Well, no matter wahat anyone, or me, says, the choice is up to you!
At any rate, I bought a 2004 yamaha Vstar 1100 classic out the door for $8,150, + tax to state, in US funds. I've put 24k trouble free miles on it, and another 5k on the savage since, though right now the savage is getting more street time. The bike looks great, runs great, and sounds great. It handles pretty well, though not quite as well as the savage. The stock seat height is 28" and I lowered it 2.25", but you can go as low as 5" (which makes it a hardtail) without modifying the frame. If you do lower it, you really need to put a stiffer spring on there. Stock seats suck. Great brakes. Good stock riding position. Great riding position after I put some risers on it. Also, these bikes are air cooled, and can handle it as they have ceramic coated cylinders. I expect to get at least 100K miles from it. It has plenty of kick in all gears. 5th gear doesn't have much power until 80 mph, then it goes, so highways are no problem whatsoever. It is darn near as fast as the 1700 cc Roadstar too (I should say I have a pod air kit and pipes). It will knock down any 1100 or smaller honda cruiser around (that is not too hopped up), as well as a kawasaki mean streak. I've ridden my old man's R* and it is quite nice a nice bike too, just a little heavy. The V* 1100 is about 650 lbs dry, compared to about 750.
Lot's of aftermarket parts and online help, much like the great savage forum here!
There are some known problems with it, though. Youi have to remove the front pipe to change the oil (though there are relocation kits), and it is really easy to screw up the starter motor if you can't follow directions.
Now, you mentioned the VTX 1300. My take: never ridden one, but I think they, and its brother the 1800, have no soul, just torque (now if there is a bike that has soul [and torque] everyone on this forum owns one!
). There is a lot of plastic on it and it is liquid cooled. Bleh.
but that is really just a "looks" type of thing.
Again, but what you like! And congrats on getting a new ride or pimping out the savage!
So in a shameless attempt to see more V* 1100s on the road, I will finish with a pic of my 1100. It still looks mroe or less like this...