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José_quiñones
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 05:22 pm: | 
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wonder who the rider is, did they get Trip to ride it for the video?
Yep the videos are cool, fun to see such a long, heavy cruiser hustling around the turns like that. |
Bigj
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 05:48 pm: |
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So, Jose, since you own a V-Rod, will these changes be significant?  |
José_quiñones
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 06:15 pm: |
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You should see what's going on at vrodforums.com!
You'd think it was the shovelhead owners bitching about the new evo!
My personal opinion.
This bike fixes the top four complaints that customers/reviewers had about the A model.
1. more gas capacity
2. more ground clearance
3. better handling, particularly eliminating the sail effect of that front wheel.
4. An ignition key position that made more sense
Take those four complaints and add them to the VRSCA and you get the VRSCR. The only tradeoff I really see are the additional weight (about 20 pounds) and the 30 inch seat height. That will be a show stopper for some people.
I love it, I kind of wish I had not bought my used 03 six months ago, had I not I would have put a deposit on this today.
So now I'm debating turning my current VROD into this via the aftermarket and some customizing or just trading/selling it and getting this one. |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 06:39 pm: |
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quote:Yep the videos are cool, fun to see such a long, heavy cruiser hustling around the turns like that.
Point taken, but how well a professional rider can make a bike do that is not what I am concerned about. I regularly had my ••• handed to me through the twisties by a guy on an XR-650 with knobbies.
I want to know how *I* could hustle it through the twisties.
But again, point taken, I am not even remotely the demographic for this bike. At the pricepoint this thing has to hit, they could not build one that would interest me. It will be a great bike for others. |
José_quiñones
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 06:45 pm: |
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It's fun to pass people in the turns on my Vrod.... It's all about the rider on the street.
I can pass some people, but most competent sport bike riders have nothing to worry about my Vrod and I in the twisties.
On my S3 I can pass even more people, but I kind of had an "epiphany" after the BRAG Boone Rally and I don't really like agressive street riding anymore on my S3. I'll take it to the track for that.
My VROD lets me ride hard and have fun on the street, but at 6 or 7/10'ths pace instead of at 8 - 9/10ths like I was on the S3.
This new bike would make it easier for me though.
(Message edited by josé_quiñones on January 24, 2005) |
Cataract2
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 07:07 pm: |
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I like it. Especially the mid mount controls. That was needed for some time. I think this could do really well. It will handle well in corners and has plenty of straight line power with a cruiser feel. Best of both worlds I think. I can't wait to test ride it. |
Steve_a
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 07:43 pm: |
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I've ridden it. It's no sportbike -- that phrase is the first one used by any Harley person who discusses the Street Rod -- but the riding position is about like a Cyclone's, with narrower, lower bars. You have to crank it over a long way before the peg feelers drag, much further than a V-Rod. Steering is exceptionally heavy at high speed, something you might expect with a 19-inch front wheel, 4.3-inches of trail and a 30 degree head angle. It's not unlike a 1973 Ducati 750 in those dimensions, and if you value stability over maneuverability, you'll like its handling. At low speeds, under 55, it turns much easier and with less of that fall-in feel of the V-Rod. Fuel capacity is up, but because of high consumption, range is no better than with an XB. It was built primarily for the European market, and it will be interesting to see how it sells. Price is $16,500 here, and only slightly more than a Dyna in Europe.
