Yamaha branded their first Star Motorcycles bike in 1994 for obvious reasons, among them the fact that cruiser buyers are a different breed than most other types of riders. The division's branding conveyed a different message than that of Yamaha mainstays like the R1 superbike, WR250X supermoto, or Zuma 125 scooter; heck, if you're gonna go up against Harley-Davidson's now sportbike-free lineup of cruisers and tourers, you'd better be focused!
From the beginner-friendly V-Star 250 to the middleweight V-Star 950, all the way up to big boys like the tire-melting VMax and the plus-sized Stratoliner S (both of which are pictured here), take a look at pricing and key specs for the entire lineup in this 2010 Yamaha Star Motorcycles Buyer's Guide.
Related:
- 2009 Yamaha Star VMax Photo Gallery
- 2009 Yamaha V-Star 950 and 950 Tourer Review
- 2009 Yamaha V-Star 950 and 950 Tourer Photo Gallery
- 2008 Yamaha Buyer's Guide
Photos © Yamaha Star;
Click for 2010 Yamaha Star Buyer's Guide
I like the Star line up but these bike are just as expensive as HD if not more. Shame Yamaha can’t get these bikes priced around $12,000 or so.
Hey Joe,
Yes, the MSRP are pretty high, but the dealers will negotiate. However, what I hear on the forums is that they are cutting way back on production to help stabilize prices. Last year I got a brand new ‘07 leftover Stratoliner for $10k.
Nonetheless, these bikes are pretty much bullet-proof. There are people who have put 200,000 miles on Road Stars. The Liners have just been out since ‘06 and people are closing in on 100,000 miles with just routine maintenance (and lots of tires – 110 lbs of torque takes its toll).
Basem,
Correct me if I’m wrong, but I believe the “official” Star branding came along with the introduction of the Liners in ‘06.
I agree Scottie that you can get some good deals on a leftover but that is my point, they can make a profit at selling the leftovers at a lot less why not start the MRSP of a new bike a little lower, if they did they would make a killing. The Star line up have some nice bikes (although my friend RoadStar has been going thought stators, 2 in 20,000 miles) and they would most likely be more competitive with HD and Victory in the cruiser market if they could cut the MRSP some. Getting a 2 yr warranty with a new bike would be nice too. P.S. Don’t get me wrong, HD could cut their prices on some of their models too, example is the new 48.
Scottie,
From what I understand, the first Stars appeared in ‘94, and in ‘06 the brand became its own entity. I’ve clarified the text; thanks for pointing that out.
Basem