Quick Ride

YAMAHA ROYAL STAR TOUR DELUXE

Second time around

Quick Ride

TO THINK IT ALL STARTED in 1978 with the XS650 Special... Yamaha didn’t have a diversified cruiser lineup back then. In fact, the XS650 was the cruiser lineup. In stark contrast, Yamaha today has a bike to fill just about every segment, from its entry-level Virago 250 to full-rig Royal Star Venture touring bike. Even with such diversity, Yamaha felt the hole between its liquid-cooled, V-Four-powered Venture and light-touring-equipped, air-cooled V-Twin Road Star Silverado was worth filling. Enter the 2005 Royal Star Tour Deluxe. In essence, this is a Venture without the heavy, stereo-equipped fairing and large top case. Or, conversely, you can look at it as a powered-up version of the old Tour Deluxe, last offered in 2001.

When the Royal Star was first introduced as a 1997 model, the only real complaint regarded power, or the lack thereof, especially as Yamaha used the word "VMax” when describing the origins of the Royal Star’s 62horsepower, 1294cc mill. Power is no longer a problem: The Tour Deluxe gets the

Venture’s strong-running, counterbalancer-equipped powerplant, delivering a claimed 98 horsepower and 89 foot-pounds of torque. Thank the same hot cams and large-volume dual-intake system used on the Venture for the power-up over the old Royal Star. Shaft final-drive is retained, but the five-speed transmission features dual overdrive-that’s right, both fourth

and fifth gears are overdriven to take advantage of the Tour Deluxe’s newfound power and slightly lighter weight than the Venture. When you’re up to speed, you can switch on the standard cruise control for truly relaxed open-road running. The heel-toe shifter takes a firm stab with your boot,

but the hydraulic clutch pull is light and engagement linear. Engine power is best at low-to-middle revs, for that lazy lope leaning more toward the casual backroad rider and highway tourer. Still, top-end is strong enough for spirited riding, which is saying a lot because even with a claimed dry weight of 787 pounds, the Tour Deluxe handles and tracks like a lighter bike, thanks to its rigid chassis and air-adjustable suspension. One of the cooler features is the bike’s convertible nature. In about 30 seconds, the fairing and passenger backrest can be removed (without the need for tools), transforming the Tour Deluxe from highway bike to in-town cruiser, all the while retaining its lockable hard bags. Once the screen and backrest are removed, there is little evidence that these items were ever in place; just two small nubs on each fork leg betray the fairing’s former presence. Taking the convertible theme one step further, even the slash-cut tips of the exhaust can be rotated. The Tour Deluxe has a five-year, unlimited-mileage warranty and an MSRP of $13,999. Expect the Charcoal Silver/Raven and Raspberry Metallic/Ravencolored models to be in showrooms by the time you read this. Here’s to a revival of sorts, and to a Royal Star done right. -Calvin Kim