v rod or street rod?

H

heliharley

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I currently own a sportster iron but after seeing a smart v rod the other week I decided to take one for a thrash on a dealer test ride. Well on pulling out of the car park was goin to turn round and stick it right back in the showroom. It felt so weird. After 10 mins I was sold. The handling was superb. The pedals were a little far forward for me as I m 5' 6". After reading some bike reviews the street rod got some good reviews, if not better As the price for these is closer to my budget is there much difference. I ve heard the mid pedals are a bit awkward but given my height will I have a prob with them. Is there a kit for putting them forward or even highway pegs
 
Re: v rod or street rod?

I have a streetrod and i am on the short side ,forwards are no use to me ! Where are you located ? I am in bedfordshire if you want to try one for size .:)
 
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Re: v rod or street rod?

Going back to your original question,forwards can be fitted to the streetrod but its a lot of work,to use v rod parts you need all the obvious bits as well as the lower frame rail from the v rod and the rad surrounds as the street rod doesn't have cut outs .personally i have no problem with the vrscr peg position
 
Re: v rod or street rod?

heliharley said:
I currently own a sportster iron but after seeing a smart v rod the other week I decided to take one for a thrash on a dealer test ride. Well on pulling out of the car park was goin to turn round and stick it right back in the showroom. It felt so weird. After 10 mins I was sold. The handling was superb. The pedals were a little far forward for me as I m 5' 6". After reading some bike reviews the street rod got some good reviews, if not better As the price for these is closer to my budget is there much difference. I ve heard the mid pedals are a bit awkward but given my height will I have a prob with them. Is there a kit for putting them forward or even highway pegs
Click to expand...

I've got an '07 DX and have fitted the Rizoma rear sets , leaving the forward mounts just as highway pegs.The rear sets transform the feel of the bike meaning you can chuck it about a bit.You can also get reduced reach peg mounts moving the forward controls back towards you by an inch or so.
If you go for an R bear in mind there are almost no aftermarket bits for it and used spares are hard to come by.
That said if its what you want go for it :)

Steve
 
Re: v rod or street rod?

I can't get on with forwards myself, but saw a very petite lass ride a V-Rod into a Harley dealership with great aplomb and skill. I watched as she later departed and still couldn't work out how she reached the controls, I certainly can't! I have a SuperLow with mids, also a very compact bike and the controls are slightly cramped, but suspect a more luxurious seat will help cure that.
 
Re: v rod or street rod?

She must have had longer legs than me! But thats not difficult.
 
Re: v rod or street rod?

Heliharley
At 5' 6" the Street Rod may be a problem for you. Its got a taller frame and jacked-up suspension, but plenty of ground clearance; it will lean, but with its weight and wheelbase it ain't no sports bike. Thats the reason the press loved it - a Harley that could handle, its got decent upsidedown forks and Brembo twin discs and calipers. Not that that meant much to the average Harley rider!
The taller frame meant a larger petrol tank, with vigorous riding I'm thinking about petrol at about 140 miles. But the earlier V Rods had a smaller tank and you'd be stopping with the Sportsters. You'd have to check the year tech specs to find out when the V rod got a slightly bigger tank.
The SRod was a punt in the dark for me, so to speak, 'cos i'm a dyed-in-the-wool Sportster man. Now had mine for 6 years and covered 50k miles. I use it mostly for touring.
But you're gonna be out on your own with one, mine was the only Rod of 400 Harleys at last years Wallace Rally! But I can remember when I got my first evo Sportster back in '89, with the words 'nice bike, but it ain't a REAL Harley mate' !
And 'cos they didn't sell well, only on the books for 3 years (Rocker?!); for year and mileage they will be cheaper than a V. You never know, it may turn out to be a classic in years to come. No, and I ain't selling mine! and I've still got a Sportster. :smile:
 
Re: v rod or street rod?

I had one for 2 years, great bike.
Plenty of power, good ground clearance ...
At the price of a massive seat height.
But... Truly woeful steering lock.... A super tanker has more low speed manoeuvrability. The pegs are a little too near the seat for me on a long run, the seat is very thinly upholstered, sore after 100 miles as there is a "bump" built in at the rear of the seat that covers the ecu box.....
The sand cast finish on the wheels is a bear to keep clean...

The big question is, would I get another?
Too right I would. That IS the fastest, best handling Harley ever. As fast as the Muscle, but with lean angle to match, with great brembo brakes too.
Pity I can't afford another to go with the FLHTC.
The Glide wins on the comfort , but the VRSCR is a fab bike, if it fits you, and if you don't want after market bling bits, cos most of the V- rod stuff will not fit. Buy it, you know you want to.........
 
Re: v rod or street rod?

Well the Sportsters all but sold and as it was 50% off loads of stock at Doncaster St Leger this weekend due to the receivers auction so I bought a reduced reach control kit for the V rod - just need the bike to fit it too now or its adapting the sofa and dreaming.....
ps I could have spent a fortune in the sale some real bargains to be had.... but being Doncaster there were a few discarded 'old' jackets and boots laying about where amongst the pandamonium people had swapped new for old and just casually walked out. I had to admire their blatant cheek.
 
Re: v rod or street rod?

Interesting thread. I have a Streetrod and love it to bits having come from riding Honda VFR800's for many years.

I am on the short side barely 5 foot 5 and found the seat a little high for my short legs so have bought a kit which lowers the rear about an inch and a half. This makes me much happier when stopping in traffic and I can get both my feet flat on the ground.

The ground clearance is still very good and I have the benefit of the large fuel tank so get almost 200 miles betwwen fuels stop if riding steadily.
 
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