Wheelbase is an inch shorter at 66.6 inches than that of a VRSC-A or -B, and wet weight is slightly more because of the extra 9-10 pounds of gasoline. The engine power and feel are the bike's best attributes, but partially negated by its 600 pounds. It's an OK bike, but if you want one don't ride it back to back with a CityX. You'll question what you're getting for the additional $8,000. Certainly fewer wheelies and brakies.  |
Steve_a
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 07:45 pm: |
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Oh, one more thing: the Street Rod injection isn't nearly as dialed in as that of the 2005 Buells. The more I ride 2005 XBs, the more impressed I am with the injection calibration. I don't think any motorcycle out there has better drivability. |
Cataract2
| | Posted on Monday, January 24, 2005 - 08:47 pm: |
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I don't stunt so wheelies and brakies are a moot point to me. I like comfort for long rides with good/great handling. My City X covers all that, but, since I like to have varity and some days I just like to cruise I would like a bike to fill that. Hence, the Street Rod. It will cover that, while not forcing me to give up all the things I love about bikes. Besides, it just looks cool. I can't wait to test ride one. |
Choptop
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 12:06 am: |
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cough!!!V-max!!!cough!!!! |
Evaddave
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 12:45 am: |
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The fuel gauge is about the same size as the tach. Is that a message?
It looks like they borrowed a page from Buell's playbook by putting the gas tank under the seat. Mass centralization and all that stuff.
The license plate/turn signal holder looks like it was inspired by the Blast.
This is now one of my favorite Harleys, but I still like the looks of Outrider's avatar better.  |
Mutt2jeff
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 01:33 am: |
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VROD gas tanks have always been under the seat. |
Evaddave
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 08:44 am: |
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oops...didn't do my homework. thanks for the correction. |
Dale
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 09:18 am: |
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The new v-rod is nice. It has a motor that I but 81000 miles on with no problems. However 40 degrees is not 50. |
Outrider
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 09:50 am: |
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LMAO...I like my Avatar better too!
Dave Stueve sent me a note praising the ride he had on the Street Rod yesterday and simply said I need to take it for a spin to check out the grin factor.
Sounds like a rational statement to me. I just need to see one first so I can get a better feel for the bike's aesthetics. HD's video caught my attention but the 360 degree view was a bit of an ergonomic turn off.
Ergonomically speaking, it may be just a matter of swapping out handlebars for something taller and wider as I liked the Butt-to-Bars ergos of the original V-Rod. Concerning the aesthetics, I am still in the wait and see mode.
As before, I still think that the parts and accessories that will follow from both Harley and the Aftermarket just might make this a "Must Have" bike for me. Time will tell. |
Glitch
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 01:24 pm: |
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I want to know how *I* could hustle it through the twisties.
I talked to Cameron yesterday. We'll have one or two during March Badness. Weekend of March 18th at T.W.O. in Suches Georgia. Best twisties south of the Great Smokies! Come on down, I'll set you up. |
Outrider
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 03:22 pm: |
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Ok, the Street Rod is beginning to grow on me thanks to HD's excellent website. The videos, pics and specs are pretty cool.
Does anyone have a clue as to when the Street Rod is scheduled to hit the showroom floor...especially in the Milwaukee area?
Additionally, does anyone know if HD will show it at the Chicago IMS? |
Steve_a
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 03:56 pm: |
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It you're insisting upon a sporty Harley, the Street Rod fits the bill. Don Canet at CW compared its ground clearance to a Yamaha FZ-1, and it will lean over as far as you need to go on the street. Its power and handling are more competitive with Japanese and European bikes than with any other Harley. However, on a track day, or a really twisty back road, a 984 XB with an equal rider will smoke it.
I'm six-foot, and I could touch the ground with both feet readily. The bike felt tall and heavy, particularly when I was trying to maneuver it in the garage or driveway from the seat. The high seat gives the Street Rod a unique feel: every other Harley places you down in the bike, while I felt like I was sitting atop the Street Rod. Not necessarily good or bad, just very different.
The rear subframe is all new, raising the seat to make room for the pegs below, for higher mufflers, and for a larger fuel tank. I really doubt if many parts will retrofit to V-Rods without doing a frame swap, though I'm sure a clever person will figure some way to graft the front end on.
(Message edited by steve_a on January 25, 2005) |
Gowindward
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 04:22 pm: |
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Okay Street Rods follow us! 
