MD First Look: Star V-Star 1300 Deluxe

Cashing in on the bagger craze, Star motorcycles expanded its bagger lineup to include a second model, the V-Star 1300 Deluxe. The bike will be available in February, 2013 and comes standard with a fork-mounted fairing, locking luggage and other touring essentials.

It’s based on the V-Star 1300, which has been around for a while. The eight-valve liquid-cooled 1304cc sohc 60-degree V-Twin is flexible, smooth and powerful and works well with the tube-steel chassis and decent suspension, Billed as a “mid-sized” cruiser, it’s intended for relaxed back-roads riding, but it’s still big enough to carry two adults. A standard version as well as a tourer—equipped with locking hard leather-look bags, passenger backrest and a tall Plexiglass windscreen—have been available since 2007. At 712 pounds wet, it’s light for a touring-cruiser, and with a claimed 42 mpg it’s econmical too. Belt drive should be a friend to tourers as well.

The Deluxe gives touring riders some bennies. Aside from the color-matched bags and fairing (there’s no backrest, to fit the low, clean bagger aesthetic), a Garmin Zumo GPS unit and full sound system is standard, controlled via a switchpod on the left handlebar. An iPod or iPhone jack is also included (although the unit is also Bluetooth capable), and the Zumo can deliver XM satellite radio as well as weather/traffic and lane assist services .

At $13,690, the Deluxe is value-priced for the factory bagger category. We eagerly await our first ride on what Yamaha claims is the industry’s first midsized factory bagger.