Yamaha XV1900A Midnight Star 2008 — Specifications

Does a motorcycle necessarily have to be light and nimble to provide sensations? The Yamaha XV1900A Midnight Star answers with a muffled rumble of negation. In 2008, Yamaha decided to enter the arena of very large displacement engines with a simple philosophy: torque is king, and presence, a religion. We are no longer talking about a simple custom here, but about a rolling monument of 337 kilograms fully loaded, which relies entirely on raw emotion and American extravagance.

The heart of this beast is a long-stroke V2 of 1854 cm3, air and oil cooled, a first for a cruiser from the brand. The figures are eloquent: 100 horsepower at 8500 rpm, but above all a colossal torque of 155 Nm available from low revs. The goal is not a top speed of 210 km/h, but this sovereign and constant surge that presses your shoulders when you open the throttle, even in fifth gear. The double-pivot balancing system filters parasitic vibrations without sterilizing the character: you retain the primary thrill of the big twin, without the drawbacks. Faced with a competitor like the Kawasaki VN 2000, more roughly hewn, the Midnight Star plays the card of a certain mechanical sophistication.

Visually, the Yamaha XV1900a Midnight Star embraces its status as a cult object. It is long, low, with a seat 70 cm from the ground, and excessively chromed. The unique headlight, the ogival turn signals, and the massive exhaust pipe evoke a retro America, while the spoked rims and large-diameter rear brake disc confirm the "show bike" aesthetic. Yet, beneath this classic finish, the technology is modern: a die-cast aluminum frame, with walls of variable thickness to lighten the beast without sacrificing rigidity, and a final transmission by belt for smoothness and silence.

On the handlebars, the machine imposes its own rhythm. The wheelbase of 1715 mm and the considerable weight make you forget any desire for sportiness in tight turns, the ground clearance of 155 mm quickly reminding you of its limits. That is not its role. The Midnight Star is a machine for covering long straight lines or wide roads with quiet authority. The braking, with its two front discs, is correct without being sporty, consistent with the riding style it imposes. Its 17-liter tank, with its modest range, recalls that the pleasure here is more sensory than kilometer-based.

Who is this colossus for? For the globetrotter who prefers the sensation of power to pure performance, for the aesthete fond of chrome and presence, for those seeking a very large displacement custom with a touch of Yamaha refinement. For 15990 euros at the time, it offered a Japanese alternative to the American "bigger is better," with often superior reliability and finish. It is not a motorcycle for everyone, but for its rider, it quickly becomes obvious, a piece of road that vibrates in unison with the asphalt.