Triumphrat

HooliganRandy · 05-29-2007

Hello All! It's been quite a while since my last post, but I try to visit daily. Anyhow, during a nice little ride down some back country roads I come upon a couple Harleys in front of me. A V-Rod and the only thing I know about the other is it had the ape-hanger handle bars. So, I'm following behind just minding my own business. The guy on the V-Rod is hoarsing around and getting on it from time to time. Sounded great and moved even better. Well, next thing ... he slows down for me to catch him ... the ape hanger guy speeds up ... essentially creating some open road for us to play. Well, the V-Rod guy punches it at about 40mph and the bike just takes off. I wasn't ready for that, so I don't even bother trying to challenge. Instead, I motion for him to come back and try again. This time we slow to about a 15mph roll. We both nail it hard and I jump out to about a half-bike lead. I hold my lead through a shift or two but he manages to pull aside and then pull ahead of me. By the time we had to slow down (maybe an 1/8 mile???) he has me by a bike length. We meet up at the next intersection and I congratulate him on his win. Asked him what kind of power he was putting down and he said 110 at the rear wheel. So, I bet if I was a little better driver, slipped the clutch a bit, and ran the revs a little higher ... who knows. Anyhow, it was a great bit of fun on a sunny Memorial Day afternoon. Thought I'd share...

doodledog · 05-29-2007

Good stuff, next time rev her till she screems, you will blow him away.

rustbucket · 05-29-2007

I'm not particularly a Harley fan, and I think the V-Rod is the ugliest of the bunch (overstyled, impractical, and makes anyone riding one look goofy), but the Revolution engine Porsche designed for the V-Rod is a hell of an engine.

I keep wishing they'd let Erik Buell get his hands on it instead of feeding him Sportster engines to warm over - I have a feeling that would be my kind of bike! :hammer:

rob-cyn · 05-29-2007

Now now jealousy will get you nowhere ! I have one and think its the best running Harley on the road and the only people that USUALLY have something bad to say are the old school Harley riders. I also wished it was a Buell so we agree there. Just havin fun with you. Robert

S4Bill · 05-29-2007

Published quarter mile performance is very close about 11.9 for V-Rod and about 11.7 for the S4... so they are both in the ballpark...

As much as I like both start going through the twisty's and you won't see the V-Rod...

But none the less the V-Rod is a heck of a fast bike considering it's weight etc...

:-D

Catenaccio · 05-30-2007

Although I'm not a HD fan (My 2nd son is.) I think the new Nightster is a beautiful bike in a minimalist HD sort of way. V-Rods are cool for their technology but the skinny tank turns me off. I have a friend with a totally tricked out Sportster and it's a rocket!

rustbucket · 05-30-2007

The two styling elements that I can't get over with the V-Rod (and derivatives) are the ridiculous exhaust and the raked out front end. I'm a fan of bobber style bikes, and the front end on the V-Rod just doesn't look right to me because it's so low. The lines on it are great though - they just seem a bit... contrived.

I'm not against Harleys - there's a good change I'll own one some day (when I have a lot more money to toss around :razz: ). The Nightster is, IMHO the best looking bike to come out of Milwaukee in a long time. The various derivations of the V-Rod (Night-Rod or some such) are all pretty badass looking too... I feel like the V-Rod is a very successful styling exercise (looks fast sitting still), but when you add a person into the equation it looks like the the person (and all the controls they're hanging onto/sitting on/hanging off of look like an afterthought. It's got beautiful lines... for a show bike. My 2 cents, which, given the exchange rate really isn't worth much. :razz:

I don't hate though - if you're out riding you're okay by me

.

The exception to that rule is a group of 8-10 Harley (or Harley clone) riders. All stupid loud exhausts, stupid chrome everywhere, stupid sleevless t-shirts and leather vests (what the heck is a vest going to do for you in a crash anyway?!?!?!), etc. These kind souls cruised right by me shortly after I crashed last year, while I was lying in plain sight on the side of the road, bleeding and stuck under my broken bike.

rob-cyn · 05-30-2007

I totally agree with your last paragraph. I always wear a fullface helmet, jacket and gloves and I get looked at like I was flying in on a UFO. I get ostersized by other old school riders all the time saying my V-Rod is not a real Harley, its going to be really funny when HD starts making water-cooled cruisers. A rider is a rider in my book, I dont care what you ride, when you see somebody needing help a good person stops and an ASS**** keeps on going.