In 1996, Yamaha took the V-Four motor from their Venture Royale tourer and built a cruiser with it. It was the first of what has become Yamaha’s Star cruiser line, and it stood out from the competition in a few ways. Most notably was the engine – it looks like a V-Twin but it packs four cylinders with DOHC. It also featured shaft drive and water-cooling. In 1997, Yamaha offered a limited edition of the Royal Star called the Palomino edition. Just 87 examples were created under a contract with Andrew Preston at Bushtec Trailers.
The changes were solely cosmetic. In addition to the cream paint, the Palomino got tan imitation leather on the seat, saddlebags, tank strap, and grips. The mechanical components were the same – five speed transmission, wet plate clutch, and four-piston triple disc brakes.
This example (VIN: jya4nke07va024882) has 23,157 miles and a custom paint job. The seller is letting go of all of his bikes due to bad knees, and this is said to run and ride great. I’m not a fan of the custom paint, but with just 87 of these ever built you take what you can get. Find this Palomino Edition for sale in Demorest, Georgia with an unmet opening bid of $2,500