First Ride: 2010 Star Stratoliner Deluxe

I was only half-right. The fairing did a good job at keeping the gusts off my chest, but at speeds above 55mph, the wind poured right on over the brief windscreen, the buffeting in full effect. Ducking behind the fairing helped quite a bit-it's wide and has a nice taper at the ends, making for great hand deflectors-but it also provided a lesson in wind dynamics. Strong gusts could be felt from underneath the fairing as well. Lowers would be a big help here (fortunately Star says those will be available in the spring).

Looking into the much-vaunted fairing, I'll 'fess up to some disappointment at the level of finish within. You gaze into what is essentially a black hole bracketed by two speakers; the interior of the ABS batwing looks unfinished. More to come? We hope; this is ostensibly a divisional flagship bike. There's a compartment built into the top portion, since the Deluxe comes iPod-ready with a cable nestled in there. Unfortunately that iPod dock is open to the elements, and many of us wondered why a door for the compartment wasn't included as a matter of course.

A left bar-mounted controller shuffles through the songs as well as handling manual volume control. But the two recessed 5-inch speakers self-adjust too: as ambient noise goes up, music volume goes up or down in relation. Nice. I was further surprised to find that the speaker sound quality was much better than expected. I could easily hear tunes out on the freeway, and the sound punched through crisply even at high volume.

But luggage is more important, right? And in the Deluxe's case, the polycarbonate hardbags are the bee's knees-at least on most levels. They're well-designed, with integrated, sleek styling that complements the entire bike, and their single lock/pushbutton latch makes opening and closing them a cinch. Unfortunately, the 13.7 gallon capacity seems less than optimal, though the curved spaces can accommodate awkward items.

Star says the Stratoliner Deluxe will be available in dealers in May, with a single Raven paint finish for $17,490. We're thoroughly impressed with this bike, but it's playing in an increasingly crowded field, with machines like Victory's Cross Country and Harley's Road Glide that retail for (give or take) less than $1000 more than the Star. They also offer ABS and cruise control options, as well as 6-speed transmissions and bigger fuel tanks. Baggers are the big trend right now, and the 2010 Star Stratoliner Deluxe has the performance, fit and finish-and looks-to be a strong competitor in this market. Let's hope the price doesn't hamstring it.