Star achieved its goal of producing a bike that should satisfy beginners to road-crusty veterans alike. Especially if some of the bigger Touring bikes on the market feel too big or cumbersome. The combination of ergonomics, light weight, and well-tuned suspension inspire confidence. Of course, having a bike that's this low and easy to ride often brings a tradeoff. In this case it would be the floorboards, that touch down a lot earlier than some may like. We actually got very accustomed to riding on the boards and Star did a great job of engineering them and the mounts to safely carve up the turns. Unlike some bikes, hitting the boards on the Tourer was a signal that there was more lean angle to go after. As long as you don't mind the flying sparks and sound it can be fun. Each board is hinged and features replaceable 'feelers' on the underside. A pretty nice touch and it keeps the rest of the floorboard looking new. Although the braking might seem wimpy on paper, the single front caliper worked and felt great. It easily slowed the bike down without any unwanted nosedive. Combine the front with the super grabby rear disc and be prepared for very abrupt stopping. The rear is almost too good-easily locked up, especially for heavy/stomping rear-brake, newbies.
Wind protection was excellent due to the size and shape of the Star windshield. It's broad yet not very tall in either direction. Anyone over 5-foot-six should be able to see over the screen, not having to look through it while riding. Wind buffeting was nonexistent, nor was the sailboat effect observed during heavy crosswinds. More kudos to the engineers who obviously designed this to work right as opposed to some companies that just bolt a piece of clear plastic to the frontend.
As you can see there are definitely alternatives on the market to satisfy our need to travel on two wheels. In this case bigger is not always better and the V Star 950 Tourer should be on anyone's test-ride list this year. You get big bike looks, comfort, and Touring capabilities along with a very budget-minded price tag. Add to that hundreds of available factory-designed accessories to personalize it how you want it and the Star looks better and better.