The new-for-2019 Indian Roadmaster Elite is an ultra-premium, limited-edition V-twin luxury touring motorcycle–only 200 will be made.
When it comes to Indians built on the Chief platform, with its big, heavily chromed, air-cooled Thunder Stroke 111 V-twin and cavernous saddlebags, the Roadmaster is at the top of the heap. Re-introduced for 2015, the Roadmaster made its debut in 1947, the same year the illuminated Indian head “war bonnet” was first seen on front fenders. Like the original, the new Roadmaster was designed for luxurious, two-up touring, and the modern version has a stylish upper fairing equipped with an electric windscreen, wind-blocking fairing lowers, a large trunk with passenger backrest and a long list of touring amenities.
Designed for two-up touring in style and comfort, the 2019 Indian Roadmaster Elite has a full list of premium touring features.
For 2019, Indian is rolling out the Roadmaster Elite, an ultra-premium, limited-edition model–only 200 will be available–that brings together modern touring features and classic styling, with an exclusive Wildfire Red Candy over Black Crystal paint job with 24-karat gold leaf badging. The pain-staking paint process takes nearly 30 hours to complete and is finished by hand.
The Indian Roadmaster Elite’s exclusive, hand-finished Wildfire Red Candy over Black Crystal paint job with 24-karat gold leaf badging takes nearly 30 hours to complete.
The Roadmaster Elite gets an upgraded 600-watt PowerBand Audio Plus system, with high-output fairing, trunk and saddlebag speakers that are 50 percent louder than the stock system on the 2019 Roadmaster. PowerBand Audio Plus has an enhanced nine-band dynamic equalizer that auto-adjusts at different vehicle speeds to compensate for road, wind and engine noise to deliver clear sound quality regardless of riding condition.
The Indian Roadmaster Elite’s 600-watt PowerBand Audio Plus system has high-output fairing, trunk and saddlebag speakers and an equalizer that auto adjusts based on speed.
Other premium features include leather passenger armrests, billet aluminum rider and passenger floorboards, a premium touring console, billet aluminum pinnacle mirrors and chrome bumpers.
Several technological features are designed to enhancing the riding experience:
Selectable Ride Modes: Tour, Standard and Sport modes allow the rider to adjust the bike’s throttle response to fit their riding preferences.
Rear Cylinder Deactivation: When the engine reaches operating temperature and the ambient temperature exceeds 59 degrees, the rear cylinder will automatically deactivate when the bike is at a standstill, resulting in less engine heat for improved rider comfort in slow-moving or stopped traffic. The rear cylinder instantly reactivates when throttle is applied for a seamless transition to full power. Redesigned fairing lowers provide optimal airflow for improved comfort.
Ride Command: Indian’s Ride Command system is said to be the largest, fastest, most customizable infotainment system on two wheels. The 7-inch, glove-compatible touchscreen features turn-by-turn navigation, customizable rider information screens, Bluetooth compatibility and pairing with the Indian Motorcycle Ride Command mobile app for remote accessibility to key vehicle information. Riders can also plan a ride route with up to 100 points on the Ride Command website and wirelessly transfer it to the bike via Bluetooth.
Indian’s Ride Command infotainment system has a 7-inch, glove-compatible touchscreen, turn-by-turn navigation, customizable rider information screens, Bluetooth compatibility and pairing with Indian’s mobile app.
Standard Roadmaster features are also found on the Elite, including full LED lighting, a leather two-up touring seat with individual seat heaters, ABS, heated grips, keyless ignition, an electric windscreen, central locks for the luggage and more than 37 gallons of storage space, including a trunk that holds two full-face helmets.
Pricing for the 2019 Indian Roadmaster Elite starts at $36,999 and it’s available now.
Our Yamaha Star Eluder project bike is a V-twin bagger that offers more comfort, functionality and style than a stock machine. (Photo by Joe Agustin)
This is the final video in our three-part series about our Yamaha Star Eluder project bike, a collaboration between Rider magazine and Jeff Palhegyi, owner of Palhegyi Design. The goal of this project was to enhance the Eluder’s functionality and style in a way that any owner could do in his or her own garage.
