Question about the possibility of a future motor swap

I'm looking at a Yamaha V Star right now that has 650 CCs. Its got pretty low miles and I really like the look of the bike. Also the price is right and with the money I have in pocket I should be able to buy most of my gear and register it. So lets say I can fit on the bike and its comfortable and I really like it. My concern is that I'm not sure that I would be happy with 650 CCs forever. I keep hearing things like "Never less than 1200 CC's" from most of the bikers I talk to. I don't realistically know how much of this position is posturing and rhetoric. I'm not trying to be flashy or have the coolest bike here. So I see two avenues if I purchase this bike. 1. I learn to ride on it and trade it in like most beginners do, or 2. I save up while learning on the 650 engine to do an engine swap...probably in my garage, as I tend to get my hands dirty on whatever I own anyway whether it be guns, guitars, furniture, or what have you. So my question after this book of back story is...Realistically what size engine can I up grade to on this bike. I don't have a ton of info on the exact V Star, but it is a 2003. Any advice is appreciated, thanks!

First of all, Welcome to the forum!

This is something that you will have to decide on your own. For me, I would never be satisfied with such a small engine. In no way am I saying that a 650cc bike is inadequate, just not suited to the kind of riding I like to do. If you will be riding with bigger engine bikes, you will quickly lose interest in that bike. As far as putting a different engine in that bike, I wouldn't personally. Japanese bikes are pretty reliable and if you were to get rid of it, like most things, you'd never get your money back out of it. From your questions, I would save up and then buy a larger displacement bike. Your choice if you keep this one or get rid of it.

As far as the 1200cc standard, I have never personally heard of that but to be honest, it makes sense to me. A 1200cc bike has a lot of grunt for smaller bikes and can keep up with bigger cc bikes nicely. It's all in what it is that you want and how you ride or plan to ride. Just my opinions.

Whomever told you to start on a 1200cc is just posturing, a 650cc is plenty big enough for a first bike, I assume this is your first bike. As far as buying it and putting a larger engine in it, these aren't like cars where you can go to the junk yard and buy a bigger engine for it. I believe this bike comes in a 650cc and 1100cc models. No guarantee that the 1100 engine will fit in the 650cc bike, I'd be willing to bet it won't. So don't count on that.
My first bike was a 650cc BSA Lightning. I rode it for a few years and saved up for my first Harley, then sold it to a kid that was just starting out. If you like this bike, that's what I would do. If it's in good shape you'll have no trouble selling it. Then again, I see this was written last year, so it's probably a moot point. If it is, what did you finally do? Buy it, something else?

I ended up buying a 2003 Honda Shadow VT750CDC Ace Deluxe. I love the bike and, while I have started to want a small collection of bikes, (I'd like a Royal Enfield 500 and eventually a larger bike like a Honda Interstate or something) I have no real interest in ever selling this Honda. Right now I have it pulled apart in my Garage and I am painting it and catching it up on some maintenance. It was rough when I purchased it and I'm doing everything I can to make the bike my own. But I loved riding it . That is it in my avatar pre-paint job.

Very nice! I have a collection myself. It's a real PITA keeping up on the oil changes and maintenance etc.