The 2018 Yamaha Star Eluder is a bagger built on the same platform as the Star Venture luxury tourer, with bold, modern styling, a big air-cooled V-twin and a wide array of touring and technology features. (Photos by Drew Ruiz)
One of the biggest announcements last year in the world of motorcycle touring was the return of Yamaha?s Star Venture, a fully-loaded luxury tourer designed to compete head-to-head with the best that Harley-Davidson and Indian have to offer. (What about the Gold Wing" That was the other big news for 2018: Honda?s rebooted flagship tourer is now smaller and sportier, more in line with its six-cylinder competitor, BMW?s K 1600 GTL. Read about it here.)
Read our 2018 Yamaha Star Venture road test review
The Star Eluder is available in three colors: Liquid Silver with red/black graphics, Impact Blue and Raven. The blue bike is accessorized with a taller windscreen, auxiliary lights, a passenger backrest and more. The last Venture in Yamaha?s lineup?the 2009 Royal Star Venture S?had styling that resembled Harley-Davidson?s Electra Glide and was powered by a liquid-cooled V-4 adapted from the mighty V-Max muscle bike. The new Venture, on the other hand, has bold, modern bodywork wrapped around a massive, 113-cubic-inch, air-cooled V-twin that has been extensively modified from its loud-and-proud role in the Raider, Yamaha?s recently departed factory chopper. Research says most Americans want big-boned, heavily-finned, (mostly) air-cooled V-twins, and ...