Last Saturday at noon in Daytona at its International Sppedway, Star Motorcycles unveiled the Bolt and Bolt R-Spec models, showing that parent company Yamaha understands that to grow their market share they must offer bikes with attitude that youngsters can afford. Star’s Product Manager Derek Brooks stated “We’ve seen the cruiser market transition through the chopper trend to back-to-basics bikes that prove less is more. The focus is now more on the motorcycle itself and less on chrome and flashy paint. This is a solid trend and I think that the Bolt is going to be very appealing to all types of riders.”
Yamaha keeps prices of the Bolt in check (MSRPs of $7990 for the standard Bolt and $8290 for the R-Spec) by utilizing the air-cooled, 942cc fuel-injected V-Twin already used in the V Star 950. The 60-degree engine mounts in an all-new, double-cradle steel frame with a short Wheelbase of only 61.8″ long, a low seat at at 27″ from ground. in a quite slim , uncluttered shape. Sspension is handled by a conventional 41mm fork with 4.7 inches of travel and pair of rear shocks that offer 2.8 inches of cushion. Twelve-spoke cast aluminum wheels are fitted with bias-ply tires in sizes 100/90-19 front and 150/80-16 rear.
The 3.2-gallon teardrop tank has subtle badges, the front and bobbed rear fenders are made of steel, and contemporary touches include an LED taillight in a classically styled housing, and an LCD speedometer beneath a smoked lens. The two-into-one exhaust features black headers, but with heat shields and muffler done in contrasting aluminum. Gold-anodized shocks with piggyback remote reservoirs distinguish the R-Spec model, which also has an upgraded saddle with contrast stitching. The standard Bolt is available in Raven or Pearl White, whereas the R-Spec comes in Matte Gray or Camo Green. Additionally, Star has created an extensive accessory line that will give these bikes many different looks. Want mini apes and bags? Star has ’em. Sissy bar? Check. Bikini fairing? Affirmative. The possibilities are endless, as could be seen by the numerous custom versions on display at the Bolt’s press unveiling. Star’s 2014 Bolt arrives at dealerships in April, while the R-Spec model arrives mid-summer. There is an extensive demo program in the works, in which multiple semi trucks will take Bolts all around the U.S for test rides.
In 1994 Yamaha announced the creation of Star Motorcycles, a new standalone brand name for its cruiser series of motorcycles in the American market. Although a separate brand, Star motorcycles are sold at Yamaha dealerships. In 2006 The brand was expanded to being its own company, although Yamaha still handles production and distribution. The brand is operated out of the Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA offices in Cypress, California. The motorcycles are designed in the United States.
Good looking bike with a lot of positive features. They will dodge the unwarranted status of Sportster being a girl’s bike. Sort of too bad it isn’t watercooled for those hot CA summers but that would take away from this ride.
Yes, nice bike, can see where they are coming from – perhaps we will get this bike in Europe?
AND I’m not a girl… checked first thing this morning!!
Fritz, of course it’s a good looking bike, It looks like a Sportster! (what a surprise…not)
Its funny to see these other mfg’s mimic what HD has done for decades. Have a buddy who has a Vstar and after a year that thing started rattling apart, chrome going bad, oil drips from the head, fuel gauge stop working, etc… Way too many issues and I know his isn’t the only one. He’s a novice rider and doesn’t ride hard at all.
Let’s not forget, HD’s hold their value MUCH longer than these supposed Stars! 😉
nice looking bike, i wonder how much more performance you get from that 942cc engine compared to an 883 Sportster. Yes a Sporty will hold its value, but for those of us who ride and don’t care about re-sale is the Bolt going to give us the same pleasure or more that an 883 would give you? Maybe i should schedule a test ride at my local dealer and find out for myself….
Star has basically tried to sneak in under H-D’s Dark Custom line with their now grainy, hipster spots. Do something original for once.
This will sell. peace
Hey, you have to admit, this is a lot better than Honda’s attempt at replicating the Sportster. Honda’s Shadow RS hit the dealer floors with a drum rear brake, chain drive, cheap plastic taillight assembly, and STILL cost more than a real Sportster the year it was introduced! This one at least gets all the basic elements correct.
I still get to make fun of them because they have to advertise that it has REAL steel fenders (apparently their market can’t be sure of that unless it’s stated explicitly), but I do give credit where it’s due, and this is a good job on Yamaha’s part. It only took fifty-some years, guys… but you did it! 🙂
Sweet!
Nice to see more competitive offerings that look great and will perform well from a company like Yamaha that’s been around a longtime and will continue to be there when one needs them.
For the money, its good value and people will buy them!
Boss Hawg
Now this is a nice bike for the money. It most likely performs well and will only run FOREVER!!!!!!
