The time Harley and Porsche made a Motorcycle...

[@michaelbaja1854]

Was at a HD dealer and we started talking about the V-Rod and the salesman tried to downplay the Porsche collaboration. It was like they where embarrassed.

[@bartmotorcycle]

It's interesting how the Vrod documentary does the same thing. They act like they just threw the vr1000 engine in it

[@super16g123]

A big part of Harley's identity, and a big source of it's brand loyalty, at least the older riders. Is the fact that Harley supplied tons of motorcycles during WW2. That's a big reason alot of motorcycle clubs are Harley only today. Its traced directly back to vets and the bikes they were given to fight the Germans. So to say that the Germans had a hand in this particular Harley...causes alot of the old heads to glitch out 😂.

[@andrewjensen7413]

It's mindboggling Stuff they didn't want to say that a different company Help them make a better engine and bike overall.🤯

[@giggiddy]

​​@@super16g123I couldn't agree with you more. But Harley has a rough road ahead because the younger ones think WW2 was only about a bad guy killing people they never met. The war is losing its historical momentum. How the war was won is unfortunately less important to the younger generations, which waters down Harleys identity/brand advantage. And Harleys aren't any better made or do anything better than most other bikes these days. So when us old guys quit riding. I hope they have a game plan to stay relevant because tradition and image will fade. Not completely. But it will. Maybe I'm wrong..

[@SchofieldRex]

I've worked in the industry for a long time and I've heard both sides equally. "Porche did it all", to the "it was like 5 guys from Porche engineering, not Porsche motorcompany.".

[@onazram1]

I went from building and riding Harley's since the later 70's to a Ducati XDiavel, the bike blows my mind... Great video on the V-Rod!

[@JoaquimGonsalves]

Still one of the most beautiful Harleys ever made.

[@darksky05]

My first Harley was a V-rod (Night rod Special) man I miss that bike. If I knew then what I know now I’d never let it go.

[@cyborgbadger1015]

The original 2003 V Rod with its solid wheels and brushed ali paint was the best looker.

[@MichaelMassie]

Been wanting one of these for a while. Probably the only modern Harley that ever appealed to me.

[@AwareWolfOnWheels]

"Modern" 😂

[@tessemi]

i can't reccomend it.

[@kitko33]

So glad for this video. I can't remember how many times I had a pointless argument with HD fanbois who at the same time thrashed this bike and denied Porsche's participation on the project because HD's so great they need no Germans. :)

[@MrPomdownunder]

My local HD dealers used to have an annual bike demo.. I once took out the V-Rod and got a bit carried away... 230kph and still accelerating.... Best HD ever....

[@antoninmeissner2717]

I never much appreciated Harley bikes, but damn do I love the vrod.

[@gregac9142]

I bought brand new a 02 Vrod in Germany and kept it until 13, when I traded it in on an 11 Muscle which I kept until 2019. Super fast (140mph on the Autobahn) and with the right mods a blast to ride. The dealerships hated working on them and many of the Harley purists never extended the V-Rod riders into "the family." Would have love to have seen a shorter wheelbase VRSCR with ABS. Never had a problem with either machine.

[@76629online]

I remember when the V-rod came out. They were as radical as the C4 Corvettes were when they first came out in 1984. They were just awesome.

[@buzzwaldron6195]

The only radical Corvette is the C8...

[@williamwintemberg]

My youngest had a Vee Rod. I never got a chance to ride it but I did take a couple of rides with him. He had pipes and a tune on it. The sound could put the fear of God in you. It had surprising power and handling. I was impressed but the bike wouldn't continue to this day. So it goes and yes, the engine would have made for a great street fighter. Surely a missed opportunity. Thanks for a wonderful video!

[@englishsteel-nz6im]

OMG what a missed opportunity and the engine is bullet proof reliable! A 450 pound or less street fighter with good handling and good looks and components for 12-13k would have caught on there's no question.

[@williamwintemberg]

@englishsteel-nz6im I agree 100%! It's such a shame.

[@mrpoizun]

It handled terribly. The rake was way too severe.

[@williamwintemberg]

​​@@mrpoizunI'm thinking the key word I used was surprising. Yes, I was surprised. Pleasantly.

[@jacquesnel8384]

Best Harley Ever! The FXR was good as well.

[@denisdickinson3537]

I bought a new '82 FXR that was a great bike. Kept it for 23 years!

[@thevtadventure1062]

Yup and the XR1200 for sure. Best handling air/oil cooled production bike. I think was the fastest too.

[@scoutandscooter]

Don't forget that in the early 80s Reagan slapped a 50% tariff on Japanese bikes so that Harley could recover from the days under AMF. Tariffs never should have happened, but the Japanese came back swinging with new bikes.

