First Look: Star 950
FIRST LOOK: STAR 950
TALK ABOUT GOOD timing. Just as fuel prices are rising and more people are considering motorcycles as an economical form of transportation, Star Motorcycles has updated its entry-level cruiser lineup (classified as under 1299cc!) with the introduction of the all-new 2009 V Star 950 and V Star 950 Tourer.
Power comes from a cleansheet-design, air-cooled, 60-degree, fuel-injected. sohc, 942cc V-Twin with four valves per cylinder (estimated to return 47 mpg). Bore and stroke are 85.0 x 83.0mm and no counterbalancer is fitted. A five-speed transmission works through belt final drive. Key to accommodat
ing new buyers with this model-a large percentage of which Star predicts will be female-is a low 26.5-inch seat height. Claimed wet weight is 612 pounds.
An all-new steel frame rolls
on 130/70-18 front and 170/70-16 rear Dunlop tires. Wheelbase is just over 66 inches. A large 320mm disc and twin-pis ton caliper work at the front, with a single-piston! 298mm setup at the rear.
Base price for the stan dard model is $7890, with the touring version costing $1000 more.
Introducing an effi cient, entry-level cruis er just when fuel prices reach alltime highs? Timing may not be every thing, but it sure doesn't hurt! -Blake Conner
