New to this site been looking for a place to get more info about the star line. Right now i have a Suzuki C50 and i will be looking for a bigger bike with in a year if money holds out. I like the look and now have test road one the other day for a good 20 mile ride. Most of the bike i liked a few small things that will need some input about. One is air cooled does anyone have overheating with this bike on hot days. I have had Harleys in the past with no problem with air cooled. I hit the floor board on a turn at a red light is this common to them. And the front end felt diffrent in turns with bumps.
I have riden bikes for the last 29 years and owned most brands over the years. Now that my youngest is dune with collage it is time for a bigger bike for the highway.
Like the site and thanks to all

Well as for the overheating, I live in Texas I drive my 07 1700 in the heat of the day.road it Sunday all afternoon temp was about 97 or so had no proublems.

You answered most of your own questions. Air cooling = no issue , yes you will drag those boards in tight/fast sweeping curves , and on the last one , I have found that most bikes aren't fond of corners with obstacles interrupting the flow of the suspension. They are all around good bikes. You will enjoy it, if you decide to go in that direction. BB

I agree. I've loved my scoot since buying it last year. Yup, you'll drag the floorboards every now and again, but that part of the board is replaceable (not that I intend to drag it THAT much).

Living in the Pacific Northwest I can't really comment about the overheating, especially this year.
As for dragging the floorboards, Well I ride sportbikes as well as my R* and the first turn onto the main road I scrapped. After about a week getting the feel for how much I could lean I hardly ever scrape now.



Moondog

I scrape all the time I really like it when car drivers look up from their cell phone to see what is making that noise.

This bike is a horse that is meant to be ridden. I say buy it and enjoy it, but then again I may be a little biased.

the R* is very well cooled..

compared to the Harley Dresser I owned ..definitely better..

Now as for handling...you want to lay yer hands on the lowest centre of gravity you can... for a cruiser
that is done with push rods to run the valve train and the cams are low...

The trade off to a low centre of gravity is scraping the boards...


But a low centre of gravity is important...especially for a cruiser..you will never get that.. she is going topple over feeling...

the cruiser has a mono shock suspension..which a low centre of gravity helps for stable handling...

When you load up the suspension with a high load tour pack and passenger sitting high..glide suspensions were developed to cope with this...

I have afew wing fans that say with the trunk loaded and a passenger on the back she was tippy..

the glide Harley I had when loaded with my wife ..tour pak stuff ..on top of the tour pak..
yep ..i told her bottom line.. dont lean...


Any hoo... scrapin the floorbards is a nuisance... but a low centre of gravity is much more important...

Welcome to the clinic

At 56 I've been riding (with a few short breaks) for 40 years. Mostly 650-750 brit twins with a few hondas thrown in. Had my roadie for a little over a year now and can honestly say I really love it. Ridden in 100 degree heat city and hiway with no overheating problems. Scraped the boards a few times but the skid plate on them is there for just that reason (and to let me know I'm over far enough). It's not a sport bike but it handles well in city and outstanding on the road. Even had it in two parades with no overheating or handling issues. I don't think you can go wrong with the bike, especially for the price and with the wealth of knowledge and experience at this place I havn't seen a question or problem unanswered yet.

Good luck on your new bike no matter which way you go.

Rode 350 miles the last two days...highway and town, stop and start. 95 degrees and humid..no problem with overheatin'. I must ride different...I' ve only scraped once in two years, and I do lean into her pretty good.

I'm getting back into biking. Sold my Yamaha 650 (twin) Special about 9 years ago and just bought the 1700 Road Star. What a comfortable ride.

Air cooled engines are designed for air cooling and water cooled likewise. The advantage of water cooling is more constant temp so you can reduce tolerances like piston to cylinder wall gap. In air cooled, the piston will get hotter so you have to leave more gap for expansion. That's why you are going to hear more engine noise in an air cooled design. But it's not all bad. You don't have to worry about radiators, water passages in engine, etc. I think a motorcycle engine should be air cooled and it looks better to the eye.

Just my $0.02. Harley, BMW, BSA Triumph, Norton, Moto Guzzi, Ducati's - all historically air cooled. 60'2 and 70'2 Jap bikes too. Lighter, less complicated design.