[@hodaka1000]

Right

[@KyleReese-vt8bo]

The Vrod was a donkey compared to the vmax.

[@thundercactus]

They got the tariffs they wanted, and then did nothing about it. That was the moment HD should have capitalized on expanding their offering. Instead they left the door wide open for foreign manufacturers to capitalize on market trends. Cafe racers are making a comeback. BMW, Honda, Suzuki, and Kawasaki designed modern "standard" bikes to appeal to the market while Triumph and Enfield are selling updated classic models to fill market demand. Do we think Harley is ever going to design a modernized version of the 1940's WLA WW2 bike? Or a modernized 1936 EL knucklehead? Or a bike reminiscent of their 1970's aesthetic? I'm sure there's demand to have a brand new 1930's retro Harley, but HD can't afford to risk bringing one to market.

[@mrpoizun]

@@thundercactus It gave them time to get the Evolution engine to the market and their sales took off! Harley has dominated the American market ever since. They then requested an early end to the tariff. Grow a brain.

[@thundercactus]

@@mrpoizun dominating ever since? They just had a 20% market share in sales in 2023, in a market that's 62% cruisers and touring bikes. Their market share of sales is down 10% from 2020. They're not even the best selling brand in the US anymore, with Honda alone outselling them by 8000 units in on-road motorcycles. They were the top selling individual motorcycle brand in the US for decades, but they were never "dominating" the motorcycle market unless you broke it down into sectors like "cruisers over 1000cc", because they either performed poorly in smaller displacements or simply didn't make motorcycles to compete in most other categories. They're a one trick pony. And you can't make an argument that it's just people having less money and can't afford Harley's, because Indian's sales have been steadily increasing for a decade and they've managed to steal 10% of Harley's market share, while Harley sales have been declining. And you know what REALLY shows the decline of Harley? The fact that Honda only has the Shadow 750 to mimic Harley's now. Used to be they had a VTX 1300, VTX 1800, Magna, Shadow 1100, and Shadow 750 to appeal to the Harley and cruiser crowd. Now they just have the Shadow. The Rebel is a bike of it's own and the Fury is for the chopper crowd.

[@Crosmyn]

I had one of the later iterations of the VRod, put thousands of miles on it and really enjoyed the experience. Like someone else mentions, I always wondered what a more touring oriented version, along the lines of the current Lowrider ST would have been like.

[@rogerf7265]

The V -Rod was actually Harley-Davidson's second collaboration with Porsche. The first was the Nova project that was going to be liquid cooled V2, V4 and V6 engined bikes that would be of different displacements depending on the model. Several prototypes were built but the program was eventually scrapped when Willy G and his investment group purchased the company back from AMF. I have a 2006 VRSCR Street Rod that I absolutely love. It has reduced rake, a 5 gallon fuel tank, Brembo Brakes and mid controls. It has much better handling than the other V-Rod models and boasts a 40° lean angle. Unfortunately the Street Rod was only a two year only model with 2006-2007 being the only years it was produced.

[@jbtoptc7327]

The VROD was the only HD I have ever owned. I experienced "snobbery" from the HD purest. It was just insane.

[@captainamerica9353]

Don't feel bad - the snobs look down on Sportsters, even Super Glides, and hated Buell. What happened to your VROD?

[@jbtoptc7327]

@@captainamerica9353 I sold it. I burned the inside of my thigh 3 times. I despised the exhaust layout. I saw no alternative layout. I did enjoy how it ran.

[@danbrown4913]

I still have my original 2003 100th Anniversary Edition HD V-ROD in the garage. It only has the 1,200 original miles that I put on it before I got married, went to grad school, had kids etc. etc. Wasn't super popular on the street when I bought it in the fall of 2002, but nowadays everyone that sees it wants to buy it. I may never sell it--Would love to see them bring it back in an updated version!

[@76629online]

Keeping the miles off your V-rod is like not F*****ng your wife to preserve her p***y for the next guy. Shame on you!

[@spectrent]

My father also got one and takes it every year into the road, he told me when he’s too old to ride, which will be in a few years, he will give it to me. I’m super stoked!

[@luxlamf]

Still have my 2002 VROD, it was my 1st bike and now had close to 140,000 miles on it. Have had other bikes come and go in my garage (right now it shares the garage with 2012 Triumph Scrambler) but that VROD will never go anywhere. Love it, Saw that Birth of VROD Doc in 2004 and said "Hey thats a nice looking bike, I need one!" Found one with 7000 miles on it and the adventure started. HD handling of this bike was horrible. Sales people would try and talk anyone away from them, they were pushed into corners of dealerships. Service? Non-Exsistant. Dealerships didnt want to work on them and they didnt bother to have a tech on hand who knew the bike. Other HD riders? Just as bad. It was a lot of work owning one of these but worth it. for a 1st year production to have this many miles on it without any major problems.

