HD VRSCF V-ROD MUSCLE

[MAGIC]

Well I sold my XB9S and use the money for a down payment on this. 09 Vivid Black Muscle with 1585 miles. Has some add ons - V&H competition slip ons + V&H fuelpak (power commander), K&N air filter, Progressive suspension front and back, HD Stealth grips, pegs and brake/gear levers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou-9LWsAeos

Thoughts?

[konarider94]

sorry to hear that.

[03Firebolt9R]

I wouldn't mind having a muscle, but I wouldn't sell my Buell for it. If that's what you want though, congrats and ride safe.

[RamAirZ]

Good looking bike! Not a fan of the way you video'd it because it's hard to really see it lol but looks good. I've always liked the Vrod, it and my Firebolt have been on the top of my bikes list for awhile. Agreed that I probably wouldn't ditch the bolt for it but I don't think you stepped down at all, just a different style machine.

[onelogue]

Im a Victory man myself, so if i went to a Hot Rod style the Yamaha V-MAX, or Ducati Diavel would be the bikes of my choice.

[Route0766]

Nice and clean Bike! :)

Personally I like the 2012 Victory High Ball or 2012 HD Softail Slim or 2012 V-Max in that concept. I believe you will miss the curves!! but have FUN with your V-ROD... :)

[thuren67]

Nice bike! A power commander or vision will get a bit more power then the fuel pack. The v&h is fuel only the others are fuel and timing

[Lesley]

Nice Bike. Very cool. I'd trade mine is a split second for a VRod like that.

[konarider94]

I guess I dont get it, but you asked for thoughts. We all know our buells arent the fastest bikes but we like them for handling and they are just fun to ride. I cant see trading for something with marginally more power but weighs 200+ lbs more and cant handle the same. Its not any faster and it handles worse. For a muscle bike I agree with previous posts that the V Max, diavel, or rocket III would be a better option.

I do hope you like and maybe it suits your needs perfectly. I could not see myself being happy with that bike after riding buells.

[07Bolt]

Those are bad-ass bikes. 240 rear, low profile seat, 1250cc, cool taillight, lots of torque. Watch out for the key-ignition though. You can lose so many keys from falling out of the knob-switch almost every time. Dont forget to switch to off, or ur battery will wreak havoc. The fuel tank on those fill up fast to, the closer to full that it gets the slower to pump fuel. I think Rizoma makes bars for them to, not sure. Porche designed liquid cooled engine. Battery is in a crappy place, under the handlebars. With those mods, keep ur eye on the plugs, the gas mileage, cooling system and primary/trans. The 06/07 i think had some issues with a engine bearing and some have a damper issue in the rear wheel sprocket.

[Lesley]

I guess I dont get it, You will once you get to be an old man like some of us LOL. You make good points though..I tried mine but only straight across. Im not borrowing money ever again to purchase a HD product. HD has by far the worse customer service I have ever seen in my entire life. Im not talking about certain dealerships so I dont need any links on that crap Haha . Im just saying as a whole company HD sucks in customer service.

I got a friend who rides one. He has 52,000 miles on it with zero mechanical problems.

[lithiumion]

that is a beautiful straight line bike!

[ReconLdr]

Those are bad-ass bikes. 240 rear, low profile seat, 1250cc, cool taillight, lots of torque. Watch out for the key-ignition though. You can lose so many keys from falling out of the knob-switch almost every time. Dont forget to switch to off, or ur battery will wreak havoc. The fuel tank on those fill up fast to, the closer to full that it gets the slower to pump fuel. I think Rizoma makes bars for them to, not sure. Porche designed liquid cooled engine. Battery is in a crappy place, under the handlebars. With those mods, keep ur eye on the plugs, the gas mileage, cooling system and primary/trans. The 06/07 i think had some issues with a engine bearing and some have a damper issue in the rear wheel sprocket.

The VROD engine was originally an Erik Buell project.... it was made street legal (EPA Regs) by Porsche. IIRC, it was supposed to be in a full fairing Superbike but HD also wanted to put it in a cruiser which made it too heavy for use by Buell.

OP, I hope you enjoy your bike. If I were to purchase a new HD, it would be a VROD.....

[twoguns]

yep... i wouldnt have done that either. you will never get another buell new or close too. you can always get a muscle or v rod. certainly a step back to the left. they are a nice bike, but you will miss the handle of hte buell, if you bought it to 'ride'. the muscle is just a show cruiser. i took a night rod out for a test about 8 weeks ago. decided then and there that a 240 buell was the better option! ;)

[MAGIC]

Thanks for all the nice comments and criticism as well.

My XB needed a lot of work. It was dropped by a previous owner. Dented frame, dented swing arm and scratched up pretty bad, so these main parts had to be replaced. Needed new belt, motor isolator and tires (I had shinkos on it in a still great shape but they are horrible at high speeds - bike wobble like a mofo - don't ever buy them - you pay **** = you get ****). The problem is I do not have space where I could strip down the bike, lack of knowledge/mechanical skills and tools would make it a nightmare. So most likely I would have to have a shop do it for me which would be substantial investment in the bike that is worth $3K on a good day. Don't get me wrong - I loved my Buell and I know how great and fun these bikes are. Still it was 10 years old bike with a lot of work/money to be invested in to bring it to all it's glory. Plus the idea of not having support of the dealership - parts and service (I know I know what support, right?) doesn't seem appealing.

