black Lucite with a class A finish that does clean up nice and shines well or it can easily be painted. Inner fairing structure is a black textured ABS that has the mounting feature already for your mounting Bracket for your bike. I purchased the Memphis Shades Trigger Lock Fats/Slim mounting hardware system for the V Star 1300. My Dealer Installed it all and had no major issues but just some minor adjustments for the Headlight shape.
The Main deciding point for me was the Price$$. After all the other accessories my bike fund was a little low and could not afford a full $1000.00+ Fairing setup. I might still get one after a while with this one but will have to ride the summer then decide. So far I am very happy with the Memphis Shades version.
New Changes
I have had my V Star 1300 for 3 months now and I still Love it!!! But I did come across a few minor concerns. First was the "chugging" when you wanted to give some throttle but the gear may be to high, not a major issue because a downshift was an easy fix. When combined with the slightly harsh on/off throttle jerking it made this combo a complaint for any passenger. This was something that I tried to develop a method for shifting and cornering at lower speeds. It really became apparent at low speeds and city driving when you were in some traffic. Getting the gear and throttle right sometimes made a tricky combo. The first solution was to keep the revs higher but the on/off throttle became a minor issue.
I did some investigating with my fellow V Star riders on Yamaha 1300 Tourer.com to see if I was unique in the situation or if others had some of the same concerns. I found out that this was a discussion for many riders. There was two main discussion on what to do to improve this. 1. Drill holes in the air box. 2. Drill out the exhaust. Or do both! I read almost all the post. You can read them all too just check out the links page or click the link above.
To make a long story short I decided that Drilling out the Exhaust was a quick easy solution (Recommended Link to Read). So after reading and some minor soul searching on making the first major permanent modification on my bike I did it. I don't know why I hesitated! This was the best thing I could do for all my concerns. The on/off throttle issue is almost completely gone. The chugging is almost non-existent. And the sound is so great. Even my wife was impressed. The 1300 has a lot better power (just my opinion) and greater acceleration. This was the best and Cheapest mod I have ever done and relatively simple. Just make sure you have a metal cutting hole saw or it will never be done (voice of experience) I tried a wood cutting hole saw and just burned it up. .
Most Recent Updates 12/29/09
It has was a long summer of cool weather and rain for most of us. I did get some good riding time in and put 5000 kms on my 1300. My Wife and I did some nice day trips and just some casual riding. I even rode into November on a couple of nicer days.
We spent one day riding to Fort Erie and then along the Niagra River Parkway into Niagra Falls. We stopped for coffee and a walk at the falls. It was about a 400Km round trip but a nice "Big Trip" for us on the V Star 1300.
But I also started a new project for the bike. I picked up a set of used Hard Saddlebags. They are off of a 2006 Royal Star Tour Deluxe and they are white. So the next step after bringing them home was to figure out how to mount them. I think I am on version 4 of the brackets but it has all come together. I finally went out and purchased the OEM Brackets and adapted them for the new/used bags. I still need to get them painted and I will post some pictures.
There is a lot more to tell but this is a busy time of Year so I hope all had a Merry Christmas and look forward to a Happy New Year.
** As This site is a work in progress I will keep updating my process of purchasing all the above listed accessories. And Remember all comments are welcomed **
Things I am looking to add to my V Star 1300
- Hard Saddle Bags - Tsukayu - Corner style
- Radiator chrome cover
- Hiway Bars
