New for 2014 Yamaha and Star Motorcycles | First Look Review

The 2014 Yamaha FJR1300ES adds electronically adjustable suspension, adding to the long list of changes made last year.
The 2014 Yamaha FJR1300ES adds electronically adjustable suspension, adding to the long list of changes made last year.

To date Yamaha’s big news had been the launch of the 2014 FZ-09 triple, which was so well received the company has added a Blazing Orange paint choice to the Liquid Graphite and Rapid Red colors for the $7,990 bike. Now it says that most of the 2013 Sport line—YZF-R1, YZF-R6, FZ6R, FZ1 and FJR1300A—will join the FZ-09 for 2014 and return without a price increase. Yamaha will also bring an “ES” version of the FJR1300 with electronically adjustable suspension to the U.S. for 2014 (it was offered on the European bike with electric shifting last year). The ES model’s new rear shock can be adjusted from the handlebar for changing loads to one of four preload levels—solo rider, rider with luggage, two-up and two-up with luggage—and both its new male-slider front fork and rear shock can be adjusted to one of three damping levels on the fly, each of which can be preset to one of seven levels, for a total of 21 damping possibilities. The electronic suspension on the $16,890 FJR1300ES and new Candy Red paint for both it and the $15,890 FJ1300A are in addition to the long list of features that were new on the bike for 2013.

We’re still waiting for word on the Super Ténéré adventure bike for 2014, but all three dual-sports—WR250R, XT250 and TW200—are also returning, and Yamaha will add a new $2,590 Zuma 50FX to its scooter line, a sporty styling variation of the Zuma with a single headlight that still gets a claimed 132 mpg.

Only 500 of the 2014 Star Raider SCLs (Star Custom Line) will be built.
Only 500 of the 2014 Star Raider SCLs (Star Custom Line) will be built.

While Star Motorcycles unveiled most of its 2014 models earlier this year, including the feisty new Bolt and Bolt R-Spec, it wasn’t quite done pulling off covers. The next installment of the limited edition Raider SCL (Star Custom Line) just announced brings the 2014 Star lineup to up to 19 bikes. Instead of the blingy orange paint and acres of chrome on the 2013 model, this year’s $16,990 Raider SCL custom gets a trendy hot-rod black paint scheme, with just about everything that can be blacked-out finished in way-bad Matte Iron paint accentuated with Matte Raven. Just 500 Raider SCLs will be produced—signified by a hologram tank badge—and the 1,854cc air-cooled V-twin also gets new LED turn signals and a new two-tone genuine leather seat with beige and red stitching.

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