star motorcycle cruiser venture yamaha - Wikimedia Commons/AddvisorThe Yamaha Star Venture was a well-received touring bike toward the end of the 2010s. The ride didn't reinvent the wheel, but it delivered a comfortable, reliable, long-distance touring motorcycle with all the bells, whistles, and creature comforts expected with a high-end bike of that caliber. Motorcycle.com took it for a spin and had nothing but good things to report, particularly about the comparatively new on-board GPS and infotainment system and how good the big bike was at accommodating passengers.Given all that goodwill, it might seem strange that a rider looking for a comfy long distance cruiser can't stroll into a Yamaha dealer today and pick up the latest model. The Star Venture and its smaller sibling, the Star Eluder, were discontinued as of 2020, with the latest model year being the 2021. Gerrad Capley, Street Motorcycle Communication Specialist at Yamaha, told SlashGear that "the Star Venture is no longer in our lineup, and there are no current plans to bring it back."AdvertisementAdvertisementBut the story of the Star-branded motorcycles begins back in 1994 (via Timeless 2 Wheels).Read more: The 13 Best Honda Motorcycles Ever MadeBig bikes in a shrinking worldyamaha star dragstar motorcycle speedometer odometer - tiffgraphic/ShutterstockThroughout its history, Star produced several popular models, leveraging the fact that, while Yamaha was a Japanese company, its bikes were designed and produced in California, appealing to riders looking for American-made machines (via Timeless 2 Wheels).Things were going well, until they weren't. According to Ultimate Motorcycling, the 2008 to 2009 recession saw a massive drop in motorcycle sales, and while the market leveled out over time, touring bikes in particular struggled to reclaim their pre-recession business. Younger buyers came to the dealership with concerns that worked against touring bikes' strengths: lightness, fuel efficiency, and practicality in a city setting (via Yahoo Finance).AdvertisementAdvertisementYamaha changed with the times, ditching the Star brand name, and, in 2016, brought its designs back under its umbrella. It still continues to produce a number of bikes, but the Star Venture and the Star Eluder will no longer be counted among them.Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google.Read the original article on SlashGear.