I love all two wheelers. Motorcycling is as much a part of my DNA as my brown eyes, and I'll be a V-Rodder forever. Many peculiar things have probably led you down the path of riding a V-Rod. I'm curious what your story is. It's creative writing time, here's mine:
I first threw a leg over the back of my dad's '91 Fat Boy when I was six years old, and I've been a dedicated fan of Harley-Davidson Motorcycles ever since. 8th grade, Easter Sunday was the very first time I rode on my own. It was my uncle's Honda Trail 110, and I broke my foot in three places. It didn't scare me away, though; I had been hooked long before. When I was a teenager, the CBR-600 F4i came out and had a big spread in Cycle World (I think). It was red and black on a center pages (not quite a centerfold), and I pinned it to my bulletin board and dreamed. I liked its looks, and for a long time, I was planning on buying myself a CBR when I could scrape up the money. Pretty much stayed that way for a long time.
I went to Iraq in '07, and had an incident with the AAFES Harley rep on Camp Striker which almost turned me off of Harleys all together. I was inquiring about the military special edition Fat Boys that had red pin striping, and your branch's official seal on the derby and timing covers. The guy was a total dick! He was completely unhelpful about answering questions I had. When I came back in '08 with enough jingle in my pocket for a down payment I was uninterested H-D. Interest didn't return until talking with my dad who just couldn't wrap his brain around me wanting a "Jap bike." He just didn't understand what I appreciated about the CBR. His passion for the MoCo inspired me to browse the Harley lineup again.
This time, the new Dark Custom line caught my eye. At that time, I think the Night Rod Special was listed on the same page because it became the object of my desire. It had the sporty performance I sought in the CBR, and the stylishness of a Harley. It was the ideal blend of both worlds! After learning about it's connection to the VR-1000, the NHRA, and the Destroyer, I was hooked. I think of all the parts, the headlamp nacelle is what really made the lines of the V-Rod complete to me. It's wind-swept aviation styling and thoroughbred racing heritage is what sold me on the V-Twin Racing Street Custom (VRSC), the most unique style and power plant from the MoCo.
I lived in Lubbock at the time, and every now and then I'd go into Wild West H-D to drool over the machines after work. One day, I walked in with my [now-ex] wife, and somehow we bought a DX. They had one on the showroom with the orange P&A tribal paint job and a Thunderheader, but I liked the Black Denim with Vivid Black race stripes, and could not afford the customized DX. The purchase was unplanned; I didn't even know how to ride! I had to call a friend to ride the bike to my house for me! I spent about 45 minutes trying to figure out how to use the clutch without stalling in my driveway. Once I was able to ride around my apartment complex, I graduated to the empty strip mall parking lot across the street. There, I practiced stop-and-go launches, simulating stop signs at every isle until I felt comfortable enough to take it around the neighborhood. I stayed off major streets until I could go around the neighborhood a few times without stalling at all. After a few months, I got around to registering for an MSF class and getting my motorcycle endorsement.
The reason I chose the Night Rod Special for my first bike is because I knew that it was uncertain if I would have the financial means to buy one in the future. It was the bike of my dreams, and I leaped for it. I had to take a 7-year loan to keep the monthly payments low enough, and I just finally got my title. I don't regret the extra interest, because I was right. After the divorce, there's no way I would have had enough for a down payment for a long time. I just see it as the cost I had to endure for ownership.
Since purchasing in '08, I've put over 37,000 miles on my 2009 VRSCDX. Considering down time from another deployment, and a couple major wrecks, I say that's not bad. I never let the insurance company total my bike, though. It means too much to me. It's my first motorcycle, and more than that, it's my first Harley-Davidson. Each wreck brought an influx of cash that allowed me to make the bike even better.
To me, what Harley did wrong with the VRSC line is not flexing all their technological might. Sure, they bragged about their relationship with Porsche. The truth is, the Harley-Davidson/Porsche relationship dates back to the AMF era. AMF was looking for assistance developing the Evo, and who knew air cooled performance better? To me, the Porsche connection was cool, but to many traditional purists, it was a complete turn off. In my opinion, the Porsche name was belied by the heavy weight, detuned performance, and bulky turn signals. Today, my DX sports all LED lighting including mirrors with integrated turn signals, and all stainless parts, except for screws, are powder coated to match. Cams and fuel system performance modifications make my muscle-cruiser competitive with bikes weighing hundreds of pounds less. It's these simple changes that make my bike next generation, while sticking to the styling cues that honor the heritage the brand is famous for. I just feel that if the MoCo had done a few things differently out of the box, the VRSC line would have sold better.
Having my first child hasn't shied me away from riding, although of course it's harder to find the time. She's definitely worth it and I appreciate my time riding around with her in my truck: a 2002 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE extended cab, 5.3 L, rear wheel drive. It's also my first car, and my drives with her in the back seat are nothing more than "heritage appreciation" time. That heritage appreciation is also the reason my wife and I want to keep my father-in-law's 2003 Softail Heritage Springer in the family.