A bone-stock 2018 Yamaha Star Eluder GT in Raven served as the platform for our customization project. (This photo courtesy Yamaha; other photos by Joe Agustin)
For 2018, Yamaha launched two all-new V-twin touring cruisers built on the same platform–the Star Venture luxury tourer and the Star Eluder bagger. Both have bold, muscular bodywork wrapped around a massive 113-cubic-inch, air-cooled V-twin, and they’re equipped with modern technology such as throttle-by-wire, riding modes, linked ABS brakes and full infotainment systems.
The Venture is designed for two-up touring. With no trunk and fewer bells and whistles, the lighter, less expensive Eluder is for riders who do more solo riding and prefer a leaner, more aggressive look.
Before the project began, Jeff Palhegyi and Senior Editor Greg Drevenstedt went out on a ride on two stock Yamaha Star Eluders.
We like the Star Eluder’s generous low-end torque, handling and touring amenities. But what’s a bagger without some customization? For years Yamaha’s Star Motorcycles tagline was, “We build it. You make it your own.” So that’s what we did…with some help.
Designer Jeff Palhegyi (left) and Senior Editor Greg Drevenstedt with a stock 2018 Yamaha Star Eluder, in Palhegyi’s shop in Santee, California.
We teamed up with Jeff Palhegyi, owner of Palhegyi Design, on a Star Eluder project bike. Known for his customized cruisers, vintage race bikes, flat trackers and more, Palhegyi has been involved with Yamaha’s product planning division for nearly three decades. The goal of this project was to enhance the Eluder’s functionality and style in a way that any owner could do in his or her own garage, and Palhegyi helped us make it a reality.
Watch the first video in our three-part series about this project to see what Palhegyi suggested we do to upgrade our Eluder:
Functionality For this project, we started with a stock Star Eluder in Raven (black) with the GT option package ($1,500), which adds GPS navigation, SiriusXM satellite radio (subscription required), CB radio and a security alarm. During the development of the Venture and Eluder, a full line of accessories was created and developed in tandem with the motorcycles. To add some functionality to our Eluder GT, we first dug into Yamaha’s accessory catalog.
To improve wind protection, Palhegyi installed a taller windshield and side wind deflectors from Yamaha’s accessory catalog.
Our first addition to the project was an Elite 801 Series helmet headset and connection cord to enhance audio quality and enable more functionality than Bluetooth alone. Made by J&M Motorcycle Audio, the headset and cord are available directly from Yamaha. Next we added more wind protection with a taller windshield and adjustable lower fairing wind protectors. We improved nighttime visibility with a set of LED fog lights and enhanced cold-weather comfort with a set of heated grips and heated apparel outlets for the rider and passenger, all of which are easy-to-install, plug-n-play items.
To provide more security for a passenger and luggage capacity, Palhegyi installed Yamaha’s accessory quick-release backrest and luggage rack.
To add more comfort for the passenger, we added a quick-release passenger backrest (for aesthetic reasons we chose the short version), which has durable steel uprights with a black powdercoat finish. Yamaha also makes a matching luggage rack that attaches directly to the backrest, adding extra luggage capacity (the Eluder’s two locking saddlebags and several small fairing pockets hold a total of 72 liters). A perfect fit for the luggage rack is Nelson-Rigg’s 20-liter Day Trip Backrest Bag, and its black UltraMax fabric matches the Raven paint and other black finishes on our Eluder.
Corbin’s Dual Heated Saddle provides rider and passenger heating and it is topped with a distressed-leather Black Bomber Jacket cover with diamond stitching.
