I Rented A Harley

It is nice to know the rental price is consistent in different states. Rented the same type of bike in Florida for about the same amount with insurance. Florida doesn't have many twisty's so cornering was not an issue.

 

Hey buddy, you're on a real bike now....Its a Jiffy Stand!!!

srsly! they really call it that! check the mom

 

This is my neighbor's 02 VRod. He offers to let me ride it all the time. So, I finally took him up on the offer. He threw me the keys & went out back to mow his lawn. I threw on my Olympia stealth riding suit & off I went. No photos of me riding it, maybe next time.

No matter what people want to say about me, I am fair & objective. Here is my honest evaluation of the bike. I rode it for about 22 miles, maybe 15 minutes.

Highs:
Torque With A Captial "T"
Great Clutch
Sounds Good (it has gear driven cams :thumbsup
Top Gear Roll-On's Are FUN (you'll slow down just to pin the throttle)
Quiet (believe it or not, for a HD, this thing is completely civilized, even with the Screaming Eagle pipes)
Low Vibes (again, for a HD, this thing doesn't vibe too much)
Hand Grips (personally, I like the big honkin metal grips, they feel good & have good feed back)
The Paint Job (this is a custom one, but it looks better than pics suggest)
200 Rear Tire (considering the lengths some chopper guys go, this is absolutely as wide as ANY bike needs)
Custom Seat (really comfy, only let down by the seating position)
Handles (this is no Hawk GT, but for a chopper, it's pretty flingable)
Liquid Cooled (your legs don't get shaked & baked)

Lows:
Ridiculous Seating Position (the human body IS NOT a c clamp)
Kicked Out Front End (I have no clue what the rake & trail are but the front needs to be tucked in JUST a bit)
Disk Wheels (the wind blows the front all over the place)
ZERO Wind Protection (my legs were actually getting blown off the foot pegs)
Small Fuel Tank (3.6 gals, the newer bikes have 5 gals)
5 Speed (seriously people, this is 2009, EVERY bike on the planet should have a 6 speed or better in it)
Price (these things are not worth the HD price of admission)

Conclusion:
The Best HD Made, Believe Me
This Motor Needs To Be In EVERY HD, Period, End Of Story

Why the "Faithful" don't like this bike is beyond me. Compared to ANY Hog I've ever ridden, this one blows them ALL away. Passing or simply just pinning the wrist on this thing is a freaking hoot. Just like the 3-5 Gen VFR's the cams make killer noise when you romp on it. Near redline, the motor actually whistles like a turbo. You have to hear it once & you'll be hooked too.

So, would I own one? Not in it's current form.

Here's what HD needs to do with this bike to make someone like me buy a VRod:

It needs to have a humane seating position. Bring the front in, move the foot-pegs back, raise the bar & sweep it back a bit & this bike would be very entertaining. Think a standard like the Nighthawk or Bandit)

Give it a 6 speed. If all the Hogs can have 6 speeds, why can't their "performance" bike.

Find a way to increase the fuel capacity OR raise the MPG. Seriously, a 600+ lb bike that only goes 140 miles per tank?

Lower the price. Simply put, this bike is not worth the asking price. Then again, neither is the new V-Max. Out the door, this thing should be no more than $13500.

Slim down the pipes or put one on each side. They completely dominate the right side of the bike.

Put the thing on a diet. Their target weight should be 575 wet.

If they do all that, I MIGHT consider one.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

Ive rode a few HDs and have to agree they pretty much suck as a real world motorcycle, but the Vrod (especially teh cool looking Night Rod) are the best traditional Harleys..though I havent had a chance to ride the new XR 750 i think thats what its called....I feel they are dangerous to ride aswell, no way to realy use one of the two defenses of a motorcycle against autos (speed/nimbleness)....Limited speed increase, and no fast change of direction is available on the HDs..but each thier own..I catually talked my HD/crusier only riding brother into buying a CBR 1000F..he wonders why he never tried one of "those types" od bikes before and swears he will only buy sport tour bikes in the future..mission accomplished!!!!!!

 

I'm glad you had a chance to ride/review the VRod. This has been the only Harley I've ever thought about taking for a ride. I had heard from a buddy that the seating position was total crap though and your review confirms that.

Those pipes are huge! What is this, a diesel truck engine? geezus!

Thanks for the reviews.

 

In my area I realized I am not fat enough to ride a Harley.....or ugly enough!

 

You forgot the third criteria..."dumb enough":wink:

BZ

 

In order to be a true Harley guy you would also need to stop at a bar with an outdoor deck and drink Budweiser in the bottle for several hours before climbing back on your bike like an idiot. Also make sure to keep all the empty bottles on the table to show off what a complete moron you are before attempting to ride home.

