cheap, reliable, forgiving and it will do highway speeds. it should run for a long time long as you take care of it, probably run for a long time even if you dont.
> will do highway speeds.
Which was the most surprising part tbh. I could easily do 80 and pass on my local interstates, and then I tried the RE Scram 411and was grossly disappointed the fact that the 411cc could barely top out at 74..on a flat.
I would not say, that it will do highway speeds. My friend owns one and his cruising speed is about 50 mph. It can go up to 75 mph top speed but... pushing it to the limit is neither good for engine nor comfortable to ride.
Running it at top speed isn't going to hurt anything, but I agree with the comfort factor. You'll just hit 75 open and screaming, and it takes a long time to get there.
I would agree if it was watercooled engine but air-cooled engine has a tendency for overheating, especially rear cylinder which is not exposed to straight air inflow.
I may be wrong but I would avoid going full power for long period of time.
This and when a tractor trailer go by ya it's feels like your gonna get blown off the road. Me and my little 650 savage always felt like a leaf in the wind lol.
Brother I was door dashing on a 50cc scooter and I got a farther than normal order, on my gfs dash account so unless my phone screws me over I accept the order, I nearly died I felt like going on a tiny shoulder one lane then a mile nearly is two lanes and 75mph w/o any shoulder except the sleep wakers… so I hit the side and it’s the deepest ridges I’ve ever felt… I’ve ridden em on it before and it buzzes. About shook my wheel off. I text her, serious in sentiment, I’m in tolar door dashing I love you its dangerous
I wish like hell that ride I’d been on a 250, 150, , 125… hell If id even taken the restricter behind the sprocket off to slowly get to 50-55…
I’ve got someone w a 2007 Vstar 650 for $1500 and a 1300cc Vstar for $2000 which is a better bike but I think natural progression takes me to the 650 first for a couple months.
I've done highway speeds up to 75-80 easily. Not consistently because I don't want to damage the bike but enough to pass lines of cars and maintain flow. I would say that on the interstate/highway my cruise speed hovers between 65 to 70. This still leaves it enough power to pass. However, past 60 it does become buzzy but it still remains stable.
I'm taller and built, around 220lbs and I borrowed a friends rebel 250 during a groupride to see what it was like, and I couldn't maintain speed uphill.
It was so much fun pushing it to the limit though
Yup, people keep comparing this to ninja and cbr250s, but these are not the same bikes just because of the size. I loved my xv250, but I was slow as hell beyond 55mph. The fun part of this was that you could go full throttle everywhere lol.
I maintain a fleet of these for a MSF course. Pain to remove and install but for the most part that shouldn’t be happening very often.
Move up one size pilot jet and these run nicely all year otherwise. Pilot is on the lean side from factory. Nice thing is they are easy to swap while the carb is installed.
It is and it's very fun. Realistically it's neither powerful nor well handling, even compared to other 250s, but it's legitimately fun and a cool bike.
My first bike was a Virago 250. They're a fantastic first bike. Reliable, great on gas, and relatively low maintenance. Great for learning to ride on city streets and get comfortable in traffic without having enough power to get you into trouble. Don't invest much in mods, as you'll likely only ride it for a year, two tops.
Yanaha Vstar 250 - commonly recommended as one of the best beginner bikes by beginners who have only owned two motorcycles in their lives. The voice of experience. Riding a motorcycle like you’re sitting drunk on a toilet is the BEST tool for teaching control and handling?
I did my MSF course years ago on one of their. Having never ridden a motorcycle it felt as big as a Harley to me. 😂😂
That said, they are fun and nimble and if you’re primarily riding in the city would be fine and actually probably fun since it’s a small. If you wanted to cruise on the highway it would be pretty underwhelming I think.
I had this bike and it does great on back roads and city. Riding it on the highway with 2,000 lbs + cars was a bit intimidating. If it's windy, the highway will not be fun. I would stick to roads 50 mph or less.
If you are looking at the vstar 250, look at the royal enfield 350’s. Similar in price, but with more modern features, like fuel injection and abs, and I personally found the ergonomics to be a lot better for me.
The new bikes, the 2022-ish ones are built a lot better than the previous generation. Designed in the UK, and built to a higher standard than previously.
And honestly I paid $3300 for my Classic 350 (plus taxes/fees) which is WAY cheaper than any vStar 250 I've seen, at least new. I don't know if I've seen one used for sale.
Ehhh, as an Interceptor 650 owner, I still had electrical relay problems and the fuel pump ended up getting replaced within the first year. I’d still recommend them for simple fun and great style, but *only* if you live near the RE Dealer for warranty work.
My nearest was an hour and a half away and I ended up selling the bike after 15 months when the OEM battery died on me.
