V-Rod Opinion
Harley V-RodDiscuss V-Rod Opinion in the Motorcycles forums; I wanted to share the guest column we ran in American Iron Magazine www.aimag.com last month by Max Millender about V-Rods.
In case you missed it in print here it ...
I wanted to share the guest column we ran in American Iron Magazine www.aimag.com last month by Max Millender about V-Rods.
In case you missed it in print here it is. I am curious how you respond to it?
In it’s sixth year of production, the question is no longer whether the V-Rod will be a success, but rather, could there a V-Rod in your future? It’s always been a bike that people love or hate; either way, people have strong opinions about it. The V-Rod tried to break into the H-D family and its rich tradition, when the bike was a mechanical and stylistic departure in many ways. So how do you go from Willie G’s “potato-potato” to sweet potato pie?
I’m not sure that Harley-Davidson was really trying to make a bike for its tried and true customers. After all, when the V-Rod was released in 2002, if you wanted a new Harley-Davidson, you still had to get in line and pay the price. Instead, I think H-D was trying to bring in new consumer blood. The V-Rod doesn’t look like a traditional Harley; it certainly doesn’t sound like a traditional Harley with its 60-degree V-twin. The water-cooled engine is, of course, the greatest change for H-D’s traditional customer. No matter what, the V-Rod stands out among the manufacturer’s other bikes, and is unmistakably different in many ways. While it doesn’t look like a standard Harley, it has undeniable style and that unique Willie G. Davidson signature.
In hindsight, perhaps one of the biggest difficulties the V-Rod had was winning the hearts and minds of those who sold it. I’ve heard salespeople tell customers that the V-Rod isn’t a real Harley-Davidson. In defense of the salespeople, I couldn’t sell anything I didn’t believe in. I guess this is the reason I’ve never worked in sales. Perhaps I initially viewed the bike differently than those responsible for V-Rod sales, as I could look at the bike with a less biased view than those who’d been around H-Ds for years.
So the question remains, who is the average V-Rod owner? Well, after five years of running one of the largest V-Rod Internet sites in the world, and asking that very question, I still don’t have a satisfactory answer. No doubt a fair number of the V-Rod owners, like myself, came from other makes of bikes. Many V-Rod owners are first-time riders, but now, as the V-Rod line has matured and Harley has refined it, we’re starting to see more loyal H-D riders, as well as younger riders, come on board. One thing for sure, the bike is evolving, and those in the aftermarket industry are starting to take notice. The V-Rod is going to be around in some form or fashion for many years to come.
As I approach the sixth year of ownership of my trusty 2002 V-Rod, it’s proven to be the most dependable bike I’ve ever owned. I won’t mention the names of all the other models in my past, but I will say that none have gone 65,000 miles with as few problems as the V-Rod. While I’ve spent a great deal of time working on the bike, it hasn’t been for failures, but rather to make the bike truly my own. You know what I mean: seat, handlebars, controls, wheels, gauges, and, of course, a turbo charger. As with any Harley-Davidson, part of the allure is to make the bike a statement of how I feel, what I want to say, and, in part, just to make it fit my body like a glove.
I know that even after six years, I can’t stop for gas, go to a store or even stop at a red light without getting some kind of response from those who see my bike. I hope that, in a small way, my V-Rod has helped to open the eyes of a few as to what is possible. You can’t imagine how surprised I was when I rode the bike to a dealer 45 miles away, entered it in a show with more than 100 bikes, and won the People’s Choice award. In fact, a group of V-Rod owners met at the dealership and had a crowd gathered around them the entire day. Most folks hadn’t considered what was possible with these bikes because the bikes weren’t around enough to see what was being done.
It still comes down to a question of why it’s been so hard for the dedicated Harley enthusiast to welcome the V-Rod. Well, it’s because of change. After all, we become comfortable with what we know and understand, and sometimes change isn’t the easiest thing to accept. Maybe some see the V-Rod as a threat to Harley’s established heritage. Change isn’t always a bad thing though, and the VRSC line has now proven to be a worthy heir to the bloodline of its cycling forefather. There’s nothing wrong with holding onto a past so rich with tradition, but the future is coming, and the V-Rod (while not the exact bike you might be after) may just be the proving ground for Harley-Davidson’s move into that future. The Motor Company showed it could compete in the twenty-first century with a revolutionary new product; one capable of delivering style and performance.
