In the seven years since its introduction, the Yamaha Bolt has gone through various guises. The original Bolt debuted with the R-Spec alongside it. Soon, there was a café-style C-Spec and the SCR scrambler. For 2021, Yamaha has settled on the R-Spec to be the sole representative of the Bolt line. The Bolt R-Spec is in Yamaha’s Sport Heritage lineup, and Yamaha describes it as a “performance bobber.”
The solo seat and throwback non-adjustable piggyback reservoir shocks give the Bolt R-Spec a purposeful look, as do the fork tube guards. The torquey 942cc air-cooled motor provides the Bolt R-Spec with a strong push through town, with the V-twin tuned for torque. Although cornering clearance is limited, the Bridgestone Exedra G721 tires give riders the confidence to touch down the footpegs.
The styling is retro—note the round headlight, taillight, turn indicators, and speedometer—though not overwhelmingly so. The motor has a more modern look, and the alloy wheels are more contemporary than the old standard Bolt’s wire-spoke wheels.
Regardless, the 2021 Yamaha Bolt R-Spec is a good-looking, attractively priced cruiser with a bit of sporting character to add to its urban prowess. Frugal riders will be happy to see that the R-Spec gets a claimed 51 mpg, which matches up nicely with its $8499 price tag.
2021 Yamaha Bolt R-Spec Specs
ENGINE
- Type: 60-degree V-twin
- Displacement: 942cc
- Bore x stroke: 85 x 83mm
- Compression ratio: 9.0:1
- Valvetrain: SOHC, 4vpc
- Fueling: Twin-bore EFI
- Cooling: Air
- Transmission: 5-speed
- Final drive: Belt
CHASSIS
- Frame: Double cradle
- Front suspension; travel: Non-adjustable 41mm fork; 4.7 inches
- Rear suspension; travel: Non-adjustable piggyback-reservoir shocks; 2.8 inches
- Wheels: 12-spoke cast alloy
- Tires: Bridgestone Exedra G721
- Front tire: 100/90 x 19
- Rear tire: 150/80 x 16
- Front and rear brakes: 298mm wave-type disc
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
- Wheelbase: 61.8 inches
- Rake: 29.0 degrees
- Trail: 5.1 inches
- Seat height: 27.2 inches
- Fuel capacity: 3.4 gallons
- Estimated fuel consumption: 51 mpg
- Curb weight: 542 pounds
- Color: Raven
2021 Yamaha Bolt R-Spec Price: $8499 MSRP
2021 Yamaha Bolt R-Spec Photo Gallery
