Elevating The Midsize Cruiser

By Steve Lita, Photos by Riles and Nelson

Remember when an 1100cc bike was considered the big daddy of the motorcycle world? Now it seems that any bike with a displacement less than what you’d find on a small car is considered — yawn — midsize. Now don’t you feel old?

There’s nothing wrong with the modern crop of midsize motorcycles. It’s a popular category, so every manufacturer has to offer at least one good example. The midsizers generally appeal to former sportbike riders, male and female alike, who want to be more comfortable on the road, as well as those graduating from a first bike to a “real” cruiser.

Ample power capabilities and decent styling are a must. Buyers in this field expect the big-bike style without busting their bank accounts. Some chrome for sure, but not all chrome. Decent-quality components and a comfortable ride. That’s not asking too much from a modern midsize, is it?

Yamaha offers several models that make the grade, including the popular V Star 1100. This is a fine bike, except for the silly oil filter location that makes it necessary to remove the exhaust system for maintenance.

Now they give us this all-new V Star 1300. Please don’t dismiss this as simply a redone V Star 1100, although even Yamaha reps use it as the comparable benchmark. The V Star 1100 is a fine bike, and if you can do better, then more power to you, literally. Some key words and phrases that Yamaha uses to describe the V Star 1300 are “authentic,” “sensual character,” and “big-pulse engine.” I agree with most of them. The bump in power for the new 1300, compliments of its 60-degree, water-cooled 1304cc V-twin, is a bit tighter than its little brother’s 75-degree, air-cooled version. The Yamaha engineers designed the 1300 as a more compact package with greater mass centralization, making the VS13 a nimbler, easier-handling machine.

All the coolant lines on this engine are internal, and it has a wet sump oil system to improve the engine’s cosmetic appeal while reducing mechanical noise. Other than the radiator hoses, there are no visible external lines to distract the eye. On the performance end, this engine runs roller tip rocker arms on the four valves per head to reduce friction, and forged connecting rods for superior strength. The clutch runs one plate more than the smaller 1100 clutch, and the overall diameter has been bumped by 10mm.

Yamaha is convinced that cruiser buyers value an engine’s power pulse, the heartbeat in a sense. The new engine uses dual crankshaft balancers to cancel out high-frequency vibrations while still retaining the lower pulse feeling. I think Yamaha may have overdone it a tad because this engine never reminded me of a strong, throbbing beat. With its 2-into-1 exhaust design and honeycomb catalyst, the overall package seems quiet and somewhat sedate. It lacked the pounding cadence of a larger machine or one that has been modified with an aftermarket exhaust.

The engine makes a claimed 76.8 hp with over 81 ft-lbs. of torque, plenty enough to swiftly move bike and rider along. Those numbers are up 13 hp and 18 ft-lbs over the old 1100. There isn’t a massive rush of engine braking on tap, which only helps to emphasize the smoothness of the power plant. One thing that was readily apparent to me was that this combination doesn’t like to lug. Not many engines do. But on this bike, the torque production isn’t massive, so just twisting the throttle didn’t always give the desired results. Sometimes a downshift may be necessary for pulling power.

The fuel injection is well sorted out, with its twin throttle bores, 40mm throttle plates, and 12-hole fuel injectors for optimum fuel atomization. The oxygen sensor in the exhaust system helps lower the emissions to meet 2008 EPA regulations. The V-shaped chrome cover on the right side of the engine hides the 3.7-liter airbox. A nice styling touch is the almost-matching chrome accent treatment on the left side of the bike. Yamaha has responded to a design weakness on the V Star 1100 with a new spin-on oil filter on the lower-right portion of the engine. It is accessible from between the frame downtubes. Hooray — no more removing pipes for maintenance!

Power flows through a five-speed gearbox with taller gear ratios than the 1100cc cruiser. Actually, fourth gear on the 1300 overlaps the fifth gear of the 1100. The fifth gear of the 1300 is overdriven and helps relax the engine revs when cruising in high gear; 70 mph is a comfortable and smooth 3400 rpm. Final drive is via a 28.6mm carbon fiber reinforced belt, and that will make the customizers happy. It is a lot easier to customize a bike with a belt drive than one with a shaft. The belt is quiet and gives the performance look of the larger Yamaha Star line. The belt drive shrouds are smooth and clean.

An all-new frame holds the full-size body and carries the engine. Solid mounting helps tie everything together while giving the bike a more precise feeling and better handling on the curves. This motorcycle is long and low for a big cruiser feel, and the longer swingarm adds to the smooth ride. Seven-spoke, cast aluminum 16" wheels on both ends run either Dunlop or Bridgestone tires (depending on your production run). Our test bike had Bridgestones.

