| Author | Message | ||
     Thin_air |
My buddy just picked up a V-Rod and is talking all kinds of smack. Can I beat him in a drag race? Not worried about the twisties, he is a sissy and even if his V Toad was faster he sure isn't. Don't want to give him the pleasure of beating me in a straight line. We are supposed to go to Half Moon Bay for the Concord De Elegance bike show Friday (anyone else going). If he does I guess I will have to go home and break out the 117" FXDX TA | ||
| Jimidan |
Do not drag race with that man on your stock XB...his V-rod will dust your butt. Keep it on the twisties where max HP is not the only factor...it is your strength. jimidan | ||
| Debueller |
V-rods are very quick in the 1320. (sub 12's are common) Unless you are a much better rider, the V-rod will have it's way with a Buell in the 1/4 mile. They are, after all, a power cruiser. And a good one at that. But in real world riding, the Buell will mop the floor with a V-rod. | ||
| Thin_air |
my bike isn't stock, gutted airbox, racetuner and D&D exhaust, am I still in trouble? he has a 06 bone stock with the 1130 motor. | ||
| Scott_in_nh |
On paper the V-Rod is definitely quicker so do not get into a rolling start with him! Instead, get a front end strap for your bike, go out to the local dragstrip and practice standing starts until you got it down. Then ask him out to the track and have your way with him at least until he figures it out (a lot of riders, particularly HD riders never do!). I've beaten or at least run with many V-rods at the drags with my stock S3 (11.71 et)! Taking on quicker bikes with slower riders is one of my favorite sports at the strip  If you have to do it on the street, a standing start holeshot is still your best bet and keep it short - like 1/8 mile so he doesn't have time to chase you down! Be sure to practice 1st and don't forget the strap - it is good for about 2 tenths! | ||
| 12r |
Can I beat him in a drag race? No. They launch very hard and are surprisingly quick in a straight line. Allegedly | ||
| Spike |
Ditto what these guys said- The v-rod will certainly walk away from your XB12 in a straight line, and the long wheelbase means he doesn't have to fight wheelies to get it off the line. On the other hand, if he isn't much of a rider then even with the long wheelbase he might still not be able to get his v-rod off the line quickly. The XB12 definitely has a power advantage off the bottom, so if you get a good launch you can probably hold him off for a gear or two. If you stay at it long enough he'll eventually catch and pass you, but at least you can make him work for it. | ||
| Blasterd |
Well I dusted one on the way back from a bike night once. | ||
| Cobradave93 |
If you check the charts in the back of Motorcyclist magazine, they state for performance #'s of both (in corrected 1/4 mile times) 03 XB12s 11.38 02 Vrod 11.31 It all comes down to the rider. | ||
| Cochise |
Take it from somebody who knows. If you take off too hard you may do an inadvertant backflip. TRUST me  | ||
| Bads1 |
Cobradave93, The mag does read that. But one thing it says is.....a 03 XB12S??? There was no 03 but there was an 04. And two it lists the 02 V-Rod and the HP has been bumped quite some since. But to beat a V-Rod out of the hole on a XB is damn near impossible and that is where most drag races are won. | ||
| Xbeater |
You really overestimate your machine, mate. You've got a nice stunt bike, but it's not in the same league. It's possible that a tricycle could get the best hole shot against a Ferrari, but does that nanosecond make it the faster machine? If he is able to get his VRod started, he will eat your lunch. Have fun, but leave your pink slip at home. | ||
| Roadrailer |
Remind your friend that any idiot can go fast in a straight line. Then kick him in the nuts, and laugh.  | ||
| Rich |
Next time you're riding with him, JUMP ON IT! Then, we'll know. I'd say you have a good chance. | ||
| Smitty808 |
I have spanked a couple of them stoplight to stoplight with my S1. They jump out off the line, while I am sitting on the bars, trying to keep it down...then I reel them in. Try it on the way there, if he wins, take the curvy roads on the way back home | ||
| Buellerandy |
The question I'd like to throw in the mix is power vs. weight...dry weight for a 12s is 395, dry weight for v-rod 618. I've seen v-rods get spanked at open houses when they strap their bikes down on the dyno trailer against Buells for a 1/4 mile run. (course in real life you have to hang off the handlebars to keep the front end down)But I'v only dragged against 2 on the street and the rider ability was definitely not there both times...so thats just my 2 cents. | ||
| Cowboy |
