[kkealy]

Hey - welcome!

My wife has just moved to an '07 Night Rod Special from a life of sportbikes. Her most recent bike was a Ducati Monster S4R (which is for sale, if anyone's interested). The one before that was a Honda RVF400R, and her first bike was an Aprilia RS125.

She loves the Night Rod. She much prefers the seating position, and likes the forward controls. It has plenty of power, keeps up with me and will lean surprisingly well for something so low. I think my favorite part of the Night Rod is what a Harley die-hard said: "Pfft - that's just a Harley crotch rocket!". I think that is the whole point. It's like a Harley gateway drug for us sportsbike people.

Me? I don't like it quite so much. I have getting on for a million miles on bikes (all sportbikes, sports-tourers or dual-sports/dirt bikes) and I am just used to having my feet under me. I can't get used to the forward controls on her 'Rod. I like riding it, but I'm glad it's not mine (if that makes any sense at all).

I moved from my CBR1100XX to a BMW R1200GS, and I also have an MV Agusta Brutale. Her 'Rod looks cool as all get-out, it's quiet, doesn't sound like a Harley (which is actually a plus for us) and isn't out of place whether she's riding with sportsbikes or cruisers. My BMW, on the other hand, is the epitome of "one of these things is not like the others".

I'll second what others here have said; take a test ride first, and see if you can get up to highway speed. The bike is very different to what you're used to, and for me, that was most pronounced at 65-75mph. It's a very different riding experience and it does take time to acclimate to the bike. You might also try cross-shopping the big nakeds, like the BMW, the KTM Adventure and the new Ducati Multistrada. For me, those were a way to move off the sportbikes and onto something that more closely reflected who I'd become.

Just to reiterate, though: My wife loves her 'Rod and is very happy to have moved off her Ducati. A friend said it best, when I said that the 'Rod is fun, just not for me: "That's fine, because it's not for you - it's for her!". True dat.