Yamaha Stratoliner S Cruiser reviews

I have ridden my 2009 Stratoliner S for nearly 10,000 miles of highway/city/country roads... The bike runs and performs very well. The finish, performance, and reliability are tops. The only problem I have had is that 1854 CC can get very hot especially in warm weather temperatures. I feel that the design did not take that into account. Other than that, the motorcycle is very attractive, runs extremely well, and has not given me one bit of trouble. The odometer currently is just past the 20,000 mark.

I bought this bike used. I am still getting to know it and I really like it. The power is outstanding, the handling is great (not what you'd expect from a bike this size). All in all, it's a very easy bike to ride. However, its small gas tank gives it short range between fuel stops. This could be good if you need a break to stretch your legs but it makes planning for fuel a must on long trips. The only other thing would be the addition of a sixth gear to help out with the mpg.

I purchased my Roadliner in 2006 and after 5 years of riding I have yet to find another bike that comes close to this amazing machine. The strong engine and smooth shifting makes every ride a thrill. Reliability is head and shoulders above most manufacturers. The fit and finish is head and shoulders above anything in the cruiser class. I am 100% satisfied with this bike and after a test ride I think most anyone would be as well.

I love my bike. I got it new in 2008. Two years and over 30,000 miles later, I love it. It handles like a sport bike and still cruises at 90 mph. There is no problem but now I feel a pop when I put it in first. This is the only bike I ever had. Is this normal after breaking in the bike?

Not unlike most, I'm still on my quest to find the perfect bike! The Stratoliner S is a fantastic machine, but with some shortfalls. In the last year, I've ridden several multi-day tours including several 500+ mile consecutive days. The stock seat is terrible. It's incredibly light weight and, compared to a Mustang seat, is a joke. The passenger seat is even worse. Mustang seats were a must. Also, the handlebars, after a longer time riding, are really not positioned anywhere close to where they need to be. I like it that they're spread out wide, but they're too low and too far foward. I had to put raisers on to make the bike comfortable for long distance rides. Aside from these comfort preferences, the bike performs like a champ and improves with every mile. I started running Amsoil and the bike loves higher RPM's. Around 9k it was like a switch flipped and all of a sudden it really started running great. It loves to accellerate and sounds better and better all the time. Engine vibration seems to be less now too as the ride is noticably smoother as the bike was broken in. I test rode a Goldwing last week and, using the Wing as a basis for comparison, am very pleased with the power and smoothness of the Stratoliner. But remember, this is a cruiser that can do touring, not a tourer. I'm still test riding touring bikes, but can't get past this huge V-twin that is running smoother and better everyday. My answer to ths perfect bike? If Yamaha would mount this engine in their Venture model.

Paint job and smooth lines sold the bike. I had to have it. It looks like a 1950s police bike. I love the looks. Now the ride. It's very smooth. I have all the power I need and can make a tailgater disappear. I love that. I get looks and thumbs up when passing people out on the street. The ONLY thing I can think of that I need to replace is the seat. The seat is cool for local trips and pretty good distance riding. But if I wanted to spend the whole day on this bike, I think I would want like a gel type seat. Other than that, the bike is awesome. I have not seen another bike on the road that looks better or makes me jealous. I have already had the insurance guy offer to buy it from me if I ever want to sell it. Great bike guys and the treatment I received thus far has been helpful and very cool. Thanks for the bike guys. Lovin' my new "Cop" bike.

Great bike, big bike, easy and comfortable to ride and maneuver. Great power all the way through the RPM range. Gas mileage is the same as my ole Shadow 1100 which is the low 40s, not bad for almost twice the CCs.

This is one great bike. I recently sold a Kawasaki Nomad because of my back and it hurting after a ride. The center of gravity, weight distrubution, and most important THE LOOKS. This is one mean machine. I spent thousands on my Kawasaki for chrome and this bike seems to have it all. There are some personalization that you will do but not a lot as Yamaha took care of it for you. As for the my back, no more riding pain due to that center of gravity and ease of control of the bike.

I've got over 2,000 miles on my '07 Strat and can confirm that the reviews in this forum are an accurate description of the Star Stratoliner S. Yamaha put a huge amount of research and development into creating the Roadliner/Stratoliner and no significant improvements have been necessary since it's introduction in '06. Even though it's air cooled, the dry sump, oil cooler, and other internal innovations reduce heat so that the huge engine runs much cooler than one might expect. My dealer said you should get over 200,000 miles before needing any major engine work! One concept that hasn't been mentioned is that the Stratoliner could be viewed as two bikes in one. It's got huge amounts of torque for a very satisfying bottom end and that classic cruiser feel...cruising along at 2,000-3,500 rpm is a very relaxed, comfortable experience. However, if you want to hit the throttle, the bike wakes up and becomes a monster...extremely fast and agile for a bike this big/heavy! The adrenalin rush from 2,000 rpm to 5,000 rpm is immediate and significant...more like a high rpm sports bike than a cruiser. There may be faster motorcycles out there, but the Roadliner/Stratoliner has more power/speed than any sane person would ever want. For the rest of us...it's got just what we need!