Full Review: Riding the 2008 Yamaha Star Motorcycles Raider
Wednesday February 20, 2008
Can Yamaha beat Harley at its game? That was the question on our minds when we picked up the new Raider, Yamaha's factory custom cruiser sold under their Star Motorcycles brand.
Harley owner and SUV expert Jason Fogelson put some miles on a Star Raider, and to find out what he thought of the $13,180 custom-style cruiser check out his 2008 Yamaha Star Raider review.
To compare the Raider's visual style against its competition (like Harley's custom-inspired Rocker, Fat Bob, and Cross Bones), take a look at our Star Raider photo gallery.
Photo © Yamaha
Comments
I never even thought Harley ever caught up with Yamaha or any other Japanese brand in the first place. US-made for show. Japanese for go.
I’d even prefer British-made Triumph over HD Bikes.
I sat on this bike at the moto show and it is really nice. I prefer bikes with floorboards, but I think the raider’s more custom style appeals to many. The stock pipes actually sound good too.
And the nerve of Star putting dual discs on the front so it will stop! I don’t know why H-D has let Softails stay single rotor. Their lack of stopping ability is just plain dangerous.
The Raider is a great bike for the price! The two things I don’t like about it is the massive looking left side belt drive and the stock pipes that 90% of the people that have commented about them just hate. Not sure what Star was thinking when they designed the hump-back pipes. Totally ruins the lines of an otherwise great looking ride! I don’t think Harley has much to worry about since so many riders buy into the Harley culture!
Yes, this ‘is’ a WINNER!!!
My son loves it (I love it) and all his friends want one too! The Raider beats Harley big time (no contest)! We loved the feel, the look and the price.
Yamaha Star motorcycles are a better bike than Harley. Price and a bike that will not leave you walking. I have had both and the Star is the best. Harley lost a lot of money this year and will lose next year too. You can only sell to so many old age hippie bikers,lawers,doctors and dentist. This is like a cult–a to be a bad ass. This will finally put Harley out of business, they need to wake up and smell the roses.
While Star’s numbers are pretty well buried in Yamaha’s financials, they are still making money and growing in markets outside the US. Harley’s numbers are right on their web site. Trust me, Harley did not lose any money (yet). Harley’s sales were off by 1.3%, but they still netted $933 million. 16.3% net profit is outstanding for any business.
Wait one minute…..
You are all missing one point….
Are any of you loyal AMERICANS?
Harley is just as much about the good old USA as it is to making great bikes.
This is one reason why America has lost jobs to other countries. We need to start thinking a little bit about home base before just going for things from other countries. It is something we have lost here in America.
That is one reason why our Veretans are treated so poorly.
You can keep your bike from another country…. they can copy us all they want…. it will never be a Harley and the spirit that it was built upon.
Before you comment try singing along… God Bless America, land that I love….
IK,
“The Land I Love” and the unions also built the ‘71 Galaxy 500 piece of crap I drove, and pushed, to high school.
I now drive a great f-150 supercrew. The best vehicle I’ve ever owned. Even with parkingf in NYC running $500/month, I keep it.
Competition is good!!
Harley will have to pressure the union soon. 16.3% profit is incredible, and the union gets their chunk (even of the goods made in China), but reality is on the way.
Harley-Davidson is a corporate whore just like the rest of BIG business. Assembled in America is more like it. I’ve rode harleys for 40 years & the next one will not be a Harley. I’ll let a “wannta be” have mine.
Too bad 90%+ of HD parts are made out of the country with the greater share made in the Asian markets. All of the the big 4 ‘Japanese’ manufacturers products are assembled in the ole USofA for the North American markets. So there both pretty much in the same boat the only difference is the quality control that goes into Japanese vehicles compared to domestic. There is no comparison; Domestic vehicles are a joke comparatively and that’s from an old Chevy/HD owner for decades.
So ride a Raider, drink Canadian Whiskey and support the Military. Cheers!
20 year Navy vet….Loyal to my country and treated well.
Own Tundra (Japan), Trans Am (Canada), Quest (Japan) and Raider (Japan)
Don’t like the HD quality, PRICE, and mentality.
What a shame to have allowed a HD owner, Jason Fogelson, to offer his biased review about the Yamaha Raider. Is this guy kidding with the cliche comment that the Raider would never be a Harley? Well, his harley will never be a Raider!! The Raider would be a good value, even at the Harley price ; a price at which a Harley is NOT a good value . Mr. Fogleson, you are not riding “aura” ,”history”, or any of the other illusions that have been fabricated around an inferior, overpriced, albeit , work of art of a motorcycle to convince some to pay the prices that they pay for Harleys. Would I like a Harley? Yes, I would. But it had better be a heck ot a lot cheaper than the Raider or you’ll find me at a Yamaha dealer. Mr. Fogelson, the Yamaha Star Raider does not want to be a Harley: nor do it’s owners want it to be one. Mr. Fogelson, you wrote that the Rader out-performs and is a better value than the HD softail and that the Raider benefits from Yamaha’s legendary quality and reliability or something along those lines. Well….. um, what else is there? Am i missing something? Might you say coolness factor? I commend you for not completely discrediting yourself by bringing into question that aspect of the Raider . You were fair and smart to just leave that one alone. By the way, you’d better hope they keep the distinction of “metric cruiser” in place during the contests. It keeps the Harleys in a sort of “administrative segregation” away from the truly badassed competition.
I am a vet and can’t complain a bit about the wayI am treated in this country. Even the Vietnam era vets are treated with respect these days. I am looking to buy this Raider within the next few weeks after doing a comparison to the Rocker C. The Raider is better in every category, especially price!! How about Harley building bikes that the average late 20to 30’s can afford. Same thing is happening with the big 3 auto maker right now. maybe they should start making affordable high quality products. I was looking at a Challenger as well built by Dodge and one dealer quoted me a 50,000 price. Are you serious? 5,000 over msrp. I am sick of all my tax dollars going to poorly run American companies that pay 3rd generation union workers a fat paycheck to do a job that somebody else is willing to do for a better price. This company was built on free enterprise. We have a hard time taking our own medicine. It is time to trim the fat. When Harley builds a bike that can be affordable and comparable when it comes to performance I will consider buying one.
The quality and satisfaction you get from a bike has nothing to do with where it was made. HD offer less quality and more price than the Star line. It’s a pretty obvious choice.
i have 3 harleys; and remember the cheap potmetal jap bikes you couldnt even work on-their still the same cheap throw away metal and nobody knows how to work on them. ride em then thow them in a ditch- you get what you pay for-you are still supporting forein “ucks- idiots. they took out all the american companys with there slave labor ; all but harley ; now everybody is against harley !!the only survivor!!dont understand it: us harley riders must realy intimidate all the little rice riders-why dont you all go live over there too!bye-keep youre money in america; dont support forieners or forien goverments!!!!!!!!!!! simple-