EDIT: You also get extra points for smoking while filling up your tank.

Regards,
Rollin

 

I was in Hawaii about 1970 or so. I rented a Honda 350 (much like This One) and rode completely around the island of Oahu. If I remember right it cost me something like $15 a day.

Funny thing that an Air Force guy will appreciate ...

In places there wasn't much more than sugar cane plantations with a road running through it. With 10' tall sugar cane on both sides of the road it was like riding in a green tunnel. All of a sudden I started hearing a whining sound. It would get louder, it would fade, it would get louder, it would fade. Great! Here I am miles from anywhere and this bike is going to break down! Chain looked good, tires looked good, didn't hear any noise from the engine, and I couldn't figure out what in the world it was. About that time a damn F-4 came over the top of that sugar cane at about zero feet and absolutely scared me half to death. If you've ever heard a pair of J-79's in reheat at zero feet you know what it's like to FEEL sound. He had been setting me up for about 20 minutes or so. I was so mad I could spit nails for a while, and then I laughed and realized that I'd have done the exact same thing.

I'm glad you guys had a good time. I don't know what it's like there now but I suspect it's nothing like what I remember. It is a beautiful place though and I'd love to go back some day.

 

I recommend everyone rent a Harley for a day

Did it once in Las Vegas with 2 other guys. Did it once in Mexico just to have fun and explore.
I thought it had a governor on it. You twist the throttle and it goes "BLAAAAT" and not much else. Owned other cruisers, so seating is not the best, but it doesn't enrage me. It's kinda cool to lean back and shoot every once in a while. It is what it is. The price is what gets underneath my skin. 20k++ for a ride???!!! You must be looking for something besides a ride (pussy).
Always liked the 883 Sportster. I've seen some modified ones, that are gorgeous and scoot. If I had 10k to throw in a hole.....
(Oh yeah, quit jacking this thread denizens of the ether. You're confusing the tourists)

 

KC-10 FE,

I have to commend you for having taken the time with a open mind to try a HD out, and to try your neighbor's VRod, when i test drove my 07 night rod I was surprised what a difference there was.:thumbsup:
and after riding HD's for a long time i am changing my opinion well maybe its because i am getting older ? but all my HD friends didn't like the bike ? but who cares what other people like its what i like or your self.

 

The last Harley I rode had a magneto and you had to twist the left grip backward (the opposite from the way you'd twist the right grip to accelerate... you had to remember to un-twist it) to retard the spark so you'd have some chance of kick starting the thing. I remember going 55 on the highway and the thing was vibrating so hard that everything was blurred vertically, must have been what having astigmatism was like.

Didn't try going around any corners that I can recall but I actually had fun riding it... that bike was just made for going slow and enjoying the sound track. The secret is you just have to ride a Harley like a Harley and NOT like a motorcycle, if you do that they're fun.

 

Hey Rollin_Again, I really liked your funny about getting extra points for smoking a cigarette while fueling your Harley,and I thought I was one of the few people to ever
see that!!! And with that, I guess I will be removing my other bike from " my rides".
Anyway if it makes you guys feel better,I bought the Harley first, realized I must be
missing something then bought the 5th gen. eddie

 

Okay...we forgive yobut only because you came to your senses..HAHAHA!

 

"Pistons the size of V8 truck engine pistons make low speed crawling simple."

Might have something to do with frame design too.

"Standard bags come in handy (no locks however)."

Don't all standard bags come in handy locks or not?

"Once under way, the vibration is less aparent but my hands still fell asleep after about 2 hours."

After riding an HD for 10 years I never noticed this. Sure they vibrate more but my hands never went to sleep.

"This bike DOES NOT like to change direction at any speed."

It's not designed to or any cruiser for that matter

"The seating position is terrible."

A backrest with highway pegs makes the seating position an all day pleasure. You had a stock rental.

"The contraption shakes like a paint mixer."
But not as bad when you get moving as you stated.

"Cornering clearance? Who needs cornering clearance?"

Not someone riding a cruiser. They are not looking for that.

"Pretty lousy MPG. I got about 35MPG & the highest we ever got up to was 65MPH for about 30 seconds."

It's a rental and a lot depends on the riding style. You should know this.

"This thing is DONE above 65MPH. I actually felt unsafe riding this thing about 60MPH, it is that dynamically unsound."

You got to 65MPH for 30 seconds. Not much time to form an opinion.

"Even with a 4" thick seat, my back & butt were hurting after about 2 hours. I blame the La-Z-Boy seating position place all my weight on my tail bone."

