The Compact, Raw Bobber From Yamaha: The New Bolt

There are some motorcycles in this world, their popularity or desirability never fades away. Such motorcycles are considered as the pride and prestigious products of their respective brands. The success story of Triumph Bonneville even in this 21st century is one such example, with a decent progress card. Such bikes are remainings of the golden age of motoring. However, Yamaha Bolt is just an entry level cruiser bike, developed by Yamaha in 2013, from the bits and dots of the past.



Yamaha Bolt is Urban Performance Bobber developed for the US market which is slotted under the 'Star'- a cruiser line of Yamaha. The Bolt bears the iconic characteristics of a classic Bobber styled motorcycle with high tank and short wheelbase crafted in old-school fashion. It even gets wire spoked aluminium rims enhancing the authentic bobber styled characters. Bolt offers a perfect canvas for modification which enables the user to customize their ride according to their imagination. Therefore, Yamaha says, "We build it. You make it your own". Moreover, it features LCD instrument console and LED tail light as the modern part.

The Yamaha Bolt is a powerful little bobber with an aggressive yet responsive throttle. An air-cooled, 60-degree, 946cc, V-Twin engine acts as the powerhouse of the Bolt, completing the classic American Bobber look. The engine gets fuel injection and transistorized ignition which is mated to a 5-speed gearbox. The rear wheels are belt driven to minimize the maintenance cost and optimum driving force. The minimalistic-styled 2-into-1 exhaust pipe of the Bolt gels very well with the overall styling of the bike. It also delivers a throaty exhaust note resembling the classic twin-cylinders of the early 90s. In this lightweight bobber, Yamaha has used a handling-focused double-cradle frame which enhances city riding. The engine is mounted on to this frame with a rigid mount system to provide precise handling.



The frame geometry offers 29 degrees of rake angle, that gives short 61.8-inch wheelbase. The suspension system consists of traditional 41 telescopic forks with 4.7-inch travel at the front and dual shocks with 2.8-inch travel at the rear. Newly designed spoke wheels with black anodized aluminium rims enhances the strength and styling of the motorcycle. A 298 mm front disc and 298 mm disc at the rear complete the braking force with the assistance of wave rotors provide excellent braking performance.



The Yamaha Bolt is available in the USA, Europe and few Asian countries with a base price of $ 7,999 USD. In the international market, Bolt horns with the likes of Harley Davidson Iron 883 and Triumph Bonneville Bobber.