I own one of each the Buell is my favorite bike and a lot more fun to ride, But the V-Rod will kick the Buells butt most of the time. It will kick the Buells ass every time it is roled on from 20 to 30 MPH. | ||
| Rick_a |
Comes down to rider skill IMO. Generally the V-Rod wins, but in skilled hands it's anyone's race. Reminds me of watching the All Harley drags... Sportsters VS Buells. When well matched (and without wheelie bars, I.E. the Hot Street class), the Sporty's would always get the jump but the Buells would always catch up near the end of the strip. | ||
| Cobradave93 |
Bads1 I think it was an 04 xb12s, but the test was in late 03. | ||
| Scott_in_nh |
No matter how much easier it should be to launch a V-Rod over any Buell, there are still plenty of riders who can't do it. Those who say it isn't possible to beat one have probably never actually raced at a drag strip. I've defeated riders on older GSXR-600's. Katana 600's, TL-1000's, Kawi ZRX-1100, V-Rod's, countless custom v-twins....All undeniably "quicker" bikes! Hell, I've beaten guys on Busas to 60' (better light plus decent 60' time = getting there 1st!)! That's why I say to secretly practice and lure him to the track. Strapping the front end is a necessity! Remember, there is no shame in losing to a faster machine, but there is plenty in losing to a slower one! | ||
| Buellerandy |
Hey Scott, Just wanted to let you know I'm quoting you on that lol! | ||
| Bads1 |
Scott you are correct. But inreality the V-Rod is a easier bike to launch because of its weight and length and there fore is faster in the 1/4. If the comparison is which bike is faster,the V-Rod has got it. If your comparing riders..... well you'll have to race and find out won't you?? | ||
| Scott_in_nh |
Scott you are correct. But inreality the V-Rod is a easier bike to launch because of its weight and length and there fore is faster in the 1/4. If the comparison is which bike is faster,the V-Rod has got it. If your comparing riders..... well you'll have to race and find out won't you?? I completely agree! Just because it is easier to launch, doesn't mean the guy on it can do it! If the quicker or easier to ride bike always won the drag race, there would be no point in racing, just hand out the trophy to the guy with the best spec sheet or dyno pull! Since that is, thankfully, not how the world works I say, with some rider and bike preparation the XB stands a chance! If it turns out he is a skilled drag racer, then yep, the V-Rod will win... | ||
| Rainman |
I don't know squat. I'm not much into drag racing although I dig the curves. It seems like the unknown in your equation is the skill of the other guy and he sounds like someone who has to one-up everyone around him somehow. If he's not that good, but good enough not to get killed, you can probably take him. If he's your equal in dragging, bets are off. Personally, he sounds like he's a lot of talk. The question is, has he been practicing? | ||
| Thin_air |
Here is the report. I rode to Sacramento on my bagger (not slow for a bagger) to meet him. His wee rod is only a few days old without any miles on it. He is also my best friend and I have known him for 20 or so years. Its been a couple of years since he had a decent bike so it was decided in Sac. that we would not be racing until he got a little more miles on the V toad and a little more comfortable on it. Truth being said, im kinda afraid of his wife and didn't want to have to make the "call" if shit happened. Again he is my oldest friend and we are street riding. Well that didn't last but an hour or two until we were testing each other out. My bagger makes 104hp and 106tq on paper so its is not too much of a pig. We rode back to Callistoga (current residence) with only one hard launch at a stoplight. My bagger got so sideways so fast that I was pointed at the car in the turn lane. I had to get out of it to get back in a straight line and he was a foot or two ahead of me. He said he got a bad launch in the oil at the light too but the result of that was he didn't leave me like I thought he would. We went thru the gears almost dead even and got to the next light at the same time. So much for taking it easy. After being home for an hour or so we decided to ride Callistoga Rd. Twisty's heaven. I decided to take my FXDX as it was just finished 2 weeks ago and is MUCH faster than my bagger. Suffice to say I worked that boy like a red headed stepchild. On the way there I was in the lead. I had to stop and wait for him to make sure he didn't splash out several times (go ahead and chime in xbbeater, tell the truth...) as soon as he caught up I left him. We got to the end of the twisties and I let him lead home. I was all over him like ugly on an ape, I could have passed him a hundred times. I didn't out of respect for my elders (xb beater is a old fart) and I even backed off as to not push him too