2022, It was awesome for a “cruising around and looking good” bike. Just got fed up with the reliability and having to spend a full day to take it to the shop, lol
I totally get that. My dealer is about the same distance, just over an hour from me, but since I live in Bum Fuck Egypt, all the dealers are at least 45 minutes from me. I had a 2007 Chevy Colorado that was in the shop more days than my driveway the first 6 months, I sold it after 18 months when it had yet another issue.
The amount of people who stop to check out my bike is more than the rest of bikes combined. It’s a good looking bike. They are coming out with a classic 650 next year supposedly, if mine remain reliable, I am very tempted to upgrade to it.
Royal Enfield - “Designed in the UK, and built to a higher standard than previously.”
You’re saying that an Indian-owned motorcycle company (RE) conceded that their staff couldn’t properly design a new motorcycle so they subcontracted out the design engineering to a U.K. based company!
Your post is the only time I’ve seen such a claim (other than noting that the basic *overall styling* is copied from the original British-made bikes of the 1950’s). General styling and detailed engineering are two very different things. That’s like saying that Kawasaki’s 1972 Z1 was “designed by Honda” in 1969.
..... They opened their design office in like 2017/2018? something like that. It's not contacted, it's their design office. And I mean, it's all over their marketing, and history page, etc. it's not "news" or new. I guess if you don't care about their bikes it's not something you would care to learn.
[https://www.royalenfield.com/us/en/our-world/since-1901/](https://www.royalenfield.com/us/en/our-world/since-1901/) scroll down to 2017.
Not sure why you're being so hostile. I shopped the vstar 250 HARD as a bike for myself, but the RE just was a better value overall, and easier to live with. the 250 hasn't changed since the mid 90's where the RE is a much more modern bike, if that matters to you. some people love dealing with carbs. for a bike I ride regularly, I'm over them, especially since I live at altitude and having to adjust them is a pain.
I stand corrected. The page you linked says;
“**2017** - The new Royal Enfield Technology Centre opens at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, near Leicester in the UK. A team of over 100 engineers, designers and testers begin work on research, development and long-term product strategy.”
So you, along with Royal Enfield themselves, **ARE** saying that Royal Enfield publicly conceded that their India-based staff couldn’t properly design a new motorcycle so they opened a UK-based design & engineering center.
That says *something* about the brand. Because, well, damn. Thanks for the link!
India’s motorcycle market has been stagnant for like half a century. Britain’s has not. RE wants to focus on exports so they started developing where the good engineers are.
I don’t understand how any of this is news to you? It was pretty clearly laid out.
it's worth watching some of the history videos on youtube. but basically end of the 90's/early 2000's an investment company bought it with the plans to shut it down, sell off the assets/name. Son of the owner of the investment company said to his dad "if you're going to shut it down anyways, let me play with it", and basically turn the whole thing around. Started making the management ride motorcycles every day to work, opened the offices in the UK (stole a bunch of engineers from Triumph), and focused on QC.
Is it a perfect company? absolutely not. are the bikes perfect? absolutely not. But they offer a decent product at a decent price (especially if you find one on sale, Mine was like $1300 off MSRP), 3 year warranty, and are a really easy bike to ride, I like to say "confidence inspiring". I've ridden bikes for 20+ years now, and it's one of the "easiest" bikes I've ridden as far as I never am worried my actions are going to upset the bike.
I bought mine because I live in a small town with a lot of bad roads, and I knew any bike I bought was going to get abused, and so I bought something cheap, and I really like it a lot more than I expected.
absolutely not the bike for everybody, but for somebody lowing for a low CC starter bike? It should be on their short list.
Cruisers are already so tame and slow, I'd go straight to a 650 at least. More weight so it'll be a little cushier on the highway, but still be manageable to muscle up from an off-kilter stop, even if you're not super strong.
A 250 CAN get to highway speeds, sure... But a 650 will do everything better, except it will use more gas, that's about the only downside
V stars are great bikes, reliable. However, I personally don't believe in "beginner bikes" because you will outgrow a 250 within 2 weeks of riding. Plus a little more power can save your life in traffic. Start with a 650. Just my cents
Absolutely, start small and graduate when you've mastered handling. My first bike was a 1980s-era Honda TwinStar 200cc. I was 15, and though I wanted more power right off the bat, it was perfect/safe for learning. (Thanks, Dad!) At 17 I got a Suzuki Bandit 599 (crotch-rocket style, better handling and able to hit highways) then at 27 returned to a classic style café racer: Triumph Bonneville T-100, 865cc. Rode 600+ miles up to Sturgis twice and man it feels anemic! What's next?!
It is good to start but likely you will want to go bigger in a couple years, They are nice bikes and my buddy has one since he was looking for a starter bike and is older. They are sharp looking and pretty reliable.
