Yamaha XVS1300A Midnight Star 2009 — Specifications

Does a modern custom motorcycle necessarily have to imitate the past? In 2009, Yamaha answered negatively with this XVS1300A Midnight Star, a machine that attempts a bold gamble: grafting high-tech mechanics onto a classic silhouette. We leave the era of the Dragstar to enter that of the Midnight Star, and the change is far from cosmetic. Beneath its "Streamline" lines, which reprise the elegant codes of the large 1900, it is an entire mindset that evolves.

At the heart of the matter is this 1304 cm3 liquid-cooled V-twin, a first for a Yamaha custom of this displacement. Gone are the large cubes breathing air, making way for a four-valve cylinder head, fuel injection, and even variable ignition timing. Engineers did everything to ensure that this modernity is not visible, concealing the radiator and hoses to preserve an old-fashioned look. The result is an engine that delivers 73 horsepower, a very sensible power output, but above all, aligns a solid torque of 106 Nm from low engine speeds. Yamaha promises a deep sound, but with Euro 3 constraints, do not expect a concert. The soul is there, but it is muzzled. The belt transmission, on the other hand, is a real plus of smoothness and cleanliness for this type of machine.

On the road, the character of the Yamaha XVS1300A Midnight Star emerges. With its 303 kg fully fueled, it imposes its weight, but the seat height of 715 mm and the long wheelbase of 169 cm give it the stability of a liner. It is a motorcycle made for straight lines, where its available torque allows you to forget the gear changes of the five-speed gearbox. In corners, the 145 mm ground clearance quickly recalls its limits, and the brakes, although equipped with 298 mm discs, require anticipation to stop all this mass. This is the classic compromise of a pure cruiser.

Faced with a Harley-Davidson Sportster 1200 or a Suzuki Intruder M1800R, the Midnight Star positions itself as a more technological alternative. Its double cradle frame using the engine as a rigidity element and its concealed shock absorber speak to the mechanically inclined enthusiast. But its public is above all touring riders looking for custom style without the hassles of archaic mechanics. At a price of around 11,000 euros at the time, it offered a well-rounded and reliable package.

Ultimately, this Yamaha XVS1300A Midnight Star is a transitional machine. It marks Yamaha's passage into a new era for its customs, with the advantages of modern reliability and the inevitable concessions that this implies on raw character. It is a civilized cruiser, perhaps too much for purists, but ideal for those who want to swallow highway miles in a rolling armchair with a retro-futuristic look. A proposition that has made its way, without revolutionizing the genre.