Yamaha Stratoliner Midnight reviews

I absolutely love my Yamaha Stratoliner. This baby handles like a dream. I have worn out 3 sets of tires and 3 sets of grind pins on the floorboards. This baby handles! I haven't found a Harley yet that will run with it. (see you on Floyd hill) I did call the service manager, complaining about the clock adjustment(daylight savings time). It took him 30 seconds over the phone to fix while he laughed at me for not reading my manual. I will definitely buy another from the dealerhship, but this one stays. I rode the crap out of this bike and I have never had one single problem. I'd like to say that I put the bike together, but except for the seat, it's exactly the way I found it on the showroom. This baby pulls like a locomotive and I'm a big guy who rides year round. When you own a biker bar and you ride Yamaha, it better be a good one. The echos of their HD laughter go away after the first stop light and since then, I sure see a lot more Road Liners and a ton of Raiders. One ride and you'll be just like me. Show less

I bought my 2008 Stratoliner S as a leftover in May 2009. As of October 2009 I have 14,000 miles on it including an 8000 mile cross country trip. This is the best bike of the 30 I have owned over the years. It handles superb, rides smooth and has plenty of power. This one is a keeper for a long time to come. 500 mile days are a breeze....actually very enjoyable. I ride it every chance I get. Now my HD sets in the garage although I did put 100 miles on it in the last 6 months. Show less

I just picked up my 2005 Warrior Midnight and I'm in love. Limitless torque, excellent handling and the looks, in my eyes, are flawless. I picked up this 2005 with only 2700 miles, I've added about 800 miles in the past 10 days and I'm loving every minute of it. Easy to maintain, beautiful and fast, it's the best of all worlds. I've heard it described as 1/2 sport-bike and 1/2 cruiser, I think that is a perfect description. Very comfortable, lightweight, reliable, powerful, and did I mention beautiful??? Great bike, buy one and you won't be disappointed. Show less

Actually, the year is not over and Winter riding is never out of the question. My wife looks forward to the next ride at every opportunity. I like riding for two reasons: the preparation and the journey to and from. Just finished replacing brake pads, fluids, air filters, oil filter, spark plugs, and greasing moving parts on 36,000 miles. I did this before and get the same results. It's just like riding a new, broken-in bike. Since my 20,000 mile review I've installed front fender trim and little chrome doo-dads. Been to Missouri and all in between, and San Antonio, Texas this year. At this point I have half of the 5-year warranty left. Only warranty claim was for a faulty fuel pump. Hopefully that is all that is faulty until the year 2020. Next year I'll put some Baron pipes and see if the sound is to my liking. By then, at the rate of local legislation, I'm hoping my pipes will be legal. Show less

Bought an 07 Strat S new just last week overstock, still sitting on the showroom floor with 30 miles on it. I also test rode and seriously considered the Honda VTX 1800, HD Road King, Yamaha Tour Delux, and Victory's V92C, so I have a basis for comparison. Since then, exactly one week of owning the Strat, I've managed to tally up almost 1k miles, including a trip from St. Louis to Chicagoland and back. Here's what I think. First impressions: the bike is HUGE but incredibly well balanced, especially compared to the Honda. It handles better than my Honda 1300 did. It is a smooth ride, but does create some engine noise and vibrations. The air cooled engine puts off a LOT of heat during these typical Midwest summer days. Off the line performance is great, but not nearly as noticeable as the cruising speed acceleration capability. The stock seat isn't all that uncomfortable, especially compared to the Honda stock seats, and the S model comes very nicely dressed in chrome, a lot of money to add on to the Road King. Oil filter and drain bolts are easy to reach. Servicing the bike is a breeze. The windshield does create a fair amount of buffeting. A more slanted shield might have prevented this. The bike feels exceptionally stable on the interstate and is pretty nimble for getting around town on as well. I would have liked a larger fuel tank, but I'm usually ready to get off and stretch after 120 to 150 miles anyway. My best MPG so far was 47 riding solo with a great tail wind on a state route going 60mph and my worst was 36 riding 2up coming South out of Chicago with a strong headwind on I55 in heavy traffic. The side bags are a little deceptive. When you open them up, you'll find yourself saying, Huh, I thought they'd be bigger, based on how they look from the outside. So far I'm very happy with my purchase. No motorcycle is perfect, but this one will suit me just fine for a few years, until I get the itch again. Show less

