The Yamaha Road Star is a large cruiser that Yamaha built from 1999 to 2014. It was sold as the XV1600A and, in Europe, as the Wild Star, and its big V-twin made it a favourite base for custom builders.
Yamaha Road Star at a glance
| Maker | Yamaha Motor Company |
|---|---|
| Also called | XV1600A, Wild Star in Europe |
| Production | 1999–2014 |
| Engine 1999–2003 | 1,602 cc air-cooled OHV V-twin |
| Bore and stroke | 95 × 113 mm |
| Compression | 8.3:1 |
| Power | 62.6 hp at 4,000 rpm |
| Torque | 134 N·m at 2,250 rpm |
| 2004 change | 1,670 cc and new details |
| Fuel injection | from 2008 |
| Dry weight | 332 kg |
| Seat height | 710 mm |
Based on one source (English Wikipedia).
History of the Yamaha Road Star
The Road Star arrived in 1999 as Yamaha’s large V-twin cruiser. Its air-cooled pushrod engine displaced 1,602 cc with a 95 mm bore and 113 mm stroke, running an 8.3:1 compression ratio and producing 62.6 hp at 4,000 rpm and 134 N·m at 2,250 rpm. The bike was 2,500 mm long, weighed 332 kg dry and had a 710 mm seat height on a 1,685 mm wheelbase.
For 2004 the engine grew to 1,670 cc. The same year brought tubeless aluminium wheels, a narrower drive belt and a different engine casing colour. The Road Star stayed otherwise unchanged until 2008, when electronic fuel injection was introduced. Yamaha also built the Road Star Warrior, a sportier brother with a fuel-injected 1,700 cc engine and an all-aluminium chassis.
The model was offered with several trim packages. The Silverado added studded saddlebags, a backrest, studded driver and passenger seats and a cruiser windscreen, and it was later renamed the Midnight package with blacked-out parts. An S package added more chrome. The Road Star became popular with metric custom builders because it was easy to modify and had a large-displacement engine. It also spawned other Yamaha models, including the MT-01 and the Roadliner and Stratoliner, and the model line was discontinued after 2014.
Design and features
- Large V-twin: a 1,602 cc pushrod engine with strong low-speed torque.
- 2004 update: displacement raised to 1,670 cc with new wheels and belt.
- Fuel injection: added for 2008.
- Trim packages: Silverado, Midnight and S versions with different equipment.
Yamaha Road Star versions
- XV1600A Road Star (1999–2005): the standard model.
- XV1600ALE Limited (2003): limited edition.
- XV1600AS Midnight Star (2001–2005): blacked-out version.
- XV1600AT Silverado (1999–2005): touring trim with bags and screen.
- Road Star Warrior: sportier 1,700 cc model with an aluminium chassis.
The Road Star platform also produced the XV1900A and the MT-01. More models are in the Yamaha collection.
Sources
- Yamaha XV1600A, English Wikipedia: production, engines, trim packages, technical data, related models
