It's a good fit for the market it is trying to get into. A Harley sport bike rice burner. Very smooth, sport bike seating which takes getting used to, amazing brakes, quiet (humbug), very light hydraulic clutch, and of course the 11K red line. I never got into the torque curve until we accelerated onto the interstate. Pulls like crazy at 9 or 10 grand but our bikes have a lot more torque down low. Cranked up to about 90 I think in no time and was very smooth, no handle bar buzz. I'm tall enough I couldn't read the upper part of the speedo, which is where the needle was sitting, and the tach is small and also at a lousy angle.

Everything feels refined. Quiet smooth shifts, no clunks (this can't be a HARLEY), can barely hear the motor, smooth on and off throttle with the efi, big tank your knees clamp right on to.

It was a rush and I'm glad to have done it but I wouldn't trade my bike for it. (Well, I guess I would but I'd sell the streetrod, buy mine back and pocket 8K in the process).

Still hooked on the Vtwin

I rode one there are a lot of fun. I hit the rev limiter 3 time on the short ride they took us on.

I tested out a regular V-Rod and had many of the same impressions as you- very smooth and refined, definitely a 'Harley' in the traditional sense, but it IS a Harley. I really like it, it's what the V-rod should have been from the start.

Everything feels refined. Quiet smooth shifts, no clunks (this can't be a HARLEY)
Well, actually it's been co-designed by Harley Davidson and Porsche so I guess it's a "Harley-Porsche" :laugh

It's a good fit for the market it is trying to get into. A Harley sport bike rice burner. Very smooth, sport bike seating which takes getting used to, amazing brakes, quiet (humbug), very light hydraulic clutch, and of course the 11K red line. I never got into the torque curve until we accelerated onto the interstate. Pulls like crazy at 9 or 10 grand but our bikes have a lot more torque down low. Cranked up to about 90 I think in no time and was very smooth, no handle bar buzz. I'm tall enough I couldn't read the upper part of the speedo, which is where the needle was sitting, and the tach is small and also at a lousy angle.

Everything feels refined. Quiet smooth shifts, no clunks (this can't be a HARLEY), can barely hear the motor, smooth on and off throttle with the efi, big tank your knees clamp right on to.

It was a rush and I'm glad to have done it but I wouldn't trade my bike for it. (Well, I guess I would but I'd sell the streetrod, buy mine back and pocket 8K in the process).

Still hooked on the Vtwin

You're right - it doesn't do what the Sportster does on the low end - stock - but after you remap the EFI and remove the airbox cover, it's probably neck and neck with a stock Sporty. That also takes care (strangely) of a lot of the noise issues, in that you have a lot of induction noises that make you sound more like a muscle car.

I think eventually the aftermarket will come up with muffler solutions that make you sound a little more "like a Harley", but the issue really is: It's not a TC or an Evo - you don't ride it like one (Never shift below 5500, cruise at 4500) - if it was as loud as an Airhead or a Sporty, you'd be pulled over in a second. Stock mufflers with the airbox cover off suits me just fine, thank you!

Definitely not a bike for everyone, just like the Sporty, but I'm really happy with mine - I was just too big for my 1200R - this bike fits me just fine - with room to spare!

I saw & heard one with drag pipes on it the other day.
Very loud but it still didn't really sound like a traditional Harley.

I wonder how the Screamin' Eagle V-Rods are?

HD Screamin' Eagle V-Rod (http://www.harley-davidson.com/PR/MOT/CVOP/2006/en/06_VRSCSE.asp?locale=en_US&bmLocale=en_US&WebLogicSession=Cp3UVaz12RGMaowr2pH3teBRKmTJIZjQmJ t7aJZxF4KqVmq2B1xD!2135478183!181237812!7005!8005&HDCWPSession=Cp3WvlfJ655bLfLzbmCn2pjhZ9HK0NCygp2TG 3ZntyzTMkjJVLD5!-2108674668!-1931940399&nickname=Gut)

http://a1264.g.akamai.net/7/1264/734/0c9f15b07dbbd6/resource.harley-davidson.com/PR/MOT/CVOP/2006/images/en/img_vrscse2_closeup.jpg

They had one in orange on the floor when I picked up my bike. Very sharp ride. If I was to ever upgrade to another HD from my 1200R that bike would be on the short list.

Hey Peter where did you ride it? TwinStates?

Well, actually it's been co-designed by Harley Davidson and Porsche so I guess it's a "Harley-Porsche" :laugh
hmmm I always wanted a harley and a porsche.

Still hooked on the Vtwin


VROD is still a V-twin :)

How was the exhaust note? Does it sound like a Harley or would it sound much better with some pipes on it? (Probably a silly question)

How was the exhaust note? Does it sound like a Harley or would it sound much better with some pipes on it? (Probably a silly question)


Actually, you'll find that the exhaust, especially when new, is nearly silent. As the bike breaks in it gets a little rumbly, but as I said, the manner in which you ride it is so different - you wouldn't want it to sound "like a Harley" (though it is a Harley, so it sounds like a Harley. :doh )

There are aftermarket pipes for the V_Rod which coudl be adapted for the Street Rod that would give you a very loud exhaust note. But why would you want to? This bike is meant to be ridden hard, all the way to the red line, in town. I don't want to be pulled over all the time for pipes - everyone's clamping down. It does have a great muscle car kinda sound - perfect for round town riding.

John, Yes at Twin States. They have a demo w/ a plate. Just ask Terry and you're good to go.
Pipes. There was a rumble as you got up into the torque curve, quiet but nice. I prefer the "don't try to be something different then what you are " approach. No point in making a water cooled, higher reving bike try to pretend it's an air cooled Vtwin.
It offers it's on good stuff. And as we all know Harley needs to get into the younger sport bike market.
My biggest complaint was probably not being able to read the guages, particularly at speed. Racing old british sports cars 35 years ago taught me to live by the tach and that's how I drive. I've never hit the limiter on my Sporty, if I'm pushing it and having fun I shift at the top of the torque curve which is a few 100 RPM's below the limiter. Just my thing and I enjoy it. Not better or worse then other styles but doesn't work well if you can't read the tach. At least not until you really learn the sounds.
-Peter