General Information
Year
2014
Make
Star Motorcycles
Model
XV950 Bolt
Color
Black
Packages
Raven
History
Purchased new in October 2014. I initially wanted the bike in green until I saw the ridiculous looking logo. The 2014 Black standard models are the only Bolts that do not have the bolt head logo, so I ended up with a black bike instead.
Not a touring bike though I've pressed it into service as a short range tourer, I've ridden it as far as Nor Cal and Eastern Idaho from the Portland/Vancouver area, unfortunately spinal fusion and Sportster style bikes don't play well together. Even with upgraded seat and suspension stacked 500+ mile days just aren't an option for me on this bike anymore.
These are awesome little bikes for the money, great handling, performance and looks in a package that's as reliable as an anvil with pretty solid aftermarket support from a lot of smaller companies, all for under $9K. Since I bought the CTX the Bolt's become a local/commuter bike. Lotta fun to ride when I want to make a little noise and act like a hooligan.
This thing runs circles around 1200 Sportsters and makes 883 owners curl up in a fetal position and cry. I made a trip to PIR just out of curiosity, my best run was 12.58 @ 105.89. Making the Bolt about .3 seconds quicker than the published CTX numbers, about .7 quicker than a 1200 Sportster and an embarrassing 2.2 seconds quicker than it's main competitor the 883 Sportster.
Now that it's a local bike I'll likely add a set of 60 spoke wheels with polished stainless spokes, blacked out hubs and rims, add a springer seat and loose the saddle bags in favor of bomber jacket brown swing arm and tool bags, and fabricate a swing arm mounted rear fender. I may go with a wider rear wheel and a 200 rear tire.
Not a touring bike though I've pressed it into service as a short range tourer, I've ridden it as far as Nor Cal and Eastern Idaho from the Portland/Vancouver area, unfortunately spinal fusion and Sportster style bikes don't play well together. Even with upgraded seat and suspension stacked 500+ mile days just aren't an option for me on this bike anymore.
These are awesome little bikes for the money, great handling, performance and looks in a package that's as reliable as an anvil with pretty solid aftermarket support from a lot of smaller companies, all for under $9K. Since I bought the CTX the Bolt's become a local/commuter bike. Lotta fun to ride when I want to make a little noise and act like a hooligan.
This thing runs circles around 1200 Sportsters and makes 883 owners curl up in a fetal position and cry. I made a trip to PIR just out of curiosity, my best run was 12.58 @ 105.89. Making the Bolt about .3 seconds quicker than the published CTX numbers, about .7 quicker than a 1200 Sportster and an embarrassing 2.2 seconds quicker than it's main competitor the 883 Sportster.
Now that it's a local bike I'll likely add a set of 60 spoke wheels with polished stainless spokes, blacked out hubs and rims, add a springer seat and loose the saddle bags in favor of bomber jacket brown swing arm and tool bags, and fabricate a swing arm mounted rear fender. I may go with a wider rear wheel and a 200 rear tire.
2014 Star Motorcycles XV950 Bolt (Black)
Modifications
Drivetrain
Stock wheels red striped with oversized 110/90/19 ( stock 100/90/19) fr and 180/70/16 (stock 150/80/16) rr Metzler ME 888's with balance beads and aluminum right angle stems. Balance beads are awesome, I'll probably never use wheel weights again.
Interior
SS Custom Cycles Real Deal stainless steel drag pipes with Milwaukee Twins black 2 inch wrap and Khrome Werks HP2 baffles, SS Custom Cycles Retro Round air cleaner with ported/port matched base plate, Power Commander 5 fuel controller, Ivan's Performance Products ECU flash, NGK Iridium plugs, Accel coils and wires, custom ground cams, Weisco high compression pistons, ported/port matched intake and exhaust manifolds and heads, Star Motorcycles 1300 Stryker 31 tooth front pulley.
Dyno tuned to 79.2 hp @ 6200 and 87.8 ft/lbs @ 4100. Stock 49.4 hp & 56.4 ft/lbs.
As far as I can find out those are the highest dyno numbers from a naturally aspirated Bolt without nitrous.
It's also the only Bolt with after market cams, no one currently makes cams for these so I had a set ground to my specs. The best part is the cams were free, I have a 1st cousin who is an engineer for a manufacturer of aftermarket MC cams, we discussed my needs and I gave him a rough set of specs and my stock cams for dimensioning and he designed and ground them for me.
Ended up with really nice power curve with equal to stock low end, really fat mid range torque and huge top end HP gains.
Dyno tuned to 79.2 hp @ 6200 and 87.8 ft/lbs @ 4100. Stock 49.4 hp & 56.4 ft/lbs.
As far as I can find out those are the highest dyno numbers from a naturally aspirated Bolt without nitrous.
It's also the only Bolt with after market cams, no one currently makes cams for these so I had a set ground to my specs. The best part is the cams were free, I have a 1st cousin who is an engineer for a manufacturer of aftermarket MC cams, we discussed my needs and I gave him a rough set of specs and my stock cams for dimensioning and he designed and ground them for me.
Ended up with really nice power curve with equal to stock low end, really fat mid range torque and huge top end HP gains.
Exterior
OE quick release windshield with a Rifle oversized replacement plastic 4 inches wider, 2inches taller than stock, OE fender rack, OE crash bar and a surprisingly good set of cheap Cycle Gear mirrors.
Audio
K-Tech cartridge kit in the front, Hagon rear shocks.Huge improvement in ride quality. Home built fork brace, it replaces the front fender bracket and isn't visible with the fender in place.
Black Galfer stainless steel brake lines and EBC V series brake pads.
All Balls brand steering stem roller bearings to replace the crappy caged bearings they use at the factory and eliminate the infamous Bolt wobble.
Black Galfer stainless steel brake lines and EBC V series brake pads.
All Balls brand steering stem roller bearings to replace the crappy caged bearings they use at the factory and eliminate the infamous Bolt wobble.
Suspension
Corbin seat, Leatherworks bags, OE reduced reach bars, Kuryakyn ISO grips,pegs and throttle bosses, MC Enterprises mini floor boards mounted to the OE crash bars for highway pegs and a Go Cruise throttle lock.
Wheel and Tire
Modified stock flasher to be LED compatible and retain self canceling function, shaved rear signals,home built license plate/rear turn signal mount, Radiantz LED 3 segment rear run,turn,brake strip in conjunction with the stock tail/stop light, Radiantz LED front running light/turn signal inserts, smoked front stock signal/running light lenses, Radiantz LED plate frame,dual USB power port, several Ram Mount points for phone, GoPro, etc. and a WPS lithium battery to shave off a little weight and provide a few more cranking amps.
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