2014 Yamaha Star Bolt

I've been searching for a new bike ever since I purchased my first one (a 2009 Yamaha V-Star 250) in June 2012. I knew I didn't want an engine above 1000cc, but wanted something that could get out of its own way, if I really needed it. I almost settled on a 2013 Kawasaki Vulcan 900 or a H-D Iron 883--since those had the right chemistry of styling, power and price that I was looking for. That was... until last March at Daytona Bike Week 2013.

I wasn't at the event, nor did I have any particular interest in going. Since I was in the market, I ran across a few videos on YouTube that piqued my interest. In one of the major announcements at the event, Yamaha announced their newest model in their Star line of cruisers--the Star Bolt. My eyes widened as the veil was lifted off of their newest model--and I was hooked immediately. This motorcycle was part throwback bobber style -- but had modern flourishes that really jazzed it up. Then, the price point came in--lower than both bikes that I was currently looking at. I couldn't get enough information about this bike --and found myself trolling the forums and Yamaha website for more pictures and videos. After a week or two, Yamaha released some comparison videos on YouTube that used an actor (some guys on the forums referred to him as 'Blond Jesus') to spell out the differences between the Bolt and -you guessed it- the Kawasaki Vulcan 900 and the H-D Iron 883. That sealed the deal for me. Since March, it has just been a painful waiting game for the camo green R-Spec model.

Yamaha actually released two versions of this bike. The standard version came in either black or white and is priced $9 less than the competing H-D Iron 883 at $7990 MSRP. The other model is the R-Spec and comes with reservoir rear shocks (Worth about $300), an upgraded suede-like seat with stylized contrast stitching, blacked-out mirrors, and two jazzed up colors (matte-gray and camo green). You are only paying an extra $300 for the R-Spec which made it the self-evident choice.

While the R-Spec was scheduled to be released in July, there were some delays due to inventory demand and a minor wiring harness recall. Yamaha is positioning this bike as an easily customizable motorcycle. Meaning, they want to realize some of the success that Harley Davidson has had with customizations. I think that this is not only business smart--but also makes the bike more interesting. Especially when the after market guys get on board --which they have in spades. Who doesn't want more options to personalize their ride? One of the things I learned from my research is that Yamaha has a program that offers a free year of Y.E.S (Yamaha's extended warranty) with the purchase of $750 or more in accessories. I was already going to add a few embellishments, and this was enough incentive to add-on a bit more.

I finally got the call from my dealer at the beginning of August--and could hardly wait to pick her up. When I got to the dealership, the first thing I did was sit on it. I'm 5'10" and found the riding position very comfortable. It was more straight up, less forward controls than I was used to on my previous bike, but I like the foot controls where they are. The R-Spec's suede-like seat was a little more comfortable than the stock leather seat on the standard model. Yamaha offers a springer 'bobber-style' seat for the Bolt that I have not seen nor heard of in the wild yet. I'd be interested in how comfortable those are compared to stock. If I could change anything about the design, I would have preferred a slimmer air intake. It seems to jut out just a little further than would be ideal. I've gotten used to my right knee slightly bent out, but I will likely be swapping this out in the near term.

After getting the lay of the land by my Yamaha sales rep, I revved her up and prepared to ride her home. The first thing that struck me about the bike was the low throaty growl produced from the exhaust. It obviously had a meaner sound than my former bike, and I liked it...a lot. There are Bolt owners that are trading in the stock exhaust header for slip-on after market megaphones. While I can appreciate "loud pipes save lives", I also live in a tight neighborhood where my neighbors still kinda like me. There are also some videos on YouTube that show you how to drill-out your baffle of the exhaust to produce a deeper louder sound. I may be getting old because the thought of riding something that could rattle my molars loose, just doesn't appeal to me.

The difference in torque between my former bike (250cc engine) and the Bolt's 942cc is noticeable (duh!), especially in the lower gears. Yamaha used a tweaked version of the VStar 950 engine for this build--so if you've ridden one of those, this is apparently similar in power. At the higher end, I found the engine to be running a little lean--which apparently is normal for Yamaha due to emissions control laws. A few current Bolt owners have installed after market fuel controllers, new air intakes, removed the O2 sensors, and replaced the stock exhaust. Yet, some are still not satisfied and still tweaking the performance with their new setup. My own take: the bike runs fine with its stock configuration. If you have an extra $800-$1000 to spend on a fuel controller, new air intake and possibly new pipes/exhaust, you can probably get the bike to perform a little better at the higher gears. However, I'm still not convinced its worth it or even necessary.

When I finally pulled out of the dealership and on to the main road, I was grinning from ear to ear at the handling. The Bolt was designed with a low center of gravity, low seat height (27 in) and short wheelbase (61.8 in). It is super fun and nimble around twisties and corners. Also, at 540 lbs wet, it is extremely manageable at slow speed manuevers and stops. While the guys on the standard edition Bolts have mentioned a rougher ride over bumps, I haven't noticed that at all. I'm assuming that the rear reservoir shocks on the R-Spec have some part in that--but I have no other frame of reference. The suspension feels great.

There are a few design decisions for the Bolt that I think are odd, and likely due to attempts by Yamaha to keep the costs down. For instance, the stock tires are bias-ply, not radials. I have not had many other bikes, but just sort of assumed that radials are the norm these days. Also, the LCD speedometer, while a very cool touch, is also largely unreadable in certain sunlight and with certain sunglasses/helmet visors. And there is also an unfortunate seam around the tank that I think detracts slightly from the aesthetics. Finally, the mirrors vibrate during the ride and makes it very difficult to see what is behind me. I'm starting to think this last bit may be something that can be easily adjusted at the dealership and will post an update after my 600 mile service.

Overall there are so many things to love about this bike, and the value for the dollar is so high, that none of those above points should dissuade anyone from seriously considering the Yamaha Star Bolt. If you are a fellow Yamaha Star Bolt rider, reach out to me and let me know your thoughts!