Traded my midweight (900vn) in for the 06 Strat last Nov. Had 6,000 mi on it at purchase. Just completed 5,000 mi RT from Houston to Tacoma, WA via midwest, Montana, Idaho, etc. On some interstates I cruised at 85 to 90 for 2-3 hr stretches. The Yami performed flawlessly. I can't begin to explain what an incredible performer this bike is. Over mtn. passes (11,000 ft. Monarch in CO, for example) on twisties, in 100 degree plus heat, never a miss. I will add fairing when I can afford it, but for now, I'll keep enjoying every pulse of the strats powerhouse twin, its balance and smoothness. A big TX 'hats off' to Yamaha for making the best cruiser you can ride. Show less

I have a 2008 Yamaha Stratoliner Midnight with 6000 miles on it. I am 72 years of age and I can handle the Stratoliner under any conditions with the greatest of ease. I live in New York City so I have to manuever the Straoliner through the heaviest traffic to get out of the city. It has the torque and power to handle the city traffic flawlessly. When I have to stop at a stop light the aluminum frame and low center of gravity makes the Stratoliner move with incredible balance and controlled power. I can turn it in tight corners and tight traffic with the ease of a gazelle. When I ride on the highways, byways, upstate New York mountains, I have never found a riding condition that the Stratoliner could not handle with tremendous agility, control, power and balance. At the age of 72 the Stratoliner makes me feel like a young man who can Trust this Trusty Steed to take him anywhere with comfort, reliability, controlled power and safety. Show less

I purchased my bike in Feb. of this year and have enjoyed every minute of it. Past owner of a Heritage Softail. Roadliner Midnight is all around a better bike for those who want to ride, then ride some more. (sorry HD, just my opinion) Service and staff has been great. My time is spent on the road with cofidence that the bike will not let me down. 113ci and 1854 cc is all you need for long trips. Show less

I purchased this bike used because once I saw it I had to have it. The bike is amazing. I get looked at all the time and people will stop on the side of me and ask what kind of machine I am on. The performance is awesome! The driver has a nice stretch feeling that is relaxing. You can be doing 70mph and pull on the throttle and feel the power between your legs! I will own my Yamaha Midnight Warrior for a very long time! Of course I will purchase another Warrior in the future also. Show less

The Strat is a very strong bike. At speed it handles very well. Like all heavy bikes at slow speed it is a bit cumbersome. For almost 5,000 miles my '07 (bought new in '08) has never failed to start on the first push of the starter button. No breakdown or issue of any kind. No backfires no nothing. The bike throws off too much heat to be called comfortable in the summer in FL. But that may be an issue regardless of your ride. The seat is the reson I gave this bike a four instead of a five for comfort. The padding/foam is not top notch. My old Honda VTX was much more comfortable. The quality issues are small, the windshiled bracket and fasteners are showing some rust (this on a garage kept bike that has only seen rain twice in a year). that's why I gave four stars for quality not five. All in all it is a very quick, strong bike that serves the Two-up larger riders well. The bike is worth the money they ask for it (compared to what else is out there). I however might have gone another route if I had the chance to test it for a few hundred miles before buying. My next bike if there is one might be a Sport Touring Bike. I looked closely at the BMW 1200RT That can be set up to be closer to what I want, the issue is it would cost over $20,000 & that to be fair to the Strat, is far more than I paid it. If you like cruisers. If you demand power. You will like this bike... Show less