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Yamaha's Raider

Well, Yamaha in the US have released a bike that I would seriously consider putting in my shed along side the Zook! It was actually released in September of last year, but I have only just become aware of it.

To me, the Raider is an agressive looking go-bike without the extra bits of plastic that make other Jap cruisers look big and heavy. By persisting with an air-cooled motor they have eliminated the need for a bulky radiator up front, and combined with the impressive rake, gives this bike a real custom look. On that point, the 1850cc v-twin is shared with the bulkier looking Roadliner and Stratoliner models but to be quite honest, I don't know how they will be able to meet the US EPA emission standards without liquid cooling - then again, there are many ways to skin a cat. This motor also utilizes a single pin crank shaft unlike Honda's VTX and Suzuki's M109, and in doing so, retains that real meaty v-twin sound and not something akin to a VW! Another standout for me is the single shock, hardtail-look giving the bike a real clean back end, adding to its already striking looks.

There is no mention of Yamaha importing them to us poor bastards down here yet, but if they do, I will be lining up to test ride one. As far as cruisers go, I like the M109 a lot, but think that Yamaha have gone one better with the Raider!

Read more about the Raider on Yamaha's US website here.




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5 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

86 that fugly exhaust and air cleaner and it ain't half bad.

1:02 PM  
Blogger Giest said...

Been watching this one for a while now, didn't realize it was a single pin though. Gonna sound sweet.

9:30 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I saw this bike yesterday at a bike show. I liked the Warrior better, it was my favorite power cruiser. I think a customized Warrior is the bomb! The stock look was a little funny with the bazooka exhaust. I will miss the Warrior. Also, thanks for posting a comment on my blog, it is an honor. Sorry about you being so far from home. I like your blog alot, keep up the good work.

12:55 AM  
Blogger Motorcycle Paradise said...

Air cooled should be no barrier to meeting emissions requirements, Buell currently meets US and Euro standards with its XB series without any Cat fitted.

Suzuki came closest to getting me on a cruiser with their M109R, if it had some more corner clearance then I would have signed up for sure.

10:23 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I've seen this bike before, and thought it had been out earlier than sep last year? Perhaps I just saw the models before being officially released. Either way, they're a great looking bike that I wouldn't mind giving a go.

7:24 AM  

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