[Steppa]

I will freely admit that I'm still early enough in my research on the VRod to be swayed by opposing opinions regarding other makes/models. As things stand right now, the Night Rod holds my attention with a strong grip and nothing I've read so far has changed that.

However, given the amount of money required to realize this goal, it's wise to pay attention to the dissenters. Here's a link from a dissenter on steroids.

http://www.goingfaster.com/angst/noharley2.html

Now, the guy obviously has a big hate on for HD vs Japanese bikes. Unfortunately, he doesn't really give a good forum for reasoned debate and seems to have a very one-sided agenda.

What do you say after reading this screed? Does HD, in fact, break worse, turn worse, accellerate worse, etc etc than all the other bikes (class for class, engine for engine...let's keep apples to apples, after all) out there and, as this guy maintains, we're just buying into a non-existent image?

I definitely lean toward the "this guy is full of shit" camp, but if you see a good point that he makes, please point it out. After all...MSRP of $16999 is a lot to be wrong about.

 

[santeg]

everything we do is based on a perception of what we think we need,
so he is wrong from the start

 

[jimlowe]

Think "Full of Shit" about covers it.

 

[stevel]

Give him his due though , Ahmadinejad did get his MBA with that dissertation

 

[exile]

Anyway you cut it, it's not apples to apples. Vrod breaks good because it's long and heavy, but the Jap bike will turn better, vrod will scrape hard parts before a Honda,etc. After 40 MPH a Jap bike will walk, if not run, away from a Vrod. 600 pounds verses 400+/- is not apples to apples, plus the Jap bike is making big horsepower and torque.
Ride a Vrod and see if you like it. Everyone on this forum could have bought a Suzuki if they wanted one, they are a dime a dozen. We like the style and ride of our Vrods, cause we do. Love my 05B.................Tom

 

[_X_]

I read this:
Sure, Harleys can be made to perform, but you have to rebuild them from the ground up and by the time that you get any decent performance out of a Harley, you could have bought two or three Japanese bikes for cash. Harley's fastest motorcycle, the Sportster, isn't anywhere near deserving of its name. There is no "sport" to the Sportster, and with a 883cc engine pushing out a meager forty seven horsepower, you have all the makings for a Black Angus set in motion by a mouse fart.

And I couldn't read any further. His article is either really old or he knows nothing of HD. First off Any CVO is faster than a sportster, a V-Rod is way faster. Also the 883 is the bottom engine, you can get a 1200.

Take anything you ever read or hear with a grain of salt. Make your own educated decision and be happy with it. But know this, the V-rod is a fantastic bike, but is in no means a good representation of what HD is otherwise. The V-Rod, is far superior.

 

[Philthy]

I hate to break the news, but pretty much nothing Harley Davidson makes does anything better than the competition. Harley does not build a single motorcycle that does anything better than the best the competition offers. The XR-1200 and the Street Rod are the only two remotely competitive bikes Harley has built in living memory. The rest are thoroughly out of date.
Too little power for an engine the size Harley sells, far too much weight, and that excess of weight combined with the low power spills over into every other aspect of the bike's performance. Harley does not build a dynamic motorcycle. A few are fast in a straight line but that is all, and nothing Harley makes will run with the best in their class. Worse yet, Harley has not made a bike that will run with the best in the class in five decades, since the original Sportster came out. Harley markets style and image, but does not even try to build a fully competitive motorcycle any more.
The Street Rod was a very good, if flawed effort and I love mine. It isn't the best in class, but at least it is good enough that I, and not the bike, are the limit of performance on public roads. Combine that with it's high level of refinement and I found a bike I can live with over the long term. With any other Harley the bike becomes my limit, and for many riders like myself that is wholly unacceptable. I'v ridden baggers, FXR's, owned a couple of Sportsters, and ridden the original VRSCA, and know the difference between these and something like a VFR Interceptor, FJR-1300 or K-1200S. I can't accept that I have to slow down in corners on the Harley because the bike is dragging hardware on the pavement when my ancient BMW can run the same corners at greater speeds, and not do anything even close to being scary. Only the R and the XR-1200 will run with modern bikes on curvy roads.
Keep in mind a bike can synch with someone and that is why we buy a bike and bond to it, but don't let that bond fool you into thinking that somehow that makes your bike perform better than some other bikes when the data clearly shows that not to be true.
If anyone thinks their Road Glide or Street Glide, or any other Harley, will stay with me on Angeles Crest Hwy on my quarter century old, quarter million mile BMW with 72 measley rear wheel horsepower, then PM me now. I have the weekend free and really want to see this, LOL. I'll even run with saddlebags on the bike to make it fair (though it will still be 35 lbs lighter than the lightest HD product, the XR, with the bags attached).
If touring to you means putzing along on a straight highway, or even worse, an interstate, listening to the radio, then maybe a Harley is adequate for you and the bike doesn't get in the way of a good ride. If touring means stringing together the best twisty roads you can find at an 8/10's clip while bringing along enough stuff to do it day after day for a week or two, then there is literally nothing in the Harley line up for you that can do this with. Meanwhile, every other manufacturer makes at least one bike that will do this easily, some spectacularly so such as BMW's RT's and RS's, Yamaha's FJR, Honda's big ST's and Kawasaki's Concourse, both old and new.

