The Bar

Well i been thinking of a change maybe on the cards but im not too sure......? Ive kinda fallen in love with the KTM Super Duke 990 but im also for ever tormented by an old Harley Dyna! both are stupid money second hand as well as out the crate! So what do i do? should i keep the draggy and carry on doing what Ive been doing and making her to my tastes or do i start saving and get my all time dream Harley or the pocket rocket Duke?

Just brought a 2007 Dragstar 1100 classic, does anyone know if parts from a VStar will fit the Dragstar?

hello all iv recently bought a yamaha dragstar 1100 trike i went to go and get some new (wider) back wheels and asked what i thought was the easyest question to andwer .... were does the bike read the speed ?? i thought it was at the bottom of the front forks but i cant see anythink any ideas? a pics here for people to see the bike http://www.flickr.com/photos/65221885@N05/

Hi, As I said in my introduction,I am soon to be a learner,and quite like the XVS Dragstar,it was what brought me to Yamaha(love v-twins). What I would like to ask of you more experienced folk here,any oppinions on the XVS 125,is it a worthwhile first bike and if I may ask,what weak points do they have,something I should look for when buying? I have a friend with a Thundercat,who promises to help me with the buying,but this style of bike is different to his,is there any real difference apart from the obvious engine and style?

Hiya all, I'm sad to report that, due to my ignorance, my 15 year old Dragstar 125 has broke. I've had here for a thousand miles and She's been running lean due to cracks in manifold forcing my to ride full choke so I don't get killed on a12, all this has put too much force through a slack chain which has bent the neutral switch and bent a bolt which caused an oil leak so today is fixing that oil leak charge battery and see if she starts and see if we can diagnose any engine damage from the oil leak. Now, if there is engine damage then I have been told maybe a big bore kit is way to go in terms of repair and upgrade. Thanks to this forum I already found out I need…

..following on from advice i read o this site i went in search of the Petrol Tank overflow valve which is supposed to restict airflow through the tank (creating a vacuum and possible flat-spots on the power curve). Here's how it's done: Remove pillion seat (one nut) Remove seat (2 allen bolts) Remove single Petrol tank securing bolt (or 2 separate bolts on underside of frame) and lift rear of tank slightly to loosen it. Slide tank backwards about 2 inches (so forward mount slides off rubber seat mount) Pull off rubber seat Remove 8mm bolt securing black plastic cover protecting filter area Remove left hand plastic cover by unclipping top joint (which joins both p…

Hi! I've got a Dragstar 650a 05 Plate and I'm looking to make it sound loud and throaty - so that you can hear us coming a mile away. But I want to do it as cost effectivly as possilbe and also so that it passes its MOT (ie with no exhasts stamped 'not for road use') What can you advise?

My midlife crisis came later than most so I bought a Dragstar 650 I know about bikes from many years ago so my know-how may be out of date, but here goes I cannot move/pull out the choke cable.. The choke cable is free in it's outer cable but the lever it is supposed to move is solid it only moves about 1/8 inch As I said I may be out of date but isn't the lever which the choke cable is attached to supposed to move because mine doesn't. cheers

Hi My XVS125 looks the same as it did five mins ago... not right impressed. Think it needs a change, I may remove the sheild where the air filter is, and install a fat cone, or a pancake mesh one. Or... I may leave it there and remove the airbox and put in an offset cone filter, where the box was, directly on the carb. for the smart folk yes I could just leave it... but im not. So, the latter viable option would be a pain in the ass to clean or remove.... however coupled with bigger jets I could be getting a nice top end improvement... the previous, may look out of its style... and it still has the rather diversive rubber intake connected to …

hi, can anyone advise me please....CAN I CONVERT MY 650A CLASSIC DRAGSTAR TO A 1100CC BY WAY OF A CONVERTION kit in itOR BY STICKING A 1100CC ENGINE/RECONDITIONED ENGINE STRAIGHT IN IT; WITHOUT ANY PROBLEMS, PLEASE KEEP YOUR REPLY IN "LAY MANS TERMS. "

Hi everyone I've had a problem. Just lately she has been cutting out on initial start/ignition and on second start usually goes ok. On this occasion same thing happened, started fine then cut out then on second attempt....no ignition at all. Dead as a do-do. Though all the lights are working, all the fuses are intact, battery is at full power and took starter motor off to check it and that is running off an independant battery. In the past the regi/rec went and fried the old battery and the new regi/ rec has been on about 2 years, though it was a second hand one that some one had spare and gave me so don't know how old it is. I was wondering if any one had a…

Hello all, i just put a new handlebar on my dragstar. Now want to install risers where i can route the cables through... Any idea's or suggestions? I see a lot of types available, but not sure about the rises with holes for the cables...do the holes go all the way through? Cannot figure that out looking at the pictures. thanks a lot

Paint Question Following a little slide, does anyone know where I can get paint spray to match the Yamaha Black of my 04 Dragstar? I popped into Halfords to get one of their spray cans and they dont stock motorbike colours... Repair is filled, smoothed and primed... just need some black to match!! Any help welcome! Rich

Hello .I rescued a xvs 125 from a garden, [where it had lived for 2 years].The rings need changing because it was seized.Does anyone have any helpful hints or advice on doing this as i am going in blind'[no workshop manual] many thanks, simon p.s any clues where to get a manual, have tried haynes n clymer.

My Dragstar 400 rear brake lever is very high and awkward to use from the footpeg, can it be adjust and would footplates help solve the problem.?? If footplates are the way to go where is the best value place?

Good Afternoon one and all. My 650 dragstar (not classic) has a rear wheel problem. I have only done 1500 miles since buying it in February this year and the spokes have started "loosening". I have tightened them and the wheel is still true, but I noticed that the holes in the hub have started to elongate. Does any one know where I can get a good condition hub, or wheel complete? I have trawled the internet to no avail. If I can't get one, is it possible for a wheel company to redrill the hub and fit larger gauge spokes? Any advice would be very welcome. Cheers Peter

Hi there, Happy new year to you all! I've come with cap in hand to ask your advice please. If there is anybody who knows about dragstars and engine block paint peeling/bubbling. My bike is fairly old (but still in sound condition), however, the engine block is beginning to bubble in places, not massively but enough to try and stop it before it gets out of hand. About the size of a penny in two place. The fins are also beginning to lose their paint on the edges. The paint is a grey colour but I don't know exactly the colour code for the paint block. I would like to paint it in those spots with VHT paint if possible. Any ideas what colour I could use for the eng…

Hi there, looking for some advice. I want to buy a chrome clutch and oil filter cover and a stator cover for my xvs 1997 (metallic orange colour). Really really hard to find second hand parts for this bike. So i searched some sites in the states and have found parts but I'm not sure if they are compatible with European models. I also have the 1997 model which is the first xvs 650 model. Are the case covers compatible compatible on v-stars and dragstars? I tried looking at the part number and they seem the same but one has an extra 00 at the end. Anyone here with experience of buying parts in the states? Also if not possible, what year do the parts change on t…

Hi all was wondering if some one could give me some advise as to the ideal tyre pressure with a pillion on, i'm using stock tyres at the moment got front set for 33lb and rear for 36lb but just doesn't feel right

what is the easiest way to drain the gas from the virago 1000? this is my first yamaha. i am very familiar with british bikes, and hondas but this bike has two gas tanks and no petcock. i don't want start pulling hoses and end up with a mess. the clymer manual isn't very helpful, just says to remove lower hose from sub-tank. i need to remove carbs for re-build.