|
|||||||
| Archives - Production Motorcycles |
New Bike Tests: 2009 Star Roadliner Midnight - From RoadBike September 2009
 Vindication By Steve Lita, Photos by Bob Feather I’ve been vindicated. Once upon a time (a few years ago), when I was but a lowly assistant editor of this magazine, I was called upon to test ride the then all-new Star Roadliner around the hills surrounding Mount Hood in Oregon. The top-of-the-line offering from Star and I hit it off fabulously. I recall writing that the Roadliner had tons of usable torque, and handling good enough to grind the floorboards into submission. But perhaps the most memorable thing I said about the Roadliner was that it was the new “Cadillac of cruisers.” However, the ending, where I thought I had tied the whole thread together and brought the story to a crescendo, ended up on the cutting room floor. Alas, due to limited space and popular opinion, the climax of my tale was not read by you, the readers. I was disappointed, to say the least, but I had yet another New Bike Test in print, albeit not exactly as I had crafted it.
Fast-forward to 2009, when the offer came in from Star to allow me to have a summer demonstrator as long as I did the legwork. Of all the new models offered, the Roadliner Midnight appealed to me the most. After a few tanks of gas for break-in around Florida, I was northward bound on a hot spring day, headed for Connecticut and colder climates. Every other fuel stop found me digging through my bag for more layers, until eventually the rainsuit came out in southern New Jersey and stayed on all the way home. The Roadliner and I had pounded out 1,100 miles in two days with only one traffic jam in DC. All the way home, my New Bike Test recollections from four years earlier replayed in my head. My thoughts and impressions would be validated. Since that day, I’ve added another 4,000 miles to the dark Star, and riding it brings a smile to my face every time (and I’m not done yet). Some staffers have taken a turn, with nary a complaint, and not by coincidence the Cadillac always finds it way back to my garage. Suffice it to say I’ve gone to great lengths to make sure the RoadBike staffers had rides of their own this summer.
A thick, chromed 1-1/4" handlebar hides the Roadliner’s switchgear wiring on the inside. I like the wide, beach bar-style reach. The stock seat is wonderful, and long rides are a pleasure. Floating floorboards and an adjustable heel/toe shifter are comfortably placed; however, the heel shifter pedal takes a little getting used to. Even after adjusting it to a lower position, I found it necessary to lift my foot to actuate and upshift kick. I like the left-finger operated info selector for scrolling through readouts (fuel, two tripmeters, odometer) on the vintage-looking, tank-top gauge. And over on the right side is a thumb-activated accessory driving light switch from the factory, in case you ever desire to add lighting accessories. Facetted, clear lenses cover the signals and taillamp, a modern custom look. The Roadliner Midnight is coated in gloss Raven paint with subtle dark silver tribal patterns on the tank. Satin blacked-out components throughout the bike add sinister appeal, and dashes of chrome in horizontal lines enhance the classic look. At first, only the accessory passenger backrest was added for the suitcase duties of my initial trip.
The long, aluminum frame provides great looks and light handling thanks to near 50/50 chassis weight distribution, and details like a light, tapered swingarm complement the bike’s streamlined look. Up front, blacked-out 46mm fork tubes ride within slash-cut covers and provide excellent ride and appearance. A hidden single shock out back provides a smooth ride under varying loads. Strong and light belt final drive routes power smoothly and quietly to the rear wheel. The stock wagon-wheel, 12-spoke rims carry a 130/70-18" front and a fat 190/60-17" rear. But as you’ll see in the next issue, we couldn’t leave them alone. A pair of 298mm floating front discs squeezed by strong monoblock calipers brings the speeds down strongly. If you recall my initial New Bike Test of the first Roadliner, you might recollect some of what eventually made it to print. I wove a tale of how my father would take all us kids to the Cadillac dealer every September to kick tires and take a free test ride. It was a free ride because we never rode home in a new Caddy, but instead in our dilapidated Chevy. My middle-class upbringing taught me the best of anything was the “Cadillac of (fill-in-the-blank).” Surely I can’t have come from the only family that felt that way. I still use that analogy to this day. Yet, in my initial review, I proposed that one day we might all be analogizing our respect for finer things by using the term “Roadliner of wristwatches, washing machines, cellphones, or whatever.” Whether it will catch on in present-day vernacular remains to be seen. If it does, you saw it here first. If it doesn’t, at least I was able to finally share it with you. RB
Name: Jon Langston Position: Associate Editor Star’s Roadliner Midnight is 113" of full-bodied style. Star has the retro looks down in spades, and this comely, blacked-out, stripped-down version of the touring Stratoliner model has sophistication and sex appeal to boot. The bike’s main attraction is its big-bore power plant. Carrying a low seat means its center of gravity is low — plenty low, and with a bike this heavy (749 pounds curb), you need all the grunt you can get to start the momentum rolling forward. But once it does, the Roadliner moves out readily and smoothly. With a motor tuned for optimum torque around 2500-3000 rpm, it would be forgivable if the Roadliner were jumpy, but that’s simply not the case here. Its long wheelbase, low seat height (27.8"), and powerful engine work in concert with the well-balanced platform to keep the ’liner rolling smooth and eager. The Roadliner is a bit of a whale, but any bike this heavy is bound to be. That’s when the strong motor keeps it, and you, honest. At speed, she’s a mindful beast; you’ve got to use your weight and pull hard on the bars to get a nice lean going, but once she’s over, all she needs is a bit more throttle to stand her up and straighten her out. The suspension is solid, and the exhaust is meaty — deep-throated even — but muted. The controls are super-friendly, and — apologies to Harley’s Road King — but nothing compares with a Star’s elegant dashboard. Especially at night, when the tank-top dial lights up white with blue accents on the numbers, the Roadliner’s a classy, confident dame. <End Sidebar>
Tech Sheet List Price $14,090 *Dyno Solutions, 465 Federal Rd., Brookfield, CT, 203/775-7982, www.Dyno-Solutions.com |
The flagship of the Star line is powered by a 113" (1854cc) air-cooled, pushrod, 48-degree V-twin, which produces tremendous torque at any speed. Lugging the engine is definitely possible, but if the black beast is in anywhere near the right gear, it’ll power away. Downdraft electronic fuel injection ensures optimum engine efficiency and feeds the four valves and two spark plugs per cylinder. There’s an EXUP valve inside the 2-into-1 exhaust system that boosts torque in the 2500-3000 rpm range. Highway speed cruising finds the tach a touch over 3000 rpm. The pipe is also an O2 sensor and three-way catalyst-equipped. The Roadliner Midnight produced fuel mileage numbers in the 38-40 mpg range. With a fuel tank that holds 4-1/2 gallons of gas I’d start seeing reserve indicators around 125 miles, and I’ve ridden as far as 160 miles without draining the tank.