Nice I like the retro mixed in with the Vmax styling influences. Now if only Yamaha can get around to updating the Venture. Maybe replace the cassette player with a CD player for 2014. 😉
This bike (s) will probably be a big seller in the Portland / Seattle / Nor Cal. Region. It has the looks down, and seems directed at those who want a fun machine.
Laurence
Poor mans FXR !
Looks like fun. You don’t have to make a big show all the time.
A crappy rip-off of the venerable Harley-Davidson Sportster. I wouldn’t be seen dead on this wannabee pretend bike and neither would anyone with even a modicum of self-respect. The Japs build what are arguably the best sports bikes in the world, Hayabusa, R1 etc, but make little fools of themselves when they blatantly copy cruisers and now the Sportster. Imitation is NOT the sincerest form of flattery it is the product of a mind or minds bereft of original ideas.
Looks cool. That damn thing will run 200 K miles with oil and tires. Will fill a nice segment of the market. Looking forward to blasting one around town.
Looks good, and at a good price.
jap,jap jap,jap
It’s amusing to see the HD devout get their panties in a bunch when they see a threat. Relax. HD has the cruiser game on lock-down. HD can boast heritage, unique style, etc. and can claim copy-cats til they’re blue in the face. A luxury car holds their value well too.. but just like the luxury car owner the HD owner is overpaying for the name brand… and those who would pay another arm & leg for that used name brand is just as loyal to their designer logo. They can keep it.
WELCOME TO THE REAL WORLD: this place has riders who dont want to spend $14K on Street Bob; are just starting out in the beautiful world of 2 wheels… for that price you can buy almost 2 Bolts! The truth is that ALL manufacturers have products that fall apart.. too many variables to pinpoint who’s the least reliable. Japan vs. U.S., Pepsi vs. Coke, Chevy vs. Ford.
I love the price! I love the look. I love the heritage of Star Motorcycles (yes they have a heritage too). I was actually set on purchasing an HD Street Bob, but after seeing this, I will be getting a Bolt. Why get a sportster for $8K, then spend another few thousand trying to make it look like the Bolt? The Bolt looks exactly how I want it to look. And the sportster looks like a moped compared to the Bolt.
HD can keep their over-priced bikes. If you have the cash for it, go for it, but I’d take a Bolt over a sportster or Ultra any day. Excellent job Star!!! you hit this one right on target! I think this style is not a hipster niche market that will fade away, rather it will endure. Star will be at the forefront of this game, especially with this kind of price tag! bravo! HD loyal riders, there’s no need to sweat about it.. unless you want to..
My company is moving the new Bolt around to different locations during this Daytona Bike Week. Since its launch on Saturday we’ve had it on display at J&P Cycles and just got done with two days at the Boothill Saloon Ormond Beach.
What I see is that folks not only like this bike, they really, really like it, most riders don’t even reference any similarities to other machines- they judge it on how it looks, the older guys who have spent a lifetime working their way up to a fully dressed touring bike aren’t going to suddenly trade in their rides for a new Bolt but they sure can appreciate it – they sign up for the Sweepstakes give-away then tell us how they started on Yamaha’s or other Japanese models, a lot of younger / newer riders and especially Women have been checking this bike out and I’m sure that’s who Star aimed this bike at, but as simply a cool bike to bop around town on, this is appealing to a lot of folks.
Anyway, that’s my unbiased opinion based on 4 1/2 days, if you’re in Daytona you can catch the R- spec Bolt at Boothill Saloon Main Street Thursday and Friday and at the Rats Hole Show Saturday- They have standards on the Yamaha display at the Speedway too.
RE:
“… trend to back-to-basics bikes that prove less is more. …”
Been say-n it all along….. and now “officially” vindicated………. 🙂
(glad somebody’s listening)
-nicker-
Morpion. Using ethnic slurs to make a point about a motorcycle which is ? Want to try a few more directed toward Mexicans, Blacks , Italians ,Germans, Polish, etc. you set an impression of being immature.
Looks okay, If you don’t know any better.
Sorry Doc, not feeling you on this one mate, for the money it looks like a nice bike.
I would be nice if they made a bike to fit someone ove 5′ 9″……………………………
Take a Triumph Bonneville at $7600 bucks .Great handling, plenty of power,instant old school gratification and history to boot.
Nice. Just add rearsets and flat bars – and an 8-inch headlight – and you have a new incarnation of the XV920R.
You know everybody is talking (or writting) looks.. looks, and looks like…
Have ya’ll ever felt what those style of Jap bikes “feel” like when riding them…?
The clutches, brakes, and throttle all seem like toys.
“Looks okay, If you don’t know any better”
Quote of the day
Actually should be the General statement….
