2008 V-Star 1300 Tourer

The V-Star 1300 Tourer occupies a spot in the popular light, heavyweight class.  Prior to 2002 of course, the V-Star 1300cc V-twin motor and its 700 lb. weight would have made it a heavyweight champion contender.  But 2002 marks the year Honda came out with an 1800cc cruiser.  A short time later, Kawasaki debuted its Vulcan 2000 and then Triumph introduced the Rocket 2300 cruiser, though Triumph opted for a 3 cylinder rather than a V-twin.

Yamaha’s Star line also includes some big bruisers like the 1600 Road Star and the 1800 Strato Liner.  Consequently, the V-Star 1300 fits a niche in the Star line up.  It’s also a direct competitor to Honda’s very successful VTX 1300, which debuted in 2003.

Why should one opt for a 1300cc cruiser when there are so many larger machines available, you might ask?  Well, for one thing, the V-Star 1300 Tourer’s MSRP starts at $11,190 and $11,390 for a two-tone.  That’s about 2,500 bucks less than a Road Star Bagger and a whopping 5,300 bucks less than the Star Strato Liner bagger, to which, by the way, the 1300 bears a striking resemblance.

In addition to saving a ton of money when compared to other Tourers in the Star line, the 1300 also offers liquid cooling.  It’s also equipped with fuel injection like its bigger brothers.  The V-Star 1300 motor is a 60 degree SOHC 4 valve V-twin with dual counter balancers for extreme smoothness.

A drive belt transfers power to the rear wheel by way of a 5-speed transmission.  The V-Star sits on 7 spoke cast wheels with 130/90 16’s up front and 170/70 16’s out back.  Dual 298mm disks up front and a single 298mm disk in the rear handle the stopping power just fine.

The V-Star1300 Tourer comes with a windshield, leather wrapper hard saddlebags and a passenger backrest.  In other words, everything you need to get started on that cross country tour you’ve been dreaming about.

So, how does the V-Star 1300 Tourer ride?  Well, with 5.3 inches of travel in the front forks and 4.3 out back, quite nicely, even 2-up with the saddlebags full of gear.  Simply crank up the preload on the shocks and you’re good to go.  The driver’s seat has a nice deep bucket with a narrow nose and remains comfortable for at least a full 4.9 gallons of the seamless tank.  That’s about 180 miles of touring.  The rear pillion does a fair job for the passenger and is aided greatly by the standard padded backrest.

When the road gets twisty, the 1300 offers plenty of clearance before the floorboards start sparking.  We’re talking about a 98-inch long 66.5 inch wheelbase cruiser here, so don’t get carried away.

The V-twin puts out tons of torque right off idle and more than enough power for passing at highway speeds, even fully loaded.  The motor is extremely smooth at any speed.  This is a state of the art V-twin motor.  Clutch action is light and easy and the heel-toe shifter worked flawlessly.

The 2 into one exhaust looked great on the right side of the bike, but I’d like to see a dual exhaust system on a bagger if only for styling reasons.  Speaking of style, the Star 1300 is a beautiful motorcycle in the classic sense.  Fit and finish, as well as paint quality, is second to none.

Overall, I’d say the V-Star 1300 is a winner.  Whether you’re cruising the boulevard or touring the interstate, this bike has got you covered in a refined, subdued, yet powerful manner.  What’s more, at $11,190 fully equipped, you’ll have plenty of cash left over for that cross country tour.

Ride Safe,
Ride Like a Pro Team