__________________ Buzz Kanter
Editor-in-Chief, American Iron Magazine
It seems weird to keep hearing "please like the V- Rod". It sounds like for H.D. , that's where their future is going. But other people will step into the void they leave. Some folks just like air/oil cooled engines and think that's a proper motorcycle engine.
I think Max's article is a good one. It challenges the reader to stop and think about something that they may have made a snap decision on. When a company makes a product that people either love or hate, it evokes strong emotion. In my thought, it means they got it right.
Sometimes I live in my myopic little world, surrounded by people who think and believe the same as I do. I spend alot of time on 1130cc.com.
I guess that's why I like coming here to see other points of view. I'm decidedly biased, so I'm also interested in hearing what the true blood HD faithful have to say about the VRSC family of motorcycles.
Buzz, that's very well put IMO. Who can deny the V-Rod's a great bike & already a classic in the making. As for me, a highly content 2004 Low Rider owner, I would very much enjoy having one as well as having a 1200 Sporty Custom but I'd hate to give up ol' Harley to have either one of them.
If only there were room in an already crowed garage . . .
I have recently purchased a 2005 V-Rod (9000 Miles). It runs like, and looks like new. The best part was the person I purchased this bike from had already done some of the mods I would have done. The bike is great!! I have been, for years, a rice rocket rider. But always wanted a Harley (yes, an air cooled, heavy, slow, noisy type). After hearing all the horror stories of owning one, one was not in my future. Then came the V-Rod, Fast, low, and long, with a reputation for having a great water cooled engine. That was the Harley for me. Now that I have one, I can not tell you how happy I am. Yes, some of the older Harley riders look at me, shake there heads, then try to rumble off. But since my bike has Screaming Eagle pipes, I just rumble right past them. At then next light, a big smile and a big head nod of acceptance, if not a 40 question session about the bike. Harley Davidson has done a great (yet again) marketing thing. They have built a bike that challenges the old ways of thinking, and has turned the "REBEL" spirit back on. Now the air cooled V-Twin in the standard and the Water cooled Evo is the rebel! See no Evo, Hear no Evo, Ride no Evo, that is the kind of thing people use to say about rock and roll. It was Evo (evil) too... http://www.aimag.com/forums/images/smilies/cool.gif
Max did the V-rod, and himself, justice with article. There is no doubt he has been carrying the V-rod flag for quite a while. I'm a convert. I saw the show on Discovery. It was interestering watching the development of the bike. I didn't think much of bike, but it was a good show. I also got to watch the development of the UH-60, AH-64 and V-22 first-hand. I like machines. Anyway, we didn't think we wanted a V-rod. It was purely by accident that we rode one. Had HD brought the rest of the line, not just Buells and V-rods, to a particular show we would probably have a Dyna or a Soft Tail. Instead, my wife insisted we "ride something" so the rep got to know us and put us on a Night Rod saying "this is the only bike in the world built with you two in mind. He was right. What Max and the other "founding V-rodders" have accomplished is extraordinary. Not it's up to the rest of us to spread the gospel. It's amazing how often we do it without saying a word. Most often the bike just sitting on the jiffy stand speaks volumes.
__________________ Cody
"I often question my sanity. It never answers."
06 VRSCD
There is enough room in my garage for another bike. When I bought the night train, I figured a used sport bike would be the next logical purchase to add to the stable. The more and more I look at the Night Rod, the more my thinking is changing. My next purchase more then likely will be the Night Rod, just have to find a way to pull that off with the wife.
If your planning on a nightrod then better consider one soon, that is if you can get a D. Lots of rumors that Harley will be discontinuing the D for 09 and from the ratio of D to Dx this in fact may be true. After analyzing Harley's sales I would expect the D to be replaced by a DxM (DX with mid controls). This will effectively increase the cost of the bike by approximately $2000.00 (14995 - 16695) and at the same time require no retooling or any additional expense and provide savings by eliminating one line. This also fits with the night style bikes that are currently being promoted.
It seems that regardless of what bike manufacturers produce, the public will want to change it. Offer forward controls, and they will change it to mids. Offer black power coat and they want chrome. So expect to see chrome options available for the Dx and DxM.
V-Rod Opinion 
As a new V-Rod owner and old time rider.. 
Vin2k 
Offer black power coat and they want chrome.
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