2010 Yamaha V Star Tourer: Review

Yamaha has had a great few years recently with their extremely popular Star motorcycles brand. The bikes just seem to have it all- looks, power, performance- and every year, Star engineers seem to come up with yet another spin on a motorcycle that we just can't do without. For 2010, that bike is the 2010 Yamaha V Star 1300 tourer. Based on the popular V Star 1300, the Tourer model adds a reconfigured handlebar position, a newly contoured seat, Leather covered hard saddlebags, a windshield, and passenger backrest. The 2010 Yamaha V Star 1300 tourer also gets more chrome than the 2010 Yamaha V Star 1300, with shiny stuff covering a new headlight housing and belt guard.

The 2010 Yamaha V Star 1300 tourer is powered by Yamaha's popular 1,304cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine. With liquid cooling and electronic fuel injection, the 1300 works hard, sounds great, and motivates the 2010 Yamaha V Star 1300 tourer at highway speeds with agility and grace. The 2010 Yamaha V Star 1300's engine is of a single overhead camshaft design, and is fed by twin 36mm intake valves for each cylinder. The computer-controlled system provides a load of power at the throttle, while still returning better-than-average fuel economy in the range of 42 miles per gallon. Liquid cooling on the 2010 Yamaha V Star 1300 tourer provides excellent cooling characteristics, but you won't find cooling hoses or lines hanging around on the 2010 Yamaha V star 1300 tourer. Yamaha engineers seemed to just know how great air-cooled motorcycles look, and they strove to give the 2010 Yamaha V Star 1300 tourer the same clean engine look while still providing the rider with the benefits of liquid cooling. Same goes for the oil filter. While it's easy to get to, it's also tucked out of sight.

Priced from $11,790, the 2010 Yamaha V star 1300 tourer is unquestionably one of the best deals in motorcycling. Individually adding the parts included with the tourer package to a base-level motorcycle could easily push the price tag past $13k. Unfortunately, the 2010 Yamaha V Star 1300 tourer also has a drawback. They are really quite limited when it comes to color choices. Available only in Raven black or Impact blue, you'll have to do some custom work if you want something special, but at the end of the day, Yamahas just seem like naturals for customization, anyway. The 2010 Yamaha V Star 1300 tourer features a one year factory limited warranty, but Yamaha and Star motorcycles offer extended protection plans if you feel more comfortable with a bit more.