Nice owner review on the eluder. I have yet to ride one. But rode the venture, and couldn't believe how they got the bike to feel almost lighter than my 1300 deluxe. On the eluder/venture forum on Facebook. Some guys have, namely Art has drilled his baffles, like us 1300 guys did, to get a little more rumble from the stock pipes. They also did get some highway pegs mounted too, without cutting anything. Ride safe. Thanks for sharing.
I recently joined that FB Group and another. I thought about drilling out the baffles, but I'd rather not modify any stock components if I don't have to. The Highway Pegs are still in consideration, but for them to work well for me they'd have to come back a fair amount in order for me to reach them, like Kuryaken Long Horns. I only have a 32" inseam and the shift peg is almost at my limit for comfort. Someone else is looking at heel rests that would attach to the floorboards. That might be a better solution in the end... if they work.
Im in the process of buying one in blue just like yours, but i never had the chance to ride one, i currently have a honda ctx1300, the yamaha weighs 150 pounds more and I'm not sure if i will be able to handle, and the main concern is the engine heat, i live in new Jersey and the traffic can be brutal and we have a pretty hot summers, and advise will be greatly appreciated.
You won't have any problems with it. It's almost 150#'s heavier than my first bike and I got used to it pretty quick. As for the engine heat... I think that too gets overly reported on. Trust me, it gets plenty hot and humid here on the Gulf Coast and traffic in some areas can be just as brutal as in Jersey. I've not gotten burned as some have claimed to happen to them, but there are times when you do feel the heat. Go for it! You won't have any regrets!
Maybe, but I think it might make the vision worse for me. The top edge of the current windshield is just below my sight line. Adding something on top of it might put too much "stuff" in the way.
Just seeing this as I'm looking at a Eluder or Venture to ride long distance with and without my wife. Currently I ride a M109r and my main concern is power. 85hp to me makes no sense esp with the amount of torque this motor puts out. That is my only issue. Now I'm told the Ivan tune would open the bike up and power is no longer a issue, but considering the rest of my MC rides cross country bikes I don't wanna be left back.
You can learn a lot more about a bike after it's been ridden a while, versus going around the block on it. And of course, with any new to market bike, there's gonna be a few bugs that'll need to be worked out.
I'm not sure what you're asking. Are you referring to the "gearing"? If so, yes, it is a bit short, but I think my V-Star is pretty short geared also on the low end.
TJ Rohyans when I test rose this bike one big thing I noticed was the hearing ending at 4,500 rpm. At the top end it dis not seem to matter but at the bottom end it seemed like the shortest hearing I had ever experienced. I found myself having to pay way to much attention to 4,500rpm mark
I don't EVER reach 4750 RPM (Red Line). In fact I shift well below 4000, and in 3rd, 4th, or 5th gear I'm cruising in the range of 2100-2350. It's not a racer or street bike, there's no need to rev that high with this motor/tranny combo. You probably hit peak power at about 3000-3250. In 6th at 78 MPH, I'm running just over 3000 RPM.
They took us up into the mountains doing 60. No interstate/freeway riding. I rode it at about 65 in the mountains on 2 lane road. Why did Yamaha quit making this bike?
@@TJRohyans I haven't seen anything on a 19 or 20. I've been wanting one since I test rode the 18. When I Google the 2020 Star Eluder even yamahapowersports.com shows only the 2018. I really love this bike. I was worried since it was the first bagger I rode.
@@turtle19dad- Yamaha's business model skips model years, so there is no 2019. The 2020 Star Ventures were just recently released in Canada, but not yet in the US. As far as I know, there WILL be a 2020 Eluder, but I could be wrong. The Star Venture seems to have sold better than the Star Eluder, so who knows.
@@TJRohyans yeah I hope so because I really live the ride and the look of the Eluder. I can still find plenty of 2018's. Just not sure of the quality etc.
I know you said somewhere in these comments that your iPhone iTunes issue is fixed, but for future reference they make charging cables that are power only.... no data. It's a good cable to have if charging from a public USB port. There's been cases where jerks have hacked people's phones when charging. Don't remember the details.
