April 2008

[Buzz Kanter]

Back Me Up!
I enjoyed the article on the Lehman trike. Eight months ago, I had my '06 Fat Boy converted with a Lehman kit. One of the dealer-suggested options was a reverse gear. I would advise anyone contemplating this conversion to opt for this. Sure beats foot power backing up, especially on an upgrade. It offers stability, comfort, and a great solid ride for us aging Boomers. I expect to see a lot more in the future.
Martin J Pielech
Via Internet

Bill Werner
I saw the story on Bill Werner: the Winningest Tuner in AMA History. I met Bill in the early ‘60s and was more than impressed with his talent and ability. I have one correction to page 122 of the September ‘07 issue: in the picture from Elk Horn, Wisconsin, the caption reads, “Bill finished third behind Jack Warren.” Actually it was 20M -- Jack McNairy from Albuquerque, New Mexico. I later became national number 30. I am the one pictured walking with Bill wearing Apricot Gold and white leathers. If you have any questions, ask Bill, as we both remember the day well.
Jack H. McNairy
Albuquerque, New Mexico

Fix My Hog
In the November ’07 issue of your great magazine, Bob Heft wrote in the Letters section asking for information on how to service his 1999 Fat Boy. Bob indicated he had returned to motorcycle riding after a 30-year absence, and would like to work on his new-technology bike. You referred him to the H-D manuals, which is a good suggestion. Being of the same profile, I have found the new-technology DVDs from Fix My Hog (www.FixMyHog.com) to be invaluable when performing general service. They have a number of editions, including one specifically for Softails. Keep up the great articles and information.
Russ Bailey
Mattawan, Michigan

Make Mine Paper
Genevieve, thanks for validating my feelings about motorcycles and GPS. I am an airline pilot. I fly a Boeing 777 on international routes over the North Atlantic/Pacific and over the North Pole to Europe and Asia. The airplane has three GPS units and I can not imagine life without them. We program them on the ground, and if something has to be put in after takeoff and prior to 18,000’ the non-flying pilot does it. The theory is to fly the airplane first, and watch where you're going. Don't get distracted with the GPS. My wife's car has a GPS, and I can tell you from experience, driving and trying to program the GPS is not safe. Now you can get one for your motorcycle. No thanks; I'll pass. I believe that riding a motorcycle demands all of your attention and the distraction of a GPS takes your attention away from what you should be doing, which is operating your motorcycle. Fiddling with a GPS while riding is just asking for trouble. Even just looking down at it for a moment is a hazard. Look down once and that is going to be the time when a car makes a left-hand turn in front of you or a dog runs out into the street. There’s no room for error on a motorcycle.

I like maps, too. Especially on motorcycle road trips. Hey, if you can't pull over, look at your map, and know where you’re going for the next 100 miles or so, you’ve got big problems! My wife and I have been all over Colorado, down to Laughlin, Nevada, up to Sturgis, South Dakota, and up the Pacific Coast Highway on a motorcycle while using maps. By the time I needed to look at the maps, it was time to stretch my legs anyway.

As for your navigation problems with the GPS, remember, just like a computer, “Garbage in; garbage out.” Programmed correctly they are extremely accurate.
Roy Wilson
Denver, Colorado

Go Donny!
I’m glad to see Donny getting recognition from the readers. I have had the good fortune to have the Heavy Duty Cycles crew (Donny, Tony, and Steve) build and look after my bikes for a number of years. They never fail to offer good service and advice (often against their commercial interest) when a harebrained scheme for a bike does not make practical, rideable sense. I have had occasion, when thousands of miles from home, to speak with them at all times of the night or day to fix a problem when I was stuck on the road. They are always there for their customers. Readers should check out Donny's new definitive guide to the Twin Cam.
Philip Brent
Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Viva La V-Rod!
I have to tell you, I am disappointed with your 2008 V-Rod review, The Bike I Love to Hate. I thought your review was cursory and thoughtless. It isn't surprising. The ambivalence of most Harley traditionalists toward the V-Rod is pretty well established. It saddens me. The V-Rod was never aimed at the traditional Harley Big Twin cruiser rider, but rather it is aimed at riders of other makes who would never consider a traditional Big Twin.

