Raider Nation

RAIDER NATION

Mark Hoyer

Harley has its stretched and slammed Rocker (see test, page 40), and Star has its likewise chop-inspired Raider for 2008. The bike is definitely a step toward the radical: Fork rake is 39.2 degrees! The alloy frame’s high-altitude headstock, though, sports a 33degree angle to help preserve handling, the latter point also being the reason that the rear tire is a 210/40-18: It’s wide, but not too wide to harm steering too much. A 120/70-21 rolls at the front.

Power comes from the air-cooled, four-valveper-cylinder, 113-cubic-inch (1854cc) V-Twin used in the Roadliner. Stylized 2-1-2 exhaust features an EXUP valve and catalyzers. “The focus was best-in-class power and exhaust tone, as well as unsurpassed handling charac■ \ ter,” said Product Planning Manager Derek Brooks-No word on Price’ **ut expect the Raider in

JL* dealerships this October.