In celebration of the 10th anniversary of the ground-breaking (for Harley-Davidson) V-Rod range, the iconic bike manufacturer has revamped the original 60-degree, water-cooled 1 130 cm3 V-twin. The capacity is now means this is no soft, lazy, laid-back cruiser.
Our Night Rod test bike looked stunning in matte black with orange stripes and badging. In our opinion, no other colour scheme (including brilliant pearl silver and chrome) quite so perfectly complements the looks of this 10th anniversary edition.
A five-speed gearbox sends drive via a carbon-fibre reinforced belt to the fat, 240-section rear tyre on a new, lightened, 18-inch, five-spoke rim, tastefully colour matched in black and with an orange pinstripe. ABS is integrated with the triple Brembo discs and the tyres are specially made by Michelin for H-D.
The centre of gravity is noticeably lower than on traditional Harleys, thanks to the 19-litre fuel tank mounted under the low seat (the sleek top-tank is just a cover for the air-filter box). This helps with low-speed cornering and reduces the intimidation of the mass of close to 300 kg (extensive use is made of aluminium to keep the mass down to manageable levels). A neat feature for me, seeing as I love knowing the engine speed on all machinery (okay, not strictly necessary on a lawn mower), is a rev counter. Thankfully, the Americans, who normally skip this feature, have included a half-elliptical tacho to the left of the speedo with a similarly shaped fuel gauge to the right.
With Harleys, one has to be extremely circumspect when cornering due to low ground clearance, but this is much less of a problem with the V-Rod. The stretched-out stance with shallow steering angle (34 degrees) is what you expect on a custom cruiser. Front forks are 43 mm inverted while the rear has twin shocks with adjustable preload.
On the road, you can trundle along at 60 km/h at 2 000 r/min without fuss. When you twist the throttle (in any gear, actually), it surges ahead. The rear suspension is firm, even with the shocks set to their softest setting. One of the best (and almost unexpected) feelings is easing your way through traffic until it starts clearing: when you open the taps from low revs in sixth, the 76 cubic inches of muscle pulls lustily to the speed limit (and beyond). It’s effortless and exhilarating. The standard dual pipes look great but don’t give you the traditional Harley beat. Still, the induction noise means that you still enjoy the sound without disturbing the neighbours.
The handlebars have been pulled a bit closer to the rider on this new model, but I found that there is still an ever-so-slight forward stretch. The forward controls have been re-positioned so as to be, well … less forward. The placement is now spot-on, but you have to remember to move your legs to the front whenever you pull away.
Another aspect to remember of V-Rod riding in traffic is that the rear pot’s exhaust pipe can become extremely hot on warm days, even though a heat shield is fitted. This worsens when the coolant fan is running. So, if you see V-Rod riders sitting with their right legs raised, it’s not some sort of a brotherhood salute, it’s due to pain. The other interesting thing is that commandeering the V-Rod reminds you of riding a horse. Your inner leg muscles get a workout, not from hanging on, but because you inevitably counteract the wind force trying to splay your legs.
To conclude, forget about rolling blackouts. This bike is about rolling roll-ons. Apart from the drop-dead gorgeous looks, this is its raison d'être.
Specifications
Engine: 60-degree V-twin, d-o-h-c, four valves per cylinder, liquid-cooled
Displacement: 1 250 cm3
Power (kW/r/min): 94/8 250
Torque (N.m/r/min): 111/7 250
Transmission: five-speed with slipper clutch
Tyre sizes: f) 120/70 ZR19 r) 240/40 R18
Frame: tubular steel
Safety systems: ABS, alarm system, keyless go
Mass (kg): 289
Seat height (mm): 675
Fuel tank capacity (l): 19
Fuel consumption (L/100 km): 6,0
Price: R189 000