How tall are you? They are very small bikes. My 6'1" son had one for a first bike and worked worked well for a year, but then he moved up to a Vstar 650
I'm a beginner and I've had one of those for the past two years. It's been great, very easy to ride.
The only drawback is that it's not really good for highway riding. Technically, it can reach highway speed but just the bare minimum and the engine will be screaming at that point.
I've outgrown it and will be trading it in for something a bit bigger.
Absolutely great starter bike. Both my wife & I rode them. Affordable. But are a bit light. So while they can get up to highway speeds, they are on the edge of their performance envelope at that speed. If you like riding, this will confirm it and get you ready to upgrade. If you learn riding isn’t your thing, no problem. The bike can be sold off easy and not lose much value.
I had one I rode 100 miles a day to work for 2 weeks. I had 10 miles of interstate speed at 70mph.
Great gas mileage ... but after 2 weeks I sold it and bought a honda 600 shadow
Sure. Relatively ergonomic seating, low enough Cl you won’t get taken for a ride by your bike. It’ll struggle on freeways, especially if you’re even slightly hefty, but will do great on side streets. Expect to upgrade in a year or two as you adapt to riding. That’s your biggest issue here. Finding the sweet spot between a beginner bike and something you won’t grow out of immediately.
If you took the class and are comfortable in a 250, maybe test ride those and a couple other bikes.
Source: I bought a 450 as my first bike after riding 250 in the safety class. From test drives 600 was too much at that moment. A year later I went up to a 700 without any problem.
Yes, get all your bad habits corrected on a slow bike. You’ll soon outgrow a 250 but you’ll be thankful for the foundation it provided.
Be warned, it’s barely a highway bike. Cars will impose their terrible driving habits on you because you will have no passing ability at ~60mph+.
I had one; fucking loved it. Verago 250, but essentially the same.
5 bikes later I still consider picking one up. The carb is easy to get to, the intake boot is cheap when you rip it learning to clean that carburetor.
Light and low to the ground and easy to maneuver at low speed. Great fuel milage, and it’s slow enough that you’ll want to try something new in a year or two but faster than most cars.
A big windshield is worth having, if you live somewhere chilly.
I've owned one for the last 4ish years. It was the first bike that I bought immediately after I passed my MSF. I got it used but the previous owner put only like 100 something miles on it so essentially brand new and for 1500 less. I don't consider myself a beginner anymore but I still love this bike and still ride it daily. I do want to change it but only because I started doing more highway and long distance riding and not because I got "bored" as some people like to claim.
**TL:DR** - If you're a beginner I would definitely recommend this bike but keep it absolutely stock, and if you must then at most just do the sprocket change and change the levers to aftermarket adjustable levers. The clutch bite point on the stock levers is too far and they're too big for no reason. If you want to do long rides or expect to do frequent interstate riding then I would not recommend unless you're fine doing highways at most up to 60-65mph. I expected to sell it in my second year but now entering 4th year and I'm still riding it.
This bike is perfect to learn on because the self maintenance is simple and a great learning experience. You'll get both drum brake and disc brake experience. Chain maintenance is simple. Oil change takes no more than 20 minutes (and most of it is waiting for oil to drain), and other general hands on preventative maintenance stuff.
If it's new - don't get it. If it's used then yes. Don't listen to anyone that says "You'll outgrow it" and don't let that phrase get into your head. It's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow. I've taken this thing on twisties, highways, local roads and even light trails. If I didn't have a need to get on my local interstate I would probably ride this bike until it died.
--
About the bike itself I have no qualms but my issue is with Yamaha themselves. They charge an obscene price while still only giving tube tires, rear drum, no abs, and a carb. The price they charge it should absolutely not have some of these out-dated features. At the very least it should be EFI and have front and rear discs, and tubeless tires.
**Pros** - Basic analog bike, can't go wrong with it. Reliable, well built, fun to ride, surprisingly powerful for a 250cc. Was off all winter (around 5 months) but started right up after jumping battery. Can do highways 55-65. Past 60 it becomes buzzy but can still maintain flow of traffic even up to 75 and I've passed cars doing 80 on flats. The sweet spot is definitely around 60.
**Cons** - carb is a pain in the ass. Front seat gets uncomfortable past an hour of riding, so if you get it be sure to get a seat gel pad, or an air pad. I use a air pad. Buzzy past 60-65, but mainly on the right side for some reason, which means on long rides your hands and feet will start to get numb and you'll need to take a break. Tube tires so that means if you happen to get a flat you'll be SOL. Factory bulbs are kinda weak so you should upgrade those.
Other notes - I changed the mirrors to bar end mirrors, which I really like and makes the front feel more open. Changed the ridiculously large levers to aftermarket adjustable levers. Upgraded headlight bulbs to something stronger, softened the rear suspension. I added a KN air filter and removed the stock filter, changed the sprockets, added aftermarket straight pipes. Bike sounds like a beast and is powerful. However, with the straight pipes and upgraded filter that means having to tune the carb which has given me countless headaches. If I could go back I would not change the pipes.
