Yamaha Road Star 1700 Review

Used Buyer Review

The Road Star 1700 is old-school American cruiser done right, but with Japanese reliability underneath all that chrome. That air-cooled V-twin pulls hard from basically nothing — roll the throttle in fifth at 40mph and it just goes. No drama, no hunting, just torque. It's the kind of engine that makes you forget fuel injection exists, and honestly, carbed versions feel more characterful anyway. Buy one with decent service history and you're looking at a bike that'll outlast most of its riders. The frame and drivetrain are genuinely bulletproof if maintained. What kills them is neglect — look for rust in the carb, cracked fuel lines, and seized brake callipers on bikes that sat. Front forks get soft over time, budget for a rebuild. Check the rear shocks too, originals are garbage past 20,000 miles. It's heavy, it's wide, and it doesn't pretend to be anything other than a boulevard cruiser. No ABS, no riding modes, no nonsense. If that appeals to you, brilliant. If you need modern safety tech, look elsewhere.