Yamaha XVS 1300 A Tour Classic 2011 — Specifications

Is it still possible, today, to offer a cruiser weighing more than three quintals that isn't a vulgar two-wheeled locomotive? Yamaha seems to believe so with this XVS 1300 A Tour Classic, a machine that attempts to balance the elegance of a custom with the fundamentals of travel. Its V-twin engine of 1304 cm3 delivers 73 horsepower, a modest power output compared to the immense block of its 1900 sibling, but sufficient to animate this mass with a certain aplomb. The torque, announced at 105 Nm from 4000 rpm, is the main asset: it gives this peaceful traction and characteristic rumble that seduces lovers of large mechanics without frightening them.

Compared to Harley Davidson or Indian models of the same tonnage, the Yamaha displays a less ostentatious line. It is stout, certainly, with its 323 kg fully fueled, but it avoids excessive opulence. The "Tour Classic" kit adds a fixed windscreen, a sissy-bar, and two rigid saddlebags, transforming the custom into an approximate touring machine. These accessories weigh down the motorcycle, but the difference is marginal on a base already so massive. The 19-liter fuel tank, however, remains a weak point for long journeys, a typical concession of cruisers that sacrifice autonomy to silhouette.

On the road, this Yamaha behaves as one would imagine: stable, slow to react, but comfortable thanks to the low 715 mm seat and the suspension that absorbs imperfections without drama. The 41 mm fork and the mono-shock are configured for suppleness, not for precision. The brakes, with two discs at the front and one at the rear, are correct for this type of use, but they require anticipation. The belt transmission is silent and suited to this style of motorcycle, while the five-speed gearbox is sufficient to exploit the modest power range.

This XVS 1300 Tour Classic clearly targets the rider who seeks a presence and a sensation of travel without the demands of a pure touring motorcycle. It is too heavy and unwieldy for the city, too limited in protection and capacity for the grand journey, but it finds a niche: weekend getaways on national roads, with a passenger in the back and a few items in the saddlebags. Its price, around 13,500 euros, places it in direct competition with American cruisers often more charismatic, but also more expensive and more complex. Yamaha offers here a less eccentric alternative, easier to live with mechanically, but which perhaps lacks the soul that excites purists. It is a compromise machine, honest, but which does not win the palm of emotion.