I first threw a leg over the back of my dad's '91 Fat Boy when I was six years old, and I've been a dedicated fan of Harley-Davidson Motorcycles ever since. 8th grade, Easter Sunday was the very first time I rode on my own. It was my uncle's Honda Trail 110, and I broke my foot in three places. It didn't scare me away, though; I had been hooked long before. When I was a teenager, the CBR-600 F4i came out and had a big spread in Cycle World (I think). It was red and black on a center pages (not quite a centerfold), and I pinned it to my bulletin board and dreamed. I liked its looks, and for a long time, I was planning on buying myself a CBR when I could scrape up the money. Pretty much stayed that way for a long time.
I went to Iraq in '07, and had an incident with the AAFES Harley rep on Camp Striker which almost turned me off of Harleys all together. I was inquiring about the military special edition Fat Boys that had red pin striping, and your branch's official seal on the derby and timing covers. The guy was a total dick! He was completely unhelpful about answering questions I had. When I came back in '08 with enough jingle in my pocket for a down payment I was uninterested H-D. Interest didn't return until talking with my dad who just couldn't wrap his brain around me wanting a "Jap bike." He just didn't understand what I appreciated about the CBR. His passion for the MoCo inspired me to browse the Harley lineup again.
This time, the new Dark Custom line caught my eye. At that time, I think the Night Rod Special was listed on the same page because it became the object of my desire. It had the sporty performance I sought in the CBR, and the stylishness of a Harley. It was the ideal blend of both worlds! After learning about it's connection to the VR-1000, the NHRA, and the Destroyer, I was hooked. I think of all the parts, the headlamp nacelle is what really made the lines of the V-Rod complete to me. It's wind-swept aviation styling and thoroughbred racing heritage is what sold me on the V-Twin Racing Street Custom (VRSC), the most unique style and power plant from the MoCo.
I lived in Lubbock at the time, and every now and then I'd go into Wild West H-D to drool over the machines after work. One day, I walked in with my [now-ex] wife, and somehow we bought a DX. They had one on the showroom with the orange P&A tribal paint job and a Thunderheader, but I liked the Black Denim with Vivid Black race stripes, and could not afford the customized DX. The purchase was unplanned; I didn't even know how to ride! I had to call a friend to ride the bike to my house for me! I spent about 45 minutes trying to figure out how to use the clutch without stalling in my driveway. Once I was able to ride around my apartment complex, I graduated to the empty strip mall parking lot across the street. There, I practiced stop-and-go launches, simulating stop signs at every isle until I felt comfortable enough to take it around the neighborhood. I stayed off major streets until I could go around the neighborhood a few times without stalling at all. After a few months, I got around to registering for an MSF class and getting my motorcycle endorsement.
The reason I chose the Night Rod Special for my first bike is because I knew that it was uncertain if I would have the financial means to buy one in the future. It was the bike of my dreams, and I leaped for it. I had to take a 7-year loan to keep the monthly payments low enough, and I just finally got my title. I don't regret the extra interest, because I was right. After the divorce, there's no way I would have had enough for a down payment for a long time. I just see it as the cost I had to endure for ownership.
Since purchasing in '08, I've put over 37,000 miles on my 2009 VRSCDX. Considering down time from another deployment, and a couple major wrecks, I say that's not bad. I never let the insurance company total my bike, though. It means too much to me. It's my first motorcycle, and more than that, it's my first Harley-Davidson. Each wreck brought an influx of cash that allowed me to make the bike even better.
To me, what Harley did wrong with the VRSC line is not flexing all their technological might. Sure, they bragged about their relationship with Porsche. The truth is, the Harley-Davidson/Porsche relationship dates back to the AMF era. AMF was looking for assistance developing the Evo, and who knew air cooled performance better? To me, the Porsche connection was cool, but to many traditional purists, it was a complete turn off. In my opinion, the Porsche name was belied by the heavy weight, detuned performance, and bulky turn signals. Today, my DX sports all LED lighting including mirrors with integrated turn signals, and all stainless parts, except for screws, are powder coated to match. Cams and fuel system performance modifications make my muscle-cruiser competitive with bikes weighing hundreds of pounds less. It's these simple changes that make my bike next generation, while sticking to the styling cues that honor the heritage the brand is famous for. I just feel that if the MoCo had done a few things differently out of the box, the VRSC line would have sold better.
Having my first child hasn't shied me away from riding, although of course it's harder to find the time. She's definitely worth it and I appreciate my time riding around with her in my truck: a 2002 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE extended cab, 5.3 L, rear wheel drive. It's also my first car, and my drives with her in the back seat are nothing more than "heritage appreciation" time. That heritage appreciation is also the reason my wife and I want to keep my father-in-law's 2003 Softail Heritage Springer in the family.