[@ZbigniewKozlowski-y8w]

I had been waiting 4 decades till HD make bike that go not just barks ,have one since 2002 ,regards Zbigniew

[@JWSpeedWorkz]

I sold a Vrod for a customer, hadn't ever been up close to one before, so I told em while it was on consignment, I would ride it a bit to keep the battery up (automotive shop and they didn't have a tender). The first time I rode it, I rode it like my Sportster, shifting at like 4500, not really beating on it. The second time I rode it, I decided to try to find the limiter, because it didn't seem much faster than my sporty. Holy hell, at like 6k, you would think a second engine came on line. They are quick and sound cool as hell at high RPM. I ended up selling it for the customer and I tried to find one before settling on an Indian Scout. Another high revving V Twin, except the scout power band may as well been drawn with a ruler. No drama, just go faster the higher the RPM😂

[@maxboas3509]

My 03 Vmax always left room on the wish list for a V Rod

[@Emily-ou6lq]

"a little" LMFAO. Yeh it's JUST the engine....cuz bending a bunch of tubes and welding them, that's the difficult part 🤣

[@charliedrake247]

V rod a great bike ❤

[@grzegorzmajewski.]

Harley run crying to Reagan to impose import tariffs on Japanese bikes because they couldn't handle the competition. They didn't "just keep making cruisers" in the 80's because they were cool.

[@thundercactus]

One of the biggest mistakes they ever made was succeeding in passing massive tariffs on their competition, and then doing absolutely nothing to take advantage of it.

[@mrpoizun]

The Japanese were dumping their cruisers on the American market for less than cost. That is anti-competition and a tariff was appropriate.

[@thundercactus]

@@mrpoizun Competition against other Japanese manufacturers is what was driving their prices down. Honda was more worried about losing market share to Yamaha than they were to Harley. And while Harley brought up the complaint, the govt didn't even do anything about it until after Harley was bought back from AMF.

[@astro61362]

I've never been a Harley guy. I'm one of those "four broke guys" buying a Rebel. 😉 (And, later a Shadow that I rode for 10+ years.) However, I always liked the looks of the V-Rod. At 5'6", the V-Rod was about the only Harley with a low enough seat height that felt comfortable to me. Another interesting video. Thanks.

[@Fortfortresser]

Bart, amazing video. Thank you for everything you do. That being said, it would be really neat if you did a video on the Dyna. They are so neat because years after they got discontinued they are still sought after. People get so creative with them too.

[@lennart7179]

Without the v-rod I would never had bought a Harley as i came from Hinckley Triumphs and the big twins seemed very agricultural. I believe that the canning of V-rods closed a major route into Harley ownership.

[@daveallen8824]

I traveled with a couple of buddies a number of times on long trips. One rode a 1200 Sporty and the other a Vrod. The downside of that hidden gas tank on the Vrod was that it was tiny and the bike was thirsty. I was riding an ST1300 and for every one of my gas stops, there would be at least 2 for the Vrod; the Sporty was not quite as bad, though it too had a small tank. Also, apparently the Vrod didn't like high ambient temps. It temporarily shut down a few times on a 3 Flags run in the Nevada heat.

[@charlesthoreaubillybudd8483]

‘06 vrod streetrod had mid controls; now there are convert kits for mid control .HD+Porsche = as cool as it gets in Milwaukee.

[@RamonInNZ]

I used to fang around in the 80/90s with a group of guys which had a couple of VMAX and the smaller Virago as well as mid-range straight 4s, such a fun time in motorcycling history!

[@76629online]

The Viragos were gay. They were gay back then and even more gay today. **vomit**

[@Ian-bq7gp]

The 1700 triumph thunderbird is a great cruiser. I rode the 1600 and it was the best twin ive ever seen. Simple clean and understressed.

[@flatcapcaferacer]

The average Vrod with an average rider could get high 11s or low 12s seconds ETs in the quarter mile which is as good as my Thruxton R, BMW R9T/5, and Kawasaki Z900RS SE. You would need the Vrod destroyer to take on the VMax. The Vrod engine was pretty good from my viewpoint.

[@chanzjj]

9:01 you say the vrod had USD forks and a rear monoshock, but it clearly has conventional forks and dual rear shocks?

