Review of the Yamaha XVS 1100 Drag Star (V-Star) motorcycle

The mid-sized cruiser Yamaha Drag Star 1100 is one of the most common motorcycles of this class on the roads not only of Russia, but also of a number of other countries around the world. A reasonable price, decent performance, attractive appearance and reputation as a “ bike that never breaks ” brought it the love of tens and hundreds of thousands of motorcyclists. It is not perfect, everyone without exception has shortcomings, but in its class it can be safely called one of the best .

Design

The bike looks great , its appearance is thought out to the smallest detail, but this is the merit not so much of Japanese designers as of American ones. The Yamaha Drag Star 1100 Classic looks like the Softail Fat Boy from Harley-Davidsom, while the 1100 Custom looks a lot like the Fat Boy's closest relative, the Softail Standard. However, the secondary appearance did not in any way affect the commercial success of the Japanese cruiser, which for years sold well in many countries, including the USA.

Specifications

Far from modern in the very essence of its design, this bike is beautiful in its masculine simplicity. The Yamaha Drag Star 1100 has perfectly balanced technical characteristics in all respects , and this is one of the main advantages of the famous Japanese cruiser, along with recognized reliability.

Engine

The power unit used was the proven air-cooled V-twin from the XV1100 Virago , whose roots go back to the early 80s, but modified to take into account modern realities. It is powered by two carburetors, producing 62 hp. and 85 Nm of torque , respectively, with all the torque available at 2500 rpm. The engine has tractor-like thrust, as befits a cruiser, and it is capable of accelerating the bike from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.2 seconds . The maximum speed is 180 km/h , but in such conditions fuel consumption will increase catastrophically.

Transmission

The extremely reliable 5-speed gearbox has one peculiarity - it works very roughly and clumsily, although it is easy to get used to. But when the gear is engaged, a powerful blow is heard from somewhere in the depths of the transmission, making you think that there is a little gnome sitting there with a hammer and anvil, and the bike itself shudders so much that it is visible to the naked eye. At the same time, the transmission life of the Yamaha Drag Star 1100 Classic is enormous; this unit is capable of running hundreds of thousands of kilometers without requiring any attention.

Chassis and brakes

A steel frame , a telescopic fork without adjustments, a pendulum and a monoshock absorber with preload adjustment - that’s the whole chassis. The wheels are either spoked or light alloy, depending on the modification. "Cast" is usually found on V-Star, US market versions. The brakes are good, but nothing more than that: the front wheel has two 298 mm discs with 2-piston calipers, and the rear wheel has one 282 mm disc with the same caliper. There is no ABS , even as an optional extra. Torque is transmitted to the rear wheel using a cardan drive .

Electronics

There are no auxiliary systems, so the electronics are very simple. All wires converge into a switch located under the saddle, which acts as a primitive “brain”. But the European and Japanese versions differ from the American ones; the latter do not have an emergency light, a “blink distant” button and a standard immobilizer.

Weight and dimensions

The curb weight of the Drag Star 1100 is 275-285 kg , depending on the modification, but the additional body kit increases this figure. Subjectively, it does not seem heavy due to the center of mass shifted downwards, and the seat height of about 70 cm allows everyone to confidently reach the ground with both feet. The bike is relatively compact and very comfortable to sit on, but tall and long-legged riders may experience numbness in their legs on long trips. There is a solution - installing roll bars with extensions on them, on which you can stretch your legs while driving on the highway.

Controllability

The Drag Star steers approximately as you would expect from a structurally simple and fairly heavy chopper. By the standards of the class, its handling is excellent, but it would be inappropriate to compare it with any sportbike or road bike. Let's just say that it has enough maneuverability to perform well in any conditions.

Fuel consumption

On the highway at a speed of 110-120 km/h, fuel consumption is about 5.5-6 liters , depending on the quality of the fuel and the technical condition of your bike. At 140 km/h it already increases to 7.5 liters , and in the city it rarely drops below this mark, especially if you like aggressive driving. The engine, created in the 80s, digests AI-92 perfectly, but AI-95 burns better, which reduces consumption by about 0.5 liters per 100 km. On long trips, this helps to slightly increase the range, which is very important, since the gas tank volume is small - 17 liters .

Flaws

According to users, the model has no shortcomings. My wish is to reduce the stroke length of the gearbox pedal. Otherwise, there are no complaints about the box. “..not always clear, but reliable! No questions".

Overall, the motorcycle is reliable and solid, not the most expensive in its class.

The width of the tires is also considered a disadvantage . If the front ones changed from version to version, the rear one was constant, 170 mm. For roads where there may be nails, twigs, glass and other debris that could pierce the camera, the driver had to carry two spare tires, front and rear.

