2001 Yamaha Royal Star - 5-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article

Description

2001 Yamaha Royal Star - 5-Page Vintage Motorcycle Article
Original, vintage magazine article.
Page Size: Approx. 8" x 11" (21 cm x 28 cm) each page
Condition: Good
In the early 1980s, I had the temerity
to entertain several dozen crackpot
hypotheses on the fundamentals of
motorcycling—this was before I even
owned a bike. One such theory stated
the very7 first bike you own ought
to be dirt cheap and ugly as sin. Con-
sequently, my first ride was a CB45OSC
Honda Nighthawk—“popularly priced”
fodder for a carefree, college-bound
simpleton like yours truly. Obviously
bone-shaking performance and dash-
ing good looks were luxuries buried
far down on my shopping checklist at
the time.
I was recently reminded of my
irrelevant rants while on a photo
shoot in Modesto, California, where I
met Antonio Renzi. His first bike is
the 1400cc Yamaha Royal Star pictured
here. A heavyweight cruiser with cus-
tom bodywork and seriously mas-
saged mechanicals has a funny way
of smashing small-minded motorcy-
cle theories. In fact, gazing at Renzi’s
immaculate 1997 Royal Star, with its
supercharger sprouting from the
cylinders, made my first-bike theory
seem painfully ignorant. This guy’s first
ride is neither a basic nor a beginner
bike. It’s a monster.
Renzi admits he was drawn to Harley-
Davidsons initially, but the expense and
reputation for unreliability redirected
his quest toward metrics. An admirer
of functionality, Renzi found himself
particularly intrigued by the Yamaha
Royal Star’s innovative four-cylinder
configuration. Renzi acquired Ills first
registration slip three years ago with the
purchase of this Star, even though he’d
been riding for 15 years prior. “Before
this,” he says, “I just rode whatever was
available.. .cousins’ bikes, friends’
bikes.. .whatever!”
Closer to Fine
Renzi’s penchant for eye-pleasing
aesthetics is evident on the bodywork
of the bike, most notably with its
stretched gas tank, which creates a
leaner look for the Royal Star He
also redesigned the fenders, with
extensions fabricated to lengthen
the rear and follow the inner arc
of the wheel. The stock
front fender was chopped
three inches, exposing a
shimmering billet Pro-
One front wheel. Stock
width was retained on
both fenders, but the
bike’s front end was
lowered 1.5 inches
with the help of
a Baron Custom
Accessories kit.
Renzi dropped
the back down
even further with
a new mounting
bracket for the stock shocks,
lowering the whole shebang
2.5 inches.
A Planet Cruiser triple tree assembly
was added and decorated with a billet
clamp from Pro-One, which showcases
unexpectedly recessed turn signals.
The forks were chromed at West Coast
Chrome and die combination bathes
the entire front end in reflective metal.
This unique Royal Star also sports a
billet rear wheel from Pro-One and the
imposing, cavernous headlight from Head-
winds ensures the Star is clearly seen
Come Fly with Me
Renzi's frustration widi
die Star’s sluggish
even if it’s not heard. Braided stainless
steel front brake lines snake down
to die chromed caliper for better
brake power transfer and more
metallic sheen. The brake rotor is
polished too, as are the Baron forward
controls, which Renzi says not only
make his ride more stylish, but also far
> more comfortable to ride.
STAR DEALS OUT A
HIGH PERFORMAnCE FLUSH
powerplant necessitated bold measures.
The bike’s approximately 60 stock
horsepower left him cold. After he
spotted a magazine article about a
supercharged V-Max built by Magna
Charger, he jumped on the horn with
chief developer Bill Bushling.
The ensuing conversation con-
vinced Renzi that supercharging
would indeed put a tiger in his
tank, but as luck would have it.
there weren't any kits available
for the Royal Star. However, both
protagonists agreed a custom-
made assembly was intriguing, and
the result is a claimed 116 horses...
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