A bone-stock 2018 Yamaha Star Eluder GT in Raven served as the platform for our customization project. (This photo courtesy Yamaha; other photos by Joe Agustin)
For 2018, Yamaha launched two all-new V-twin touring cruisers built on the same platform–the Star Venture luxury tourer and the Star Eluder bagger. Both have bold, muscular bodywork wrapped around a massive 113-cubic-inch, air-cooled V-twin, and they?re equipped with modern technology such as throttle-by-wire, riding modes, linked ABS brakes and full infotainment systems.
The Venture is designed for two-up touring. With no trunk and fewer bells and whistles, the lighter, less expensive Eluder is for riders who do more solo riding and prefer a leaner, more aggressive look.
Read our 2018 Yamaha Star Eluder first ride review Before the project began, Jeff Palhegyi and Senior Editor Greg Drevenstedt went out on a ride on two stock Yamaha Star Eluders.
We like the Star Eluder?s generous low-end torque, handling and touring amenities. But what?s a bagger without some customization" For years Yamaha?s Star Motorcycles tagline was, ?We build it. You make it your own.? So that?s what we did?with some help.
Designer Jeff Palhegyi (left) and Senior Editor Greg Drevenstedt with a stock 2018 Yamaha Star Eluder, in Palhegyi’s shop in Santee, California.
We teamed up with Jeff Palhegyi, owner of Palhegyi Design, on a Star Eluder project bike. Known for his customized cruisers, vintage race bikes, flat trackers and...