Of all the charity events we know of, Kenny Roberts’ True American Heroes benefit is at the top of the heap. Getting a chance to meet King Kenny is exceptional on its own, but being able to visit his storied ranch vaults the event into something extraordinarily special. Oh, and don’t forget the event is also attended by World Champs Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson and KRJR.

Please read our coverage from last year’s event, and check out our preview of this year’s event that included an appearance by Bo Derek!

Although we were unable to attend last week’s festivities, we came across a spectacular photo of Kenny Roberts in a full-lock powerslide on Star’s new Bolt cruiser shot on his ranch’s dirt track. Continue Reading »

Harley-Davidson dealers outscored dealers from other brands to take the top spot in the Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index U.S. Motorcycle Industry Study for the second consecutive year.

The annual study measures the effectiveness of motorcycle dealerships, rating them on how they perform in different categories, such as inviting customers to sit on a floor model, offering demo rides and asking for a customer’s contact information. The study was conducted from July 2012 to April 2013 with data collected by 2,503 hired “mystery shoppers”.

We’ve included the full scores below as well as the scores from past years. One caveat however: Pied Piper PSI has rejigged its study questions and adjusted the weighting and scoring for the 2013 study to achieve an average score of 100. This resulted in a significant scoring changes compared to last year’s study and a wider range between the highest and the lowest scores.

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One of our favorite stories from 2012 was our coverage of the Kenny Roberts American Heroes Benefit Dinner. Hosted by King Kenny at his storied California ranch, it was an incredible opportunity to get close to the three-time world champ and other racing glitterati like Kenny Roberts Jr., Wayne Rainey, Eddie Lawson and renowned dirt-tracker Mert Lawwill. If those names resonate with you, it’s worth reading our story that includes a video and coverage of the Cpl. Michael D. Anderson Jr. Memorial Ride in which we got to share the road with some of the most legendary names in motorcycle racing.

And now it’s time for the second-annual charity event, again hosted at Kenny Sr.’s ranch in Modesto, CA. Proceeds from the May 10 event will benefit the “Welcome Home Heroes” foundation, while the group ride the following day supports the Cpl. Michael D. Anderson Jr. Memorial Foundation. For the second year in a row, Yamaha Motor Corporation, U.S.A., lends a hand as the title sponsor for the dinner. Continue Reading »

Hipster Editor, Jonny Langston, just finished his press ride of the 2013 V Star 1300 Deluxe. While still on location in Santa Barbara, CA, Jonny held a Google+ video conference with the other MO editors to discuss his first impressions of the bike. Look for Jonny’s full review a few days from now. We plan to utilize this Google+ roundtable format in the future which we’ll be announcing prior to the event so keep an eye out for more of these to come. Continue Reading »

Yamaha will reveal a new Star cruiser on March 9 during Daytona Bike Week. To promote the upcoming launch, Yamaha released a teaser video revealing a few fleeting glimpses of the new model along with the tag line “less is more”.

The video reveals some details such as dual rear shocks, a solo seat and a new single exhaust design. The key however is the “less is more” slogan which likely refers to the engine displacement. Most Star models have engines larger than 1000cc with the V Star models offering smaller engines in displacements of 942cc, 649cc and 249cc. Perhaps we can expect an engine in the 800cc range to compete against Harley-Davidson‘s 883cc Sportsters or Honda‘s 749cc Shadows.

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Just in time for this weekend’s DealerExpo in Indianapolis, the American International Motorcycle Expo (AIMExpo) announced today that Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA will use the event to introduce its 2014 products to the marketplace. Yamaha is the first official OEM partner of AIMExpo, a landmark step in the continued growth of the event, which is hoping to be a viable rival to DealerExpo as a powersports industry destination.

Yamaha’s range of powersports products comprises both the Yamaha and Star motorcycle brands. The Yamaha line-up of off-road motorcycles, sport ATVs, and street motorcycles from its sport segment will be joined by UTVs and utility ATVs from the outdoor segment. Star features one of the most diverse lineups of cruisers in the industry. Continue Reading »

Yamaha has introduced a new 1304cc bagger to its Star Motorcycles lineup. The new 2013 Star V-Star 1300 Deluxe comes with hard luggage, batwing fairing and audio and navigation system but at a impressively low $13,690 price.

Powering the Deluxe is the same 80 ci liquid-cooled V-Twin engine with computer-controlled twin-barrel fuel injection used in the base V-Star 1300 and V-Star Tourer. Power is delivered to the rear wheel through a five-speed transmission and a belt final drive.

The Deluxe model adds a fully-integrated dash and audio system with XM satellite radio, iPod and iPhone connectivity and a Garmin Zumo 665 GPS navigation system. The media system is controlled by a panel located on the left handlebar. Continue Reading »

Harley-Davidson dealerships topped the rankings for the 2012 edition of the Pied Piper Prospect Satisfaction Index, an industry benchmarking study examining how well dealerships treat customers, and turning shoppers into buyers.

The Pied Piper PSI rated different manufacturers’ dealerships in a number of categories to produce an overall score. The study was conducted between July 2011 and April 2012 with 1,653 anonymous “mystery shoppers” gathering information at different dealerships across the U.S.

The study gave Harley-Davidson dealers a score of 108, a four-point improvement from 2011 and five points above the industry average. According to researchers, Harley-Davidson dealers scored the highest of all brands in 16 different categories, including offering test rides, obtaining contact information and asking customers if for the sale. Continue Reading »

Star Motorcycles will be auctioning this Stratoliner Deluxe at the annual STAR Days rally in Reno, Nevada this July. Proceeds from the auction go to Feed the Children charity. The custom 2010 Stratoliner Deluxe wears a Benny Flores paint job, PM wheels, fairing lowers, a Garmin Zumo 665 GPS unit as well as a variety of Star accessories.

“The annual Feed the Children auction at STAR Days each year generates thousands of dollars to help feed and clothe children who so desperately need it,” said Alan Cease, President of Star Touring and Riding. “And this beautiful Stratoliner Deluxe is sure to the key attraction at this year’s annual auction.”

 

Given the choice of what motorcycle to ride when surrounded by bikes including the VMAX, Raider SCL and the rest of the 2012 Star model line-up will usually leave the V Star 250 unchosen. An ingenious idea at a recent Star press junket, however, ensured a journalistic derriere in the 250’s seat by making it the most valuable bike available.

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