Thank you for the great review. The bike is growing on me, but I disagree that the infotainment issues are minor. They are unacceptable on a $25K motorcycle that can't match the brand equity of an Indian or Harley. If it can't rival the similarly priced competition in metric quality, then what's the hook? And I especially find it disconcerting that Yamaha hasn't already contacted you with a plan to resolve. Please keep us posted.
The Infotainment system just needed a firmware update. It works perfectly now. I have since decided I will no longer be using my local dealership for any service work that might need to be done. I'll go 80 miles out of my way to another dealership outside of their conglomerate. The bike has performed flawlessly for me. I now have almost 7800 miles on it.
Awesome, really appreciate the quick update...that makes a big difference to me. The Indians and Harleys are prettier, I especially like the new Chieftain, but the uniqueness and quality reputation of the Yamaha are steering me towards the Eluder or Venture. Please keep us posted on your ownership experiences!
The Indian Chieftain was on my short list, but like you said, the quality of Yamaha was the final deciding factor. Sure, I've had a few issues initially, but most were dealership induced (THEY have a very poor reputation, unfortunately), the rest can be expected from a new model year product across any brand really.
What percentage of your miles are highway vs city driving, maybe that's why you don't feel the motor heat. I'm interested in this new look and don't want another HD but if it gets too hot this might turn me off because I mainly ride heavy city traffic and I'm tired of having cooked nuts.
I would say I'm about 65-35. 65% Highway, 35% City. I'll admit, it does get hot on my left inner thigh, especially in stop and go traffic when it's well over 90F outside. But I don't think you can get away from that on ANY air-cooled V-twin. It's just the nature of the beast. If you're over it, you might go the route of the Honda or BMW. I'm a little more tolerant of the heat than most, but I guess that's because I spent so much time up north in brutal cold conditions when I prayed for heat.
I'd have to buy one to certain, but I'm assuming no. Otherwise it would be listed as an available option/accessory on the Yamaha website. I have to believe that because the Venture uses the electrically adjustable windshield, the mounting holes are different. And it may just be too tall.
I'm only 5'-8" with a 32" inseam. I don't think you'd be uncomfortable in the riding position, but you'd have to ride one to be sure. For me, the biggest problem I have is a short windshield. I wear a half-helmet and want the added protection of a tall windshield; that and less turbulent air in the cockpit. Even with the Medium windshield, the top edge of the windshield climbs into my sight line when I go up a hill. I want it taller!
I have an especially short inseam, as I'm only 4" 10". My girlfriend is 6'2". If she was my passenger, could she hold the bike up at stops? Otherwise, I'll have to get a trike, which is a lot more expensive. I've tried wearing those '70's disco platform shoes. But even with those, my feet dangle. And, what's your gas mileage?
Even at 6'-2", I doubt that she'd be able to hold it up from the passengers position. She'd be reaching over the saddlebags to reach the ground. Sorry, but I don't think it'd work out well for y'all.
29 MPG? That's awful. Yamaha claims 34, which is still bad, but others with 10K plus miles say it's around 45. There is really little info on these bikes in real world terms. LuWanda got her bike license, so it looks like I'll be riding bitch. Like, whatever.
@@northerniltree I sat on this bike at the dealer and i could flat foot it and i'm 5'7". I have the v star 1300 tourer and it seems close to the same height.
I don't ride with a passenger for any length of time, so I can't say. I can tell you though that in the colder months, only the drivers seat has the built in seat heater.
@@TJRohyans the passenger seat absolutely has heating. I ride 365 in the tri-state area sometimes with passengers. You can change the zone heating in your settings. Also your complaint about the thottle is easily controllable by partially gripping the counterweights @Ric the passenger seat is good from what I'm told. I personally never road in the back but my gf complained about comfort on my previous bike and definitely enjoys this one.
Another point that other riders like to comment on. To be honest, I've only noticed the heat off the left side of the rear jug when I'm stopped in traffic for any length of time and it's 90F or higher outside. But even that, for me anyway, isn't so hot that it concerns me. Probably why I failed to mention it in my review. Mobile, AL, stays plenty hot from about May 1st to November 1st... You either get used to the heat, or you don't live here. ;) Thanks for asking though.
