What its like to actually own the bolt

What its like to actually own the Yamaha Bolt

I've had the Bolt in my garage for almost a year and 4500 miles so I think I can probably give you an honest judgement on it. Last year I bought it basically so I could go on a slow highway tour with my family and so I could have a bike that would be comfortable to ride at legal speeds on the highways. As my skill level on a super-sport increases, so does my risk of getting higher tickets because it just isn't fun to ride at 55mph in a 55mph zone.

In the objective of slowing me down its been successful. When I twist the throttle on the Bolt I get a rush of v-twin torque and noise. Its fun in the same way shooting a shotgun from the hip at a line of bowling pins is fun. It is however not fast. OK, so "fast" is really relative. The power to weight ratio is insane compared to say, my Pontiac G6, but tame compared to my CBR-600RR. The Bolt will go triple digits indicated, but its spent and winded above 85 where as my SuperSport is just
getting started at 85.

Just the other day I led a group ride through some twisties. The group consisted of a SFV-650, Vulcan 800, Harley Davidson Street 750, and me on the Bolt. Its more fun to ride a slow bike fast than a fast bike slow. Most of the way I was riding fast, I scraped my pegs on more than one corner. Mostly I was keeping quite a lead on the other bikes. I thought I was being hot-stuff.

A week later I went on a ride with two Super Sports and realized that the Bolt is in fact, not fast. I realized I could push it and keep my average speed in the 80s, but there was no way my corner speed and acceleration could match the Sportbikes and I slowed my pace down to 55-60 where the bike is more comfortable.

So in fact I've just proven to myself something I already knew about the nature of cruisers vs sportbikes. It only took me a few thousand dollars of cruiser ownership to do that. Compared to the other cruisers I've ridden its quick and nimble, compared to a sportbike it isn't. Well... duh.

But that isn't why you get a cruiser. You buy a cruiser because of an image obsession right? You've watched Sons of Anarchy too much and you want to look like Jax Teller rolling down the road with white sneakers, a leather vest, and a skid lid helmet. Or maybe you get a little cruiser with a big engine because it looks like something you custom built in your garage and looks really cool to ride through downtown in your vintage leather jacket, 3/4 vintage look helmet, skinny jeans, and Doc Martin work boots. Either way it'll look really cool to lean against the Bolt smoking your
cigarette, showing off your beard with your waif-thin tattooed art-student girlfriend next to you.

The Bolt is definitely cool to pose next to and fun to ride. I get complimented on it everywhere I go. So whats wrong with it? The answer is nothing, unless you have unrealistic expectations for any bike to be the perfect do-everything bike.

Do not expect the Bolt to be a touring bike. The Yamaha luggage options are tiny and overpriced. Because of the placement of the rear turn signals is practically impossible to put any kind of aftermarket saddlebags or tailbags on it. If you ruin the aesthetic by adding a sissy bar you can strap a backpack to it. Another mark against it in the touring category are the ergonomics. The bike is nice and low and easy to swing a leg over for a quick run around town. It is not comfortable on a long ride. My tailbone and butt are killing me after an hour in the saddle. Using an Air-Hawk seat pad only works for a little while because of the low seat, it focuses the pressure and deflates the pressure points. I bought a Mustang seat which extends my ride time to a few hours
instead of 45 minutes, but it isn't a 400 mile/day ride, at all. The last strike in the touring category is the diminutive 3.5g gas tank. A larger tank wouldn't look right on the skinny Bolt. At least it gets 50-55mpg. Oh, and the gauge cluster is difficult to read in bright light.

OK so the bike isn't a SuperSport and isn't a touring bike. What does it do well? Its fun and easy to ride on short trips and day trips. Thats it. It doesn't have the legs for multi-day trips, but if you just want to ride for half an hour after work where you don't have time to seek out twisty roads, its a great bike.

Of course I'd be lying if I didn't point out that I'm thinking about trading it in for a sport-tourer like a VFR or the new FJ-09.