2000 Yamaha V Star 1100 Custom Cruiser reviews

Understand first that I may be overly crytical as I have owned and ridden American Iron most of my life. I purchases this bike for my wife (to my surprise the test ride was very impressive). I do ride it to work from time to time. The bike was stock except for a set of aftermarket slip ons making the exhaust a little louder than stock. CONS: I disliked a couple of items right off the top. First it was the horn, the thing sounded like it came off a moped. Second was the plastic fenders...what's with that? The other thing that really bothers me is the pressed fuel tank seams. Why didnt they make the seams like they did on the Road Star? Oh...The handle bars drove me nuts. I replaced them with a set of Yamaha Drag bars (Much Better). PROS: The ride is all there... smooth but not sloppy. Torque, rummble power and engine feel (not a rubber mounted motor). Feels "Old School", the engine is well dressed in chrome. The brakes are just right. Sitting next to the old Super Glide in our Garage it looks right at home. I would recommend this bike to anyone. Show less

After 2 years of ownership and 10000 miles of riding this bike, the bike is still like brand new and runs great. Only problem I have had with bike is bad rectifier wire which fried the battery. Would recommend upgrading seat. Power is sufficient but an air kit and aftermarket exhaust get this bike breathing. If you don't have to have the big road star, this a good choice. Show less

This is actually my second review for this bike on PowerSports Network. I've had many responses from people asking me how I still felt about this bike after a year of use. I've been riding this cycle for almost two years and over 10,000 miles. I can honestly say I still love this bike! It has performed above and beyond all my expectations for an "off the showroom floor" motorcycle. The biggest performance boosting options I've added that I feel have made the biggest difference on the road include Cobra's full-system, slash cut pipes, Barons Big Air Kit air intake system and Yamaha's drag style handle bars. All have contributed equally to the overall feel and handling of this bike. (city and highway) I can also report that I have not had one single problem with this bike. Regular maintenance, oil changes, premium gas, and a little TLC have gone a long way! This bike was definitely built on a Wednesday! Other add-ons such as an engine guard and highway pegs, passing lights, and custom hot rod flames paint job, add to the overall look that turns heads everywhere! I'm also extremely pleased to start seeing more and more after market products available for this model. I'm always looking for new custom goodies to add! You can never have too much chrome. I would STILL recommend this bike to anyone looking for a new ride. Show less

I have not ridden in over 20 years and I decided its about time to get back to it. I looked over a lot of new bikes and the V Star 1100 jumped at me and said take me so I did, and I love it. My wife feels the same. In the past I've owned a few bikes to include Harley. I still love the Harley and have great memories with but the A Star is just smoother and I can stay on it a lot longer in comfort. Show less

The last time I rode a bike was in the summer of "69". It was a 550 Honda and at that time we all through that we had so bad bikes. If only we could have looked into the future. Well I have a 2000 v-star 1100 onyx and with a few changes like factory windshield, floorboards sissy bar, engine guard, saddle bags all factory Yamaha parts. Aftermarket parts Corba slip-ons and what a sound they make. And no rejetting was need. I guess that I should have told you that I traded a 74 g.t.o trophy winner and received a brand new bike plus $2,500 dollars. The only thing that I wish that Yamaha would do would be a recall because of that valve clatter they have to do something about it. But they still have a grrrrrreat bike . Show less

I have no regrets after purchasing this bike back in May. I have since added Cobra drag pipes, National wind shield, Mustang seats with back rest, luggage rack and Jardine grips to this deep purple beauty. This bike turns heads everywhere I park. This is the third Yamaha I have owned in the last 21 years. I have ridden friends Hondas, Harleys, Nortons and other Yamahas and by far this V-Star is the best bike for the money. A friend of mine (a motorcycle safety instructor) who rode my bike said he will not hesitate to recommend this bike to students who ask for his opinion. Great transmission, handling, power, braking power, and comfort. Show less

I bought a 99 V-Star 1100 custom (Black.) I traded in my 84 Aspencade of 16 years on it. It was a big change but am I happy I made the move. This bike gets you back into it, This bike turns heads, and you can snap your own back, by twisting the throttle. If you are looking for a impresive looking bike with excellent preformance, and a great value this is the bike. The only changes I would make is the oil filter location, and include an oil dipstick VS the viewing window at the bottom of the bike. The filter only needs to be changed every 8000 mi. so that really isn't that big of a deal to me. I can't say enough good things about this bike, take one out for a ride you'll see! Show less

I've been riding my 99 two-tone red V-Star 1100 since the summer of 99 -- it is the first bike I've owned and my ride of choice after many years away from riding. So far the bike has been reliable, handles great, and has lots of get up and go. A bodacious machine that turns heads wherever I go. BUT WATCH OUT FOR THOSE OIL CHANGES. The V-Star 1100 is one of the great bargains for the price, but the Yamaha boneheads blew the design of the exhaust system. To change the oil filter, you have to remove the muffler, the header pipe, and the right foot peg assembly, which includes the master cylinder. If you have crash bars, the right crash bar will have to be removed as well. The shop manual calls for 1.1 hours of work for a simple oil change, which, in expensive metropolitan areas, can cost you upwards of $100 for parts and labor. If you believe that oil is the lifeblood of an engine and frequently change your oil, be prepared for a lot of hassles or to spend lots of money. If you can live with that, the V-Star is a great ride. It has a low center of gravity, great speed (albeit engine buzz at 65 mph and above, which can get tiresome on all-day rides), and fantastic looks, but at least one element was designed by a drunk, an idiot, or a very sadistic engineer!!! V-Star owners should unite by contacting Yamaha and insisting upon a design modification and a recall. $60 - $100 for an oil change is simply unacceptable. Show less

I got my V-Star 1100 Custom in November 99, and I can't get off the thing. Too many superlatives, but let me give you the highlights: -agile, road-hugging handling, low 27" seat height, makes it a natural for women or anybody under 5'8" -flawless transmission -great brakes -kickass acceleration-you'll be doing 60 mph in fourth gear in less than 7 seconds, then 5th gear sends you into 80+ w/o a hitch -curvy back road handling is a joy -LESS vibration at highway speeds (65+) than the lower gears -a huge, throaty rumble from the pipes -stunning looks and admiration from so many people, it's embarrasing -it's less than $8,000. Drawbacks? Yeah, there's a couple. I wish it had a gas gauge. Has some chromed plastic parts, but they hold up just fine. I don't have enough good weather days to ride it as much as I'd like. This is a bike for women who like to ride, not pose. The only way to know if you'll like this bike is the "seat of your pants" test. Ride one, then decide. S.Durgan Bartone Show less

I still can't believe this scooter only sells for $8,000! The guys I ride with rave about the way it looks and the amount of stock chrome. I love the comfortable ride and smooth acceleration, and the stock pipes have a decent sound. I find it to be fairly quick, with very little vibration (even at 90mph) for a V-Twin. All in all a GREAT motorcycle, one that I could leave stock and be very happy with. With the many accessories available for the V-Star, both from Yamaha and others, this probably won't happen. Visit http://www.star-riders.org/ and http://forums.delphi.com/star_riders/start for feedback from MANY current owners. Show less