Does The Yamaha Raider Have A Hemi Engine?

Imagine for a moment you're in charge of a major motorcycle manufacturer and are looking to siphon customers away from the Harley-Davidson Softail. You'd want to capture that classic cruiser look and equip a V-twin. But how do you set it apart from the competition? How about more displacement and a hemispherical engine?

Yamaha incorporated a 113-cubic inch hemi engine that makes 125 lb-ft of torque into its 2008 Raider. In comparison, the 2008 Harley Softail models offer just over 89 lb-ft of torque, meaning that riders looking for power would have to take a second look at Yamaha Raider motorcycles. In addition to a larger engine and more output, the 2008 Raider was just $13,180 MSRP, and considerably more affordable than the 2008 Harley-Davidson Softail Heritage at $17,945. 

Not for the beginner rider or the faint of heart, this Japanese take on the classic American cruiser garnered quite a following during its run. Although its hemispherical engine is novel, a hemi design comes with advantages and disadvantages, which is why it's probably not more widely used across the motorcycle industry.

Unfortunately, Yamaha decided to end production of the Raider along with these other discontinued Yamaha motorcycles that deserve a second chance. However, there are still listings online that cover the massive cruiser's decade-long production run through 2018. A 2008 Raider S currently has a typical listing price of nearly $7,000, per KellyBlueBook.com, and you can still find some with relatively low mileage.

A hemi engine is one with a hemispherical cylinder head shape. Essentially, the cylinder features a rounded dome at the top instead of a flat or pentroof design. The capitalized form of HEMI is a trademarked name for several Chrysler engines, so Yamaha couldn't advertise their hemispherical Raider engine similarly. However, Americans have had a long and celebrated relationship with this engine design, so what better way for a Japanese cruiser to make an impression in the States?

There are some advantages to the hemispherical design and that's why it's been featured in robust trucks and muscle cars for decades. The shape of the combustion chamber creates a larger build-up of oxygen and fuel within the cylinder as the piston moves. With more air and fuel within the cylinder, more can be burned up creating additional output and higher compression ratios.

One of the biggest downsides to the hemispherical engine is that it's not particularly efficient. While this design is great at making impressive output, it also takes more energy to create that output. A hemi is also heavier than other engine types; more weight means that more power will be needed.

In terms of the Yamaha Raider, these negatives aren't likely a deciding factor as this cruiser is all about the riding experience, not fuel economy. Of course, with all the riding options out there today, these sleek sports bikes might tempt you to trade in your cruiser.