Another problem I had was riding longer distances. Not really bike's fault rather than mine - back in the day i had pretty bad injury to my right knee (military related) and with age it gets worst. So after couple of hours in the saddle I had to pull over and stretch my legs. No fun.

All in all it was time to find something newer and more comfortable with a little grunt as well. I really wanted to keep my Lightning but like I said - no room for two bikes in the garage (I share it with SUV and a sedan) and selling XB gave me some funds for a good down payment.

Some of you suggested Triumph Rocket III - I like the power train, don't like the looks. Diavel - while I like it, it is WAY too pricey for my budget (plus there rarely are used ones available) and everybody know how expensive is Ducati's maintenance. Yamaha V-MAX - used to like it but now it's plain ugly IMO. Test rode it. It has astonishing power and acceleration but in the same time handling is just terrifying. I like Victory Hammer 8-Ball but couldn't find nice used one in my area in my price range. I also considered Suzuki M109R but 1 - it's just too big and heavy for my liking, 2 - two of my riding buddies have them.

So there it is. Found a VRSCF in the independent used bike dealer for a decent price. After 5 hours of negotiations and me walking out the door TWICE lol we agreed on $11900 out the door. I put down $3K and had it financed through local Credit Union at 3.49% APR! Well I think it's a deal you can't pass up especially if the bike was barely ridden, is in pristine condition (just like brand new from the showroom floor) and somebody did exact same mods I would've done.

Some of you try to compare XB and V-ROD. But they're completely different bikes, designed to do different things. If one buys V-ROD thinking of replacing XB and expecting same or similar performance has no clue about motorcycles. Comparing these two bikes is just pointless. I got the F for better comfort, aggressive design (some people like it some say it's horrendous) and somewhat performance it still provides compares to other cruisers. It will never be corners carving XB or a rice rocket and I know about it. Although I was positively surprised by it's handling for what kind of bike it is. And I can bet it can still hang with XBs at freeway speeds - there are no switchbacks there ;)

In the end I think someday I'd like to get long awaited EBR Street Fighter to keep my hooliganism alive :D

Ride safe everybody! Remember ATGATT!

[snrusnak]

If you're happy with it that's all that matters. My brother's friend has a vrod and I personally really dislike them. I find it uncomfortable and poor handling. Seems to always be out of fuel(and that's saying something coming from a guy with an xb). It is somewhat quick, but that's about all it has going for it IMO. I don't even care for the appearance.

[konarider94]

In the end I think someday I'd like to get long awaited EBR Street Fighter
Dont we all, been living on rumors for 3 years. Sounds like that v rod is going to work for you. Glad you didn't take anything personal.

[RamAirZ]

Hey in the end he's still on 2-wheels and that's what we are all here for right? I think you made the right choice for yourself....I like it

[07Bolt]

At the same time tough -like anything on 2 wheels really- I was doggin a used 2006 vrscse, open pipes/tuner/etc, in a parking lot scoutin the torque specs and whatnot and ragin the front brakes to halt the beast. Well the 2nd run, grabbed to much brake and the front wheel came out from under. Holy cement batman lol. Dropped my feet in time to catch it with a deathgrip on the bars lol

[deathandtexas]

It's all right. The first time I saw a Vrod was in 2004-ish when Willie G rode it on the Lewis & Clark HOG ride I went on. Never was a huge fan of them. I must say this looks better than most but they seem to be getting pretty far from the classic HD look (I guess that's sorta the point of this model). Sorry to hear you ditched teh Buell for it but whatever floats your boat man. Enjoy it!

[RamAirZ]

Hey is that a Trooper in your garage?

[MAGIC]

Hey is that a Trooper in your garage?

Yes there is. Not mine though. This one is example of "how to beat tough truck to death"... It has so many issues that I don't even know where to start. Although if it starts it goes.

[RamAirZ]

LOL gotcha, I knew that I recognized those taillights lol. I'm a little Isuzu nerd too

[bwylie_99]

Yo, nothing wrong with a vrod....I own one as well as an xb9 and an 1125cr. Only problem is finding one with mid mounts and a 180 rear. Its the fastest of the 3 and if ridden correctly can embarrass most bikes, not the vmax, but most! Stop hating yall.....only reason the 1125 exists! Jmo!

[bwylie_99]

http://www.buellxb.com/buell_images/15486_20121105154956_L.jpg

[konarider94]

how is it the only reason the 1125 exists? the v rod is the only reason the 1125 didnt exist sooner from the way i see it.

i do not believe its faster than your 1125. i wasnt necessarily hating on the v rod. Its not bad, but there are others in the same category i like better is all.