 

[gilbos440rt]

V-Rod will hold it's own or beat nearly every Metric power cruser...ie... M109's VTX's etc.
Can't really compare one to a sportbike...just different beasts.

 

[AndyV]

I do like the XR-1200.

 

[h2o]

If you are compairing apples to apples, the V-Rod is the quickest v-twin cruiser you can buy today. No matter what v-twin you want to make faster, it will take $$.the v-rod is the fastest stock. With this form you can make it as fast as you want it. honda & kawasaki twins are slow. the suzuki is big & heavy. They have transmission problems. V-Rods aren't perfect, but they are the best of the v-twins cruisers. If you want to go fast stock, buy oranges, a 4cyl jap bike.

 

[mballard34]

Anyway you cut it, it's not apples to apples. Vrod breaks good because it's long and heavy, but the Jap bike will turn better, vrod will scrape hard parts before a Honda,etc. After 40 MPH a Jap bike will walk, if not run, away from a Vrod. 600 pounds verses 400+/- is not apples to apples, plus the Jap bike is making big horsepower and torque.
Ride a Vrod and see if you like it. Everyone on this forum could have bought a Suzuki if they wanted one, they are a dime a dozen. We like the style and ride of our Vrods, cause we do. Love my 05B.................Tom

:them:

 

[Kizz]

:them:

Anyway you cut it, it's not apples to apples. Vrod breaks good because it's long and heavy, but the Jap bike will turn better, vrod will scrape hard parts before a Honda,etc. After 40 MPH a Jap bike will walk, if not run, away from a Vrod. 600 pounds verses 400+/- is not apples to apples, plus the Jap bike is making big horsepower and torque.
Ride a Vrod and see if you like it. Everyone on this forum could have bought a Suzuki if they wanted one, they are a dime a dozen. We like the style and ride of our Vrods, cause we do. Love my 05B.................Tom

:them: That about nailed it. I Have rode a few jap bikes for a test ride, even a victory hammer, but I realy liked the style of the night rod. I rented a V-rod for 1 day, needless to say soon as I got back from vacation I bought a VRSCD. Its Fast enough to put a smile on my face, it leans enough to make me feel down right uncomfortable (peg scrapes put you back in check), every time I stop at a light, gas, or food its a conversation with either admirers or hotties, and its just Down Right Bad Ass.:angeldev:

 

[CPTJAM]

Makes me happy. Enough for me! Joe

 

[luxlamf]

Makes me happy. Enough for me! Joe

Yup, everyone can stand around with their cocks out pissing about this and that, all that matters is I bought it cuz I liked it, I liked it so much I didn't change it all that much either.

 

[jimlowe]

I hate to break the news, but pretty much nothing Harley Davidson makes does anything better than the competition. Harley does not build a single motorcycle that does anything better than the best the competition offers. The XR-1200 and the Street Rod are the only two remotely competitive bikes Harley has built in living memory. The rest are thoroughly out of date.
Too little power for an engine the size Harley sells, far too much weight, and that excess of weight combined with the low power spills over into every other aspect of the bike's performance. Harley does not build a dynamic motorcycle. A few are fast in a straight line but that is all, and nothing Harley makes will run with the best in their class. Worse yet, Harley has not made a bike that will run with the best in the class in five decades, since the original Sportster came out. Harley markets style and image, but does not even try to build a fully competitive motorcycle any more.
The Street Rod was a very good, if flawed effort and I love mine. It isn't the best in class, but at least it is good enough that I, and not the bike, are the limit of performance on public roads. Combine that with it's high level of refinement and I found a bike I can live with over the long term. With any other Harley the bike becomes my limit, and for many riders like myself that is wholly unacceptable. I'v ridden baggers, FXR's, owned a couple of Sportsters, and ridden the original VRSCA, and know the difference between these and something like a VFR Interceptor, FJR-1300 or K-1200S. I can't accept that I have to slow down in corners on the Harley because the bike is dragging hardware on the pavement when my ancient BMW can run the same corners at greater speeds, and not do anything even close to being scary. Only the R and the XR-1200 will run with modern bikes on curvy roads.
Keep in mind a bike can synch with someone and that is why we buy a bike and bond to it, but don't let that bond fool you into thinking that somehow that makes your bike perform better than some other bikes when the data clearly shows that not to be true.
If anyone thinks their Road Glide or Street Glide, or any other Harley, will stay with me on Angeles Crest Hwy on my quarter century old, quarter million mile BMW with 72 measley rear wheel horsepower, then PM me now. I have the weekend free and really want to see this, LOL. I'll even run with saddlebags on the bike to make it fair (though it will still be 35 lbs lighter than the lightest HD product, the XR, with the bags attached).
If touring to you means putzing along on a straight highway, or even worse, an interstate, listening to the radio, then maybe a Harley is adequate for you and the bike doesn't get in the way of a good ride. If touring means stringing together the best twisty roads you can find at an 8/10's clip while bringing along enough stuff to do it day after day for a week or two, then there is literally nothing in the Harley line up for you that can do this with. Meanwhile, every other manufacturer makes at least one bike that will do this easily, some spectacularly so such as BMW's RT's and RS's, Yamaha's FJR, Honda's big ST's and Kawasaki's Concourse, both old and new.