If you're not used to it then this is what happens. Just like anything else. Surprised this is even a mention.

"Stupid turn signal switches, one on each side."

Are you kidding? Why would an intuitive self canceling system like that be a con? I wish I had that on my ST1300.

"No lower wind protection."
It's one of many cruiser that accommodates extras. The bigger HD cruisers come with extras. I've seen *other* cruisers with the same lack of protection.

"The sidestand is infuriating. Every time I parked the bike, I couldn't tell if the stand was in the proper position."

I find it natural on an HD but am still finding my happy place on the ST because I have only been riding it for 9 months. You rode an HD for a day. Hardly an informed opinion.

"These things are 1000% about "image" & not "riding". If you actually believe a HD is a good bike to ride, you are a complete moron.
There are far better machines you could spend nearly $20000 on."

Maybe so but if I wanted a cruiser it would be a Harley and not a clone. As such I got board with them and wanted a more informative ride. Don't know what other machines deserve $20K (including Harley) as I have a problem paying that much for any bike. Your review is apples/oranges based on an afternoon in Hawaii. The fact that you are a sport bike coach (no sure what that is) kind of says it all.

 

I'm not quite sure what the purpose of your reply is but since you posted it, it becomes fair game. Let's see, the easiest way to do this is to go in order just like you did.

1) No, it has nothing to do with the frame design. I was talking about inching along in bumper to bumper traffic. It's simple logic that a big twin with big pistons will inch along better than any sport bike.
Interestingly, you're very first reply sets the tone that you are a HD "Faithful" here to be a troll.
Troll sighting = 1

2) Like I pointed out, the bags are handy. Considering how anal you HD types are about theft, you would think Willy G & the boys would see fit to put locks on the bags. What good is carrying capacity if I stop for lunch & everything I had in the bags gets stolen? Yamaha has locks on their soft bags standard.
Again, you seem to be a troll attempting to make me believe bad design is OK as long as it looks good in the process.
Troll sighting = 2

3) If you never noticed a HD vibrating after 10 years, there are only 3 possible explanations for this. A: You're a complete idiot, HD's are known for vibrating. B: You've had all the sensation vibrated out of you. C: You're in denial. I'm willing to give you the benefit of the doubt & not say you're an idiot (yet) so I'll say choice C.
Troll sighting = 3

4) It's given that any cruiser is not designed to handle like a sport bike. But when the lack of handling makes riding dangerous, it's a problem. It's also VERY lame/sad/stupid that ALL HD faithful consistently say, "My bike wasn't designed to handle". That's great. Even the faithful know the bike is a substandard piece of equipment. Perhaps you read my mini review of the VRod?
Troll sighting = 4

5) Sorry dude. Making a La-Z-Boy into a La-Zier-Boy is not the answer. Highway bars are for poseurs. I thought HD was the ultimate bike straight from the factory?
Troll sighting = 5

6) See #3

7) Again, when I can't execute an emergency maneurver due to the bikes design, that's a problem. The GoldWing is the ultimate 2 Wheeled Land Couch. YouTube "Yellow Wolf on the Dragon" & then I want you to tell me that a big bike doesn't handle because it wasn't design too. HD's don't handle because HD is too ignorant to make a bike that works. They're only interested in making Dental Technicians & CPA's into poseurs & pocketing cash by the truckload in the process. I do know to this point, every traditional Hog I've ever ridden has been a freaking nightmare to do anything other than pose on.
I've always given credit where it's due, so here's a nod to HD making progress. HD says all their touring bikes have a new chassis for 2009. This is claimed to be for better handling. I've not ridden one of the HD's with this new chassis so the jury's still deliberating on it. If this is true, good for HD for FINALLY addressing the fact that their bikes handle like a freaking dump truck.
Troll sighting = 6

8) Yes riding style has alot to do with MPG. I only know that every other HD I've ridden return mileage in the upper 40's or low 50's.

9) Yes, 30 seconds was long enough to form an opinion. I backed off because I got a viscious headshake that I thought was going to launch me into a pineapple field. I sped up again to see if it was rider error. Same result. Yes the bike was a rental & could have possible had mechanical troubles but the fact remains, I WAS NOT able to exceed 65MPH out of fear for my life.

10) Again, you're making an excuse for lousy design. There's a reason standards (NightHawk, Bandit, ZRX, etc) are the most comfortable bikes. They distribute the weight evenly across your butt, abs & arms. When only one of those 3 is being used, comfort is going to suffer. I spent nearly 9 hours with this bike & could barely get out of bed the next morning. I've done multiple back to back 9 hour days on my VFR with no similar discomfort.
Troll sighting = 7

11) Considering only 2 OEMs out of the dozens DO NOT use the tried & true turn signal on the left grip, I think it's stupid.

