Talk me out of this...

[nostatic]

Originally Posted by BlueSkyJaunte

Wow, you REALLY went to the wrong Duc dealership. They sold you a Harley!!!

well, at least they didn't really screw him up and sell him a BMW...

[Moses]

Impressions...

Much different than I expected. Tons of power. Very stable and easy to ride. The seat is so low you feel like you're sitting IN the bike not ON it. I was worried about the forward controls but the riding position feels great.

Cornering is very different with this bike. You can't just "will" the bike to turn like you can with a Ducati. The raked front forks and the 10" rear tire make cornering a much more deliberate event. If it were a sports car you would say it has a fair bit of understeer.

The bike is very tight and solid. Kind of a cruiser/drag bike combo. Perfect for the kind of riding I'll be doing.

If I were 20 years younger I might have bought the Ducati. Who knows, I may just need two bikes...

The Triumph didn't take me back down memory lane like I'd hoped. I felt like I should be wearing a tweed jacket with a picnic basket strapped on the back whilst putt-putt-putting to a lunch date in the bogs.

The V-Rod really is a different kind of bike. It's a Harley, but it's so NOT a Harley. It's relatively quiet and infinitely tighter and more refined than any air cooled Harley I've ridden. It's an ideal bike for short trips and it's great if you're content to cruise the twisties instead of attacking them.

And another thing... The bike is so beautiful I can't stop staring at it. It's artwork. Rolling sculpture.

[Gogar]

That's cool!

When you have some time, I'd suggest you go somewhere with no one around and learn yourself about the brakes, too. The same things you notice about turning apply to stopping; it takes a minute to figure out.

Congrats!

[Don Plumley]

Purty.

Be careful out there...

[Noah930]

Sounds like you've got the right bike for you. Enjoy, and keep the shiny side up.

[Dueller]

It is a beautiful bike, Mose. So....tell us about your first ride. Your comments suggest its a perfect bike for what you wanted. Taken your bride out on it yet? What does your son think about it? And some more pics, please.

[Tobra]

Now you need to get the old lady a leather halter top and some chaps.

[Dueller]

Originally Posted by Tobra

Now you need to get the old lady a leather halter top and some chaps.

Or his and hers t-shirts

[porsche4life]

Having problems Jim?

[Dueller]

Originally Posted by porsche4life

Having problems Jim?

yah....B&B kicking in

[Moses]

Originally Posted by Gogar

That's cool!

When you have some time, I'd suggest you go somewhere with no one around and learn yourself about the brakes, too. The same things you notice about turning apply to stopping; it takes a minute to figure out.

Congrats!

Yeah. It has big Brembos front and back. The front brakes are very grippy. It just takes a light touch. When you're going fast in a straight line you can 50/50 with the rears for a quick smooth stop.

[Dottore]

Originally Posted by Moses

It's relatively quiet and infinitely tighter and more refined ...

Congratulations!

The best things in life are all quiet, tight and refined...

[911boost]

Very nice Moses. I really liked the Vrod, just wish I wasn't so dang tall, I looked like a praying mantis on it.

Have fun with it.

[Moses]

Originally Posted by BSiple

Very nice Moses. I really liked the Vrod, just wish I wasn't so dang tall, I looked like a praying mantis on it.

Have fun with it.

Every bike looks better without me on it.

[herr_oberst]

Originally Posted by BSiple

Very nice Moses. I really liked the Vrod, just wish I wasn't so dang tall, I looked like a praying mantis on it.

Have fun with it.

Me too. All knees and elbows.

Nice ride, Mose. Ride safe!

[Chocaholic]

Enjoy your AW Moses. You may recall that I bought one some time back (2007 VRSCAW in Platinum). My first impressions were similar to yours. I won't go into my likes and dislikes over time...you'll develop your own.

As with any Harley, you will want to tweak some things over time. For me, the first was the seat. Almost designed to be painful by the 100 mile mark (at least for my bony arse). Spend a half-day in that seat and you'll be surfing the net for alternatives. Check 1130cc.com. Like most HD forums, juvenile to the point of being obnoxious. But in between the nonsense, there's an occasional nugget of useful info. Hopefully the lean-surg issues are gone in the current model...if not HD will gladly take your money to fix what came out of their factory.

I've been through the PC3/Exh process as well as seats, rear footpeg extensions, grips, etc. I've since traded the Rod in on a SGC without regret. Might be able to save you a few bucks as you daydream about mods though. Feel free to ask questions.

Knees in the breeze, man. Enjoy the ride.

[Moses]

Update...

Put about 200 miles on the bike. Figured out how to get her to turn properly. Great balance. Fun bike and much faster than I expected. In a skiing analogy this is a grand slalom bike, not a super mogul bike. The control forward position is nice. Feels natural.

Went riding with two friends, one has a Triumph Speed Triple and the other a Ducati Monster. We switched bikes several times. LOVE the Ducati. It's definitely not the bike for me at my age, but what a great bike. Hell, maybe I need TWO bikes.

The V-Rod is a cruiser on steroids. It's like a cross between a drag bike and a cruiser. Once I figured out how to manage the things in the twistys, I'm much happier with it. It is SO nice to be back on a bike. We have some great uncrowded roads around here. I'm having fun getting reacquainted with my home town.

[Dueller]

Remember the two cardinal rules about survival on a bike:

1. You are invisible;

2. Everyone is trying to kill you.

[smokintr6]

Moses, I see I'm jumping in a little late, as you have already bought the bike. I'm watching a buddy's V-Rod while he's doing boot camp and officer training. At first I wasn't sure about the Rod, but it has really grown on me. It makes cool sounds, has plenty of power, and looks really nice. I find the factory seat a little brutal after 100 miles or so, but seeing as the usable fuel quantity seems to only be about 2 gallons, long distance riding wasn't the primary mission. Personally I don't find the bike too deliberate to turn. If I use my body and lean (press) into the handle bar, the bike seems to respond effortlessly. I think the coolest part about the whole ride is the way the front end rakes away from you... It almost makes you feel like you're flying rather than riding. My friend's bike is anodized, but I really like your black bike too! Second best thing I've found about the bike is the limited rear seat accommodations. This makes a great go / no-go evaluation for potential lady friends!

[smokintr6]