08 Star Raider
Beginning - Found the one I wanted.
I used to ride when I was stationed in California many years ago. My first bike was an 85 Yamaha Maxim. Funny that I should gravitate towards another Yami all these years later. After looking at all makes and models I was down to the M109 (a damn sexy bike) and the Raider. I spent some time on the forums and liked that the Raider was more reliable and got more miles to the tank. So - Raider it was. I liked the Tommy Blue S and the search was on. After 7 months I found 1 at a dealership just up the road for $11500 with stock wheels and 1 in Orlando for $9500 with chrome wheels. That was pretty much a no brainer. I actually had a business trip to Orlando the next week, went to the dealership and put some hold money on the bike. Two weeks later a friend was driving down for a bicycle event and I went down with him. I bought the bike and rode it home. YEAH!History - All fun.
She was all stock except for wheel upgrade. No windscreen, no passenger seatback, no luggage rack ,stock pipes, and certainly no saddle bags.Repairs - Boo!
Only one repair so far (knock on wood). In Nov 2012 I had another businss trip to AL and while there some scraping started in the rear wheel.Modifications - Yeah!
First thing that I bought was the windscreen. I've ridden bikes without them and on long trips I'm just dead tired from holding myself up against the wind. I knew that I wanted hard saddle bags and none looked right to me or seemed like they'd fit without different pipes. At least that was my justification for getting the Hard Krome Sideburners. The OEM removable seatback was for my wife so she could ride on occasion and the luggage rack is pretty much jus for looks as it only holds like 30 lbs. Right side. |
 Left side. |
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