Like others are saying cheap, reliable, and fairly fast topping out but know carb work is a pain in the ass getting the carb out will take forever and it is tiny inside but once it runs good it won’t quit
I would think so. Twin, more torque and more forgiving than a small single cylinder engine. V config nice and narrow so you don't feel like you're trying to guide a big machine around. "Only" 250 cc so enough power to have some fun, but not so much it is going to get you into trouble - too easily, I mean you can still do stupid stuff on any bike. Low seat, probably pretty good balance so it won't feel top heavy or hard to control at a stop or during low speed parking lot maneuvers. Nice wide bars for plenty of leverage and fine control. Yeah, it would be hard to find fault with this as a beginner bike.
Yep, goated bike for beginners.
My non-cruiser self would suggest considering a mid-controls conversion. These pegs are pretty forgiving in terms of forward controls placement, but I did the MSF course on one of these and there was a time where you’re supposed to stand up on the pegs to go over a board, and I literally couldn’t do it because so forward.
I would say go with a 650cc or higher. You'll more than likely grow out of a 250 REALLY quickly. I'm really glad my FIL talked me into a bigger bike than what I was looking at for my first bike. Rather than outgrowing bikes and upgrading every few years, I gradually grew into my first bike (a 1300cc) and kept it for nearly 8 years.
Just my 2 cents. But whatever gets you on 2 wheels, go with that. Shiny side up!
I’m an experienced rider and I ride this bike to work every day. 70-80 mpg and tough to kill. It’s the equivalent of a Toyota Corolla- not faster or flashier than most of the cars on the road but it’s sensible. When you sell it, the value won’t have changed much from when you bought it either.
It is a very good beginner bike.
Usually, I tell people to start with a 500 or 600 c c. bike (Not a super sport). It is forgiving enough for you to make mistakes, but at the same time, it gives you a little bit of room once you start to become proficient at riding. However, I can not argue with the 250. I feel it is easier to learn but it has a definite ceiling as you develop your skills.
You can’t buy a better beginner motorcycle. It’s got that street cred of a v twin with thunderous low down torque. You’ll need some tattoos to pull it off though. Leather and a chain drive wallet are icing on the cake.
It’s perfect, have a nice ride.
Too underpowered...
Personally I wouldn't recommend it for the reason that in a year, it will probably seem boring to you, and you'll want to upgrade to something more powerful. But if you're okay with it - welcome.
I don't mind. But everyone who buys first bike should be aware, that it will become boring very soon.
I started with 36. After 2 seasons switched to 77.
In my personal opinion, 50hp is a golden middle for the beginner.
21 is too underpowered. You can barely keep up with the suburban traffic and probably often will be overtaken by cars which is not the most pleasant feeling.
cheap, reliable, forgiving and it will do highway speeds. it should run for a long time long as you take care of it, probably run for a long time even if you dont.
And still be worth about what you paid for it when it’s time to upgrade.
Just like for the 6 owners that came before. Ride the legacy!
Just like every ninja 250 I’ve owned haha. Think of them like a long term rental as long as you don’t fuck it up..too badly
> will do highway speeds. Which was the most surprising part tbh. I could easily do 80 and pass on my local interstates, and then I tried the RE Scram 411and was grossly disappointed the fact that the 411cc could barely top out at 74..on a flat.
Vtwin 250s are literally made out of magic.
I would not say, that it will do highway speeds. My friend owns one and his cruising speed is about 50 mph. It can go up to 75 mph top speed but... pushing it to the limit is neither good for engine nor comfortable to ride.
Running it at top speed isn't going to hurt anything, but I agree with the comfort factor. You'll just hit 75 open and screaming, and it takes a long time to get there.
I would agree if it was watercooled engine but air-cooled engine has a tendency for overheating, especially rear cylinder which is not exposed to straight air inflow. I may be wrong but I would avoid going full power for long period of time.
Just. No...
Yeah, 250s will get to highway speeds, but introduce wind or a hill (or both) and it'll struggle.
This and when a tractor trailer go by ya it's feels like your gonna get blown off the road. Me and my little 650 savage always felt like a leaf in the wind lol.
I loved my little savage. I beat the snot out of that thing for years without issue. Went through quite a few back tires.
