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-   -   OT, V-Rods who has one? (https://www.offshoreonly.com/forums/general-boating-discussion/56595-ot-v-rods-who-has-one.html)

THRILLSEEKER 08-10-2003 06:15 PM

OT, V-Rods who has one?
 
Any of you guys have one, if so, lets hear the good the bad and the ugly. Any problems or major changes between the first year of production and the current?

Also why is there such a dramatic drop in resale value in a years time:confused: New models are selling around 23k and year old models with only a few hunderd miles are selling in the mid teens,:confused:

Biggus 08-10-2003 06:26 PM

I like them but the resale is not good.

Up here in Maine you can get a new 2003 for 17,000.00

Formula Outlaw 08-10-2003 06:51 PM

For that kind of bike, get a good V-Max or 85/86 Kawi Eliminator, if you can find one. I know a guy down here that first night out on his new V-Rod, got spanked hard about eight times a row. Second night out, same thing. Third night out I caught up with him, and that was that. He sold it with less than 400 miles on it and lost over 4 grand in cash. Moral of the story, don't buy a hot rod unless it runs hot........

Bad Girl 08-10-2003 07:26 PM

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New models are $17,000 here in Ohio too. Typical overpricing on a new bike - they were $23,000 when first introduced. Now its at its real value. But I love mine. Perfectly balanced and fast enough for me!!! I hear the market for them is limited because its not your typical Harley - it doesn't have the patented sound of a Harley. They are rather quiet which is my only complaint. And in my opinion, they need a custom paint job. The stock model is rather sterile looking.

LapseofReason 08-10-2003 07:28 PM

The V-rod is a good cruiser bike with some pep. NOT a drag bike.
The reason the resale is so low is the true HD people haven't welcomed it to the family yet just like when the EVO came out but in time I feel the #'s will come back.

Bike's are what I do and have done for 17 years, I work at a Yamaha dealer now and the V-max is a piece of chit, it is basically the same bike as it was in 85 when it came out. An 85 or 86 Kawasaki Eliminator is going to be a bigger pile. Hell most shops wont even work on something thats older than 10 years old. and they are both slow as hell I think the guy that Formula Outlaw is talking about just can't ride. The V-rod is not fast either but I think out of those 3 all of them stock the V-rod should win. A 600cc sport bike would spank them in a drag race and it's half the size.

If you want to go fast as hell in a straight line go buy a busa or zx12, if you want to go fast as hell and be able to turn buy a GSXR 1000 or a R1, if you want to go road racing buy an R6. If you want to go cruising get the V-rod.

If you are like me and like kinda funny looking different stuff check out Honda's new Rune I haven't ridden one yet but I saw it at the show and it's cool looking and that flat 6 motor pulls like a train.

THRILLSEEKER 08-10-2003 07:57 PM

thanks for all the info guys, Bad Girl, who in Ohio is selling new for 17K?

BTW, did I see that bike at The Casino a few weeks ago?

Bad Girl 08-10-2003 08:37 PM

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good enough for me!

Formula Outlaw 08-10-2003 10:06 PM

Hey Lapse, for someone whose supposedly worked on bikes for 17 years, you don't know much. Check out any magazine tests for 1/4 mile times on the V-Rod, then go back 17 years, or since, and check the times on those "piece of chit" V-Max or Eliminators. Funny, I thought the lowest times won, not the highest. My 85 piece of chit Eliminator has Keihein CR smoothbores, K&N filters, Dyna Ignition, Supertrapp (with closed course open ends) exhaust, timing advancer, cams, and dropped almost 45 lbs in the process. It's better than showroom new condition and shines as well as any showbike anywhere. My best time on that "puny" little 908 is 10.21, at Loudon, New Hampshire, and I weigh 212. Any stock V-Max or Eliminator would beat a V-Rod by probably 10/12 bike lengths in the quarter. Dale Walker of Holeshot Performance Products in California helped me build my bike. Your are right that compared to a Busa' or ZX-12R, or a dozen other "hyper" bikes, they are slow(stock), but they'll both make your V-Rod look like it's chained to a tree. You say you've worked bikes for 17 years, and you really say a V-Rod would outrun a V-Max? Frankly, I'd be embarassed.

27mmLoto 08-10-2003 10:21 PM

I have an '85 V-Max bought new in '85 by me. It is almost 20 years old and there are many bikes out now that are faster now but it will take a stock V-Rod.
Not to bad mouth the V-Rods as it is the first Harley I have ever been interested in. The things I didn't like about the V-Rod are pretty much common to all bikes with a lot of rake, they fall into corners and your feet are out in front of you. For me that would take some getting used to but if you have been riding that style of bike than you will feel right at home. My brother has one and a good friend of mine has one and both of them are happy with the bikes. No flaws that I am aware of, the quality is good and the engine has a good powerband. The bike is extremely easy to be smooth on (something that the Max is definetely not). Makes me think I ought to look at a belt drive conversion. Harley has done a great job of hiding the radiator. I would give the bike an overall "B+" with the notes that the only faults I have found were personal preference issues.
They were selling way over list initially so the price now is probably more realistic. Ride one and if you like it buy it.
Me I am hoping that the rumored 20th anniversary V-Max revision is true and the new bike is as awesome as the original one was in 1985.

LapseofReason 08-11-2003 07:49 AM

27mmloto the chain drive conversion is cool for the V-max it will pick up 3-5 hp at the rear wheel. Yamaha at the dealer show/meeting say they are not doing the V-max after 03. They are not selling as much any more. Maybe if the V-rod sold better they would have revamped it but then I think it would have been more like the V-rod. If you like Yamaha they have some cool stuff you can do to the Warrior but it's a 1600cc push rod motor, be like taking a step back in time. They should have put the Vmax motor in a Warrior frame.


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