One of the Eluder’s key features is its ultra-low seat height of 27.6 inches, and the plush, heated seat has a rear bolster for lumbar support. In the name of both functionality and style, we replaced the stock seat with a Heated Dual Saddle from Corbin, which has a seating area covered with distressed leather in a Black Bomber Jacket finish (which looks dark gray), gray diamond-pattern stitching and matte-black vinyl sides. Whereas the heating for the Eluder’s stock seat is controlled through the infotainment system’s menu, the Corbin seat has an on/off toggle switch on the left side. We also added Corbin’s matching passenger backrest pad to complete the look.
Style Yamaha’s accessory catalog has many bolt-on parts to give the Eluder a custom look. We installed Yamaha’s billet brake pedal and toe shift lever (a billet heel shifter is also available, but we left it off to allow more room on the floorboard). Yamaha also offers a long list of billet covers and add-ons with a black-and-silver contrast-cut finish that are made by Arlen Ness. We installed speaker and instrument bezels, an upper handlebar clamp, muffler tips, a license plate frame and covers for the master cylinders, generator, clutch, cam and pulley.
Yamaha’s accessory catalog has a long list of contrast-cut billet covers made by Arlen Ness, which give the Eluder a custom look.
Finally, we wanted to give the Eluder’s bodywork a custom look, but we wanted to avoid bold, garish paint or graphics. The Raven-colored Eluder and all of the black bolt-on parts are cohesive and understated, best appreciated up close than from a block away. To enhance the dark, low-profile look, Palhegyi suggested a vinyl wrap, which is popular in the automotive industry but hasn’t really caught on yet in the motorcycling world. A full wrap would cover up the glossy Raven paint, and the complex shapes of the Eluder’s bodywork made a full wrap impractical.
After using tape to create a template, Palhegyi created a computer scan of the template and had BlacArt create the metallic vinyl graphics.
Instead, Palhegyi used painter’s tape to create a template for graphic panels that flow with the lines of the Eluder’s bodywork–on the fairing and front fender, on the tank, on the side panels and on the saddlebags. He scanned the templates and sent them to Cory Bender at BlacArt Creative Group, who converted the templates into vinyl adhesive panels with a dark metallic finish, a silver-and-red double pinstripe border and a few tastefully placed Rider logos. With great care, a soft-plastic spreader (to remove any air bubbles) and a blowtorch (to heat and set the adhesive), the panels were applied to the bike, giving it a one-of-a-kind look.
Applying the vinyl graphics correctly is a challenge that may be best left to a professional vinyl graphics or automotive wrap installer.
Creating and applying the vinyl graphics was the most time-consuming and difficult part of this project. Palhegyi’s team and BlacArt’s team are professionals, so unless you have experience with the vinyl application process we recommend working with a qualified installation specialist.
Watch the second video to see the installation process for our Star Eluder project bike:
The end result of this Star Eluder project is a V-twin bagger that offers more comfort, functionality and style than a stock machine.
That’s A Wrap With the accessories installed and graphics applied, it was time to take our Eluder GT project bike out for a spin. From Palhegyi’s shop near San Diego, California, we went for a scenic ride on a cold, clear November day. The taller windshield and side deflectors kept the cockpit more calm and quiet, and the heated grips and seat helped keep the cold at bay.
Out in the sunshine, the Star Eluder’s metallic graphics and contrast-cut billet parts look fantastic. The bike’s overall look is cohesive and subtle, best appreciated up close.
The Comfort Cell foam in the wide, flat Corbin seat is firm at first but breaks in with miles, and we like the distressed look. The flatter pillion seat and quick-release backrest provide a more secure perch for a passenger, and the Nelson-Rigg bag is the perfect place to stash extra gear. Removing the backrest, luggage rack and bag, which takes only a few seconds, transforms the Eluder from a two-up tourer back into a low-profile solo bagger. Out in the sunshine the contrast-cut billet parts and metallic graphics look really sharp, boosting the Eluder’s curb appeal without going too far.
Off-the-shelf factory and after-market accessories make a build like this something anyone can do.
Scroll down for more photos and a complete build list with accessories, prices and resources.
Check out the final installment of our video series:
A taller windshield, side deflectors and understated vinyl graphics add to the Star Eluder’s functionality and style.