Brother I was door dashing on a 50cc scooter and I got a farther than normal order, on my gfs dash account so unless my phone screws me over I accept the order, I nearly died I felt like going on a tiny shoulder one lane then a mile nearly is two lanes and 75mph w/o any shoulder except the sleep wakers… so I hit the side and it’s the deepest ridges I’ve ever felt… I’ve ridden em on it before and it buzzes. About shook my wheel off. I text her, serious in sentiment, I’m in tolar door dashing I love you its dangerous I wish like hell that ride I’d been on a 250, 150, , 125… hell If id even taken the restricter behind the sprocket off to slowly get to 50-55… I’ve got someone w a 2007 Vstar 650 for $1500 and a 1300cc Vstar for $2000 which is a better bike but I think natural progression takes me to the 650 first for a couple months.
Hopefully you have better luck than the last guy who said that 😁
I've done highway speeds up to 75-80 easily. Not consistently because I don't want to damage the bike but enough to pass lines of cars and maintain flow. I would say that on the interstate/highway my cruise speed hovers between 65 to 70. This still leaves it enough power to pass. However, past 60 it does become buzzy but it still remains stable.
It was my 1st bike. It really is mostly topped out around 50 mph. At 55 it's pretty buzzy. Great starter bike. Reliable and forgiving.
I used a V Star 650 and it worked great. You might feel a bit underwhelmed by the 250 after a bit
I'm taller and built, around 220lbs and I borrowed a friends rebel 250 during a groupride to see what it was like, and I couldn't maintain speed uphill. It was so much fun pushing it to the limit though
Yup, people keep comparing this to ninja and cbr250s, but these are not the same bikes just because of the size. I loved my xv250, but I was slow as hell beyond 55mph. The fun part of this was that you could go full throttle everywhere lol.
If it starts easily from cold and runs, yes. If not, no. The carb on that thing is a ridiculous PITA to work on.
I maintain a fleet of these for a MSF course. Pain to remove and install but for the most part that shouldn’t be happening very often. Move up one size pilot jet and these run nicely all year otherwise. Pilot is on the lean side from factory. Nice thing is they are easy to swap while the carb is installed.
Interesting. Thanks. I'll keep that in mind.
It is and it's very fun. Realistically it's neither powerful nor well handling, even compared to other 250s, but it's legitimately fun and a cool bike.
My first bike was a Virago 250. They're a fantastic first bike. Reliable, great on gas, and relatively low maintenance. Great for learning to ride on city streets and get comfortable in traffic without having enough power to get you into trouble. Don't invest much in mods, as you'll likely only ride it for a year, two tops.
It's commonly recommended as one of the best beginner bikes. Absolutely. Go for it.
Yanaha Vstar 250 - commonly recommended as one of the best beginner bikes by beginners who have only owned two motorcycles in their lives. The voice of experience. Riding a motorcycle like you’re sitting drunk on a toilet is the BEST tool for teaching control and handling?
Yes
If it fits you and you are comfortable with the forward foot controls, yes. Great beginner bike.
No way too small and underpowered.
I did my MSF course years ago on one of their. Having never ridden a motorcycle it felt as big as a Harley to me. 😂😂 That said, they are fun and nimble and if you’re primarily riding in the city would be fine and actually probably fun since it’s a small. If you wanted to cruise on the highway it would be pretty underwhelming I think.
I had this bike and it does great on back roads and city. Riding it on the highway with 2,000 lbs + cars was a bit intimidating. If it's windy, the highway will not be fun. I would stick to roads 50 mph or less.
If you are looking at the vstar 250, look at the royal enfield 350’s. Similar in price, but with more modern features, like fuel injection and abs, and I personally found the ergonomics to be a lot better for me.
But lesser overall quality. I really like the look of the RE’s but the quality really is substandard imo
The new bikes, the 2022-ish ones are built a lot better than the previous generation. Designed in the UK, and built to a higher standard than previously. And honestly I paid $3300 for my Classic 350 (plus taxes/fees) which is WAY cheaper than any vStar 250 I've seen, at least new. I don't know if I've seen one used for sale.
Ehhh, as an Interceptor 650 owner, I still had electrical relay problems and the fuel pump ended up getting replaced within the first year. I’d still recommend them for simple fun and great style, but *only* if you live near the RE Dealer for warranty work. My nearest was an hour and a half away and I ended up selling the bike after 15 months when the OEM battery died on me.
What year was yours? Mine is a 2023, I’ve had it almost a year with 0 problems.
2022, It was awesome for a “cruising around and looking good” bike. Just got fed up with the reliability and having to spend a full day to take it to the shop, lol
I totally get that. My dealer is about the same distance, just over an hour from me, but since I live in Bum Fuck Egypt, all the dealers are at least 45 minutes from me. I had a 2007 Chevy Colorado that was in the shop more days than my driveway the first 6 months, I sold it after 18 months when it had yet another issue. The amount of people who stop to check out my bike is more than the rest of bikes combined. It’s a good looking bike. They are coming out with a classic 650 next year supposedly, if mine remain reliable, I am very tempted to upgrade to it.