Your review, in my opinion was very good. I currently ride a Raider with a PC5, a Big Air Kit and a Vance & Hines Big Radius exhaust. It's a Power Monster! I'm really interested in the Eluder and I'm hoping I can get comparable power to my Raider without a lot of modification and cost.
Thank you. I hadn't seen any reviews yet from real owners, so I felt it was time to share my opinions. I upgraded to this from a 2012 V-Star 1300 that I had added a Cobra Slip-on, a Bat Wing fairing, and I had drilled out the air box so it could breath better. It's still a fun ride, but I just couldn't stop looking at this and knew I needed to buy it. It's full of torque! She'll pull stumps out of the ground! I should clarify, in 3-4 gear I'm cruising at about 2100-2200 RPM, in 5-6 it's higher, but still below 3000 RPM, even at 78 MPH on the Interstate.
Nice owner review on the eluder. I have yet to ride one. But rode the venture, and couldn't believe how they got the bike to feel almost lighter than my 1300 deluxe.
On the eluder/venture forum on Facebook. Some guys have, namely Art has drilled his baffles, like us 1300 guys did, to get a little more rumble from the stock pipes. They also did get some highway pegs mounted too, without cutting anything.
Ride safe. Thanks for sharing.
I recently joined that FB Group and another. I thought about drilling out the baffles, but I'd rather not modify any stock components if I don't have to. The Highway Pegs are still in consideration, but for them to work well for me they'd have to come back a fair amount in order for me to reach them, like Kuryaken Long Horns. I only have a 32" inseam and the shift peg is almost at my limit for comfort. Someone else is looking at heel rests that would attach to the floorboards. That might be a better solution in the end... if they work.
Im in the process of buying one in blue just like yours, but i never had the chance to ride one, i currently have a honda ctx1300, the yamaha weighs 150 pounds more and I'm not sure if i will be able to handle, and the main concern is the engine heat, i live in new Jersey and the traffic can be brutal and we have a pretty hot summers, and advise will be greatly appreciated.
You won't have any problems with it. It's almost 150#'s heavier than my first bike and I got used to it pretty quick. As for the engine heat... I think that too gets overly reported on. Trust me, it gets plenty hot and humid here on the Gulf Coast and traffic in some areas can be just as brutal as in Jersey. I've not gotten burned as some have claimed to happen to them, but there are times when you do feel the heat. Go for it! You won't have any regrets!
Thank you i really appreciate, I'll let you know when i have it
Maybe - one of those add on deflectors that either clamp on or permanently mount on top of the screen might work in the interim?
Maybe, but I think it might make the vision worse for me. The top edge of the current windshield is just below my sight line. Adding something on top of it might put too much "stuff" in the way.
then maybe try and adjust it to the tallest position? then again it may look "aftermarket" and ruin the slick lines of that bike
I think I'll suffer with it the way it is for now until a proper, taller windshield is made for it.
The problem with the infotainment system is an Apple/Apple car play issue. My GMC truck does the same thing.
Good because I switched to Samsung Note 10+
Just seeing this as I'm looking at a Eluder or Venture to ride long distance with and without my wife. Currently I ride a M109r and my main concern is power. 85hp to me makes no sense esp with the amount of torque this motor puts out. That is my only issue. Now I'm told the Ivan tune would open the bike up and power is no longer a issue, but considering the rest of my MC rides cross country bikes I don't wanna be left back.
lol Harley has lower hp numbers but big torque and they pull HARD!!!!!
Tab performance makes pipes for the eluder. 3 different baffle options as well
I installed the 2.5" TAB Slash Cut.
Love the owner perspective
You can learn a lot more about a bike after it's been ridden a while, versus going around the block on it. And of course, with any new to market bike, there's gonna be a few bugs that'll need to be worked out.
TJ Rohyans how do you feel about 5h3 hearing in 1,2,...feels to short to me.
