I want a softail suspension, but can't afford a Harley. How about the Yamaha V-Star?

Yes, Harley Davidson refers to all their hard tail look with hidden suspension as softail style. I guess because they have to specify it is softail because it looks hardtail. Thus the reference to softail as hidden is becoming common.

Yamaha Roadstar, Dragstar

Suzuki Boulevard M and C models Now they have a 2006 Intruder C 800. It has hidden suspension too.

That is all I know of.

I own a 2006 V-Star 650 Classic. I would've bought a Harley, but this is my first bike, and if I lay it down, I'm out a maximum of the $4500 puchase price, as opposed to twice that for a Sportster.

ANY bike with a rear suspension, instead of a solid rear frame, is a softail. If a bike has springs or shocks to absorb bumps transferred from the rear axle to the frame, it is a softail, whether they are inside or outside the frame rails.

the fee seems excellent yet jon is nice about the sorry shovel head starter . my 80 4 had that and that i spent a gaggle of money updating to a sparkling starter equipment like inner outter accepted and seize and transmission and starter .. Deal is your Yamaha is really damaged in in the present day and until eventually you've a large checkbook to pay harely or a large device field and are a mechanic i propose you be at liberty with what you've and yeah I surely have 3 harleys and could tell anybody a similar difficulty . fortunate i'm a mechanic with a large device field is all i will claim reason i certain as hell ought to no longer arise with the money for the Hundred dollar a hour exertions bill harley is charging

My brother and I bought 2 new bikes for a summer vacation. His 1200 Bandit leaked gas and ruined the motor before it got 2000 miles. We asked Suzuki to replace the motor so we could go on vacation. They said it’s to expensive and would cost $3000. After 4 months and the vacation gone they got the motor rebuilt at a their cost of $3700. The dealer wanted to replace the motor but Suzuki squashed that. The gas stained cases and burnt exhaust pipes were not replaced. The bike got nicked and scratched all over from being apart for so long. The rep rode it and looked at it, then said it’ good as new. It ran like crap and looked worse. We called Japan for nothing, and even wrote the US CEO all for nothing. We spent $15,000 for the bikes to get Fd. We spent our vacation hassling with Suzuki, and not one person there gave a F! Beware Suzuki’s warranty is not worth the paper it’s printed on! Buy one of their lemons are get Fd like we did!

you want the rigid look without the shocks showing, the yamahas are nice bikes, look at the roadstar warrior, it's a sweet bike- but yes all bikes with shocks (hidden or not) are softails

yeah the vstar is a good bike to ride....but the triumph america is better priced than the vstars and the ride is sweet....and you wont get bagged for being on japcrap

I also think the Roadstar has that type suspension.

All motorcycles except old rigid frames have soft tails.

I know it aint no Harley.

buy the Harley anyway!!!!

then you can keep your chin up