2018 YAMAHA STAR ELUDER
FULL TEST
P80
clunky compared to something like the BMW
K 1600 B, which retails for a similar price.
There's 1854cc of Japanese air-cooled
V-twin (it feels strange typing that) lurking
underneath that big ol' backbone frame, and
it while it pumps out that beastly 126 lb-ft, the
way in which it does so feels sedate and totally
civilized. The motor is fitted with twin counter-
balancers, which cancel out a good deal
of the vibrations inherent with a big-ca-
pacity twin, but it's also the way the motor
is mounted in the chassis that helps the
cause. The engine is secured to the frame
via two huge rubber mounts, which further
take out unwanted vibration. The result is
a delightful motor with a velvety smooth
throttle response and a chassis that barely
vibrates considering the engine architec-
ture.
The V-twin comes with two engine
modes of Touring and Sport via the D-Mode
(Yamaha Drive Mode) selector, and there's
a decent difference between the two with
Sport allowing for much more instant torque
than Touring. It's deceptive how quickly it'll
rush up through the rev ranges in the first
three gears thanks to the shortness of the
ratios.
The brakes look
like they've been
swiped from a
2006 FZ1 but
they still perform
brilliantly. As
does the unified
front and rear
braking system.
You can see how the screen
would deflect all the wind right
into Rennie's head. Aside from
that windy issue, the comfort
was excellent on the Eluder.
