Dragstar XVS1100 review
Diatribes of an anxious mind
(or the Dragstar XVS1100 review)
The glamorous life of the biker has led me to a sparsely populated hamlet in middle England, where the locals keep offering their daughters to me… is what I'd like to say however I find myself in a madhouse in a small village, sitting in a single bed late at night contemplating why I chose to have a sausage roll, a carrot and an apple for my evening meal. Tonight's meal was in stark contrast to last night's moody curry which wreaked havoc with my guts all day. Not to mention the landladies nostrils, the giveaway was the box sash window was wide open when I got back tonight.
What the fuck has this got to do with bikes? I hear you ask. The answer is that thanks to a bike I can't sleep. Also, the fact that the lunatics I am giving my hard‑earned cash to for a roof over my head, can't shut the fuck up when I'm trying to sleep doesn't help. But I digress… I am working approximately two and a half hours drive away from home. That kind of distance makes for a painful commute, especially as it is all motorways. So me and the wife decided that a B&B and a cheapo car was the way forward. So last weekend we went hunting for a £500 car with tax and ticket.
I had been toying with the idea of another bike, the rebel has a knackered big end and the chop is in pieces. I have been donated a CBR1000 but that will need work and time as it has stood for 5 years! Any‑how the cars didn't look too appealing, the collection of Mundane‑o's and vec‑turds with ropey paint and bodywork were lack lustre, to say the least. It was my wife that pointed out that "Why buy a cheap car and then within a couple of months buy another bike, because know you will bllaah blahh blaaah…" - fifteen minutes later, following the lecture, I had to concede that it pains me everytime I hear a V‑twin roll past.
So with that we nipped off to the nearest dealership to see what commuter I could get. Bearing in mind the mileage it needed to be a sensible bike that could handle long distances and incredible neglect and abuse from a maintenance‑free owner. I looked at the Triumph Tiger and the BMW GS but they're not really me. I looked at the Yamaha Diversion 600, cheap but too small, the 900 is just too plain. I looked at the Bandit and VTR, Fireblade and Sportster until I saw it. Initially it was the price that attracted me - sub £4K and 1100cc of pure fatness, shaft drive, 17 litre tank, wide ass seat and wide bars.
The Yamaha XVS1100 had certainly got my attention. Great tourer and Japanese reliability, not to mention lower cost of after market parts compared to other big twin manufacturers. So, if the deal was done, why am I losing sleep over it? Good question, I pick it up on Saturday (it's Wednesday night). Worried about the debt? Not really, it's not the first time I have financed a bike… so what then? Well, I am concerned about the first ride, I know it sounds stupid. I've been riding for donkeys and have ridden just about everything, everything except a big fat cruiser. How does it handle? How do I corner? Will I slip off it in a petrol station and not be able to lift it? When I leave the B&B in the morning will they complain… fuck em if they do I s'pose…
What the fuck has this got to do with bikes? I hear you ask. The answer is that thanks to a bike I can't sleep. Also, the fact that the lunatics I am giving my hard‑earned cash to for a roof over my head, can't shut the fuck up when I'm trying to sleep doesn't help. But I digress… I am working approximately two and a half hours drive away from home. That kind of distance makes for a painful commute, especially as it is all motorways. So me and the wife decided that a B&B and a cheapo car was the way forward. So last weekend we went hunting for a £500 car with tax and ticket.
I had been toying with the idea of another bike, the rebel has a knackered big end and the chop is in pieces. I have been donated a CBR1000 but that will need work and time as it has stood for 5 years! Any‑how the cars didn't look too appealing, the collection of Mundane‑o's and vec‑turds with ropey paint and bodywork were lack lustre, to say the least. It was my wife that pointed out that "Why buy a cheap car and then within a couple of months buy another bike, because know you will bllaah blahh blaaah…" - fifteen minutes later, following the lecture, I had to concede that it pains me everytime I hear a V‑twin roll past.
So with that we nipped off to the nearest dealership to see what commuter I could get. Bearing in mind the mileage it needed to be a sensible bike that could handle long distances and incredible neglect and abuse from a maintenance‑free owner. I looked at the Triumph Tiger and the BMW GS but they're not really me. I looked at the Yamaha Diversion 600, cheap but too small, the 900 is just too plain. I looked at the Bandit and VTR, Fireblade and Sportster until I saw it. Initially it was the price that attracted me - sub £4K and 1100cc of pure fatness, shaft drive, 17 litre tank, wide ass seat and wide bars.
The Yamaha XVS1100 had certainly got my attention. Great tourer and Japanese reliability, not to mention lower cost of after market parts compared to other big twin manufacturers. So, if the deal was done, why am I losing sleep over it? Good question, I pick it up on Saturday (it's Wednesday night). Worried about the debt? Not really, it's not the first time I have financed a bike… so what then? Well, I am concerned about the first ride, I know it sounds stupid. I've been riding for donkeys and have ridden just about everything, everything except a big fat cruiser. How does it handle? How do I corner? Will I slip off it in a petrol station and not be able to lift it? When I leave the B&B in the morning will they complain… fuck em if they do I s'pose…
2 Weeks later.
Okay, the XVS has a 75 degree V‑Twin engine that outputs around 62HP a top speed of 108 out of the box and mine came with a fly screen. My first thought was it was lot larger than I remembered not just width but length! Would it filter okay? I signed the papers and looked like a reject out of the 70's TV Series Chips! I didn't like the screen for two reasons; one it looked camp as hell, and secondly the height is all wrong and gives the illusion of a vary‑focal lens. The first roundabout I hit, I had the right‑hand foot pegs gouging out the road, clearly there was going to have to be some riding style adjustments. Straight line she is lovely and the power eases in, before you know you are hurtling along with the comforting thump‑thump of the twin taking it all in its stride. In town the bike is surprisingly easy to throw around, filtering is a breeze and the bike feels solid as a rock. U‑turns aren't too difficult and the clutch doesn't 'snatch'. Comfort comes from the fat arse seat and in my opinion would suit any fat bastard on a long run. The 17 litre tanks serves the bike well giving around 150 mile until reserve on a mainly motorway run.
What really lets it down for me is the lack of low end power and the gutless sound from the standard pipes. My last custom was a Harley Sportster 1200 XL, stage‑1 tuned etc etc. That baby yanked your arms out their sockets and I loved it!
The Dragstar does exactly what it says on the tin and out of 10 I have to give it 8.7. I ride for 2 hours straight Mondays and Fridays and get off ready for action. We have just had some torrential tropical weather here in the UK and my 2hr ride turned into 2.45 hours of filtering hell through gridlocked and flooded motorways, you know what? I was laughing most of the time as the Dragstar barrelled through the fords and stupid gaps and all its brutish fatness shone through as it carried back to the bosom of my wife.
Now I just have to persuade the old girl to clean it for me!
What really lets it down for me is the lack of low end power and the gutless sound from the standard pipes. My last custom was a Harley Sportster 1200 XL, stage‑1 tuned etc etc. That baby yanked your arms out their sockets and I loved it!
The Dragstar does exactly what it says on the tin and out of 10 I have to give it 8.7. I ride for 2 hours straight Mondays and Fridays and get off ready for action. We have just had some torrential tropical weather here in the UK and my 2hr ride turned into 2.45 hours of filtering hell through gridlocked and flooded motorways, you know what? I was laughing most of the time as the Dragstar barrelled through the fords and stupid gaps and all its brutish fatness shone through as it carried back to the bosom of my wife.
Now I just have to persuade the old girl to clean it for me!