I'm not sure what you're asking. Are you referring to the "gearing"? If so, yes, it is a bit short, but I think my V-Star is pretty short geared also on the low end.
TJ Rohyans when I test rose this bike one big thing I noticed was the hearing ending at 4,500 rpm. At the top end it dis not seem to matter but at the bottom end it seemed like the shortest hearing I had ever experienced. I found myself having to pay way to much attention to 4,500rpm mark
I don't EVER reach 4750 RPM (Red Line). In fact I shift well below 4000, and in 3rd, 4th, or 5th gear I'm cruising in the range of 2100-2350. It's not a racer or street bike, there's no need to rev that high with this motor/tranny combo. You probably hit peak power at about 3000-3250. In 6th at 78 MPH, I'm running just over 3000 RPM.
They took us up into the mountains doing 60. No interstate/freeway riding. I rode it at about 65 in the mountains on 2 lane road. Why did Yamaha quit making this bike?
They have NOT quit making this bike. There just is no 2019 model. Look for the 2020 soon in the US.
@@TJRohyans I haven't seen anything on a 19 or 20. I've been wanting one since I test rode the 18. When I Google the 2020 Star Eluder even yamahapowersports.com shows only the 2018. I really love this bike. I was worried since it was the first bagger I rode.
@@turtle19dad- Yamaha's business model skips model years, so there is no 2019. The 2020 Star Ventures were just recently released in Canada, but not yet in the US. As far as I know, there WILL be a 2020 Eluder, but I could be wrong. The Star Venture seems to have sold better than the Star Eluder, so who knows.
@@TJRohyans yeah I hope so because I really live the ride and the look of the Eluder. I can still find plenty of 2018's. Just not sure of the quality etc.
I know you said somewhere in these comments that your iPhone iTunes issue is fixed, but for future reference they make charging cables that are power only.... no data. It's a good cable to have if charging from a public USB port. There's been cases where jerks have hacked people's phones when charging. Don't remember the details.
Thank you for the great review. The bike is growing on me, but I disagree that the infotainment issues are minor. They are unacceptable on a $25K motorcycle that can't match the brand equity of an Indian or Harley. If it can't rival the similarly priced competition in metric quality, then what's the hook? And I especially find it disconcerting that Yamaha hasn't already contacted you with a plan to resolve. Please keep us posted.
The Infotainment system just needed a firmware update. It works perfectly now. I have since decided I will no longer be using my local dealership for any service work that might need to be done. I'll go 80 miles out of my way to another dealership outside of their conglomerate. The bike has performed flawlessly for me. I now have almost 7800 miles on it.
Awesome, really appreciate the quick update...that makes a big difference to me. The Indians and Harleys are prettier, I especially like the new Chieftain, but the uniqueness and quality reputation of the Yamaha are steering me towards the Eluder or Venture. Please keep us posted on your ownership experiences!
The Indian Chieftain was on my short list, but like you said, the quality of Yamaha was the final deciding factor. Sure, I've had a few issues initially, but most were dealership induced (THEY have a very poor reputation, unfortunately), the rest can be expected from a new model year product across any brand really.
What percentage of your miles are highway vs city driving, maybe that's why you don't feel the motor heat. I'm interested in this new look and don't want another HD but if it gets too hot this might turn me off because I mainly ride heavy city traffic and I'm tired of having cooked nuts.
I would say I'm about 65-35. 65% Highway, 35% City. I'll admit, it does get hot on my left inner thigh, especially in stop and go traffic when it's well over 90F outside. But I don't think you can get away from that on ANY air-cooled V-twin. It's just the nature of the beast. If you're over it, you might go the route of the Honda or BMW. I'm a little more tolerant of the heat than most, but I guess that's because I spent so much time up north in brutal cold conditions when I prayed for heat.
Can you not just slap on an OEM Star Venture windshield to give you the desired extra height?
I'd have to buy one to certain, but I'm assuming no. Otherwise it would be listed as an available option/accessory on the Yamaha website. I have to believe that because the Venture uses the electrically adjustable windshield, the mounting holes are different. And it may just be too tall.
