Yamaha Shows off Star Eluder Customized by Cory Ness

This ‘Journey Further’ Star Eluder shows that Yamaha is serious about getting into the bagger game.

byEric Brandt|
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When you think of a thoroughly customized bagger, your mind might not go straight to Yamaha. The brand is trying to change that by showcasing a beautiful custom job of the new Star Eluder by bike builder Cory Ness. Ness is best known for his appearances on the Discovery Channel’s Biker Build-Off. He's also the son of legendary motorcycle designer and builder Arlen Ness.

The Star Eluder is a bike that takes Yamaha a bit outside of its comfort zone. It’s a bagger that’s closely related to the new Star Venture touring bike positioned to compete directly with the Honda Gold Wing. The Eluder is mechanically identical to the Venture, but the Elduer has a badder, more stripped-down aesthetic that’s sure to draw a different crowd than the more luxurious, touring-oriented Venture.

The Cory Ness treatment has created a beautiful result in what Yamaha calls the “Journey Further” Star Eluder. Yamaha says the bike “embodies the spirit of the Star Eluder, which combines powerful performance with ultimate comfort features and technology to allow riders to journey further than ever before.”

Ness accentuated the wide front end of the Eluder by giving it a wider 180-millimeter front tire while widening the stock front fender. He also made the rear end lower and longer to make the already low stance even more aggressive. The rear fender and saddlebags are custom and other modifications include a Corbin seat and several new billet aluminum Arlen Ness Accessories made specifically for the Elduer. What makes the Journey Further Eluder stand out more than any other detail is the gorgeous custom blue paint job with black accents throughout the bike to make the blue really pop.

The chrome on this bike is subtle enough to not make the whole bike too flashy but substantial enough to class it up a bit. These Arlen Ness billet aluminum accessories are available for purchase through Yamaha and they include a clutch cover insert, cam cover insert, instrument bezels, master cylinder covers, handlebar clamp, and more. In Cory Ness’ own words, “sometimes, attention to little details makes the big details look even better, which makes it a great overall package.”

Japanese bagger and touring bikes have traditionally been very different from big American motorcycles, but with the customizability options of the Star Eluder, brands like Indian and Harley-Davidson might have some serious competition on the way.

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