The billet brake pedal and shift lever (not shown) and Arlen Ness contrast-cut covers give the Eluder a custom look.
Corbin’s Dual Heated Saddle and matching passenger backrest pad improve comfort and give the Eluder a unique look.
Nelson-Rigg’s 20-liter Day Trip Backrest Bag is a perfect fit for Yamaha’s accessory luggage rack.
Removing the quick-release passenger backrest and luggage rack (which come off as a single unit) takes only a few seconds and gives the Star Eluder a low-profile, solo look.
We crossed the Land of 10,000 Lakes then stormed across Wisconsin aboard Harley’s apex touring machine, the 2019 CVO Limited. Photos by Brian J. Nelson and Kevin Wing.
There’s a reason Harley’s top-shelf touring machine has been a staple of its CVO line since 2006. There are thousands of them. Go to Sturgis and try and count how many you see. Your head will spin. It’s a huge revenue generator for The Motor Company. But it’s also proven itself as a legitimate cross-country tourer. So offering one as a dream machine straight from the factory makes perfect sense.
Powering the 2019 CVO Limited is the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 117, The Motor Company’s largest production engine, a CVO-exclusive powerplant that made its debut across the line last year. That’s 1,923cc at the disposal of your right hand along with a high-performance camshaft, intake and bumped-up compression ratio.
Rejoice, all CVOs run the Milwaukee-Eight 117, the 1,923cc powerplant the biggest to date on a Harley coming straight out of the factory.
The motorcycle’s electronic throttle control is dialed and the hit off idle is immediate. But stump-pulling bottom-end torque is standard fare on Harley tourers. What benefits most is top end in the middle gears as the 117 continues to give where its predecessors sign off.
The 2019 CVO Limited hits its claimed peak of 125 lb-ft at 3,500 rpm but the standard Ultra Limited with the 114 maxes out at 3,000 rpm. It gets you up to highway speed quicker and has plenty of passing power on tap. While it didn’t skip a beat rowing through gears, engagement continues to be harsh and abrupt.
Between its Batwing fairing and Tour-Pak top trunk, the CVO Limited’s presence can be intimidating. It looks like a whole lot of bike to handle. But as I climb aboard, the rider’s triangle feels compact for a six-foot-tall rider.
With a seat height of 30.1 inches, it’s easy to place both feet firmly on the ground, a good thing when you’re balancing a bike that tips the scales at more than 900 pounds. The bars fall naturally at hand, my legs have plenty of room to stretch and my back is straight. The relaxed riding position made my 260-mile test ride a cinch. I could have easily done 260 more without feeling beat down. You’d be hard pressed to find a bike with a cushier seat and friendlier all-day ergonomics.
Who knew such a big bike would be so much fun at lean? Turn-in is surprisingly light on the CVO Limited, and it transitions more fluidly than expected.
Hustling through the hinterlands between Lacrosse and Madison, Wisconsin, we chanced upon a rural road of sweepers, one flowing into the next. The CVO Limited shines on this stretch as turn-in is light, even with its big fork-mounted fairing. It’s solid at lean and has no problem staying on the designated line.
Even with the Tour-Pak, its center of gravity feels low and it transitions with surprising agility. You’d think for a bike with such a Herculean physique it’d be a handful to toss around but, like a heavyweight boxer, it’s deceptively light on its feet.
Reining in all that weight and power requires a solid set of binders, and Harley’s triple-disc Brembos and ABS-equipped Reflex Linked Brakes handle the job. When squeezing the front lever, initial bite into the two 300mm discs is strong but not grabby and doesn’t fade as the system administers a bit of squeeze to the rear as well.
Harley CVO wheels are always custom quality, and for 2019 the 19-inch Tomahawk on the CVO Limited is the torchbearer of tradition.
Using solely the rear it takes a pretty good stomp on the pedal to get the ABS to engage, and overall the ABS is well modulated. Using the front and rear brakes simultaneously, the setup does a bang-up job of bringing the bike to a stop.
