2006 Yamaha Royal Star Specs

• Yamaha has been in the business of making motorcycles since the early 1950s, giving the company over half a century of practice before it released the Yamaha Royal Star in 2006. The bike came in two different models that year: the Tour Deluxe, a basic touring/cruising bike, and the Venture, the full-dress version of this touring bike. Both were rated well on rankings website Motorcycle.com.

Tour Deluxe Overview

• Rated as the fourth-best touring bike of 2006 by users of Motorcycle.com, the Tour Deluxe model of 2006 Royal Star did the best when it came to ride, comfort and value. It retailed for about $14,000 in 2006 and came with a 60-month warranty. It could serve as a tourer, or, with the removable backrest and windshield detached, as a cruiser.

Engineering

• The Tour Deluxe featured a V-4, four-stroke, water-cooled engine with a displacement of 79.0 cubic inches, a bore and stroke of 3.1 inches by 2.6 inches and a compression ratio of 10.0 to 1. It also featured a 32 mm Mikuni constant-velocity fuel system and a digital TCI electric ignition. This Royal Star also came equipped with a five-speed transmission and shaft-drive.

Brakes, Suspension, Tires

• The '06 Tour Deluxe came equipped with 11.7-inch dual disc brakes in the front and a 12.6-inch single disc brake in the rear. The front suspension was a telescopic fork and the rear was a single-shock link-type, both with air assist. It also featured a 150/80-16-inch tire in the front and 150/90-15-inch tire in the rear.

Measurements

• With a length of 98.6 inches, a width of 39.8 inches, and a height of 60.0 inches, the '06 Tour Deluxe Royal Star weighed 787 pounds without fuel. It had a seat height of 29.1 inches, a wheelbase of 67.5 inches and a fuel tank capacity of 5.3 gallons

Venture Overview

• More expensive, with an original retail price of $16,799, the Venture was apparently worth the extra cash: it was ranked the best touring bike of 2006 by Motorcycle.com. In all categories of performance, quality/reliability, ride/comfort, and value, the bike received a score of 5/5.

Differences in Specs

• The '06 Venture Royal Star had the same engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, and tires as the Tour Deluxe from that year. The biggest differences between the bikes involved features and subsequent measurements. The '06 venture measured 104.5 inches in length, 35.4 inches in width, and 61.6 inches in height, and had a dry weight of 807 pounds. It also had a wheelbase of 67.1 inches, a seat height of 29.5 inches, and an increased fuel tank capacity of 6.0 gallons.

Differences in Features

• The 2006 Venture has more included features than the Tour Deluxe. These included separate cigarette lighters/power outlets for rider and passenger, studded seats, chrome engine guards, padded passenger grip rails, a theft-resistant ignition switch, a blacked-out engine, polished cooling fins and a richer paint job with the option of the more expensive Midnight Black color. The main difference, however, was the full fairing.