Yamaha Road Star 1700 vs Harley-davidson Forty-eight
Side-by-side comparison for used motorcycle buyers
Yamaha Road Star 1700 vs Harley-davidson Forty-eight. Yamaha Road Star 1700: 61 hp @ 4,000 rpm hp, 309 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 175 km/h, Motoryk rating 7.8/10. Harley-davidson Forty-eight: 60 hp @ 6,000 rpm hp, 253 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 170 km/h, Motoryk rating 7.5/10.
Performance at a Glance
Green = winner per metric · Bars are relative to the higher value
Yamaha Road Star 1700
Harley-davidson Forty-eight
Horsepower (hp)
61 hp
60 hp
Torque (Nm)
127 Nm
97 Nm
Top Speed (km/h)
175 km/h
170 km/h
Weight (kg) — lower is better
309 kg
253 kg
Type
Cruiser
Cruiser
Horsepower
61 hp @ 4,000 rpm
60 hp @ 6,000 rpm
Torque
127 Nm @ 2,500 rpm
97 Nm @ 3,500 rpm
Top Speed
175 km/h
170 km/h
Weight
309 kg (wet/curb weight)
253 kg (wet/curb weight)
Fuel
7.5 L/100km (approx. 13.3 km/L) — best estimate based on typical real-world reports
5.5 L/100km (approx. 18 km/L typical real-world average)
Fairing
No
No
Individual Reviews
Yamaha Road Star 1700
7.8/10
"A tough, characterful cruiser that rewards patient, attentive buyers enormously."
Pros
+Legendary engine reliability
+Massive low-end torque
+Parts widely available cheap
Cons
−Genuinely heavy at 310kg
−Stock rear shocks terrible
−No ABS on any model
Harley-davidson Forty-eight
7.5/10
"A charismatic city scramblers that demands realistic expectations about range and comfort."
Pros
+Bulletproof Sportster engine reliability
+Parts availability everywhere
+Genuinely stunning visual presence
Cons
−Tiny tank, terrible range
−Seat punishes longer rides
−Many dropped examples exist
Top 10 Accessories
Picks that work on either bike.