If in automotive realities this is not so critical, then in a motorcycle it created additional problems.

and dignity

We can say that this bike is average in everything, which is why motorcycle enthusiasts like it.

The undoubted advantages due to which the model is still in demand include:

• high reliability of the power plant;
• excellent level of comfort for a bike;
• soft suspension that absorbs all road irregularities well.

Motorcycle price

The cost of liter Drag Stars starts from approximately 220-230 thousand rubles . If you have at least 300 thousand, a huge choice will open before you. Some sellers ask for even more substantial sums, but such prices already look too high; for 350-380 thousand you can already buy a more powerful bike, like the Road Star XV 1600.

Repair and tuning

Motorcycles owned by chopper riders rarely live for years in stock condition, since most of them are subject to tuning to one degree or another. There are no problems with this model, as well as with repairs, which are also vanishingly rare. The Drag Star is rightfully considered one of the most durable and reliable motorcycles ever produced throughout the world.

Repair

Almost everything in this cruiser is repairable. But some service operations are not easy to carry out alone, since there simply is not enough another pair of hands. Just replacing the air filter or adjusting the valves can make the owner swear loudly a couple of times. The Yamaha XVS 1100 has a dense layout, which is noticeable even from the photo.

Spare parts

On average, parts cost about the same as for any other Japanese motorcycle. There are no problems with them, and despite the fact that not everything can be found in stock, numerous online stores will always come to the rescue. And many engine and gearbox parts are suitable from the XV1100 Virago, or from other Yamaha models.

Tuning

Choppers have never suffered from a lack of tuning, and for such a popular model as the XVS 1100, there are simply mountains of it. Dozens of different companies are engaged in its production, and almost everything can be replaced - steering wheel, seats, wheels... There are a lot of safety bars, exhaust systems, cases, fairings, windshields, footrests, grips, platforms and everything else on sale. Another thing is that all this stuff is not cheap, if you don’t focus on budget Chinese crafts.

What do the owners say?

Many bikers highly value this machine. Although it has been out of production for a long time, it is still easy to maintain and reliable. According to owner reviews, this car is capable of long trips. However, no one advises moving far from civilization.

Reviews note that this is one of the first cruisers with a futuristic design. And this is easy to see if you look at a couple of photos and videos. The model looks more interesting, even than many modern road motorcycles. The design of the car is superior to any other sportbike, not to mention a cross-country motorcycle.

If you want a more reliable and interesting car, this bike will be an excellent choice. Parts for it are easy to get, considering how much most of these parts cost. According to the description of those who have been using this car for a long time, it almost immediately pleases you with comfort; you practically don’t need to get used to it.

If you need to drive hundreds of kilometers on a flat road, this car is just right. It’s another matter if we’re talking about thousands of kilometers, then it’s time to think about a touring motorcycle or a touring enduro. And it's not that this is a bad model, it's just that the class itself is intended for something else.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the Yamaha XVS 1100 Drag Star is a magnificent motorcycle for its era, which combines decent technical characteristics and elegant design. Even if this is a modern car, it is already clear that it will go down in history.

Motorcycle modifications

• Classic . The most standard version with an old-fashioned body kit, a typical cruiser, massive and heavy in appearance.
• Silverado _ Same as the Classic, but with a windshield, passenger backrest, side panniers and more chrome.
• Custom . It features a larger radius front wheel, light optics, fenders, seats, turn signals and many other little things.
• Custom Midnign . The same Custom, but matte black, without chrome parts. This modification was sold only on the US market.

Photo gallery

So, we have already found out that the distinctive feature of cruisers are huge sparkling metal parts with enough chrome to fill a whole truck.
Big, powerful mufflers that make you squint when the sun hits them. The tires are so wide that at traffic lights you hardly need to support the bike with your feet. So let's admire the hero of our article, who produces an incredible visual effect, possessing an impressive appearance.

Advantages and disadvantages

Most bikes in this class have approximately the same set of strengths and weaknesses. The Yamaha XVS 1100 is no exception to this rule and is a quintessential cruiser. But what is more important, the pros or cons of this model, depends on your view on this issue. Chopper drivers love their equipment not for its technical characteristics, but because it makes them happy.

Advantages

• Confident acceleration dynamics and traction at low speeds.
• High overall reliability and huge resource.
• Abundance of available tuning and spare parts .
• Low saddle height . Even a short biker can easily reach the ground with both feet.
• Moderate weight combined with a low center of gravity.
• Undemanding to the quality of gasoline.

Flaws

• overrunning clutch fails from time to time. The problem is eliminated once and for all by replacing it with a reinforced one.
• Gasoline consumption increases sharply at high speed.
• Some service operations are inconvenient to carry out. To replace the oil filter, you have to remove the mufflers.