hard (read MEAN wife) and we came home. I am quite sure that I could beat him in a drag race on that bike and schooled him in the twisties for sure. This is where xb beater is going to chime in about the Geritol or Ensure running out of steam or something like that (hehehe) but the wee rod was not going anywhere. Here is the other side of the coin. When we got home he let me ride the viagrarod and I was more than a little impressed. I knew that it was definitely faster than my XB in a straight line but there is no way he could keep up in the corners. We were planning to go out in the am and I was gonna ride the Lightning. Well he chickened out (read MEAN WIFE) and we never got the two side by side. He left early to go back to Tahoe to keep mama happy. If we did get them side by side he would have beaten my ass, I cant launch my xb for shit. That nasty little machine likes to stand straight up and I don't want to loop it as I would spend the next 20 years hearing about it. The moral of the story is that bike is a dragster. I am pretty sure that two riders of equal riding ability on a XB and a VRod would go down like everyone says, he would have me in the straights but I don't think it has a chance in the twisties. I do find it very VERY telling that he left when the bad little XB was up for her run against the "new" HD platform. Yea thats right XB eater, I am calling you a sissy. TA p.s. for the safety Nazi's, don't even go there... | ||
| Bads1 |
I know a Road King that Run a V-Rod.  | ||
| Cataract2 |
Soooooo... What's the VROD's top speed vs. the XBs? | ||
| Thin_air |
Not sure, stand by film at eleven. When I posted this I was hoping to get some "real world feedback" but it seems nobody has actually gone out and raced, or they aren't chiming in... | ||
| Centralozzy |
Sounds like he's doing pretty good against your bike considering those V-Rods have very limited ground clearance. I own a Street-Rod & have raced around with Captain Nartman on his Uly & we are pretty much even. Yes, it comes down to rider ability & in his case he needs to familiarize himself more with his Rod. If you want to be more fair, go up against a good rider on a Street-Rod & see how your Buell goes against that V-Rod model. | ||
| Xbeater |
OK, so after enduring a week of cheap shots in this forum against my manhood, I rode my nearly-virgin VRod to meet my buddy ThinAir on his bad XB12S, just to show him what a motorcycle looks like as it pulls away. So how does ThinAir show up? On his FLBagger! We didn't break 60 mph all day, but the twisties in the wine country are second to none. Sadly, ThinAir's lesson will wait for another day. | ||
| Bads1 |
Xbeater, I think you have the quicker bike but is Thin air a better rider then you?? Also in every mag test the the two bikes run very close 1/4 mile times. Your bike because of its geometry is easier to drag race on. But if Thin air is a better rider then you he may take you. The V-Rod outs out roughly 12 to 15 hp more then the XB but also weigh's a ton more. There fore the XB makes up alot in power to weight ratio. | ||
| Xbeater |
Is Thin Air a better rider than me? I sold that boy his first Sportster about 25 years ago, but yes, all things being equal, he is probably a better rider than me at this point. Having been off two wheels for a spell, I contend that this is purely a temporary condition. And having ridden it for many miles, I know the XB12S is a better machine in the corners. I'm just saying Thin Air can't hide in the corners all summer. I guarantee there will be a shoot out to settle the matter, stand by for film at 11. | ||
| Rkutzner |
I own the two bikes in question and consider them the only 'Harleys' worth owning. Both will scare your pants off if you're beating them thoroughly. I actually find off the line with the V-Rod maddeningly slow compared to the HIT of that engine between 5000-9000 rpm. You get the feeling between 7000-9000 rpm that you are holding on for dear life. It is so smooth, so refined, so beautiful. Then there's the TT. Shaky, ugly, powerful, scary, good at EVERYTHING...even as far as keeping it clean. My anodized 06 VRSCA sits for clear roads, clear days, long cruises. The TT gets everything else. It does come down to the rider for most of us, but in drag comparisons...equal modification to equal modification...the VRod will eventually become the faster bike by virtue of it's length and INDESTRUCTABLE engine. The stock engine has been supercharged to 165 rwhp and turbo'd over 200 rwhp by many VRodders and the engine NEVER fails. It is overengineered and it's water cooling takes easily to heat producing power improvements. As far as your smack talking buddy, go out and beat him. Anyone who puts down any of Harley's 2 REAL examples of performance bikes needs an arse whoopin' !!! |