Did Yamaha quit making the Eluder? And there has to be a taller windscreen for it. They had one for the demo bike we rode.
How tall are you? or do you think the eluder will work for taller riders? Im 6'7' Yeah dont like the fact of not really having a spot for hwy pegs.
I'm only 5'-8" with a 32" inseam. I don't think you'd be uncomfortable in the riding position, but you'd have to ride one to be sure. For me, the biggest problem I have is a short windshield. I wear a half-helmet and want the added protection of a tall windshield; that and less turbulent air in the cockpit. Even with the Medium windshield, the top edge of the windshield climbs into my sight line when I go up a hill. I want it taller!
@@TJRohyans when I demo rode the bike it had the bigger windshield. Hardly noticed the wind buffeting.
@@turtle19dad- I only really notice it above 65MPH, and since I do a lot of highway riding, I notice it a lot.
I have an especially short inseam, as I'm only 4" 10". My girlfriend is 6'2". If she was my passenger, could she hold the bike up at stops? Otherwise, I'll have to get a trike, which is a lot more expensive. I've tried wearing those '70's disco platform shoes.
But even with those, my feet dangle. And, what's your gas mileage?
Even at 6'-2", I doubt that she'd be able to hold it up from the passengers position. She'd be reaching over the saddlebags to reach the ground. Sorry, but I don't think it'd work out well for y'all.
You've never seen LuWanda bend her legs around whatever she has to. And, she's ALL legs.
So, what's your gas mileage?
@@northerniltree, well, it's been a few months since I was able to ride, but if I remember correctly, it was around 29 MPG.
29 MPG? That's awful. Yamaha claims 34, which is still bad, but others with 10K plus miles say it's around 45. There is really little info on these bikes in real world terms. LuWanda got her bike license, so it looks like I'll be riding bitch. Like, whatever.
@@northerniltree I sat on this bike at the dealer and i could flat foot it and i'm 5'7". I have the v star 1300 tourer and it seems close to the same height.
Passenger comfort okay on this bike?
I don't ride with a passenger for any length of time, so I can't say. I can tell you though that in the colder months, only the drivers seat has the built in seat heater.
@@TJRohyans the passenger seat absolutely has heating. I ride 365 in the tri-state area sometimes with passengers. You can change the zone heating in your settings. Also your complaint about the thottle is easily controllable by partially gripping the counterweights
@Ric the passenger seat is good from what I'm told. I personally never road in the back but my gf complained about comfort on my previous bike and definitely enjoys this one.
How is the heat from the motor?
Another point that other riders like to comment on. To be honest, I've only noticed the heat off the left side of the rear jug when I'm stopped in traffic for any length of time and it's 90F or higher outside. But even that, for me anyway, isn't so hot that it concerns me. Probably why I failed to mention it in my review.
Mobile, AL, stays plenty hot from about May 1st to November 1st... You either get used to the heat, or you don't live here. ;) Thanks for asking though.
What do you think about the 4750 redline?
Not an issue. I never hit it. You reach the sweet spot in each gear at about 3000-3500. I cruise at about 2100-2200 RPM in each gear.
Your review, in my opinion was very good. I currently ride a Raider with a PC5, a Big Air Kit and a Vance & Hines Big Radius exhaust. It's a Power Monster! I'm really interested in the Eluder and I'm hoping I can get comparable power to my Raider without a lot of modification and cost.
Thank you. I hadn't seen any reviews yet from real owners, so I felt it was time to share my opinions. I upgraded to this from a 2012 V-Star 1300 that I had added a Cobra Slip-on, a Bat Wing fairing, and I had drilled out the air box so it could breath better. It's still a fun ride, but I just couldn't stop looking at this and knew I needed to buy it. It's full of torque! She'll pull stumps out of the ground! I should clarify, in 3-4 gear I'm cruising at about 2100-2200 RPM, in 5-6 it's higher, but still below 3000 RPM, even at 78 MPH on the Interstate.
Love the bike hate the name eluder really? Come on Yamaha you can do better than that!