Harley Davidson V-Rod Forum banner

The ride of a Vrod vs the other Harleys

7K views 17 replies 15 participants last post by  pScyko 
#1 ·
How different is the act of riding a Vrod compared to the other Harleys? I've had a sportster and fat boy lo and now ride a street glide. I commute everyday in DC area traffic and love the torque of the engine in low speed conditions. How much will my technique of riding at low speed conditions change on a Vrod?


Sent from my iPhone using Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#2 ·
The VROD has lower torque, but higher HP, and will require higher RPM's in traffic. It shouldn't take long for you to adjust. The VROD's liquid cooled engine will benefit you in traffic, and will keep you from loosing oil pressure, do to excessive engine heat.
 
#3 ·
I did a toy tun with the Vrod so it was slow boring and not much going on. What I did notice is the dude with the street glide and the guy on the victory both were shifting like a F1 car as LeMans. I would say they shifted about 4 times to my one. It was like ever 3 MPH increse or decrese it demanded a gear change. At one point we got up to 50MPH and I was still in 1st. Its just different.
 
#4 ·
I just came off a Roadglide. Also had lowriders (2), softails (2), and a Roadking. For what little I've ridden the V, I like it, and find that the higher rpms are more obvious, but the power is also!! Some of the "comfort factor" is gone, but I really like the V so far. As for The 240 rear tire, I can't tell much differance. FWIW, it's a 2012 anniversary model and I'm closer to 70 than 65!!. Ride safe.
 
#6 ·
If the cars in front of you are moving slowly during stop n go you maybe using the clutch more. Not to shift but to keep from accelerating too fast. Vrod has a great launch that uses rpms like a drag car. The other Harley's are lower rpms with low end torque that doesn't seem to launch you like a Vrod wants to. Never drove in dc to know how fast or slow the traffic is.

Here in the buffalo ny area our speed between lights is usually fast so every light on the Vrod is like a pass down the drag strip, if I want to drive like that....:)


Sent from my iPhone using Motorcycle.com Free App
 
#7 ·
You'll need a few more revs to get off the line and they're nice and skinny, so lane splitting is easy, otherwise it's all pretty much the same. you'll probably get a few more double looks from car drivers though. Most people have no idea what a V Rod is.
 
#9 ·
How different is the act of riding a Vrod compared to the other Harleys? I've had a sportster and fat boy lo and now ride a street glide. I commute everyday in DC area traffic and love the torque of the engine in low speed conditions. How much will my technique of riding at low speed conditions change on a Vrod?
It will take time to learn what the bike needs form you. The biggest difference handling, is in the rake, it will seem awkward at first, let it come naturally. The engine, contrary to folklore, is actually similar in torque numbers as the air-cooled, just bit lower but it comes at different rpm's, as does the power. This engine is extremely well behaved at all ranges and traffic conditions. Gear selection is almost optional as the engine/tranny are very accommodating to different variables. The revo is a beast above 4500-5000 or so, where your Evo would be spinning apart the Revo is just waking up. It is also a beast off the line, it's made for it and does it better than any stock bike ever built - even the Sporty! Do not short shift it, do not shift it like an Evo. Run the rpms up, ride at 4000 or so just to learn it. To me, the first 500-1000 miles or so were a very interesting experience. Nothing like it on the market -period.
 
#10 ·
Agree with Vambo on this. No short shifting.
Since I ride higher-revving metric machines as well as H-D airheads, the NRS was not an issue for me.
Power does come with a punch at about 5 k. I prefer this to the traditional H-D tractor, though both are fun.
That said, I do find myself rowing the gear box more on the V-Rod to boost power for highway passing or to stay in the power band on street. Again, this is a familiar - almost instinctive - thing for me since my race bikes and other metrics are very peaky.
You'll get used to it. But you may not get used to the incredible heat thrown off the right side of the machine, which is stop-and-go can become unbearable and actually has burned the inside of my thigh.
 
#12 ·
Agree with Vambo on this. No short shifting.
Since I ride higher-revving metric machines as well as H-D airheads, the NRS was not an issue for me.
Power does come with a punch at about 5 k. I prefer this to the traditional H-D tractor, though both are fun.
That said, I do find myself rowing the gear box more on the V-Rod to boost power for highway passing or to stay in the power band on street. Again, this is a familiar - almost instinctive - thing for me since my race bikes and other metrics are very peaky.
You'll get used to it. But you may not get used to the incredible heat thrown off the right side of the machine, which is stop-and-go can become unbearable and actually has burned the inside of my thigh.
Don't have this issue. When the temps out are extremely hot and when in thick traffic, the fans are a bitch - just keep moving if you can. However, I never understood the "hot thighs" thing.
 
#13 ·
I also find that the v-rod does not like to go slow. It wants to take off, I find that I have to work much harder to keep it slow in slow traffic than to let it loose. Like someone said earlier, lots more clutch work to keep yourself from running into the guy in front of you.... the bike just wants to run. Also, at first you're probably going to run into the "what gear am i in" syndrome. Because of the much longer power band, you'll be in a lower gear than you think you should be in.

HS
 
#14 ·
I also find that the v-rod does not like to go slow. It wants to take off, I find that I have to work much harder to keep it slow in slow traffic than to let it loose. Like someone said earlier, lots more clutch work to keep yourself from running into the guy in front of you.... the bike just wants to run. Also, at first you're probably going to run into the "what gear am i in" syndrome. Because of the much longer power band, you'll be in a lower gear than you think you should be in.

HS
That's a new one.
I've always given credit to the overall design of the tranny/engine because that was not a problem. IMO I think the Revo behaves great from top to bottom, from 0 to 140 in whatever gear.
 
#15 ·
I seldom use anything higher than 3rd gear in town. This is an engine that is designed to be revved. Things don't happen unless you have at least four grand on the tach. By five grand things start to happen fast, and you will notice the engine is much smoother above five grand. That's where it wants to live. The engine will last longer if you keep the revs up. Spin it and you will never complain about a lack of torque or power. Above five grand throttle response is immediate and the acceleration powerful. Actually it's addictive. It's a much more refined power plant than any air cooled Harley. They also sound best when you rev them hard. It's not potato-potato, but much more urgent.
 
#17 ·
I ride a Street Rod and commute in the DC metro area too. I love it to death, and tell my coworkers it's the one thing that makes coming to work worthwhile. Everybody here's right-below 4k you have to work the clutch a lot more, which I will admit gets old. At/above 4k though, different story. Having that much power on tap makes it easy to get in and out of traffic. I rode a Dyna before this, and the relative lack of brakes was the biggest reason I started looking for something different. The Brembos have saved me more than once with the way idiots drive around here.
 
#18 ·
I find ways that don't include the 95s. I would probably like Northern Virginia/DC if it weren't for all the traffic. I have a hard time keeping my cool when I find out the world is full of psychopaths worse than me.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top