New Yamaha V Star 250 or 2004 V Star 650 Custom

Hi folks.

I'm new to the forum and to riding. I have the opportunity to buy a brand new yamaha v star 250 or a used 650 custom. I'd like to hear your thoughts on either. I'm new to the sport, not mechanically knowledgeable to do what for many would be minor repairs on a used bike without warranty. At the same time, I can see the attraction of the 650: a good looking bike with considerable more power. Am I planning to ride the interstate? I don't know: right now, I would have to say, no. Would the 250 take me comfortably and safely on the two lane roads with 55 mph speed limits?

Thanks.  

The 250 will do 55 as long as you're willing to sit there. I understand they're a little buzzy, but, if you replace the rear sprocket, you can tone it down a lot.
The 650 is much larger, but, it doesn't come with 3x the horsepower. On the flip side, if it feels a little underpowered, you can get something like a thunder air kit (fancy intake cover, k&N filter, new main jet, and instructions on how to set it up). Skip the exhaust mods. They increase horsepower at high rpms, the intake increases torque at low rpms, which is where everybody wants their engine to run. Oh, yeah, find the Morotcyclecruiser article on adjusting your carb, and make sure your mechanic reads it before starting. The instructions don't talk about pilot and idle circuits.
I don't know if a thunder air kit is available for the 250, but, it would have a similar effect