12) True, True. I only know I don't like lack of wind protection.

13) I am by no means the smartest guy in the world, but I do have nearly 22 years riding under my belt. If I actually need to verify the sidestand is fully deployed EVERY time I get off the bike, that's a design flaw.

14) Here you freely reveal your Troll status. Good for you. :thumbsup: Another brainwashed "Faithful".
My task as a sportbike coach is to mentor & coach riders to understand how to safely exploit what their machines were designed for. I do not teach racing or anything of the sort. I mainly try to get the young guys to stop (or not start) acting like squids & get the older guys to realize the potential of their bikes. Too many US Military riders are killed because they don't know how to ride. In concert with the MSF course, we try to make guys/girls into better & safer riders. Sport bikes get more negative press since the scene of the wreck is usually that much more spectacular. The fact that you use this title as an insult kind of says it all about you doesn't it? I'm also a MSF RiderCoach. Any insult for that? Oh, that's right, all you "Faithful" already know how to ride.
Troll sighting = 8

Troll sighting percentage = 57%

If you're only here to make all us Honda types feel bad that we don't have a HD, I'm fairly certain you're wasting your time. If you have a ST like you said, I am 1000% certain it is a better bike to ride (& you know this) but the "orange & black" in your veins will not permit you to say this.

So, have a nice day & ride safe back to your troll house & say "Hi" to Gargamel & all the Smurfs for me.

KC-10 FE out...
lane: :usa2:

 

op2:


I guess I'll have to try them out for my self. I have access to my cousin's 883 Sportster at least. I wish my Uncle was alive still and still had his Electra Glide....






Here's a question for you guys... What do you think about Buell's then? Completely different class? Similarities in motors is about it if you ask me.

 

If I'm a troll you just bit big time.

1. I didn't disagree with you but added that a lower center of gravity helps in maintaining a slower speed. A V-Twin mount inline with the frame also helps as opposed to a V4 mounted across the frame.

2. It's the only Harley where the bags don't lock. Your gave a back handed compliment. I was calling you on it.

3. Maybe my reply wasn't clear. I never had my hands go to sleep in 10 years. The thing vibrates like crazy especially at idle.

4. Your entitled to your opinion but only if it is based on personal experience. To make a blanket statement that all HD faithful say their bike was not designed to handle would mean you would have to interviewed them all. There a lot of HD riders that are quite experienced in evasive moves. I read your Vrod review. I test rode one too. I agree with your points made. The engine on that bike is the future of the company. If only they don't wait too long.

5. Cmon. What factory bike meets *every* rider's need? There are posers with every make bike and then there are folks that just ride them. Highway pegs are a must have in the sport touring and plain old touring community because it gives your legs a stretch. RT's, ST's and FJR's all have them as options (factory or 3rd party). Are they poser bikes?

6. See #3

7. There are many pro's or experienced riders that can maneuver a bike regardless of size in ways I will never be able to and this includes Harleys. So I compensate by slowing down, trying to predict the unexpected and hope some luck is on my side. As an owner I have more of right to complain about Harley's lack of design progress. You seem to have an issue with the image thing. While I agree that many are just posers there are many that are not.

8. Hey looks like we agree on something.

9. You begrudgingly admit it.

10. I've never ridden the bikes you mention here but all I can say (again) is if you do one thing, one way all the time and then change it some pain comes with it. 9 hours straight is not the right way get accustom to it. I understand you didn't have a choice in the matter.

11. Not stupid just different and in welcome by many.

12. We agree again.

13. Nor am I but you gave an opinion and I gave an alternate view.

14. Thanks for taking the time to teach. I commend you and didn't mean to insult you. As a sport bike instructor (and I didn't know what that was because most MSF courses I've seen are more general practice) your comments are a bit biased maybe?

Finally, yes I am a Honda ST owner and it is now my main ride. The Electra Glide sits while I ponder how and when I will sell it. The HD used market is flooded right now. I'm here to have a discussion with you without the name calling but you have a problem with HD riders more than the bike I believe.

 

Hd

If you had room to fit a mower deck under that thing it would then have one positive feature.

 

It is very comforting to know that when Bubba Zanetti is too busy to cruise VFR World on a regular basis. There is KC-10FE on point, keeping VFRW safe and sound. Protecting her from unwanted or unwarrented abuse.

KC-10FE, a true VFRW patriot.

BZ