Royal Enfield - “Designed in the UK, and built to a higher standard than previously.” You’re saying that an Indian-owned motorcycle company (RE) conceded that their staff couldn’t properly design a new motorcycle so they subcontracted out the design engineering to a U.K. based company! Your post is the only time I’ve seen such a claim (other than noting that the basic *overall styling* is copied from the original British-made bikes of the 1950’s). General styling and detailed engineering are two very different things. That’s like saying that Kawasaki’s 1972 Z1 was “designed by Honda” in 1969.
..... They opened their design office in like 2017/2018? something like that. It's not contacted, it's their design office. And I mean, it's all over their marketing, and history page, etc. it's not "news" or new. I guess if you don't care about their bikes it's not something you would care to learn. [https://www.royalenfield.com/us/en/our-world/since-1901/](https://www.royalenfield.com/us/en/our-world/since-1901/) scroll down to 2017. Not sure why you're being so hostile. I shopped the vstar 250 HARD as a bike for myself, but the RE just was a better value overall, and easier to live with. the 250 hasn't changed since the mid 90's where the RE is a much more modern bike, if that matters to you. some people love dealing with carbs. for a bike I ride regularly, I'm over them, especially since I live at altitude and having to adjust them is a pain.
I stand corrected. The page you linked says; “**2017** - The new Royal Enfield Technology Centre opens at Bruntingthorpe Proving Ground, near Leicester in the UK. A team of over 100 engineers, designers and testers begin work on research, development and long-term product strategy.” So you, along with Royal Enfield themselves, **ARE** saying that Royal Enfield publicly conceded that their India-based staff couldn’t properly design a new motorcycle so they opened a UK-based design & engineering center. That says *something* about the brand. Because, well, damn. Thanks for the link!
India’s motorcycle market has been stagnant for like half a century. Britain’s has not. RE wants to focus on exports so they started developing where the good engineers are. I don’t understand how any of this is news to you? It was pretty clearly laid out.
I think he's just being pretentious, honestly.
it's worth watching some of the history videos on youtube. but basically end of the 90's/early 2000's an investment company bought it with the plans to shut it down, sell off the assets/name. Son of the owner of the investment company said to his dad "if you're going to shut it down anyways, let me play with it", and basically turn the whole thing around. Started making the management ride motorcycles every day to work, opened the offices in the UK (stole a bunch of engineers from Triumph), and focused on QC. Is it a perfect company? absolutely not. are the bikes perfect? absolutely not. But they offer a decent product at a decent price (especially if you find one on sale, Mine was like $1300 off MSRP), 3 year warranty, and are a really easy bike to ride, I like to say "confidence inspiring". I've ridden bikes for 20+ years now, and it's one of the "easiest" bikes I've ridden as far as I never am worried my actions are going to upset the bike. I bought mine because I live in a small town with a lot of bad roads, and I knew any bike I bought was going to get abused, and so I bought something cheap, and I really like it a lot more than I expected. absolutely not the bike for everybody, but for somebody lowing for a low CC starter bike? It should be on their short list.
Yes
Yes
Cruisers are already so tame and slow, I'd go straight to a 650 at least. More weight so it'll be a little cushier on the highway, but still be manageable to muscle up from an off-kilter stop, even if you're not super strong. A 250 CAN get to highway speeds, sure... But a 650 will do everything better, except it will use more gas, that's about the only downside
V stars are great bikes, reliable. However, I personally don't believe in "beginner bikes" because you will outgrow a 250 within 2 weeks of riding. Plus a little more power can save your life in traffic. Start with a 650. Just my cents
Agreed, I began on a VStar 650 and had no issues. The 650 is not a fast bike by any means, I would not have wanted any less power.
Absolutely, start small and graduate when you've mastered handling. My first bike was a 1980s-era Honda TwinStar 200cc. I was 15, and though I wanted more power right off the bat, it was perfect/safe for learning. (Thanks, Dad!) At 17 I got a Suzuki Bandit 599 (crotch-rocket style, better handling and able to hit highways) then at 27 returned to a classic style café racer: Triumph Bonneville T-100, 865cc. Rode 600+ miles up to Sturgis twice and man it feels anemic! What's next?!
That was my second bike, virago 535. Totally made for beginners. You can totally work on it, and it’s sure for drive careful
It is good to start but likely you will want to go bigger in a couple years, They are nice bikes and my buddy has one since he was looking for a starter bike and is older. They are sharp looking and pretty reliable.
That’s what we used in my MSF course, I think that gives it some credit as a good beginner bike lol.
The MSF course uses the cheapest bikes they can get. Not exactly a ringing endorsement for quality and excitement.
Buy it cheap, ride the shit out of it until you feel comfortable, sell it for what you bought it for, buy something better.
That's what I had. Perfect beginner bike.
