Yamaha, the Japanese manufacturer, began producing motorcycles in 1955, starting with small-displacement bikes and then a developing a strong line of powerful competition bikes. In 1994, Yamaha established the Star brand, a line of cruisers, specifically for the U.S. market. The Road Star cruisers were introduced in 2004; in 2007 the company made the Road Star and the Road Star Silverado, which also came in all-black versions, Road Star Midnight and Midnight Silverado. All were design carryovers.
Powered by air-cooled, 1854cc, 48-degree V-twin engines with an overhead cam and pushrod-activated valves, all of the Road Star models have Mikuni carburetors. Ignition is electric. The five-speed manual transmission, with overdrive, has a belt final drive. A heel-toe shifter is standard. An adjustable preload telescopic fork with 5.5 inches of travel provides the front suspension; the rear suspension is a twin-sided swing arm. The front brake is an 11.7-inch dual disc; the rear brake is a 12.6-inch disc.
These are big cruisers. The Road Star weighs 688 pounds dry, and the Silverado tops 721 pounds, with a wheelbase of 66.5 inches. The bikes are about eight feet long, with a turning radius of 10.5 feet. The two-piece seat on all models is a low 28 inches, with the upright rider position typical of cruisers. The instrumentation covers the basics plus a few extras: speedometer, odometer, clock, fuel gauge, and tachometer. Yamaha doesn’t provide an estimate of gas mileage; the tank holds 4.5 gallons.
It comes with lockable under-seat storage, but a wide variety of saddlebags and tank bags are available, along with a huge selection of accessories to customize the bike and add bling. Yamahas are well known for being reliable, durable machines, and the Road Star offers great cruiser style, the latest technology, and a smooth ride as well.