2002 Yamaha V Star 1100 Classic Cruiser reviews

This is my second 1100 V Star Classic. I sold my first one after a year because my wife likes to ride and caught too much air on back. I bought an HD Ultra to solve that issue. I ended up buying another V Star to ride single because I truly love the ride. Especially nice is the low seat and low mass of bike that gives you the comfort of lower to the ground. The low seat at about 27 inches is great for those with short legs compared to the bigger cruisers. Quality for price is outstanding. The retro-like bicycle handle bars are just plain cool and comfortable to ride for shorter runs of 150-200 miles. Longer rides get a bit tiring, especially with the stock seat. You might want to upgrade there with a Mustang seat for comfort. I have a set of Krome double Ds for noise and power, Kurayakan filter for pep and a set of Yamaha passing lights and Iron saddle bags to set it off. I love this bike. PS: The oil change is still a pain with the need to remove exhaust, but once you've done it a couple times it gets easy. Show less

I just rode my aging 1100 V Star from New Brunswick to Ohio then down to West Virginia, Virginia and the Blue Ridge Mountain Parkway back home. WOW what a fantastic ride! The Star did not miss a single beat and was loaded up to the hilt with gear. Ideal cruising speed is 100 KMPH. where you get about 55 MPG. imperial. The bike would sit on 150 KMPH. all day if asked to but the problem is that you get a little vibration over 110 KMPH. I was sitting all day on the Interstates at 120 KMPH. - the engine works a bit harder at that speed but can absolutely without doubt handle it - and I mean for 12 hours non-stop except for food and gas. Vibration at that speed is a little tiresome for the rider though as stated - but that is the only negative. Ironically it seems to smooth out again over about 130 KMPH. but then who wants to chat to the State Troopers about it? All in all these are great bikes (only known fault is the starter motors fail until replaced with a kit which has some improvement). I highly recommend if you want a cheap very reliable bike you can go anywhere on! Show less

Bought bike used 2 weeks ago. First day out, ran over a nail...my fault. The next day, battery dead. Dealer replaced and since then, this is by far the best bike I have ever owned. I've been riding 20 plus years and owned all different bikes. This bike rides better and handles better than any. Great mileage too!!! I would tell anyone who is looking for a reliable fun ride to buy one of these. Show less

After owning two other bikes that broke down all the time, I decided to pay half the price and go with the V Star 1100 Classic. It is the best choice in motorcycles I have ever made. The shaft drive is smooth, the balanced V-twin is smooth, I put Cobra exhaust on it, jetted it, and it sounds and runs perfectly. I added some chrome detailing on handle grips, fenders, running lights, windshield, etc. I love this bike and I would keep it over any other brand any day. Show less

I have had my V Star for 3 weeks. It had 348 miles on it! I got an unbelievable deal on it. It was on the showroom floor for 1 day. I lost my dear sweet honey to cancer 8 weeks ago and truly believe it was her that guided me to the shop that day. I could not be happier with the ride and performance of the V Star. I have just got to 1000 miles so it is just broken in. I have not had any valve tic as of yet. It is the best deal for the money and ride that I found. If you are looking for a bike you have to try a V Star. If you get lucky you might find a new 02 in 08 like me! But I had help from my honey. There was a guy looking at it before me and had gone home to get his wife to look at it and did not make it back in time. I bought it 5 min. before he got back. Show less

I purchased my 2002 V Star in 2004 with 9800 miles. It has been a great bike this last year. No problems except when the brake pads needed to be replaced. I would recommend this bike to all. Yamaha sells tons of aftermarket parts that really make the Bike light up with chrome like a christmas tree. I have had many compliments everywhere I've been. This Bike really turns heads. The only complaint I have is that the stock exhaust is weak, but with some drag pipes to replace them I rate this bike at 100%. Show less

If you're considering buying this bike - DO IT!!! This bike has been SO reliable. Regardless of the weather, be it pouring rain, long stop lights in ragged heat or fridged cold it always starts right up and stays running like a pro. Best money I ever spent and I plan on purchasing another possibly bigger bike. This V Star is perfect for the beginner or an experience rider. Show less

I like this bike a lot. With my weight and a girl on it there is never a need for more power, even at high speed. The weight is fine making it an easy bike to push yet still have a good size engine. The only problem that I have experienced is the rear brake is a little touchy and has locked up a couple times but that's probably my fault. I wish that this bike was a little stretched out though so it was more comfortable for tall guys like me. It would probably be better if this bike was slightly thinner and longer. I like it a lot, but because of the size I am looking for bigger bike (size wise not engine wise) Show less

I bought this bike two weeks ago. It was actually bought for my girl friend, who is taking the saftey course in October. She originally wanted the 650, and maybe I'll get her one because she is not getting this bike. Now that I bought it, I want to keep it for myself. I sell Yamaha and Suzuki products for a living so I'm familiar with the ticking that comes from the valve train. It is normal and does not effect performance or longivity of the engine, as can be seen in the Virago 1100's that are still running strong. I plan on keeping this bike for a long time as it has a great combination of size, weight, performace and good looks. I've put 1200 miles on it in the two weeks I've had it. The one complaint I've heard is the placement of the oil filter. This engine was designed for the Virago 1100, which routed its exhaust differently. I changed the oil and filter in about twenty five minutes. If you can't spare a few extra minutes to do this for the bike, you don't deserve it. Show less

Bought my 1100 Classic last year used, believe it or not, from a Harley dealer that didn't want it on his lot (great deal for me). The bike had 2200 miles on it when I got it and was and still is immaculate...it is the best ride for around town and short touring trips that I've ever owned and I've been riding for 20+ years. Only drawback is the short maintenance intervals of 4,000 miles for valve adjustments, the inconvenience of oil changes due to the exhaust pipe in the way (Jardine fixed that with their super relocation kit product; highly recommended) and the fact that I can't ride it as often as I'd like due to my traveling job (maybe I'll start riding the bike instead of taking the plane). Yamaha could improve the near perfect bike by installing fuel injection, hydraulic lifters, and fixing the oil filter location problem. Other than that, you can't find a better value anywhere. I highly recommend it for first time or seasoned riders and by the way, did I say I own a Yamaha Road Star too! Show less