The hostility some of Big Twin riders toward the V-Rod crowd is counterproductive, too. Harley is a business and needs to sell bikes to stay in business. The V-Rod could be a good thing for the Motor Company. The dealer three miles from where I live simply did not stock V-Rods – period -- and wanted nothing to do with them. I had to go south some 75 miles to another county to find the '07 Street Rod I bought last August. The ambivalence can likewise be seen in the complete lack of V-Rod tuning articles in the Harley enthusiast press. There are a bunch of creative V-Rod tuners, but you have to find them online, your magazine and others like yours do not cater to the V-Rod enthusiast.

The review was sloppy for several reasons. Only one of the three V-Rod models was reviewed, the VRSCAW. What about the D and DX? These bikes have distinctly different riding positions, the D has mid-controls and forward pegs. All three have different handlebar bends. If your writer didn't like the AW's bend, how about the bars on the DX? We don't know. The riding position was panned by a 6' 3" rider, who would be tough to fit on a great many bikes. Most riders find the V-Rod's forward controls a bit of a reach, so the P&A catalog offers a Reduced Reach Footpeg Kit. Some riders even find the V-Rod to be too tall, so Harley caters to them with the Reach Seat, lower and narrower in front so a short rider can place both feet on the ground. These riders like a bit more pullback on the bar as well. Likewise Harley sells a variety of seats to allow tall riders to tailor the bike to their frame, perhaps the Tallboy or the Sundowner rider seats would be more comfortable. The complaints about exhaust and wire front wheel likewise ignore the other two models. The D and DX both have a different cast wheel design and a different exhaust than the AW exhaust.

The complaint about the lack of a sixth speed displays the writer’s ignorance of modern short-stroke high-performance engines. I came to the V-Rod after a quarter century on BMWs, mostly K-100s, so the engineering of the bike is familiar to me. At 80 mph the engine is turning at 5000 rpm. This is ideal for one of these engines; spinning them slower will only increase wear. Yes, that is correct, spinning this sort of engine is good, lugging it down will increase wear and allow carbon to build up in the combustion chambers. This is typical of modern European Big Twins (think BMW, Aprilia, or Ducati). The V-Rod, being a product of German engineering, is identical. These bikes are certainly smoother at 5000 rpm than they are at 4000 rpm, so why reduce the rpm? V-Rod engines are nothing like a Big Twin, and demand a different riding style.

I guess I would have taken your writer more seriously had he mentioned the other models in the V-Rod family, and how their individual differences would affect those parts of the VRSCAW the writer criticized That he did not tells me that both he and this magazine really do not care. What a shame.
Phil Salvatore
Ridgecrest, California

Phil, let’s take your main points one at a time, okay? First off, the angle the writer takes in The Bike I Love to Hate, is totally tongue in cheek. It’s a joke. If you read the article without expecting to be skewered you’ll see he obviously doesn’t hate the bike. Sorry you missed that, but I can understand why since, as you explain in your letter, V-Rod riders don’t get much respect from the Big Twin guys. For that matter, neither do a lot of Sportster or Buell guys, so you’re in good company, if that stuff matters to you.

As for doing only one bike in the review, we always only do one bike per review. It’s not a slight against V-Rod guys, it how we do our reviews. Nor do we compare one model against another, but I’ll take that one under consideration.

We know you have to rev them up over 5000 to feel the engine’s power. The desire for a sixth gear is
not to drop the rpm. We’re not asking for a lazy six-speed, one with an overdrive. We think a performance six-speed, like the one in the 2007 and 2008 Big Twins with a top gear that’s a 1:1 ratio, would give the bike longer legs. With most of the performance two-wheel world running sixers, it seems odd to us that H-D’s newest and boldest venture is still stuck with a five-speed. However, this may be the Motor Company’s way of limiting liability – limit the top end of the bike.

As for not caring about V-Rods, no way kemosabi! Buzz has been out on the V-Rod forum (though I don’t know how he has the time!) trying to scare up some customs to feature. I’ve also been looking whenever I’m at bike show, but we haven’t found much to feature. We’re also starting to look into doing an engine build on a V-Rod.

Phil, don’t take this as a snotty response, since it’s not meant that way. We don’t have a lot of V-Rod coverage cause we don’t get a lot in. I’m expecting that to change once this hits the newsstands, though. What do you think? -- Chris