Test Drives: 2014 Star Bolt and Bolt R-Spec

Image via Complex Original

The Bolt and Bolt R-Spec both feature 942cc of displacement and use a slightly tweaked version of the same engine as the VStar 950. As we previously noted, the engine that powers the VStar 950 is a blast of a powerplant to ride. It has an appealing pull to it, and it instills confidence in you that it has more power to give than you might need. This character carries over to the Bolt and Bolt R-Spec models, which give a much more sprightly low-end torque feel as you ride.

The VStar 950 is surprisingly light and nimble, but the Bolt and Bolt R-Spec are better at being viable commuter contenders for interested bikers living in big cities. Worrying about twisties, steep hill climbs, and descents is one thing. Worrying about all that with constant stop lights, stop signs, traffic perils, and possible construction is another. In this way, the Bolt and Bolt R-Spec feel like logical evolutions of the VStar 950. Although the VStar 950 might be fun to go out and cruise with on weekends, the Bolt and Bolt R-Spec are the workhorses that will spirit you off to do whatever it is that lets you pay your bills.

This bike’s low center of gravity, stock 27.2-inch seat height, and relatively short 61.8-inch wheelbase make it supremely easy to control. You might think the raked-out chopper look is cool, but you won’t feel that way for long if you try commuting on one. The Bolt family, on the other hand, is as nimble as a cruiser gets. Did we mention that it’s also only 540 lbs. with all fluids, including a full gas tank? (No, you’re still not going to get a knee down, but if you wanted to do that, you’d buy a sport bike anyway.)

This bike is equally at home in stop-and-go traffic and coasting on highways. The stock Bolt and Bolt R-Spec have no fairing or windshields to block the wind, but Star sells these and plenty of other accessories, if you’ll be spending a lot of time on the freeway. Plus, that’s what aftermarket parts are for. It’s also worth noting that the Bolts feature a standard shifter setup, not the heel/toe shifter of the VStar 950. In our opinion, the balance feels a little better than the VStar 950, but they’re different bikes with different intentions. The Bolt iteration feels more raw (which we like), but the balance feels more refined.

Throughout our test drive, we rode with a wide variety of shapes and sizes of riders on Bolts and were pretty impressed. A 5’2” guy built like a shorter Manny Pacquiao was just as comfortable riding this bike as a 6’2” guy built like Santa Claus -- and neither looked ridiculous. The short seat height and confidence-inspiring balance of the Bolts mean your girl can (and should) ride one, too, especially since the stock Bolts come with solo seats. (Besides, what’s hotter than a girl on her own bike?) Star does have a passenger seat and backrest available for sale as add-ons, if you absolutely have to have them.

The tweaks we’d make are relatively minor. For a start, we’d slap some adjustable levers on this bike, especially the clutch. Star tried to make the clutch lever fairly slack, since you’ll be clutching a lot more in city traffic than cruising out on lonely highways. However, we feel that it could still be a little more commuter-friendly, particularly for smaller hands.

Brakes are plenty good and strong, and the suspension on both the Bolt and Bolt R-Spec models does a good job of soaking up the lumps and bumps you’ll commonly experience on any city commute. After a full day of riding, we were pleased with the performance of these stock components. (Look ma, no bruised tailbone!)

The suede-esque seat covering (with contrasting color stitching) on the Bolt R-Spec bikes holds and grabs your ass more firmly than the covering on the stock seat does. Not only that, it looks miles better. One thing we did notice after a day of riding is that the upper routing of the exhaust can make your right leg a little warm, eveb more so in stop-and-go traffic. It’s worth noting that we wore jeans and armored overpants on the test ride, and still felt a little toasty. We weren’t the only ones who felt this way, either; other riders experienced this issue, as well.

The Bolt R-Spec (available in July 2013) comes in two color schemes: Camo Green and Matte Gray. The base Bolt (available now) comes in two color schemes, as well: Pearl White and Raven. Having seen all four color schemes in person, our favorite is the Bolt R-Spec in Matte Gray. This scheme also features some nice matte black accents, such as a racing stripe down the 3.2-gallon teardrop tank. Both R-Spec color schemes exchange the chrome mirrors of the base Bolt for gloss black ones. These mirrors suit the Camo Green Bolt R-Spec nicely, but we do wish they’d gone with matte black for the Matte Gray R-Spec model. This is a minor quibble, and one that you could easily remedy with a little DIY time, sandpaper, masking tape, and spray paint. Or aftermarket mirrors, if you prefer.

The single LCD speedo gauge on the Bolts is nice. Unlike some LCD gauges, it’s perfectly visible even in very bright sunlight, however, we wish there were a visible tachometer option available. It might work as a colored sweep around the rim of the single gauge, changing color as you move toward redline. As with anything with an engine, you learn when the engine is happiest (and when you need to shift) by both sound and feel. Still, having the reinforcement of seeing what revs you’re at when you need to shift would be nice.

Our overall impression of the Bolt and Bolt R-Spec was very good. As experienced city commuters who also want to look good while having a great time commuting, we really like what we see here. Yamaha has stated that their intention with this bike was to make a great base that you could take and customize. At an MSRP of just $7,990 for the base Bolt and $8,290 for the Bolt R-Spec, you’ll have a little money in your pocket left over to do just that.