What motorcycle do BLM rioters prefer? Knowing the answer to this quesiton would require a poll, which I don't have, but I did see a photograph used for an article showing two BLM rioters in Washington DC riding a Yamaha Vstar 650 Classic (see first photo below). The motorcycle is modified with custom paint, missing turn signals and a Kuryakin Hypercharger replacing the stock air filter cover.
The Yamaha Vstar 650 was manufactured from 1997 to 2019, but was only available in the United States from 1998 to 2015, and maybe 2016. The Vstar 650 was a cruiser style motorcycle available in several different versions. There was a Silverado model that came with studded saddle bags, studded seat, windshield and studded passenger sissy bar. The Classic model was a stripped down Silverado without those extra features, and a Custom model that looked more like a high performance cruiser. All VStar 650 models were powered by a 649cc vtwin, air cooled, SOHC engine. The power train also included a 5 speed manual transmission with shaft final drive. The little vtwin engine produced 40 HP and 37.5 lb-ft torque. The curb weight was 500 lbs for the Custom model and between 545-600 lbs for the Silverado and Classic models. Seat height was around 28 inches for all models.
What made the Yamaha Vstar 650 so popular was it's classic cruiser styling at a low price making it a direct competitor with the Honda Shadow models. The lower price, smaller size and low weight made it a good entry level motorcycle.
I don't know how many Vstar 650 motorcycles Yamaha sold over the years, but I have a feeling it was quite a few. Imagine the number of people over the last 20 years that wanted a classic cruiser motorcycle, but couldn't afford a new Harley Davidson, so they turned to Japanese cruisers like the Yamaha Vstar 650 or Honda Shadow. So don't be surprised when you see an Antifa or BLM rioter using a Yamaha Vstar 650 to help terrorize the next neighborhood on their list.
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Link to Article
Yamaha VStar 650 Classic
Yamaha VStar 650 Custom
Yamaha VStar 650 Silverado
