When Star unveiled its Bolt entry level cruiser, it was an immediate and dramatic success. Yamaha US openly admitted they had underestimated demand and the only thing they’d done wrong with the Bolt was “not order enough of them.”
Something about the Bolt’s bobber look and minimalist styling not only ratchets up the desire to ride, it also gets the creative juices flowing too.
Even though the bike is a great looking machine that works just fine as is, many people have set about customizing it from mild to wild, and everything in between.
It’s a bike that drips simplicity and charisma; if you judge a bike by “does it make me want to ride?” then the Bolt will steal your heart.
Almost cooler than the machine itself is the price tag. At an affordable $7,990 the Bolt is a machine that will inspire a non-rider to get their MSF course booked and get licensed.
It will clearly bring droves of new riders into the motorcycling firmament, and so for that we applaud Star with Best Potential for creating a machine that will bring in newcomers, grow our sport, and yet still make the existing customers happy too.
For a review, visit 2014 Star Bolt R-Spec Test.
About Ultimate MotorCycling 2014 President’s Picks:
As President of Ultimate MotorCycling, I am a fortunate individual. Not only do I get to ride a huge variety of machines, I am also privileged to be a part of this fascinating industry that so intensely fuels our passions.
As 2014 draws into its last quarter a picture has emerged of various developments that have happened in the past year. Don Williams, our Magazine Editor, has already published his Top Ten Motorcycle Picks and somewhat naturally I agreed with him. When Ron Lieback, our Website Editor, challenged me to come up with picks of my own, I naturally gravitated more towards the industry happenings, although I do have some machinery opinions as well.
I find myself interested in those manufacturers who have the best feeling for the current motorcycle buyer; those who are trying to listen to market demand and not just thrust their latest whizz-bang machine at us; those who are trying to encourage new and returning riders to the fold; those who are trying to make the pie bigger.
So this is what I’ve come up with. It goes without saying that these are my personal picks and you may or may not agree with me; of course you may feel I’ve left something out. Respectful discussion is very healthy and I’d love to hear everyone’s opinion—good, bad or ugly. Thanks for reading and being a part of the Ultimate MotorCycling family!
To read the others, visit 2014 President’s Picks.