Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/127749
(Left) Where better to cruise than among the picturesque cliffs ot Sedona? (Right) Hmmm. Where have I seen those forks before? (Below) Steering the 672-pound Royal Star Is surprisingly easy and the machine Is very stable. them forward and up, but then the riding position would have been too extreme. That would rotate the rider's hips too much and make it uncomfortable." He also pointed out, rightly, that speed isn't what the Royal Star is about. "When you touch the floorboards down, that's your cue to take it easy, slow down and enjoy the scenery." One of the things that encourages the rider io pUsh it a bit is the suspension. Both ends are firm - the front bordering on harsh at times - but controlled. The 43mrn fork is of the conventional design and sports fat, stainless-steel covers that are 85mrn in diameter at their widest point. The fork covers are one of the many touches - like the huge front tire that lends the Royal Star its almost cartoonish big looks. The rear suspension is particularly interesting. In their effort to keep the machine as low as possible, the single shock was placed below the swingarm (through Linkage), working in the opposite direction to what is conventional, that is, the shock extends when the suspension is compressed. Travel is somewhat limited at 3.8 inches, but overall the suspension does an adequate job of keeping movements under control and the rider isolated from pavement irregularities. At the throbbing heart of the beast is the venerable V-Max/Venture V-four, but considerably retuned to place the meat of the power curve at low rpm - VMedium, if you will. Though similar in architecture, fairly substantial changes were made to the powerplant in a number of areas. The new engine cases, for instance, share machining centers with the old powerplant, and that's about it. Internally, the Venture crank was brought over, as were the connecting rods. The pistons, however, were manufactured specifically for the lower-compression needs of the Royal Star, mainly as an aid to fuel economy. Interestingly, the camshafts are carryovers from the Venture, profiles unaltered, only with the timing retarded to the extreme. Since the valvetrain needn't cope with high-rpm duty, one of the two springs for each valve on the old design was tossed, which should increase the longevity of the camshafts. Valve-adjustment interval is a long 27,000 miles. The counterbalancer used in the Venture is eliminated, mainly because it was effective only over a narrow rpm range that was above the normal operating speeds encountered in the Royal Star. Yamaha also didn't want to do anything to diminish the "pulse effect" generated by the engine so important to the visceral experience and feel they were trying to achieve. Engine speed is electronically limited by a gradual ignition cut-out that begins working at 5700 rpm and ultimately cuts out completely at 6200, though the engine is safe for a few hundred more rpm above that. Those of you with visions of re-Maximizing the powerplant had better think again. There are certainly gains to be made above stock power - Porter says an easy 20 percent with the right (read: louder, not-EPA-Iegal-so-we-can't-do-it) exhausts - but don't even think about bolting on the 35mrn 'carbs from Mr. Max. They just won't. fit. To keep the low-styling theme intact - and to better suit the low--rpm power they were after - Yamaha fit substantially smaller 28mrn carburetors and used a suitably smaller airbox. To further augment the pulse from. the engine, gear ratios in the five-speed transmission were chosen that were decidedly tall. Fourth and fifth gears, in fact, are b9tn overdrive. The engine spins at just 2650 rpm at 60 mph. Ratios are matched well to the engine's power output and a very cool and distinctive half-a-V-eight exhaust note from the four-into-four exhaust heightens the joy of short-shifting away from stops. While it is important to keep in mind that all the bikes we rode were pre-production, shifting action was good. And with the retro, rocker~type shift lever, it was actually kind of fun. Want an upshift? Just grab the light-action clutch and slam your boot heel down. Final drive is shaft, and the bike exhibits no chassis-jacking to speak of. Brakes on the big bike are part new, part parts-bin. The discs front and rear are new, as is the formulation of the pads (for durability, because of the bike's weight). All three calipers, however, come from the FZR600. The huge, 12.6-inch rear disc was used because Yamaha felt that on this type of machine the majority of stopping chores would fall to it. The rear brake is excellent. The , .-t .-t I-< Q) E u o 27