Skip to main content

2015 Star Motorcycles Raider S

SPECIFICATIONS:

year: 2015
price: $ 15790
Engine: Air-cooled V-twin OHV, 4 valves/cylinder
Transmission: 5-speed
Energy: Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI)
Displacement: 1854 cc
Top Speed: 125 mph (Est.)

Spec-wise, the Raider S hasn’t changed much since 2008. The Raider S from Star Motorcycles is a chromed-out version of the Raider and is available in Crimson Red for 2015, which I like better than the Galaxy Blue offered in 2014. Components such as the triple clamps, fork sliders, air box and engine covers, headlight housing and handlebar risers get a little bling that distinguishes it from the base Raider. With a 39-degree rake, low seat height, a fat rear tire and a tall front tire, it has just enough stretch to give that bad-boy chopper look that gets attention. It takes more than looks to impress buyers, though.

Design

The low 27.4-inch seat height and an almost 71-inch wheelbase give the Raider S a long, low profile. The tank-mounted instrumentation includes analog speedometer and fuel gauge, along with twin digital tripmeters, odometer and self-diagnostics. Lighting details include a multi-reflector headlight, an LED taillight, and custom amber LED turn signals behind clear lenses let you "see-and-be-seen" for safety’s sake. The deep-scoop, butt-cradling sculpted seat and pullback handlebars make for a comfortable, easy-cruisin’ rider triangle.

Chassis

Star gave the Raider a custom look with a frame designed around the 33-degree steering head, and the triple tree that has a six-degree offset to give the front forks a remarkable-for-a-stock-bike 39-degree total rake. This rake, coupled with the 4.72-inch trail, makes the bike track well on the straights, while still comfortable for highway trips. Beefy and stiff 46 mm fork tubes take care of the front end, and a hidden monoshock supports the swingarm giving the rear a clean look. The front suspension travel is a comfortable 5.1 inches, but the rear only allows for 3.5 inches, making her a little stiff especially when carrying a passenger or well-laden bags. Monoblock brake calipers work with the dual-front 298 mm discs and the 310 mm rear disc to provide the necessary braking power to control the 730-pound curb weight plus rider. Speaking of control, the ample contact patches afforded by the big 120/70-21 front wheel and the fat 210/40-18 rear wheel give you plenty of traction where it counts. This 210-series rear tire is the biggest Star has installed on a bike to date.

Drivetrain

The air-cooled, 48-degree V-twin engine in the Raider S cuts a distinctly American figure, and it draws the eye with chrome accents and ’jeweled’ cooling fins over black paint. It’s a big engine with a voluminous displacement of 1,854 cc, and we do like us some big engines on this side of the pond. Four pushrod-actuated valves lets these big lungs breathe while the dual spark plugs handle efficient flame propagation, all being fed by the twin-bore, computer-controlled fuel injection system. Star used ceramic-composite plated pistons and pressurized oil jets to aid in carrying off the waste heat that can be the death of air-cooled engines. The fetching chrome exhaust system helps to boost torque while the integral three-way catalyst and O2 sensor keep emissions under control.

Pricing

MSRP on the 2015 Raider S is the same as last year — $15,790. With a quick peruse through the accessories catalog.

Labels:

Popular posts from this blog

Maserati Ghibli vs BMW 6 Series : Which Will You Buy?

When considering vehicles like Maserati Ghibli and the BWM 6 Series Gran Coupe, both reflect an effort toward blending dignified luxury with exhilarating performance. Though beholding vehicles of this caliber is always an exercise most fruitfully left to the natural eye, the image above serves as a simple example of each sedan’s inherent dignity. In lieu of experiencing each vehicle’s performance profile from behind the wheel, the table provided similarly works to demonstrate what both Ghibli and BMW’s 6 series have been engineered to accomplish. Comparing the Maserati Ghibli vs. BMW 6 Series in this regard yields a number of important emphases. Local clients will notice that both vehicles develop their identity around six-cylinder engines with a pair of strategic turbochargers. Yet regardless of identical displacement and analogous induction technology, Maserati serves its Ghibli clients with significantly greater quantities of horsepower and torque. In addition to t...
Read more

McLaren 650S Sprint

McLaren’s new 650S model now comes in three flavors, the standard road going 650S, the competition-spec 650S GT3 for serious racers, and now there’s the 650S Sprint which is aimed at track enthusiasts who still want a little bit of comfort. The 650S Sprint also replaces the MP4-12C-based 12C Sprint as McLaren’s track toy for the super-rich. Compared to the road model, the 650S Sprint features increased downforce and better cooling airflow to the 3.8 litre twin-turbocharged V8. It also features a competition-spec fuel tank and quick-fill cap, a larger radiator borrowed from the GT3 car, a new hood with additional cooling ducts for the radiator, front wing louvres for improved airflow, reduced ride height and recalibrated damping and spring rates, 19-inch center-locking race wheels with either Pirelli slicks or wet tires, onboard air jack system, and an upgraded braking system. On the inside the McLaren 650S Sprint features a stripped-out design with a FIA-approved rol...
Read more

Lamborghini Canto – What the Murcielago could have been?

Back in the late 1990s, when Lamborghini were starting to realise they needed a replacement for the ageing Diablo, they started reviewing design proposals from various automotive design firms. Zagato’s offering was the Zagato L147 SuperDiablo, or as it was to be later known, the Lamborghini Canto. The Lamborghini Canto first appeared in 1998, it arrived only two years after another Zagato designed Lamborghini concept had been unveiled, the Diablo-based Raptor. The cars shared a number of similar features, including the wraparound windows, triangular lateral air intakes, and trademark double-bubble roof. However of the two, the earlier Raptor was probably the better looking. Clearly Ferdinand Piech – head of the Volkswagen Group – thought so too. After VW bought Lamborghini in 1999, one of his first decisions was to review the Canto’s development and redesign the concept. The car was re-engineered and the rear extensively restyled to include smaller air intakes....
Read more