Even sitting on the bike and hefting it upright was a cinch. Road feel was good, and the big midsize cruiser smoothed out every bump in the road. A single link-type shock in the rear and 41mm KYB forks up front provided a solid, smooth ride. Brakes are dual front discs mated with two-piston calipers up front, and a single-piston setup on the rear that is cleanly mounted below the swingarm almost hidden from view. While the brakes worked well enough for the riding style that this bike was intended for, I found that the rear had a slight tendency to lock up under hard braking. It feels like the rear brake bias is set for two-up cruising or a loaded touring application. It wasn’t a problem when unloaded; I just had to modulate rear brake pedal pressure appropriately.

The ergonomics of the VS 1300 are pure big cruiser. Wide handlebars and comfortable foot position were perfect for my 6' frame, although I would have preferred the floorboards to be a little “roomier.” The heel/toe shifter was fun to work and attractive in appearance. Also, the ends of the handlebars were pointed slightly downward, but they can easily be adjusted. The seat is flat and comfortable, and I stayed in one place all afternoon, never finding myself sliding around looking for a more comfortable seating position. Yamaha selected new foam for the saddle on this cruiser to provide more comfort on long rides. It worked fine for me.

The styling department did a good job giving the 1300 a long, big-bike look. Body parts are real steel, which is good for anyone wanting to customize them. The tank is a flangeless design, and it sits low over the engine. There’s a secondary fuel tank hidden under the seat, allowing a thinner primary tank, lower center of gravity, and greater mass centralizing for improved handling. Engine size is subtly marked on the airbox cover and not emblazoned all over the place.

I found only one minor flaw in appearance, the hole in the leftside cover that exposes the seat-release key lock. With virtually no storage under the seat, was this unsightly hole really necessary? How about a smooth side cover and hidden key mechanism?

Perhaps Yamaha should have the side cover designer take some lessons from whomever designed the function and reset buttons for the meters located on the right-side grip switch pod. They are conveniently located and function perfectly. That’s just the right place for them. The meter display is hanging from the handlebars and features speedometer, dual trip meters, clock, and warning lights. There’s no fuel gauge, but a low-fuel warning light glows as you drop down to the last gallon. The headlamp arrangement is very Roadlineresque and quite attractive. It helps distinguish this bike from the smaller cruisers and adds another dash of big-bike style. Small access holes on the left and right of the headlight nacelle allow easy up-down and left-right adjustment.

Because Yamaha designs accessories in conjunction with new bike design, there are already 38 new accessories available for the V Star 1300. And 52 items from the existing accessory line will also fit the 1300. That’s plenty for the midsize cruiser buyer to choose from in the parts department. This Yamaha has all the right stuff for relaxed riding on twisty back roads, and it offers plenty of styling for the drive-in. Once upon a time, the “old” V Star 1100 was the standard that midsize cruisers were measured by. The V Star 1300 surpasses it to become the new standard midsizer. RB

So now you have a better midsize cruiser. Next, you’ll want to go somewhere on it. Virtually identical to the standard V Star 1300 cruiser, the Touring version comes tour-ready with a windshield, a passenger backrest, and leather-covered hard bags. These three popular touring accessories will keep you comfortable on even the longest roads.

The 23" hard-coated polycarbonate windscreen resists scratches and holds up to everyday cleaning and impact damage. The passenger backrest is no flimsy flat-sided accessory; it enhances the look of the motorcycle with its large, round tubing and a matching backrest pad. The leather-covered hard bags look great, offer 11 gallons of carrying capacity, and share a key with the ignition — how convenient!

I found the Touring version V Star 1300 comfortable, with just the right amount of conveniences. Wind buffet around the windshield was minimal while still providing some cooling to the rider at speed. The extra cost of the Touring V Star gets you the three most wanted accessories, which you were probably going to buy anyway. They are factory integrated and make your midsize ready to travel, so why not go for it?

Tech Sheet

List Price $10,900

Engine 60-degree liquid-cooled V-twin

Valvetrain SOHC, four valves per cylinder

Displacement 1304cc

Bore x Stroke 100 x 83mm

Compression 9.5:1

Fuel System EFI

Mfr HP Rating 76.8 at 5500 rpm

Mfr Torque Rating 81.8 at 4000 rpm

Transmission Five-speed

Final Drive Belt

Overall Length 98"

Wheelbase 66.5"

Rake/Trail 32.7 degrees/5.7"

Seat Height 28"

Fuel Capacity 4.9 gallons

Dry Weight 624 pounds

2007 Colors Candy Red, Galaxy Blue, Raven Black