2009–2017 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
Chopper Soul, Easy Money
The V Star 950 is Yamaha's middleweight read on the long, low cruiser, and it commits to the look properly. The 942 cc air-cooled 60° V-twin makes 54 hp and 57 lb-ft (77 Nm) down at 3,000 rpm, so the pull sits exactly where a cruiser rider lives. A steel double cradle frame stretches the wheelbase to 66.3 in (1,684 mm), a belt turns the fat 170-section rear tire, and there is nothing electronic to manage: no ride modes, no traction control. It reads as a big bike without the big-bike complexity.
Ridden, it asks very little of you: light clutch, torque from just off idle, and manners that stay predictable at the speeds you actually use. It ages well because there is so little to go wrong. Air cooling, five speeds, and 41 mpg keep the ownership math simple, and the bike wears its miles instead of being ruined by them. This one suits the rider who wants the stance and the mechanical throb without complexity or a big service bill. The honest caveat: 613 lb (278 kg) is real weight at walking pace, the fork has no adjustment at all, and rear preload is the only setup change you get.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 54 hp (40 kW) @ 6,000 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 57 lb-ft (77 Nm) @ 3,000 rpm |
| Displacement | 942 cc |
| Engine | 60° V-twin |
| Cooling | Air-cooled |
| Gearbox | 5-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Telescopic |
| Front tire | 130/70-18 |
| Rear tire | 170/70-16 |
| Wheelbase | 66.3 in (1684 mm) |
| Seat height | 26.5 in (673 mm) |
| Wet weight | 613 lb (278 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 4.4 gal (16.6 L) |
| Fuel economy | 41 mpg (US) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Comfort
This one is not my ride report. It is what I have collected over years of listening to riders: paddock talk, bike night conversations, owners I run into, and the mail people send me directly. On the XVS 950 the chatter runs warm and consistent, and the complaints that do come up stay narrow and specific.
The loudest praise is not about straight lines. Riders talk about how light the bike feels once it is moving, how willingly it turns for something with these proportions, and how manageable it stays at low speed. Torque comes up just as often. Owners describe gathering speed without working for it, which is what makes the cruising feel relaxed. Long days get good reports as well, with the seat and riding position holding up over distance. A few call the shift action clean and precise.
Two gripes recur. The suspension gets described as fine on smooth pavement and harsh once the road turns rough, with bumps coming straight through. The other is maneuvering at walking pace: owners mention the wide turning circle when backing out of a space, and shorter riders feel it most.
Fuel leak from injector pipe
Improperly molded fuel hose may not seal correctly, causing fuel leakage and fire hazard. NHTSA recall 11V533000.
Premature belt pulley and spline wear
Overtightened belt from factory can cause excessive wear on front pulley and transmission output splines, potentially leading to transmission damage.
Where this Yamaha XVS 950 A pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the XVS 950 A is actually built for.
If your year runs from Daytona to Sturgis, the stance and the air-cooled throb are here. Just be clear you are buying it for the look and the low running costs, not for parking-lot status.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
Small towns, old routes, no hurry: that is this bike's natural rhythm. 41 mpg and a belt drive keep the stops short, and it looks right parked anywhere you pull over.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
It sits on the interstate dead straight all day and costs almost nothing to run. But there is no cruise control, luggage costs extra, and 54 hp loaded two-up over a pass asks for patience.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Yamaha XVS 950 A. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
