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Bob Pickett does a spot of cruising on a Yamaha XVS650 Dragstar

Now lets say you are thinking about “something for the weekend Sir”… no, not those, but a bike! Of course, there is the sporting option, but can you really use 180mph? And if you can, you should not be using it on HM’s Highways and Byways anyway(s). Given all the hassles of the week, wouldn’t it be nice to be a little more laid back at the weekend?

So why not look at the more laid back approach and investigate a cruiser? Even on a (reasonably) restricted budget, it is possible to go the cruiser route. Motobke.co.uk tested a 2001 parallel import Yamaha Dragstar XVS650, which was on sale at Garozzo Motorcycles for £3,295.

The Dragstar range was brought in to replace the aging but rightly praised Virago series. Whereas the Virago took the “tall and short” (relatively speaking) route, Dragstars are more “long and low”, in true Harley(esque) stylee.

Low, wide... lovely? Definitely a smooth ride The range goes from 125 all the way up to an 1100 beast of a motor, but if you’re going towards the cruiser route for the first time, the best bet would be the 650. At this size, there is still performance (in cruiser terms), but the handling should be sharper on the middleweight version – all important when you are new to the full, unrestricted licence game, or looking at getting into cruisers for the first time.

The 650 comes in two versions, the “Classic”, which features all sorts of add-ons and extras to give it that, well, ‘classic’ look. But this puts another couple of hundred on the price and doesn’t add anything to the performance, so to begin with, best to look at the ‘plain’ version, which if it takes your fancy will be easy to customise to your heart’s content anyway.

At first glance, the XVS650 looks huge and bulky, mainly down to the wide fuel tank which looks like it will spread your legs uncomfortably wide. Get on board and this picture changes, with the tank being placed just nicely to give you room to work. Likewise, the wide, wide bars give the impression that your arms will be stuck out at the sides. In reality? Yes, they are wide, but still give you plenty of leverage, handy when you’re moving the beast around by ‘pedal power’.

Start it up and there is a feeling of disappointment. Somehow, it seems only right that cruisers should make a lowdown, throaty growl… and the XVS650 doesn’t. The stock cans put out more of a purr, quite a nice sound in it’s own way, but replacement exhausts would appear to loom large on the shopping list.

Time to pull away – bring in the (feather-light) clutch, snick into first gear (no heavy clunk, this is a smooth gearbox), let out the clutch and… not a lot happens initially. Despite the 650cc v-twin making maximum torque at just 3,000 revs, the bike doesn’t haul ass in the way you think it would.

But once under way, the Dragstar experience becomes a very different, very enjoyable one. Suddenly, where Yamaha have placed everything makes perfect sense. The wide bars make controlling the bike a doddle and the seating position (slightly laid back with very forward placed footpegs) is the most comfortable one I have ever experienced, combined with the plush saddle it really does feel like floating on air.

On the move, the Dragstar is perfectly poised and just seems to glide along the road. The shaft drive is totally unobtrusive and combine this with the peach of an engine and the whole riding experience is one of sheer pleasure. Working the box, which on a smaller capacity machine is essential to get the best from the engine, is an effortless affair, with the amazingly light clutch and silky smooth gearbox combining to make life very easy for the rider.

Admittedly, if you up the ante and start to push on at “licence threatening” speeds, then there is an annoying buzz through the bars at around 65 and crack on harder than that and the riding position leaves you hung out to dry, turning you into something of a windsock, but then licence threatening speeds really aren’t what a middleweight cruiser like this is all about.

Of course, you have to stop and once again, this is a real letdown. The bike we rode had done just 3,000 miles, but the front brake was already lacking in feel and needed a good haul on the lever. Perhaps braided hoses would help, but it is fair to say that the front brake will need a good amount of TLC to keep it on the ball.

Put the unresponsive front brake with the lack of initial grunt and riding in busy urban environments is something of a bind. Shame, as the excellent handling and that effortless clutch should make for a relaxed approach to gridlocked inner-city tarmac. The image of size seems to work in your favour though – perhaps it is the “rufty-tufty” image of cruiser riders, but you tend to be left to get on with things by the four-wheeled bunch.

The other big thing to consider about a cruiser is the finish. And on the one tested it was pristine. Admittedly, with only 3,000 miles on the clock you would expect this, but it does seem that Yamaha have put some effort into ensuring the XVS650 will keep it’s looks – shame this doesn’t extend to their whole range.

In many ways, it is a shame to think about practicalities on a bike like this. But if it is going to be used on a more than occasional basis then the owner has to take these into consideration. The lights are good, the lack of cargo points is not. But we are talking a cruiser here, so there are plenty of throwover sets available, as well as (if you really must do the “urban outlaw” thing) bar rolls available. Fitting a sissy bar with a small rack and perhaps a screen would make using the bike into a more than useful distance tool. As long as you can handle taking your time and not trying to mile-crunch on the motorways, the comfort levels will see you able to rack up huge distances in perfect comfort.

All in all, the XVS650 Dragstar is an excellent introduction to the world of cruisers. It will bring you into the cruising scene in a relaxed, easy to ride way, it certainly has the look of a ‘proper’ cruiser and to the uninitiated will turn heads… and lets be honest, part of the whole cache of riding a cruiser is about those glances from passers by.

Just try to avoid having to stop and start all that often while you’re doing so.

With thanks to Garozzo Motorcycles for the loan of the bike

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