2006 Star Stratoliner Press Introduction 
Story by: Gabe Ets-Hokin, Feature Editor - December 2005
Photography by Tom Riles Highway 249 is a wild roller-coaster, going from 2,000 feet up to 6,500 feet in just 20 miles. The trip to the summit and down to the Coachella Valley below is
Oooooh, girl, you lookin' fine!
a carnival ride packed with heartbreaking twists and turns, happily on smooth pavement that encourages aggressive riding.
This demanding stretch of pavement might not be the best place to ride a luxury touring cruiser, but Star Motorcycles, Yamaha's new cruiser brand, wanted to demonstrate the new bike's sporting prowess along with its luxury and touring features. How well did it work? To find out, I was sent to the money-scented town of Palm Springs, California, to take advantage of Yamaha's hospitality and the area's spectacular winding desert and mountain roads.
Oooooh, girl, you lookin' fine! Why was Star having a separate press intro for this 700-pound touring cruiser, which looks like an accessorized Roadliner, a bike Star launched just a couple of months ago? And why would they put a touring barge like this on some of the swoopiest, twistiest bits of pavement in the area? To help explain, Star's Brad Bannister hosted a presentation to explain the differences between the touring cruiser buyer and the more traditional buyer.
2006 Star Roadliner 
Story by: Pete Brissette, October 2005"The more things change the more they stay the same."
One could apply this adage to Star Motorcycles' approach to their latest bike release, the Roadliner. Anyone who is a fan of art deco "streamlining" will immediately see Star's attempt to reach back in time, at least in terms of
The Roadliner sure is stylish -- our man Pete, well, he works hard to clash.
styling. As Star's marketing material says, "It was a design era driven by emotion, not logic." And they dictate that it's "Star's original and unique direction (within the cruiser world)."
The Roadliner sure is stylish -- our man Pete, well, he works hard to clash. If nothing else, Star designers have done an impressive job of staying true to their styling direction. The Roadliner is a very attractive bike and it often garnered looks while stopped at an intersection or parked along the curb. Although color choices and use of the shiney stuff as styling cues are subtle, overall the bike is a pleasure to behold. With swoopy lines, low saddle height and wide, beach-cruiser style handlebars the `Liner certainly harkens to the `30s and `40s eras of motorcycle appearance. Some will probably even make the comparison to Indians of yore.
Edited by sergibuda - 29/12/2005, 09:50