It looks like another Muscle Cruiser |
Bigj
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 05:07 pm: |
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Steve_a,
Where did you see the Canet comment? |
Steve_a
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 05:15 pm: |
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April issue of CW -- it might be awhile before it's out. |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 05:18 pm: |
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BigJ... I would bet he heard it talking to the guy over lunch time. Steve_a is special |
Outrider
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 07:21 pm: |
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SteveA...Thanks for the information. Also good to hear what Don's comments were about the bike. God knows Canet doesn't sugar coat a thing. Not to mention he doesn't use Bill Clinton's "Double Speak Technique" like the schmuck that just did the MT-01 first ride report. LOL
You mentioned top heavy. Was it flickable in the tight stuff with assumed extra effort in the countersteering department? I imagine you can really flog it and enjoy smooth transitions if you know the road.
I know what you mean about sitting on vs in a bike. I usually modify mine ergonomically to get the in feeling as it is much more confidence inspiring when the feces hits the fan. Oh heck, I already to that with the Wide Glide and the Street Rod definitely would make a great stable mate.
Will have to take a serious look at this bike when it hits the showrooms. Right now, it looks like different handlebars and some custom fabricated body work just might make me happy after all.
Still, the thought of flogging a 16.5 Grand bike (if you can get one at MSRP) like I do my X1 in the tight stuff and gravel/sand covered corners is a little concerning. Heck, parts for the Buell are cheap. However, I get the feeling that the Street Rod parts won't be.
Am almost thinking that I should persuade one of my friends for HD to get one as this years employee bike and then pick it up at a discount when they sell in the fall. That is how I got my Wide Glide and I saved about as much as the seller made on the deal.
Hmmm...wonder what bar they are hanging out at tonight. LOL |
José_quiñones
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 07:33 pm: |
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Just wait, you should be able to get them below MSRP if you are patient.
Question for SteveA, How did the bike react to crosswinds? That's a common complaint from VRSCA&B owners, it becomes a handful in crosswinds or behind a truck on the interstate. Everybody blames the solid wheel/rake combination, so this bike should be better with the lighter spoked wheel and tigher rake. |
Outrider
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 07:50 pm: |
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FYI...Motorcycle Online has a piece on the Street Rod. Not much editorial work as it pretty much parrots what HD said about the Street Rod.
However, more importantly, they have lots of pics that you can download and do what you want with. One in particular that I found interesting is the side ergonomic view.
They also have same sized pics of the V-Rod for Comparison as well at the spec sheet. |
Outrider
| | Posted on Tuesday, January 25, 2005 - 08:21 pm: |
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Just read a comparo on Motorcycle Online of the original V-Rod and Yamaha's Warrior. Is pretty easy to see that the Street Rod was designed to be positioned against the Warrior.
In essence, that leaves the radical MT-01 in a field by itself. That is unless the Street Rod is positioned to go up against both bikes. You know, sort of a dual purpose (sic) bike. |
Glitch
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 09:15 am: |
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That is unless the Street Rod is positioned to go up against both bikes.
Why not? |
Outrider
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 12:57 pm: |
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Glitch...I contend that, in reference to style and handling, there is a big difference between the Warrior and the MT-01. One is drag oriented and the other is more geared to the corners. Without putting too much conjecture into it, I think I will wait until the shootouts hit the MC Mags. Whew, did I get myself out of that one? All of a sudden I feel like I just picked up on Bill Clinton's Double Speak technique. Yikes!
In reference to the Street Rod, it doesn't matter where it fits into the competitive picture as HD has to continue to develop Revo powered line that will eventually replace the Twin Cam line as the EPA makes it more difficult for the Twin Cam to conform to future regulations.
Having checked out the photo gallery on the V-Rod Forum ( http://www.v-rodforums.com/? ) I have seen a number of concept baggers and cruisers based on the V-Rod that are really nice and would ease the markets transition from Twin Cam to Revo quite nicely. Thus, Commonality of Parts and subassemblies is crucial to future profits with the Revo line of products.
