2006 Star Roadliner S
A few weeks ago, we told our readers about Yamaha’s creation of a seperate cruiser brand, Star Motorcycles. Today, at the annual Yamaha dealer conference in Las Vegas, Star Motorcycles revealed two new cruiser models.
The all-new Star Roadliner was designed to be the flagship of the Star brand, and Star claims it will “show and go like no other cruiser before it, with big power and great handling”. The unique styling, conceived in Yamaha’s Southern California design studios, provides the “show” part of the equation. Star also claims that the Roadliner sets new standards (for the brand) for quality and finish, and a close-up inspection of the Roadliner seems to support this claim.
The “go” part comes from an all-new, 113ci (1854cc) air-cooled pushrod V-twin, with four valves and two spark plugs per cylinder. The seemingly archaic architecture conceals more modern technology than just the four-valve heads, however; the Roadliner mill also features forged pistons cooled by oil jets in the block, modern computer-controlled fuel injection, and is also the first cruiser to feature the EXUP exhaust power valve system which was developed on Yamaha’s sportbikes. Star has yet to release horsepower or torque figures for the new motor, saying only “3300 RPM at 75 mph gives some idea of the Roadliner’s power and cruisability. Maximum torque is reached at only 2500 RPM”.
Breaking from the current standards in the cruiser world, the Roadliner’s engine is attached to an all-aluminum frame which has benefitted from the same “tuned flex” developement as many modern sportbike chassis. The swingarm is produced using controlled fill die-casting, another technology which comes from Yamaha sportbikes. Star states that the Roadliner has a front/rear weight distribution of 49.6/50.4 percent, and claims that this near equal distribution of weight gives the bike great handling.
2006 Star Stratoliner S
Star also introduced the Stratoliner, basically a touring version of the Roadliner which features a windshield, leather-covered hard saddlebags and a passenger backrest. The windshield and backrest use the same quick-release system that we liked so much on the Royal Star Tour Deluxe, allowing them to be removed and re-installed quickly without the use of tools.
Both the Roadliner and Stratoliner will be available in three versions: the standard model, a “Midnight” version (with all-black paint and blacked-out engine), and the top-of-the-line “S” model, which features chrome on almost every visible component. The Roadliner will carry a US MSRP ranging from $13,580-$14,980 depending on model and color, while the Stratoliner’s US MSRP will range from $15,180 to $16,580 – also depending on model and color. Both bikes should hit Star dealers sometime late this year.
