My buddy bought a 2006 road star 1700 with 75,000 miles on it.. thought he was crazy. He's got over 165,000 on it now and absolutely runs strong and no issues. Yamaha is bulletproof.
in 2005 I bought a 2000 R* simply because I got a deal on it I could not turn down, and I had a two-year-old Road King that lived in the shop. I thought I would get the bike and ride it when Harley decided to take a visit to the shop. I started riding the Road Star, and kept it for 7 years after I got rid of the Harley. Sold it and haven't owned a bike since, but I am looking for another one by the first of the year. I will get another R*, and at 68 years old it will take me out. 40K, the bike hasn't even got the new off it yet.
I bought a 2004 today with 4870 miles on it . Previous owner was an old man who kept it in a garage that was more of a mancave then a garage. It was not cheap but i think the low mileage is worth a dollar or two .
I went from sport bikes as my daily ride to my 03 xv1600 being my daily ride. Everything you said about the experience of first riding it is so true. 1) toe shifter and the whole riding experience was so different then a sport bike 2) that cluster being on the tank, still never got used to it after five years, you just learn to not bother with it 3) The windscreen you get used to looking through it 4) the vibration on your legs, is the wind hitting it 5) with the crash bars the bike doesn't lay on its side, it's the bars keeping it up not the pegs. I lay the bike on its side to start an oil change. Where the oil plug is, it's easier to lay the bike over to loosen the bolts.
r1sabotage yup. I’ve definitely considered picking up a road star just from the few times I’ve road this one. Extremely comfortable and I would have the ability to carry my daily stuff without any issues compared to a sport bike.
being much heavier than the vstar, is the roadstar harder to ride? i now ride a magna and im thinking of getting a roadstar. i think the roadstarts are beautiful, but im afraid i might not enjoy it because its heavy
I noticed the weight difference, but it was much more stable and comfortable. The thing I noticed more thougn, was the increase in power. That was until it died. Both Yamahas I had ended up being lemons. When the Road Star died on me I got an 09 Harley Road King. That motorcycle never gave me any problems.
I got 2001 with 4k miles last year $4k out the door. Had it trailered home without hearing it run. When i started it i allmost cried, it sounded like a bucket of bolts in a cement mixer. I said the hell with it bungied on an over night bag and took off on a 1200 mile run one way, by the time i got back it was running smooth. Now 10k miles later i cant help smiling everywhere i ride. Awsome bike. Just had to run the cobwebs out of it.
I have 16K of back road riding on my Midnght Star .. Very comfortable .. SInce I am back roading I do go through tires .. This bike can do a lot more sport riding than you would think ..It is a torque king .. Try starting from a light in second ... :)
I just bought a 2002 Road Star and it has about 14,300km. Basically brand new. I only put on it so far 300km and I am impressed. Very comfortable on a highway, lots of power, easy to handle and I get a lot of compliments. Its chromed out and it shines.......
@@deffwishh absolutely!! That’s basically new!! Mine is at 84 now and runs great!! I’d take it cross county in a heartbeat without a second thought. Check out some of my videos and trips I’ve taken. It’s a great all around bike.
@@ericg.18 someone wants to trade me for my Mazdaspeed 3. I have 157k miles on but it’s pretty modified and fixed up. Would you say it’s a good trade? What should I inspect on the bike when I go look at it?
@@deffwishh that would be a heck of a trade if it works out!! Ask if the transmission recall has been taken care of and ask if the oil pump gear is stock. The stock ones were weak on the early models. Also don’t be surprised if the speedometer and fuel gauge work intermittently.
Nice video! I am looking to buy one of these to compliment my ZX6R, and your review makes me think that I am making the right choice. Only thing I have to say, while 40,000 miles would be a lot on my zx6r or your R3, people I've talked to say that's nothing for these Road Stars. I've heard that even with just basic maintenance, they're good for well over one hundred thousand miles on the engine before slightly more work is needed. Not speaking from experience, just what some of the forums have said.
The 1700 with Fi really opened up the bike. I just got an 08 1700 with fuel injection. I rode a couple 1600's with carb and a 1700 carb, and my 08 with fuel injection just goes when you twist the throttle lol. No hesitation, no wind up, it's just ON. LOVE IT!
I have a 2006 model Roadliner and when l first rode it after my riding BMW R1150GS I thought the engine was doing anything as it was so quiet, particularly with the counter rotating crankshaft, the vibrations are less than those on the Beemer. I don't particularly enjoy the way it handles and at 345kg it seems a big lug a of a bike (we call it Big Bertha), but certainly has a very no fuss approach from getting you from A to B. I think the best thing about it is the 123 foot/pounds (167nm) of torque as this can propel you instantly and at great speed past long lines of cars and trucks, up hill on the flat...... anywhere. It is a matter of opening the throttle about a quarter and off you go. Mine is the 1854cc or 113ci model so there is plenty of engine there to deliver the goods. Having said all of that, I prefer my BMW as it is more a bike that rides itself when you are feeling lazy (I commute 106km to work and back), but is a very exciting bike on the twisty curves if you in that frame of mind.