Bottom line is I think HD did an excellent job on the Street Rod even though it doesn't meet my personal styling criteria at the moment. Then, as I mentioned before, the Street Rod is growing on me and I feel compelled to see what both HD and the Aftermarket cook up for parts and accessories. Either that or attempt to get the look that I would like by designing a few body parts of my own, eh?
In closing, I wonder what HDI will do about the Sportster/Buell engines over the next five years. Erik's comments have led us to believe that the Buell specific engines conform to the foreseeable Federal EPA Regulations during this time frame and I have no reason to doubt him. However, CARB is on a never ending Witch Hunt to rid the world of the smog problem and I don't expect them to stop now. Therefore, I feel it is safe to assume that HDI is working on a new generation of Sportster/Buell engines that can conform to the nebulous (read: beyond 2010 Fed EPA regs). Fortunately, they have plenty of time to do so. |
Mikej
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 01:06 pm: |
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"Fortunately, they have plenty of time to do so."
Not really, I'm working on 2008 stuff now with 2009/10 stuff starting to appear in the queue. And if the game changes between now and then, especially likely with a change in government, 2010 could become even more ominous. |
Mikej
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 01:36 pm: |
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http://www.twin-performance.nl/showmodels.htm
scroll down the page some:
 |
Steve_a
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 01:39 pm: |
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Cross-wind sensitivity on the part of the Street Rod is probably better than the V-Rod, but I wasn't in a particular situation where I said, "Hmm, this is good in cross winds." I did ride it during some of our S. Calif. January storms, the wind was blowing, and I didn't notice any problems -- except the long wheelbase contributes to a lack of rear traction in the rain because it cuts down on weight transfer during acceleration. Then again, the wheelbase slows response, so a rear tire sliding wasn't a big deal.
As for steering, the Street Rod steered fairly lightly in low speed going, 35 to 50 mph corners. As speed increased, the steering got very heavy, and at speeds well over the limit I wanted much wider handlebars. You're never going to get this bike through a high-speed "S" quickly -- unless you're built like Hulk Hogan.
And from conversations with both Erik and top level Harley engine people, I think you can count on air-cooled engines staying in Harley's and Buell's future indefinitely. Harley can meet any anticipated noise or emission law with air-cooled engines, and the engineering tools to further improve noise and exhaust emissions just keep improving. If there's a shift to water-cooling, it will be for marketing or higher specific power, not simply to comply with regulations. In other words, I expect air-cooled Big Twins and air-cooled Buells to be with us as far out as I can see. Which doesn't rule out expansions of either range as with the Revolution engine.
But anyone waiting on a Revolution-powered Buell might want to put in an order on a home fusion powerplant at the same time. I have a good idea which one you'll get first, and you'll really appreciate the lower electric bills. |
Outrider
| | Posted on Wednesday, January 26, 2005 - 02:11 pm: |
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SteveA...Agree with the unlikelihood of a Revo powered Buell. The unitized design of the Sportster based engine is about as big as you can get without a major redesign which would effect all the geometry that gives it the handling benefits we currently enjoy.
I would imagine that if the Buell division had any aspirations towards improving engine performance, it would be to increase the output in order to compete on the track with the other Big Bore V-Twin's. Owning the corners is great in the real world, but dropping back in the straights (on the track) is a tad disappointing.
As I don't do track days anymore, I enjoy my X1 in the twisties and keep my speed in the straights (where the radar is) near the legal limit, I don't need anything more in the performance department. I am more concerned with handling and my personal opinion of style.
FYI, when I first moved to South OC, I almost filled my pants the first time I experienced the Santa Ana's whipping down the canyons. Something about riding on a an ever changing 0 to 40 degree angle leaning into the wind just to go straight and not get blown into the oncoming lane much less crash with all that dirt and sand blowing was a little unnerving for a Midwestern Boy. Took a while to get used to it. God, I miss living there. This Winter in Wisconsin thing sucks and the wet seasons aren't too much better. LOL |
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