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Yamaha Roadliner S Review - Page 1 |
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Yamaha Roadliner S Review - Page 1 |
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Yamaha Roadliner S Review - Page 1 - Page 2 Okay,
let’s cut to the chase. Yamaha’s Roadliner S is the best cruiser I
have ridden. And with the amount of cruisers in the current marketplace that is a pretty big call. Long gone are the days when the Japanese manufacturers could easily build a cruiser that did everything better than a Harley-Davidson. The late model Harley’s are great rides and while they might look much the same as an ‘Evo’ era bike, dynamically the latest Harley’s are a long way from the earlier generations. By and large they go better, handle better and stop better than many of their competitors. Don’t believe me? Go and ride something like the latest Road King and find out for yourself. Yamaha, however, certainly did their homework when designing the new XV1900AS Roadliner S and it clearly gazumps even the latest Harley’s in every measure of performance. At close to 26 grand though, the Roadliner S matches Harley on price! As the flagship of Yamaha’s ten model cruiser line-up however, it does mount a strong defence in justifying that fee. Aesthetically, the Yamaha is a looker. The bold front headlight seems a little stark at first but eventually the face becomes friendlier. Yamaha claim the Roadliner S is styled along the streamliner look of yesteryear. I’m not quite sure about that but it does work and the lines grow on you quite quickly. I will draw the line at the gaudy speedometer however as I am not sure that look was ever in fashion, or ever will be. The instrumentation at least works well though and tripmeter functions can be cycled through using a convenient button on the left handlebar switch block. The switchgear wiring is routed inside the bars for a clean look but it would have been nice if Yamaha had gone that little bit further and hidden the ungainly throttle cables, and perhaps shrouded the brake lines in braided hose or something similar. However, other nice touches abound with the pointed swingarm, attractive 12-spoke alloy rims and a trio of chrome nacelles flanking either side of the nicely shaped fuel tank. These follow the lines initiated by the beefy chrome lower stay on the front mudguard and, I can’t believe I am going to say it, but the verb that immediately sprang to mind and best fits is streamlined. The Roadliner's styling makes me think that the designers took their cues from something like a classic Auburn Cord or Duesenberg. The centrepiece is of course the wonderfully detailed 1854cc engine (113 cubic inches) that proudly displays its push-rod tubes and cooling fins as hallmarks of classic cruiser design. It is a dry sump engine, air-cooled with the assistance of an external oil cooler with the Texas Tea pumped around the engine by a pair of triple-rotor oil pumps. Cylinder cooling is also helped along by nozzles spraying oil underneath the pistons. Hydraulic lifters help to reduce servicing requirements. Thankfully the go matches the show and the Roadliner offers effortless performance thanks to a well sorted EFI system. The Yamaha does rev quite freely though, and the tiny tachometer needle will swing past 5000rpm if asked. The only reason you really push the motor this far is to give yourself some extra aural pleasure when riding your favourite set of bends. The note emitted by the standard 2-into-1 exhaust system is the best of any stock cruiser I have sampled. Yamaha’s trademark EXUP valve in the exhaust system has always been a way of helping to increase mid-range power in their sportsbikes but in the Roadliner I can’t help but thinking a little EXUP magic has been employed to richen the exhaust note rather than the power band. Maximum urge is delivered between 2000 and 3000rpm and at 100km/h in top gear the Roadliner is loping lazily along below that mark but immediately answers the throttle with a satisfying surge forward. Incredibly, the crankshaft turns only three times as fast as the wheels when travelling in top gear. Dual crank balancers help to quell any nasty vibes and only the more pleasant sensations are transferred to the rider. The mill is at least a match for most of its v-twin opposition but it won’t smoke the back tyre at will like Triumph’s gargantuan Rocket III. If your ride takes in corners that won’t worry you in the slightest as the Yamaha will have no trouble leaving the Triumph in its wake once the bends arrive. The unmistakeable cruiser trait that sees mid-corner bumps send a wriggle through the chassis is still there but the Yamaha shrugs them off better than any comparable mount. On the Roadliner there is the one wallow from the hit before the machine retains its composure and tracks true. Most comparable machines would still be in convulsions a further 20 metres up the road... Continue to page 2 |
Yamaha Roadliner S Review - Page 1 - Page 2