Issue 132 : December 2003 - January 2004
NEC Bike Show
KTM Adventure
Harley's V-Rod
Tigger Tribute
Harley Sportsters
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NEC Bike Show
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V-Rod
Harley Davidson was kind enough to invite me to test ride one of their motorcycles and for me the obvious choice was their latest creation, the new V-rod. The attraction was the promise of a Porsche designed engine, proper brakes (that stop) and a chassis that would allow me to go round corners - Japanese style! The V-rod also just happens to be the most expensive Harley, chiming in at a smidge under £15,000 for the Anniversary edition. Of course technology doesn't come cheap and the V-rod positively bristles with it. All my previous H-D associations are of a ponderous, underpowered, over-weight, over-engineered, over-chromed, posing machine, ridden by ponderous, overweight, middle-aged men. The marque holds little appeal for anyone who likes to cover distance quickly. Yes, I know I'm missing the point, but honestly, who would buy a modern car with the same attributes? As I leave Ballymena's Province Wide Harley-Davidson showroom, the V-rod feels really low to the ground and the riding position feels soooohh laid back. Town riding becomes a serious pose with the plethora of glass shop windows distracting me from what's happening out front. The rods low down torque permits the bike to remain in top gear between traffic lights and merely rolling the throttle surges me forward between the rows of turgid traffic. On a typical sports bike I would be constantly changing up and down the box to navigate the same roads. Cranked over, exiting the first roundabout on my V-rod and I open the throttle wide! The tail end of the V-rod slides sideways, spinning the rear wheel and leaving a black tyre mark on the road as it catapults me towards the exit. Could this Harley be my kind of bike? Wow! I reach the nearest 'A' road, joining the dual carriageway with aplomb and settle down to a 70mph cruise but I can't help rolling off the throttle, slowing down and then winding the throttle back up to sense the sheer torque provided by this cool looking bike. The beautifully designed and crafted instruments display both road and engine speed with a discreet LCD recording mileage. I am also conscious of the visual impact that the machine has on other road users. The headlight looks so other worldly and once along side, the shape of the sleek, silver tank, the solid aluminium wheels and those sweeping exhausts reinforce the belief that this is a special bike. My feet are positioned well forward, almost horizontally and it feels like my ankles are level with my backside. Being more used to a sports machine than a cruiser I find this is at odds with the V-rods sporty nature. The bars are fairly high and at 80 mph my jacket begins to act like a windsock, so 80mph by necessity becomes the optimum cruising speed. As I leave the 'A' road for a less busy 'B' road, I stop for a while just to admire the bike. It has a purity of line, as if every curve has a purpose and the combination of deep chrome, polished alloy and silver paint looks stunning. The tubular frame curves are complemented by neat welds at the triangulated headstock, adding to the almost organic look of the whole machine. Even the brake lines are shrouded in stainless steel and assist in hauling the Harley to a quick stop with a modest squeeze of the chunky polished alloy levers just like a sports bike!
A traditional belt drive system delivers power to the back wheel but the best part is that the chassis, brakes, tyres and suspension work in unity to control this power. The power is useable! When a low-slung bike like the V-rod is styled, compromises must be made, particularly with ground clearance. The rod is light years ahead of the rest of the range but it can still be touched down without too much effort. But once again, credit must be given for the amount of clearance that is available. The other area of compromise is the amount of fuel that can be carried in the small tank, which effectively restricts the bike to around 120 miles between fill-ups. I have spoken to a number of riders about my liking for the Vrod and invariably most sports bike riders express similar thoughts but interestingly, when I speak to a traditional H-D rider they are reserved in their praise for the machine. This I put down to the fact that the V-rod encourages a new breed of Harley rider and it's as if the V-rod rider is not playing the game. But wait a minute, isn't that the same game that the accountant, doctor or business executive plays, dressing up as a rebel and cruising the highway at the weekend? Yet here they are, the very same people reacting negatively to a machine in the Harley stable because the machine itself is perceived as a rebel? Despite the £5,000 entry level Sportster and the relatively low depreciation on a Harley, it must also be said that H-D bikes are expensive and that RUBs (rich urban bikers - those folks with plenty of disposable income) probably constitute the biggest sector of Harley's customer base but this brings with it a strong customer satisfaction philosophy. If you had just spent £15 big ones on a motorcycle you would expect excellent service and don't H-D know it! So in summary, when you buy a V-rod you are buying more than a lifestyle, you are buying a serious motorcycle. A motorcycle that can cover distance with ease and yet has the style to set it apart from the ordinary. I can't wait 'till Buell get hold of the V-rod power plant! Ride free
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Well for a day, Northern Ireland rep and sports bike rider Ian Churchill borrows a V-Rod.
Gears become virtually redundant on such a large V-twin and for many riders this is the joy of riding a Harley. The V-rod delivers torque in spades and could be compared to an air-cooled Harley on angel dust!