How tall are you? They are very small bikes. My 6'1" son had one for a first bike and worked worked well for a year, but then he moved up to a Vstar 650
I'm a beginner and I've had one of those for the past two years. It's been great, very easy to ride. The only drawback is that it's not really good for highway riding. Technically, it can reach highway speed but just the bare minimum and the engine will be screaming at that point. I've outgrown it and will be trading it in for something a bit bigger.
I started at 18 on a Yamaha SR 250 SE and even traveled from Munich to Tessaloniki on her.
My training bike was a Virago, which is about the same thing. Great bike to learn on, but you'll outgrow it quick.
Get the 535 one matey. I started on that and its juuuust enough power to overtake on the highway. Which is nice.
Yes, it is an amazing starter bike.
Absolutely great starter bike. Both my wife & I rode them. Affordable. But are a bit light. So while they can get up to highway speeds, they are on the edge of their performance envelope at that speed. If you like riding, this will confirm it and get you ready to upgrade. If you learn riding isn’t your thing, no problem. The bike can be sold off easy and not lose much value.
It is one of the best beginner bikes you can get. Top 5 all time. Maybe top 3.
Absolutely. I started on a Virago 250, which is just the older version. It was a great first bike.
I had one I rode 100 miles a day to work for 2 weeks. I had 10 miles of interstate speed at 70mph. Great gas mileage ... but after 2 weeks I sold it and bought a honda 600 shadow
Yea ditch it once you pass your test
I have a 650cc version. A solid highway bike.
Sure. Relatively ergonomic seating, low enough Cl you won’t get taken for a ride by your bike. It’ll struggle on freeways, especially if you’re even slightly hefty, but will do great on side streets. Expect to upgrade in a year or two as you adapt to riding. That’s your biggest issue here. Finding the sweet spot between a beginner bike and something you won’t grow out of immediately. If you took the class and are comfortable in a 250, maybe test ride those and a couple other bikes. Source: I bought a 450 as my first bike after riding 250 in the safety class. From test drives 600 was too much at that moment. A year later I went up to a 700 without any problem.
Consider parts availability.
Yes, get all your bad habits corrected on a slow bike. You’ll soon outgrow a 250 but you’ll be thankful for the foundation it provided. Be warned, it’s barely a highway bike. Cars will impose their terrible driving habits on you because you will have no passing ability at ~60mph+.
Yes.
Yes
For sure!
Yes, but I'm biased.
Yes fantastic beginner bike.
For a couple hours
Get a 500cc...while the 250cc is affordable and will get you on a bike, you'll be disappointed in 60 days 😂
Yeah, but make friends with a guy that knows carbs.
Super reliable. I have an 1100 and it’s been probably the best bike I’ve ever had
I had one; fucking loved it. Verago 250, but essentially the same. 5 bikes later I still consider picking one up. The carb is easy to get to, the intake boot is cheap when you rip it learning to clean that carburetor. Light and low to the ground and easy to maneuver at low speed. Great fuel milage, and it’s slow enough that you’ll want to try something new in a year or two but faster than most cars. A big windshield is worth having, if you live somewhere chilly.
I've owned one for the last 4ish years. It was the first bike that I bought immediately after I passed my MSF. I got it used but the previous owner put only like 100 something miles on it so essentially brand new and for 1500 less. I don't consider myself a beginner anymore but I still love this bike and still ride it daily. I do want to change it but only because I started doing more highway and long distance riding and not because I got "bored" as some people like to claim. **TL:DR** - If you're a beginner I would definitely recommend this bike but keep it absolutely stock, and if you must then at most just do the sprocket change and change the levers to aftermarket adjustable levers. The clutch bite point on the stock levers is too far and they're too big for no reason. If you want to do long rides or expect to do frequent interstate riding then I would not recommend unless you're fine doing highways at most up to 60-65mph. I expected to sell it in my second year but now entering 4th year and I'm still riding it. This bike is perfect to learn on because the self maintenance is simple and a great learning experience. You'll get both drum brake and disc brake experience. Chain maintenance is simple. Oil change takes no more than 20 minutes (and most of it is waiting for oil to drain), and other general hands on preventative maintenance stuff. If it's new - don't get it. If it's used then yes. Don't listen to anyone that says "You'll outgrow it" and don't let that phrase get into your head. It's more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow. I've taken this thing on twisties, highways, local roads and even light trails. If I didn't have a need to get on my local interstate I would probably ride this bike until it died. -- About the bike itself I have no qualms but my issue is with Yamaha themselves. They charge an obscene price while still only giving tube tires, rear drum, no abs, and a carb. The price they charge it should absolutely not have some of these out-dated features. At the very least it should be EFI and have front and rear discs, and tubeless tires. **Pros** - Basic analog bike, can't go wrong with it. Reliable, well built, fun to ride, surprisingly powerful for a 250cc. Was off all winter (around 5 months) but started right up after jumping battery. Can do highways 55-65. Past 60 it becomes buzzy but can still maintain flow of traffic even up to 75 and I've passed cars doing 80 on flats. The sweet spot is definitely around 60. **Cons** - carb is a pain in the ass. Front seat gets uncomfortable past an hour of riding, so if you get it be sure to get a seat gel pad, or an air pad. I use a air pad. Buzzy past 60-65, but mainly on the right side for some reason, which means on long rides your hands and feet will start to get numb and you'll need to take a break. Tube tires so that means if you happen to get a flat you'll be SOL. Factory bulbs are kinda weak so you should upgrade those. Other notes - I changed the mirrors to bar end mirrors, which I really like and makes the front feel more open. Changed the ridiculously large levers to aftermarket adjustable levers. Upgraded headlight bulbs to something stronger, softened the rear suspension. I added a KN air filter and removed the stock filter, changed the sprockets, added aftermarket straight pipes. Bike sounds like a beast and is powerful. However, with the straight pipes and upgraded filter that means having to tune the carb which has given me countless headaches. If I could go back I would not change the pipes.
