2006 Yamaha Stratoliner S Cruiser reviews

It's a 2006 Yamaha Stratoliner. It's now Jan 2022. I was looking for bike I found this gorgeous Yamaha is 21 years old and Claiming it only has 1,450 miles on it .I figured it had to be to good to be true .. but I went to see it anyway ,it looked in amazingly showroom condition it started up easy . the saler claim in writing he put on all new tires and a new battery ,and he changed out all fluids and registered it It has detachable windshield and Seattle bags. I love the massive pull my sockects out of arms massive raw available torque at hand in any gear . this beast simply lopes along down the highway with very little rpm at 70mph at 2,600 rpm .it vibrates very little which makes the ride so worthwhile .I love this bike it's a blessing . Show less

Great bike. Fit and finish is top notch. Gobs of power. Very well engineered. The seat is pretty darn firm and the reach to the handle bars is pretty long and I have long arms to begin with. Other than the seat and the reach, this is the perfect bike. The removable windshield and back rest come off and go on very easy and stay put when attached. Head light is bright and the chrome and attention to detail is fantastic. The gas mileage is comparable to the other bikes this size which is 33 mpg around town (would be better but I can't stop twisting the throttle wide open) and 42 highway. It would be great if the gas tank was 1 gal bigger so fuel stops would fall in-line with the rest of the pack but it is what it is. The windshield does a great job of blocking most of the wind. If I compare this to other comparable bike and rate on scale of 1 - 10 it would go like this. HD - 6, suzuki boulevard - 7, honda vtx 1800 - 8, victory - 7, Stratoliner - 9, no bike is a 10 so don't get your hopes up to see one listed here. They all have their faults. Show less

This bike is awesome to ride. The balance is so good that it makes it easy to ride. I am happy with the bike in all aspects. Excellent styling makes this machine a head turner and generates many inquiries about it. As big as this motorcycle is and as powerful as it is, it's a tame and smooth machine giving me a boost of confidence during my rides. The fit and finish is top notch. If you have not seen this bike up close, then go take a look and test drive. You will be hooked on this bike. I have had no problems to date. I very much recommend the Stratoliner. Show less

Just keep finding more things to love about this bike. I live on a main route to Sturgis and have the opportunity to visit with lots of riders. Was told many times it is nice to see a bike that is unique, not a Harley cookie cutter version of a cycle. Tried to ride for MPG the other day and was able to get 45 on two separate rides of 100 miles +. Keeping it under 60 is tough though. The Strat loves to run. Show less

This is my second bike. My first was V Star 650. This bike blows away the rest. Ride is smooth, lots of power, well made, and good on gas. Looks and rides very well, and I hope it will for many years to come. If you buy this bike, you will love it!!! To all of you... Ride safe!!! Show less

I've ridden a lot of bikes...a lot of very nice bikes and nothing has compared overall to this bike. When I finally decided to upgrade, I was trying to decide between the Strato and the Road Star. I hadn't riden a Strato until hours before I was heading to the shop to purchase a bike. I took my buddies for a quick ride and immediately knew this was the one. It is the most well balanced bike I've ever ridden and the power is amazing throughout. I went on a 1500 mile ride two weeks after I got it and it was very comfortable without a minutes trouble. As a few others have mentioned, I would like a light showing I'm in 5th gear and the glare from the instruments is annoying but I can live with both. I can't thank my wife enough for making me wait. Now I have the perfect bike. Thanks Babe. Show less

I was leaning toward a Harley, but I was in the market for a bike in May and the Harley I wanted wasn't going to be in until August-that's the whole summer! I saw the Stratoliner/Roadliner in several MC magazines and the retro styling blew me away. The bike was constantly the Cruiser of the Year. I sat on one at the MC show and was hooked. A salesman tried to convince me that I needed a Honda VTX, maybe in an 1100 for my first bike (they were trying to move the floorplanned ones off the showroom floor) but I held fast and went to another dealer. The dealer I went to answered my questions and concerns, bending over backward to ensure I was happy with my purchase (Thank you, Cayle!). I have 2600 miles on it and enjoy the reliability-it seems to be built tight! Some minor cons however: 1. Checking and topping off the air in the tires is a chore! My big hand barely fits in there. I wind up laying on the ground with the air hose in my hand and hope that the 3 minutes of air doesn't run out! Those valve stems need to be easier to get to. 2. The easy off/on feature of the saddlebags is also its weakest point. The three pins that hold each saddlebag on wear out QUICKLY. My latest fix was pipethreading tape around the shaft of each pin to keep them on tight. 3. I agree with some others who complain about the location of the speedo. There IS some glare at night, it makes a tank bag out of the question and moves your eyes off the road too much to see the gauges. 4. Some high speed wind buffeting is observed when at highway speeds. Takes some getting used to. I also agree that a 6th gear would be nice, as I constantly try to shift up to no avail (oh, I WAS in 5th already-damn!). I see that there is an aftermarket tranny for metric bikes with a 6th gear-wonder if it would be worth the money. It's still a great looking machine and I am proud to ride it. Harley might have the name but metric bikes have the quality. Show less

I am 65 years young and enjoy my new toy. I do a lot of highway driving and this bike handles great and is not bothered by crosswinds or sudden wind shifts. I also drive in the city because this bike, for it's size, is very nimble. I get many compliments on it's looks, mostly from Harley drivers. Show less

Purchased 06 Strat Midnight in Jan. 06. First the good stuff. Bought right out of the cardboard box it arrived in. Very Impressed! Plenty of power, very eye catching, and comfortable for the first 4 hours of riding. Can cruise easily up the Blue Canyon grade to Reno with myself, girlfriend and her little puppy with ease. Have other riders and traffic always asking, what is it? Now for the not so good stuff. 3 weeks after purchase developed a headlight rattle that seemed to disappear although 2 dealerships couldn't pinpoint it. Had the Hard Chrome 3 inch Big Straights (pipes), the Power Comander III, and Patrick Racing intake installed and dynoed, before 87 hp, after 94 hp. Bike pops during strong deceleration and because it wants to at times. Couple months ago the speedometer started leaking really bad when I washed it, since then fixed. At night even with the Yamaha passing lights on, my brother's 05 V-star has better illumination from his headlight only. With the windshield on, don't plan on driving at night on a road you don't know. The glare from the instrument panel is right in the line of my eyesite. Just recently it developed an oil leak at the top of the rear cylinder on the back side...the outcome of that one is still undecided (in the shop as I speak). Other than everything I mentioned the bike is perfect...so far! One thing I wish it had though is 6th gear!!! Show less