Yamaha bags a bagger

YAMAHA has revealed that its US market bagger – the Star Stratoliner Deluxe – is to come to the UK. Only it will be called the XV1900A Midnight Star Casual Full Dress.

Or XV1900A Midnight Star CFD for short. With ‘short’ being very much relative.

Regardless of title (and to be honest, Stratoliner isn’t great either), the bike actually looks pretty good if you like that sort of thing. Low screen, hard panniers (or it wouldn’t be a bagger, natch), Harley-ish looks…

The surprising bits include an aluminium frame, shared with the other XV1900 models, but still unusual on any sort of cruiser.

Price? £15,999. And you can get one right now.

Here’s Yamaha’s full press release on the bike:

All the rage in the US is cut-down tourer versions of traditional cruiser machines. Yamaha now come to the table with this great new variant available in kit form, created just for you by your Yamaha dealer.

Styled for custom cruising, the new 2013 Yamaha XV1900A Midnight Star CFD (Casual Full Dress) brings both elegance and luxurious comfort to the cruiser market while retaining the reputation for power and performance that is associated with this V-twin family.

The XV1900A CFD enhances the overall riding experience thanks to a host of new features. A new full-width fairing combines timeless style with effective wind protection while two spacious colour-matched hard cases with quick-release fixings and one-touch openers make the XV1900A CFD an even more attractive tourer.

Those who are looking to unlock the touring potential of this impressive machine will appreciate the windscreen as well as the long and low aluminium frame that is designed to deliver a sporty yet balanced ride.

To further enhance the usability of the powerful 1900cc air-cooled V-twin engine, the new model now features an ‘assist and slipper’ clutch. This new design of clutch reduces the effort required to operate while also enhancing the motorcycle’s stability under deceleration.

With its huge V-twin engine and luxuriously equipped chassis, the Yamaha XV1900A Midnight Star CFD is built for serious cruiser riders who want a stylish neo-streamliner that has the potential to handle long distances.