Harley-Davidson V-Rod

The fact is that Hogley needed a new liquid-cooled engine series to carry it through the new millennium if it was to meet increasingly restrictive noise regs internationally - ironically emission regs weren't much in question, as the old air-cooled twins were about as fuel efficient as you could get. Better than many competitors.

The big fear for the company is how the hundreds-of-thousands-strong brethren of HOG (Harley Owners Group) and others would react to a new toy. React, or be reactionary? Well, surprise, surprise, there is talk of protest and disgust in the letters pages of Harley-dedicated mags.

Excuse me, but I can't take it seriously ­ mostly because I remember exactly the same thing happened when H-D had the temerity to launch the Evo and supersede the universally ordinary Shovel series. Bugger 'em.

Nice legs
Styling is a call-it-as-you-see-it thing and this one is an absolute honey. Not a universal view ­ as the trad faction in the household reckons it sucks. I don't, a daughter don't (dontcha luv grammer?), and AllMoto's regular 14-year-old-boy would-be-motorcyclist style critic (hangs around the milkbar and mysteriously appears any time of day or night if I'm riding something interesting) reckons it's the coolest thing I've presented him with in over five years of residence. High praise.

The low, low, looks, disc wheels, among other things, bring together bits of Fat Boy, Deuce and aftermarket influences. Brushed alloy bodywork is a master stroke ­ though the Harley-Davidson stickers on the tank should have better protection. Is a lacquer too much to ask? Meanwhile the mini instrument pod manages to squeeze in speedo, tacho, three trip meters, odometer and fuel guage.

On the highway
Luv the engine. That about sums it up, really ­ oh, and the transmission. As a handling package, it is good in cruiser terms, but not great. The steering tends to fold into low speed corners if you don't get on the throttle early, while cornering clearance on the right side is ordinary, and a bit better than ordinary on the left.

Down right you scrape pipes (ours had Screamin' Eagle mufflers ­ replicas of the originals) and muffler bracket. On the left you scrape the forward-mounted foot and the sidestand mount. Radiator shrouds scrape on both sides. The low-profile stock tyres can handle a lot more, as can the bolt-up steel, twin-loop, perimeter frame.

Suspension control is good, given the limited travel. So is the braking ­ plenty of power, but very ordinary feel.

As for the powerplant, even with the modest mufflers, it suggested doing things that no stock Hogley before it has. I've ridden a few dozen examples of various models over the years, in various states of tune, and this eats all of them.

Given a little tuning, this could be a killer player in the V-twin sports bike world. Wrap it in a sport-touring chassis and cut it loose ­ please.

Servicing is a new game for Hogley folk (though not for most others), with shim-under-bucket valve lash adjustment - the engine is set-up to drop forward a little in the frame to ease access. The latter is due every eight thou K according to the factory-supplied info and, if that's right, is much less than it should be. We suspect and hope H-D is being super-conservative with its new engine on that front, given most manufacturers are offering over double that.

In conclusion
Love the styling. The handling is compromised too far by a super-long wheelbase allied to a low ride (among other things) and the factory has done a hell of a lot better with less. As for the engine ­ bring on the rest of the range.

2002 notes (second ride): Fuel use is 16km/lt when used more or less legally. Fuel guage is over-conservative, while the low-fuel warning light comes on at 10 out of 15 litres used. You get to like the handling better the more you ride it - it gets to the stage where the slow-turn steering no longer bothers you. Turning circle is too wide. The engine really is awe-inspiring for cruiser-land and has a lot of tuning potential. Put most of the bits in a slightly taller package (e.g. Dyna or even Road King) and it would be a stunner. This powerplant begs a revision of the Harley range...and we suspect they already thought of that.

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Story: Guy Allen