Comfort

The bike is comfortable to ride on spacious trails, where this large motorcycle can easily maneuver at low and medium speeds. In the city, such a vehicle will quickly tire. For example, if you have to turn around somewhere in the yard, then, firstly, it will not be easy, and secondly, it may sometimes end in repairs. After all, the clearance here is small.

Also, if a person rides such a bike in a traffic jam, he will have to periodically prop it up with his foot. And this bike is far from light. If you use such a machine in suitable conditions, it will only bring pleasure. Of course, if the rider is experienced enough to ride such a motorcycle.

Owner reviews

The Draga 1100 is my favorite motorcycle, although I sold it two years ago, having ridden it for seven full seasons. The reason for the sale is simple, like everyone else, I wanted to increase the cubic capacity. In the end, I chose the most similar model, took the Road Star 1600, almost the same, only more torque and more interesting dynamics. Over all the years, Draga has never failed, there were no breakdowns, with the exception of overtaking, so only service. But the service is complete, right down to regular inspections of the driveshaft with the secondary, cleaning and synchronization of carbs and everything else. Evgeniy, Krasnoyarsk.

An ideal bike for the city, for the highway, and for everything in general. It clears traffic jams easily, this is not Golda, and outside the city he doesn’t feel inferior either. The golden mean, nothing less. On the highway, the dynamics remain up to approximately 120-130 mph; if faster, overtaking becomes more difficult. Vibrations up to 140 mph are not annoying, after this mark they begin to increase, sixth gear is still not enough. The optimal cruise is within 130, if you go faster, the consumption increases greatly, and the tank is small. The presence of a passenger and cargo is not felt at all, the dynamics do not suffer. Although a friend says that after installing a bunch of body kit, the heavy speaker sagged slightly, but he has a complete stuffing there, he installed a batwing with glass, music, arches front and rear, three plastic cases and a bunch of other things on the Draga 1100. Victor, Vladivostok.

The motorcycle is decent, although the dynamics at speed are rather poor and fade away quickly. In the city, the engine is enough for your eyes, you can go to a point from a traffic light, not a single car was even close, unless it was a Ferrari. It goes like hell up to 100-110 km/h, then it starts to give up, of course, but this is a chopper after all, not a sport. Vasily, Podolsk.

011_moto_0611_038

Thanks to its low weight, low center of gravity and low seat (only 695 mm), the “drag” is very popular among the fair sex.
Many copies sold on the secondary market are already equipped with wind deflectors, panniers and other tourist accessories, but if not, buying these elements will not be difficult. Any catalog will offer dozens of options. Thanks to its low weight, low center of gravity and low seat (only 695 mm), the “drag” is very popular among the fair sex. Many copies sold on the secondary market are already equipped with wind deflectors, panniers and other tourist accessories, but if not, buying these elements will not be difficult. Any catalog will offer dozens of options.

COMPETITORS:

Similar models

• Honda VT1100 Shadow. The main competitor, close to the Yamaha XVS 1100 in all technical characteristics. The main difference between Honda is liquid cooling of the engine instead of air.
• Kawasaki VN1500 Vulcan. Despite the larger engine capacity, the performance characteristics are practically no different from the hero of our review.
• Suzuki VS1400 Intruder , aka Boulevard S83 . An excellent chopper in every sense of the word, iron, powerful and tenacious.

FAQ

• Is it compatible in parts with younger Drag Stars? No, they are built on different platforms. Only 400cc and 650cc models are compatible with each other.
• On paper, the Yamaha XVS 1100 Drag Star Classic has the same technical specifications as the Custom, but how is it in reality? It's true, these modifications differ only in body kit. Although the Custom weighs a little less and is therefore, in theory, a little more dynamic, it's more of a difference in feel.

001_moto_0611_038

1997 - Yamaha XVS650 Drag Star.
The model replaced the obsolete Virago. Classic shapes, high-torque engine, comfortable suspension – with this motorcycle Yamaha has opened a new page in its cruiser range. At the same time as the 650, the domestic Japanese “four hundred” also saw the light of day. 1997 - Yamaha XVS650 Drag Star. The model replaced the obsolete Virago. Classic shapes, high-torque engine, comfortable suspension – with this motorcycle Yamaha has opened a new page in its cruiser range. At the same time as the 650, the domestic Japanese “four hundred” also saw the light of day.

Conclusion

Yamaha Drag Star 1100 Classic will not lose popularity and people's love for a long time. Despite the fact that the model range of the Japanese company has long been replenished with other models, more modern and technologically advanced, Drag Star looks very worthy against their background. This is a real “iron” motorcycle with a cardan , an air-cooled motor and a minimum number of plastic parts, which is highly valued by orthodox chopper riders . In caring hands, this bike can live for decades, regularly rolling hundreds of thousands of kilometers on its wheels.

Specifications