[Theycallmecrash]

No its not faster. I gotta call that out for the false fact that it is. I recently played against a v-rod down coast highway, and from dead stop and rolling it cant beat my 12r, close but still hangs back, and ive been chewed up by an 1125cr. The specs on the bikes should make that clear v-rds push same kinda power as an 1125 but much heavier. And an xb shy on power still lighter.

Btw i think my next bike may be a v-rod they look awesome

[Hooker]

Having ridden both Victory AND HD for prolonged periods of time, i can say that the Victory is a tad faster than the HD, but they feel so cheaply made (almost chinese-esque) and they sound like garbage. The reason HD sounds great is the lopey idle. I'll agree though, the Buell to any cruiser is a major drop in many areas. You'll lose MPGs, probably cost more for insurance (buells are surprisingly cheap), not turn as well, not get as many looks, and feel older :P. Ive ridden my dad's 99 super glide a few times and its fun, super comfy, but kind of a turd. The VRod will probably actually beat any Buell XB9 or 12 in a drag, but you'll get wasted through the turns.

[MAGIC]

I'm sorry but a lot of you, especially ones criticizing v-rods, don't get the point. Why you try to COMPARE Buells that are SPORT BIKES to a CRUISERS??? VROD, like I said before, will never do very well what Buell is good at and the same the other way around. Simple as that.

[Theycallmecrash]

Rawr... O.o

To each his own, and hes got a point though it designed for a completely different kinda riding. Now i really want one

[RamAirZ]

I think I said that in the 3rd reply here, lol. Different styles of machines. We all buy our bikes to suit our tastes, alot of Jap guys look at our Buells and think we made bad choices. In the end your the one that has to ride it and enjoy it. I think it looks great!

[Theycallmecrash]

Yeah well you have less than 250 post and less than 10 rep its like you dont exist! Jk youre alright, come finish my camaro. Haha i look forward to the tons of input and info youll bring to the forum!

[RamAirZ]

hahaha, I'd love to come finish it for ya lol and thanks :)

[bwylie_99]

I call bs on the 1125 being faster. As they sit no way, the vrod has exhaust tuner naked intake and pulls all the way to redline hard. I fully expected the cr to be quicker but its got an hmf n k&n but no tuner so around 5500-6000 revs just kinda doesn't have it. I'll report back when the race ecm gets here.....I'm sure it'll be a different story.
Right now though the vrod smokes it!

[konarider94]

obvious troll is obvious. the 1125 dies at 6000...hahahaha

[Hooker]

I love all the HD bikes. Honestly, i was going to buy the sportster 48 over my Lightning (bought it from a dealer), but i didn't want any more payments. One thing my XB will never do like a HD is provide unlimited comfort. Im ready to call it a day after 200mi of riding in a day, and my dad could go 1,000 if his health weren't so bad. I still want that '48 though :/

[J_Undisputed]

I went with 2012 Vic highball. I loved it because for a cruiser, its aggressive but still pretty nimble. I got hit by some dip$hit back in September as I was changing lanes. (Took out my shifter, peg, linkage, and sheared the shifter lever bolt off the primary. Bike whipped around pinning my leg between the bike and car, caught part of the windshield in the shoulder and the sideview mirror in my back.) Surprisingly the bike was unbelievably solid, i never lost control and throttled away from him. After he stopped, I did and went to shift into neutral and looked down and found everything gone.

Since its been in the shop, I've been back on my bolt. I've leaned over further than i ever have before (just cant do it on my vic without grinding pegs). I cant get over how light it feels compared wrestling with a 700lb bike.I also feel like i have outgrown the bolt size though. The top heavy riding sport style feels more challenging than the low perched, ape hanged, sucked in feel of the cruiser. 2 completely different bikes despite being air cooled efi v twins. Letting go of the bolt is hard, but despite never running out of crank on the vic, i don't feel the need to speed everywhere. The mileage is said to say about the same between the k&n/straight pipe on my bolt and the Stock intake/2 into 1 pipe on my vic. Buell growls a tad louder, but the vic holds its own. My rear stock bolt signals to my vic. So i guess its on its way to becoming a "Victoruell".

[snrusnak]

One thing my XB will never do like a HD is provide unlimited comfort.

Funny how people find different things comfortable. I find the vrod, the road king, and sportster extremely uncomfortable. I find my firebolt the most comfortable bike I've ever ridden. I can ride all day with ease and not be sore. I rode my brother's sportster once all day and the second half of the day all I was thinking about was riding into oncoming traffic.

[ReconLdr]

I call bs on the 1125 being faster. As they sit no way, the vrod has exhaust tuner naked intake and pulls all the way to redline hard. I fully expected the cr to be quicker but its got an hmf n k&n but no tuner so around 5500-6000 revs just kinda doesn't have it. I'll report back when the race ecm gets here.....I'm sure it'll be a different story.
Right now though the vrod smokes it!

Do the Math....
146 HP/82 # tq @ 375lbs
vs
120 HP/84 # tq @ 643lbs

Which bike do yo think is faster?????

[bwylie_99]

The 1125 should be I give you and when properly tuned it had better be or their will be a fine 09 for sale!