Faults:

Nothing.

General Comments:

YOU NEED to do a few alterations/modifications to love this bike or you might think you have made a mistake.

1. Change the handle bars to 2010 onwards or experience big shoulder pain when riding. After 2010 this fault was rectified with new bars, but 07-09 bikes had horrible bars with not enough pull back. Mine used to cripple my shoulders until I found out why.

2. Take the rear brake pedal off its splines and move it lower down; as standard it's way too high, meaning you have to lift your boot off the board to press it!

3. The bike needs a K&N air filter to help it breath; it will judder like hell at slow speeds with the standard filter; a new filter helps a lot.

4. Along with the air filter, the standard exhaust needs the end baffle drilling out again to help the bike breath and reduce low speed juddering; sound is much better too, but not too loud for an MOT. See YouTube for this modification, takes 2 minutes and makes a vast improvement.

That's it really, a few cheap mods made my bike great. Superb roll on power and handling for a cruiser and higher gearing for much better mid range and top end power (that's why it tends to judder so much at lower speeds. Mine will now do 30mph in 4th gear; it needed 3rd gear before mods).

My next change will be to try SBS brake pads on the front as I find the original pads very poor; I've put SBS on the back and it's much better.

Overall love it now, but initially hated it and couldn't work out why.

Faults:

Wheel finish deterioration after only two months of ownership. The manufacturer called it cosmetic and would not cover the defective finish of the wheels.

General Comments:

I really enjoy riding this bike. It is great on long distance rides (500-600 miles).

The sound system could use a little more kick, but it does the job.

The fairing tends to rattle a bit. All fasteners are tight, but it still rattles.

Faults:

Nothing yet, replaced the driver's seat, wasn't comfortable.

General Comments:

I really like the 1300 Yamaha V-Star Deluxe. Wish it would have come with cruise control and four way hazard lights.