I have owned all sorts of jap bikes over the years,including fjr's and interceptors, and done long distance touring on them, they are extremely competent at what they do, but frankly I found them boring, there was just something missing.Cant put my finger on it but there just wasn't the buzz I get from the Harleys I've owned(and I dont mean the vibration )

 

[BimotaRich]

Hmmmm.... I have to admit that I am a reluctant Harley owner... I bought one to help support the home team to some extent, and because they did make one model I sorta liked, the Street Rod, and I had the itch to do some customizing and nothing was really available for my Triumph and my Triumph was getting old (15 years of riding and still going strong). I do not appreciate the stereotype of Harley riders... and I have learned to dislike the Company itself for its poor service, mediocre product, and lack of passion. I have had more problems with my 4 year old low mileage Street Rod than I have with my 15 year old high mileage Triumph. Harley seems to have become an accessory service... butt bling for the most part. Not that I mind butt bling... but that is what it is... performance - poor by most standards, reliability generally poor compared to the competition, costs relatively high... And when Harley pulled the plug on Buell I knew that had lost any sense of passion they had for the sport. I own and ride the only Harley that is remotely performance oriented (new XR excepted but it was not available when I made my purchase), a Street Rod... and it was only available for 2 years proving that the Harley buying public did not care about performance. It is a decent enough bike. Just not amazing in anyway. The best things I can say about it is that it looks awesome, its easy to customize (sorta as most things actually dont quite fit it), and it feels solid. But I miss my Triumph, which was cheaper (barely), faster, better handling, and just as good to look at. And the support from Triumph was much better (parts availability). I am thinking of selling my Street Rod and going back to Triumph, or perhaps trying one of the new BMWs. If you like the HD image, then fine, go for it. All bikes are fast enough...even a Ural so do not worry so much about performance. I do worry about safety and Harley is slowly making some headway there... but they are still behind the competition. Personally, I am disappointed with my Harley. It was too slow for my liking, poor after service, expensive parts, and lacked the overall sense of satisfaction I got from my Triumph (or even my Guzzi for that matter). But to each their own. All bikes are good. Just different bikes for different folks is all... and we have more choices now than ever before! So enjoy!

 

[VanislVrod]

I love my bike so much I have almost 2 of them in spare parts laying around...

 

[santeg]

change is good

 

[SLANDREW]

Hmmmm.... I have to admit that I am a reluctant Harley owner... I bought one to help support the home team to some extent, and because they did make one model I sorta liked, the Street Rod, and I had the itch to do some customizing and nothing was really available for my Triumph and my Triumph was getting old (15 years of riding and still going strong). I do not appreciate the stereotype of Harley riders... and I have learned to dislike the Company itself for its poor service, mediocre product, and lack of passion. I have had more problems with my 4 year old low mileage Street Rod than I have with my 15 year old high mileage Triumph. Harley seems to have become an accessory service... butt bling for the most part. Not that I mind butt bling... but that is what it is... performance - poor by most standards, reliability generally poor compared to the competition, costs relatively high... And when Harley pulled the plug on Buell I knew that had lost any sense of passion they had for the sport. I own and ride the only Harley that is remotely performance oriented (new XR excepted but it was not available when I made my purchase), a Street Rod... and it was only available for 2 years proving that the Harley buying public did not care about performance. It is a decent enough bike. Just not amazing in anyway. The best things I can say about it is that it looks awesome, its easy to customize (sorta as most things actually dont quite fit it), and it feels solid. But I miss my Triumph, which was cheaper (barely), faster, better handling, and just as good to look at. And the support from Triumph was much better (parts availability). I am thinking of selling my Street Rod and going back to Triumph, or perhaps trying one of the new BMWs. If you like the HD image, then fine, go for it. All bikes are fast enough...even a Ural so do not worry so much about performance. I do worry about safety and Harley is slowly making some headway there... but they are still behind the competition. Personally, I am disappointed with my Harley. It was too slow for my liking, poor after service, expensive parts, and lacked the overall sense of satisfaction I got from my Triumph (or even my Guzzi for that matter). But to each their own. All bikes are good. Just different bikes for different folks is all... and we have more choices now than ever before! So enjoy!

I don't know about this:barf:i've owned Triumph's notice the S Junk with a capital J only good fact they held the value:blahblah:Oh yea Harleys are Harleys the check don't get sent out of USA and they hold value better then most:chainsaw:

 

[KenG]

... they hold value better then most

:them:

NADA 2007 VRSCD looses 25% of their value where as a 2007 M109 lost 33% of its value. They are only worth what someone is going to pay, but at least an independent valuation company agrees that Vrods hold their value when compared to their closest competitor.