EazyDuz Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 Hey, thought this would be one of the best forums to ask a few questions I have so if someone could take the time to answer it would be appreciated. 1. Is the 650 OK for someone who is 6ft tall? One of the reasons I'm ggetting rid of the virago is that I feel cramped after a while. My leg/thighs are pretty much at right angles. 2. 650 custom vs 650 classic? I much prefer the aesthetics of the classic if I'm honest, but is that where the changes end? For example are the materials superior on one version than the other, or any power differences? 3. Is there much difference between years? Like were there any changes from a 2000 model to a 2003 for example? 4. What are common things to look out for when viewing one for sale? Some bikes hhave common issues, for the virago it was a faulty electric fuel reserve switch. Does the 650 have any niggles? 5.For anyone who has owned both a 535 and 650, care to share any pros/cons between them? 6. Price. From what I've seen I should be able to get a nice example for around £2000, sound about right? 7. Aftermarket parts. I'm assuming there are a lot aavailable one thing I would like to do is add floor boards. Also a nice aftermarket exhaust would be on my to do list, any highly recommended pipes? 8. Lastly, maintenance. How often and how easy is it to do the usuals, valve clearances, oil change etc. All those things on the virago were pretty painless and I'd consider myself pretty good at doing maintenance on motorbikes. Thanks and I look forward to the replies! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noise Posted April 12, 2014 Share Posted April 12, 2014 The draggy is better in every way. Period. You may find leg room tight but if I'm correct tasky is about 6ft and he was happy with the draggy. If not you can get extensions to push the pegs forward. As for custom vs classic, it is all just down to looks but with the extra weight of the add ons the classics have it will be slower off the line to a custom. After market parts are plentyful unless you want to put Harley parts on it then things get a bit tricky. Servicing is about as easy as cooking toaste. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ttaskmaster Posted April 13, 2014 Share Posted April 13, 2014 1. Depends on your inside leg length. Mine are about 33", which means my feet are just a little forward of my knees when I ride (the Drag, anyway). However, if your legs start cramping, just straighten them out and rest your heels/calves on the pegs for a bit. 2. Custom all the way. Always!!!! Nah, it's totally up to you. The performance stats are about the same, in that both models have 40HP, but the Classic has 20kg of extra metal on it though, so will be slower. 3. Not really, no. 4. Check the rear shock, make sure it's clean and in good condition. 6. £2500 is the usual price for a nice one. These are Cruisers though, so the chrome rusts and it falls apart if it's not been looked after. 8. General bits, easy enough. Getting the rocker covers off is a little fiddly. You'll need a way of holding it upright to check the oil, as it has no centrestand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noise Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 There is a way of putting a center stand on the Draggy as there is a bracket already on the bike ready to fit on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toutsuite Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 1. Should be fine. The draggie is a long and low design, not the tall and squished design of the viggie. 2. Well if you prefer the looks of the classic that's a big plus for the classic. However, as mentioned above it's about 20-30 kilos heavier, so slower and a bit less manoeuvrable. Also it has footboards instead of pegs, so more comfy, but less able to really lean into corners without scraping them. 3. A few minor ones, mostly cosmetic, but if you're fitting aftermarket pipes it might be important to know what year your bike is. 4. Rear shock, clutch can start slipping around 40k miles. 6. Around £2200 to £2500, yes. 7. Shitloads. If you go for the classic it has footboards already. I recommend Vance & Hines Cruzers for price/looks/sound. 8. If you're really good with getting your hands dirty you should have no problems. Most complicated thing I've done to mine is change the clutch friction plates and springs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gizmo666 Posted April 14, 2014 Share Posted April 14, 2014 as has already been said xvs kicks the shit outa the 535 i've had the classic and the custom i personally find the custom a bit easier to handle than the classic and very marginally quicker than the classic(weight diff) theres a cracker for sale close to me got a lot on it for the money http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-Dragstar-650-Custom-1997-only-13500-miles-/141250815015?pt=UK_Motorcycles&hash=item20e3346427 imo you could ride this for a year and still get your money back easy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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