Yamaha Royal Star
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Ready
to get outside, shake those cobwebs loose and bust open that
"cruiser" stereotype? Many riders opt
for motorcycles that make them feel like Elvis as they roll
down the highway like a Steppenwolf song--cruisers. These
machines embody the seduction of motorcycling--the freedom
to leave our worries behind and just ride. If you take your
standard cruiser, make it bigger, better, bodacious, and
import it (yep, that's right, Butch, import it), you wind up
with the Yamaha Royal Star. This bike breaks a few
molds. Yamaha makes the
Royal Star to look like, well, like a Harley-Davidson,
except bigger. It's a 1300cc, 700+ pound monster with a 67
inch wheelbase. With this motorcycle, Yamaha moves boldly
into the BIG cruiser market. This market is extremely
competitive. Any new bike better be ready to encounter rough
seas. The Royal Star will hold its own. It's a battle ship.
I took the big
boat out under fair skies on a great day in South
Minneapolis. Trackstar Motorsports graciously lent it to
M.M.M. for a little road testing. I gave the throttle a good
goose, and slowly let out the cluuuuuthch...whoa. The
torquey V-4 quickly hurled the bike forward. Though the
rev-limiter cut the show short, the engine was plenty strong
enough to stimulate my neuro-accelometer. Four pipes make a
sound closer to that of a 350 Chevy small block with glass
packs than the potato-potato-potato rumble of a typical
heavy cruiser. It has its own voice. A Harley rider myself,
I fell hard for the smooth-power-semi-rumble-low-end-heaven
the engine made. And maintenance?
The engine is a down-tuned V-Max plant. It will run
forever. The suspension on
the Royal Star deserves praise. Yamaha's attention to
suspension makes the Star very rideable. With its hidden
mono-shock rear end, large forks, big breaks, and low center
of gravity, the Royal Star rides as good as it looks. It is
fairly flickable, easy to counter-steer, and stops hard with
plenty of control. The pull-back
handlebars, forward controls with floorboards, and wide seat
are custom cream on top of a slice of cheesecake.
Now understand. I
just went to Vancouver and back on an 883 Sporty, so believe
me. The Royal Star begs to be ridden long distances. It is
made for open roads and boulevard jivin'. Every place we
brought it, the Royal Star attracted admirers. It has
chrome-a-plenty, wide, low fenders and a fit-and-finish that
yells "custom bike". It's a looker even in stock trim, but
I'm confident there will be a cornucopia of aftermarket
goodies to satisfy every indulgence. In recent years,
it has been a pleasure to see motorcycle manufactures around
the globe take big chances on old markets with new ideas.
Yamaha comes to bat with a big stick, the Royal Star. This
bike seems familiar, but it has features all its own: the
sound, the suspension, the attention to build quality.
I loved the Big
Boy. I heartily recommend this cruiser. The Royal Star
represents change. It breaks those old stereotypes, and
challenges us to experience a new way to get those same old
kicks. Cruise on, my friend. Beep-Beep. Make way for the
Royal Star.
Huge.
That was my first impression of Yamaha's new cruiser. It's
bigger than life. The front tire should be on a Buick. I
began to wonder why I agreed to ride this thing all
afternoon. Maybe I can feign some kind of illness, so they
won't make me sit on it. No. That won't do. They'll think
I'm some kind of goon. How weird can it be? Okay. I'll
ride. The beast in
question was the 1996 Yamaha Royal Star Tour Classic. A
visual inspection revealed a very nice build quality.
Chrome, paint and brushed satin metal work were all very
well done with great attention to detail. Even the smallest
fasteners, nuts and bolts were of the highest standards. Of
course, none of this would mean anything if the Star rode
like a buffalo. I sat on the
thing, and I felt small. I am not a small person. Everything
on this bike is large. The seat, wide and well padded,
shoved my rear forward somewhat. An aftermarket seat could
remedy that, so it was no big deal. The ignition was on the
right side behind my butt--a good idea considering the
acreage over the tank to a conventional location. I fired it
up, and the sound I was expecting wasn't there. I was hoping
for a cool, throaty exhaust note, but instead I got a raspy
Blap-Blap-Blap noise. Aftermarket mufflers are available
from everyone, so, again, it was no big deal. My initial
"buffalo" concerns disappeared within a block. After a few
miles, I was as comfortable with it as if I had owned one
for years. There were no wacky surprises (this is a good
thing). The Royal Star inspired confidence, as it handled
twisty road with little effort. Both my co-test rider, Mike,
and I actually considered the bike "flickable". This is a
term usually reserved for sportier motorcycles. The bike's engine
is a direct descendent of the V-Max and Venture Royale
designs, and it moved the Royal Star easily but with nowhere
near the guts of the V-Max engine. If more power is nice
(and it always is), then there are ways to wake up the
beast. The bike was a
friendly riding machine, as I cruised around town and on the
highway. It was rock stable at all speeds and surfaces. I
didn't have to think about anything but scenery. Big tires
and 725 pounds probably helped a bit. The integrated brakes
slowed the heavy-weight with ease. I am not much of a
cruiser kind of guy, but I really can't say anything bad
about the Royal Star. I actually found riding it to be
relaxing. It was obviously designed and built by folks who
have their acts together. If I were in the
market for a high end super-cruiser, I would probably end up
with the Star. I haven't ridden Honda's Valkerie, but it
looks like a stripped Goldwing with sportbike forks. Pretty
silly. For about the same dough a Royal Star costs, I could
get a Harley, but I'd still vote for the Yam. The engine in
the Star can handle 140 or more horsepower. I've seen V-Maxs
with 60+ thousand miles of abuse whose engines have never
been apart. The Star makes 80 or so horsepower and does
highway speeds at 2,500rpm. The engine may never wear out. I
wouldn't be surprised to see 100,000 miles come and go
before this power plant needs more than a tune-up. Yamaha
knows this. Why do you think they give a five-year,
unlimited miles warranty? Still thinking about that
Harley-Davidson? If you think you'll be able to put 100,000
miles on that Harley's OWN odometer under its OWN power
without at least a couple complete overhauls, I think you
better check yourself into a permanent suite on Fantasy
Island. Thumbs up to the
Star. Thanks for the ride. Engine
Type: 1294cc liquid cooled 70 degree DOHC
V-four, four valves per cylinder Bore
and Stroke: 79 x 66mm Compression
Ratio: 10.1:1 Carburetor:
4 x 28mm Mikuni CV Transmission:
5-speed Wheelbase:
66.7 in. Dry
Weight: 701 lbs. Tires:
Front; 150/80V16 Rear; 150/90V15 Forks:
43mm Kayaba Rear
Suspension: Kayaba mono-shock with adjustable
preload Brakes:
298mm dual front discs with dual-piston calipers;
320mm rear disc with dual-piston
calipers Seat
Height: 28.3 in. Fuel
Capacity: 4.8 gallons M.M.M.
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