I love the big bore cruisers. I owned a Yamaha XV1100 for a few years and used as my daily commute. I was fortunate most of 200km/day ride was on the open road, dual carriageway so I could appreciate the comfort of the bike. The Yammie was low to the ground with a 5 speed heel/toe shifter and comfortable to ride. A big screen and leg shields kept most of the wind off of me. After 165000 kms I traded for a Kawasaki Voyager 1700 which I again used as my daily commute over the same route. The Kwaka is bigger and heavier but comes with a full fairing which includes a radio and music player connection. It has a wide tall screen and leg shields which can be opened in summer. The 6 speed box again with a heel/toe shifter and cruise control makes it a great bike to ride for a long day. The ABS brakes pull it up well. One thing I would observe about the Yammie was the speedo on the tank means you are constantly looking down at the tank to judge your speed, at least till you get to know your bike. This can be a safety problem and I noticed it was a feature of smaller, learner legal cruisers as well so I reckon it might be a bit of an issue for new riders. The Kwaka is a great bike. If I were to suggest to Kawasaki any improvements I would suggest an electric, speed controlled reverse. This is a 400kg wet bike - in some places including the town where I live you have nose in angle parking. You can roll the bike into park using the camber of the road but is almost impossible for one person to "walk" it out. If you roll tail in you risk a fine although that has never happened to me. The Honda Goldwing has an electric reverse that means you can only go about 5kms/h in reverse but since you would only use it to park that isn't a problem. I suspect it takes away the possibility that the bike will tip over. I ride the cruiser for the "look" and the comfort. I find both of my bikes had/have more than enough power/torque/grunt for my needs. I say to all ride the bike you like because it is the ride that is important not the destination or how quickly you get there. Thanks for posting your video
We care about your personal life but we don't, as in, we care if you're fine, but personally wouldn't try to dig into it cause that'd be intrusive, don't be let down. Hope your head is fine even though this video is from 2017. My 2005 Roadstar 1700 just arrived from Canada to the country I live in and I was looking up some videos to hear how mean and aggressive it can sound with straigh pipes and stumbled across your video. Have a great one!
I have the same bike as you just got it , it has only 9700 miles. paid 3000.oo ...sat in someones wood shop it just needed a good cleaning and tune up...it rides like a dream ....
good review,i just purchased an 03 1600 in great shape, for $900 then $900 worth of american elites , and some tlc, its about ready for the road... my first ride was about like yours... so i took it off road here in Fl that got me more stable with it and then after cruising 30 miles i did a few hole shots, and for a big bike, I'm totally happy with 2.89 to 60 and 70-90 is a stable feel, just stay off the front brake in the sand, the hwy bars hold it off the ground nicely, so i quickly found out. great bike so far, only has 41k, a pawnshop find in daytona....halleluYah!
@@ShotswithCola Thank you.. I'm considering doing a vlog next year.. just now beginning to look into the kind of equipment I'm going to need.. thanks for your time my friend.
ut1004bp oh lol yeah. I always cruise around in final drive. I didn’t really want to go to hard on the bike cause it wasn’t mine. Think it is bad for it to ride that way?
@@ShotswithCola I might need to clearify.. You said that was the first bike you ridden without chain (final) drive.. I'm just the opposite, I have bought or even ridden a large street bike with chain drive.. Had enough trouble with bicycles and mini bike's sprocket and chains that I dont need that on a motorcycle!
ut1004bp oh lol 😂 yeah that was way over my head. Yeah I’m not sure what my next bike is going to be to be honest. But I did really enjoy the road star so I might be looking in that direction.
I have a 2000’ roadstar midnight star 1600 av has 64 thousand miles. Rode it to Pennsylvania from Louisiana and to San Francisco from Louisiana. You can drive this Yamaha 80mph all day long and wont hurt it. This big is very dependable and I had to change the clutches at 63,000 miles, put in some Barrnet clutches and a Barrnet pressure plate. What a difference. No more slipping clutches on 4th and 5th gear when you open up the engine.
thomas lauderdale I’m not sure. It will probably vary between shops but usually they have a base rate then charge more if they run into any complications
Ppl think my Roadstar 1600 is a hd all the time, bc the sheep are ignorant, they think hd is the only mc producer. My bike's sound trashes any harley I've ever heard.