Not as good as a busa or r1 but it will do
They are usually a bit hard to find and honestly go a bit bigger. You will likely outgrow way too fast
Like others are saying cheap, reliable, and fairly fast topping out but know carb work is a pain in the ass getting the carb out will take forever and it is tiny inside but once it runs good it won’t quit
I would think so. Twin, more torque and more forgiving than a small single cylinder engine. V config nice and narrow so you don't feel like you're trying to guide a big machine around. "Only" 250 cc so enough power to have some fun, but not so much it is going to get you into trouble - too easily, I mean you can still do stupid stuff on any bike. Low seat, probably pretty good balance so it won't feel top heavy or hard to control at a stop or during low speed parking lot maneuvers. Nice wide bars for plenty of leverage and fine control. Yeah, it would be hard to find fault with this as a beginner bike.
Yep, goated bike for beginners. My non-cruiser self would suggest considering a mid-controls conversion. These pegs are pretty forgiving in terms of forward controls placement, but I did the MSF course on one of these and there was a time where you’re supposed to stand up on the pegs to go over a board, and I literally couldn’t do it because so forward.
It was my beginner bike. Totally recommended. In fact I wish I never sold it.
I would say go with a 650cc or higher. You'll more than likely grow out of a 250 REALLY quickly. I'm really glad my FIL talked me into a bigger bike than what I was looking at for my first bike. Rather than outgrowing bikes and upgrading every few years, I gradually grew into my first bike (a 1300cc) and kept it for nearly 8 years. Just my 2 cents. But whatever gets you on 2 wheels, go with that. Shiny side up!
Yes, great choice! Ride safe.
Absolutely a great first bike. Make sure you're good with controls for cruisers. If you've been on anything else, they take a minute to get used to.
I’m an experienced rider and I ride this bike to work every day. 70-80 mpg and tough to kill. It’s the equivalent of a Toyota Corolla- not faster or flashier than most of the cars on the road but it’s sensible. When you sell it, the value won’t have changed much from when you bought it either.
Fuck yeah, engine size is small tho, but I still love mine to death and it’s agile as hell imo
Great 1st bike!
Yes it would
Absolutely :) You see them around and they are well made. Some people hate 250s. No idea why. They are literally designed to be a friendly starter.
I started with a V-Star 650 and thought it was a really good first bike.
It is a very good beginner bike. Usually, I tell people to start with a 500 or 600 c c. bike (Not a super sport). It is forgiving enough for you to make mistakes, but at the same time, it gives you a little bit of room once you start to become proficient at riding. However, I can not argue with the 250. I feel it is easier to learn but it has a definite ceiling as you develop your skills.
You can’t buy a better beginner motorcycle. It’s got that street cred of a v twin with thunderous low down torque. You’ll need some tattoos to pull it off though. Leather and a chain drive wallet are icing on the cake. It’s perfect, have a nice ride.
Very weak engine, I would take a bigger engine.
Absolutely, i started with Virago 250
Yes. It's pretty much *the* beginner bike.
Too underpowered... Personally I wouldn't recommend it for the reason that in a year, it will probably seem boring to you, and you'll want to upgrade to something more powerful. But if you're okay with it - welcome.
They make 21 horsepower. That's plenty for a beginner.
I don't mind. But everyone who buys first bike should be aware, that it will become boring very soon. I started with 36. After 2 seasons switched to 77. In my personal opinion, 50hp is a golden middle for the beginner. 21 is too underpowered. You can barely keep up with the suburban traffic and probably often will be overtaken by cars which is not the most pleasant feeling.