Bells and whistles. Check all the boxes. Gorgeous paint set off by the proper blend of shiny chrome, custom-quality wheels, a fresh assortment of bits and pieces from Harley’s new Kahuna collection and the upgraded Boom! Box GTS infotainment system, which boots up faster, is easier to see in direct sunlight and functions more like a smartphone.
The bike has a bounty of storage space, everything locks tight at the push of a button and a factory security system to protect your almost $44,000 investment comes standard. Harley offers three combinations of powertrain finishes and paint options to tailor your CVO Limited like a fine suit. Granted, its price tag puts it out of range for many of us, but those few who pony up will undoubtedly be pleased because despite its movie star good looks, the 2019 CVO Limited is ready to go coast-to-coast at a moment’s notice.
Nearly concurrent with the birth of the magazine you’re reading now was the introduction of a motorcycle that would become virtually synonymous with two-wheel touring, Honda’s Gold Wing. The first Wing, the GL1000, grew larger and gained displacement over the years until in 2001 it reached what some riders considered the apex of its evolution, and others saw as an unfortunate step past perfection.
Nobody complained about the engine, a smooth flat six with fuel injection, two valves per cylinder, a hundred horsepower and a torque curve that seemingly had no beginning and no end–it was just always there, whenever you twisted the loud handle. The shaft drive that had been standard since the beginning was now incorporated into a single-sided swingarm for easier rear-wheel service. Also standard was a reverse gear–not just handy but almost mandatory for maneuvering the nearly 900-pound Wing in tight spaces–and linked brakes, with ABS an extra-cost option.
From Rider, April 2009.
Where the GL1800 significantly departed from the script written by its ancestors was in the handling department. Its grace and stability at speed was almost physics-defying, giving many touring riders their first taste of dragging hard parts in the corners well before the chassis sent any alarms upstairs. The frame itself was made of aluminum spars hefty enough to support bridges, and used the engine as a stressed member. Some 2002-model frames, however, were prone to cracking, and were the subject of a factory recall.
That wasn’t the only cause for criticism of the GL1800. Some of the improvements were fine, such as a larger radiator and fans and a higher-output alternator (from 1100 watts to 1300) in 2006. But two-up riders panned the GL18’s smaller bags and trunk compared to the GL1500’s, and felt the pilot’s seat placed the passenger too far to the rear to reap the benefits of the otherwise effective fairing and windscreen. The optional airbag on 2006-and-later models raised a few eyebrows among those who already thought the big Wing was just a car without doors.
The automotive analogy almost perfectly described the GL1800’s reliability, as well as its character, which some riders say is the very definition of bland. But there’s no denying that when it comes to the used market, the Wing gets the job done as well as or better than anything in the class for the same money.
The Gold Wing graces the cover of our February 2006 issue.
They’re more likely than most bikes to have been dealer serviced for most of their lives, so ask for receipts, and have a local dealer run the VIN to make sure the bike has been brought in for all recalls and service campaigns. Leaking fork seals aren’t too common, but they are a major pain to replace, so look for oil weeping down the fork legs, and check the condition of the brake and clutch fluid; flushing and replacing the fluid in the linked brake system is another service headache.
Try every setting and button on the stereo, the intercom and the navi system, and make sure the rear shock preload adjuster works. Function-check any add-on lights and accessories, and if you’re feeling brave and the seller isn’t looking, give the ABS a workout, too. Expect to pay anywhere from $7,500 for a first-year GL1800 in fair condition up to $12,000 for a 2011 model, excluding value-adding accessories.
From Rider, February 2006.
2001-2010 Honda GL1800 Gold Wing
PROS Long on power, competence and comfort.
Reliability above average, dealers everywhere.
CONS Short on personality, low-speed maneuverability and ease of service.
Excess weight can become tiresome.
Engine: Liquid-cooled, 1,832cc flat six, fuel injected, 2 valves per cylinder Final Drive: Shaft Weight: 898 lbs. Fuel Capacity: 6.6 gals. Seat Height: 29 in.