Steve Carr
Sark for president 2016!!!
ANY 883 XL looks MUCH better than this kids toy…. Sorry, but that’s the truth and everyone knows it. 🙂
it fills the niche for those who don’t want a harley or the stigma that comes with owning one.. i.e. yuppie scum
Looks like Yamaha and Low and Mean are teaming up again like they did on the Stryker, should make for a really sick bike!
alley cat,,, ,i am sure your bike is a japanese bike,,it,s your right
NEVER EVER BE THE FIRST GUY TO BUY THE BIKE……the second guy is the smart one!
There are a bazillion bikes for sale on craigslist.
To the the XL defenders and knights of Nightster:It may aim for the Sporty spot,but the design and style is pure old school Virago updated with Bratstyle flair,so there…..See here: http://brat-style.blogspot.com.au/2010/11/sr-chopper-tyuukosya.html
A Note to Doc Robinson and similar: you must either be in your 20’s or simply don’t know what your blathering about if you think this bike is some kind of H-D rip-off. The Japanese and Brits and even some Italians have been making this style of bike since the 60’s. You should engage your brain before engaging your motor mouth.
As for the bike: it looks great, it’s agressively priced, cost of ownership will be zilch, they will hold they’re value quite well, …..they’ll sell a shit load of them.
It’ll hurt the Triumph Bonneville line, Moto Guzzi and Sportster sales especially (which in turn will cost these mocos sales of their bigger bikes at a later date because Sporters, Bonnevilles etc. are “gate way” bikes for these mocos.Which is why Indian should build a Scout sooner rather than later).
Oh Yeah, big shout out to Star for bringing out a cool new air cooled bike to the market.
The wheel is turning for the ubiquitous plastic clad “sport bike” uglies (thank god) and trending back to affordable, simpler, standards with classic aesthetics.
Within the last 2 years we have seen the intro of the new:
Honda CB1100
Kawasaki’s W800
Moto Guzzi V7 Line (3 new models)
Norton Commando
Royal Enfield(s) (& apparently with an ‘Interceptor; now in the works)
Hinckley Bonneville (Bonneville, Thruxton, Scrambler) which in great part has been responsible for the trend starting in 2003 and have been selling like hot cakes for a decade now.
I expect we’ll see a few more models coming from the remaining mocos which thankfully marks a return to sensible motorcycles.
“Sensible” motorcycles have been at the sharp end of hundreds of non American V-Twin, custom air cooled bike builders for the past decade, which was in part spawned by the emergence of Japanese “brat type” and similar customs, of the late 90s and since, ….all of which was a reaction to the wave of ugly, uncomfortable, over powered, expensive pseudo race bikes and to a lesser extent heavy cruisers.
.
Great looking bike but no ABS option? Really?
We had hundreds of people sit on the bike this past week.
We gave out thousands of brochures, spoke with a ton of people.
The Daytona crowd loved the new Bolt !
“Less is more” and “getting back to basics” is not a new concept by any stretch of the imagination, but if half the comments we received during the seven days we toted the Bolt around town accurately
represent the current taste of the American Biker then this is exactly what they want !
Enough work, enough talk – I’m going for a ride. See y’all in Leesburg.
Barney, Doc Robinson is the editor of a Easyrider clone custom magazine in Australia called Heavy Duty. Full of bike buck bikes that will never see the road in that country.
Matt .I’m sure there is a motorcycle term that relates to H-D self delusion.YaMoCo sold all black”Midnight Special” models decades ago.H-D may have built the all black XLCR but they sure didn’y sell any,many.
Septic the Sceptic,you are spot on here.Shiny dreamers mags have a fair bit to answer for.
The bike they really need to put out is a street going version of the old TT500 they made in the 70s. This one’s pretty cool though.
I think it’s less a ripoff of the Sportster, than the Sportster is the last of a breed of similar bikes from the 50s/60s. Would it have been more original with a parallel twin? Of course, but instead they did the smart thing and took an engine they already make to keep costs down, so it looks Sportsterish. That said, that motor is awesome. Torquey and fun, but totally workable for a new rider.
Doc Robinson:”I wouldn’t be seen dead on this wannabee pretend bike and neither would anyone with even a modicum of self-respect”.Depending on the phase of the moon and flow of Jack,this would be his comment about a Sportster.I think its quite fair to call his rag “Wannabee Pretend Bike”.It ticks all the boxes.
they are going to sell a ton of them..whos first? air cleaner, pipes, back seats, passenger pegs…these guy will be in the money! i see a full line of cool parts for this bike..gets those cnc machines humming.the harley parts manufacturers that jump on this bike first will be the real winners here
beginner,s bike