[@tom6493]

Sounds like someone’s been cheating and used ChatGPT…

[@jamesbisset9891]

Around about 2012 or 2011 the vrod started coming with usd forks. they never came with a mono shock though

[@browngreen933]

I'll never understand why HD didn't use V-Rod engine in a touring model. 😮

[@pleun315]

Why 😂? Any Japanese manufacturer made better and faster bikes than Harley 😂😂😂

[@clockworkdimetrodon1001]

I wanted to see this. Another I’d like to see was the Suzuki m109 in a C model. That amazing engine in a good touring style

[@davegallo8166]

It's kind of simple? The loyal buyers thumbed their noses at the vrod, the dealers made more money on the evo bikes , they murdered it thru neglect ,came as buell . Imagine what HD would be like if they had the balls to go with the vrod motor to replace the Evo twin. And turned Buell into a legit racing division. But the loyalists had a hissy fit about it , and blocked if . So the vrod went away , now we have the RevMax engines and the Bronx is still MIA. I'd buy a RevMax or a VROD before a Milwaukee 8. 30 yrs from now "what happened to Harley?" They had chances to improve and actively said the old stuff is good enough , they were acquired by Royal Enfield after they bought our Triumph in 2048, and HD in 2049

[@danconnolly2341]

@@davegallo8166 Interesting take. Glad I will not be around to see that possibility.

[@infesting]

Because no matter how good the engine is Harley buyers don't want new things

[@DavidPawson-d7h]

I was the target customer for the V-Rod. I started riding on my roommate’s Rebel 250, bought the only thing I’ve ever financed a Kawasaki 454LTD, drove a Toyota Supra or my 67 Dart GT-S so obviously a V-Rod would have been my next bike but didn’t make sense because of where I lived for the next 20 years. A sandbar surrounded by salt water. Plastic rusts there. I’m literally negotiating a trade/work/cash for one now. Porsche also collaborated with the designers of the WJ’s high strength steel framework of its unibody.

[@John_Ridley]

The VRod and the Pan America are the only HDs I would actually like to own.

[@solidsnake3861]

v rod looks great only bad thing is the small gas tank

[@f_r_e_d]

love the vrod

[@charlieryan1736]

Love my 2013 VRod Muscle extremely reliable and fun to ride 🇺🇸👍🏻

[@terrywalchuk4793]

I have 2010 Vrod I love it . Never had a problem with it very reliable and fast 👍

[@kz6fittycent]

13:35 - LOL "Harley fanatics and normal people"

[@althejazzman]

I caught that too! Must have been watching South Park

[@MaverickAus]

Best motor Hardly ever put in a motorcycle.

[@Lemmon714_]

Don't you love spell check

[@MaverickAus]

​@@Lemmon714_I spelled it that way on purpose.

[@Lemmon714_]

Hardly Davidson sounds better anyway This stupid thing always corrects to that

[@rickberis4184]

A friend of mine, a young lady rider, got the V-Rod as her first bike. She really liked it. She wanted a Harley but didn't want the traditional Harley engine package. Got me to trying the V-Rod at an Americade during the bike demos. I was impressed. Unfortunately I already got my new bike a couple of years earlier but it was on my list. My faithful Honda simply refused to die. When the time came, the V-Rod was out-of-print. A pity Harley killed off Buell. I think Buell would have made interesting bikes with this engine.

[@lukejohnson3612]

Maybe a video about Buell in the future? Erik Buell did have a big hand in the development of the vrod

[@ogasi1798]

an unbelievable bike - i remember its launch

[@piratetaurussackinhaff9402]

I want my white 2014 VRod back so bad. Gawd,,, I'm jonesing for another ride on that beast.

[@giggiddy]

Buy another one. They are around and not that expensive

[@Emily-ou6lq]

"beast" bwahahahaaaaaa. I rode a Monster 1100evo and an R6.....they're cute but far from impressive.

[@giggiddy]

@@Emily-ou6lq Wow. You must be incredibly manly and overall more wonderful than us. You talk about powerful purpose built machines that us regular guys think are impressive and you say they are unimpressive toys. You're likely hung like a horse and drive a very loud mustang like an idiot. Geeze. I guess some have all the luck. Please respond to me so I can feel what it's like to know an A lister like you. Clown.

[@tanys9339]

These were such great bikes. I wanted one ever since they came out. I like their looks, and as a tall rider, I felt they were very comfortable.

[@rogerw3818]

I liked the engine, but did not like the platform. The seating position did not appeal to me, it had pathetic range, and the solid wheels caught side winds and pushed the bike around far too much. I applauded the effort to get out of their comfort zone, though.

[@htimmermans1938]

Porsche also helped with the EVO

[@browngreen933]

Evidence?

[@super16g123]

I've never heard that one before. They did work together previously on the project Nova liquid cooled v4 engine. It was being developed at the same time as the more traditional Evo engine. It was eventually scrapped for the evo. That might be what your thinking of. This was back in the seventies I believe. It's funny. There seems to have been a "performance minded" faction that have attempted several performances takeovers of the brand for decades lol. Never got it done though lol

[@pleun315]

Porsche helped also with the pan head ....

[@oliverdurgen5953]

Porsche has "helped" with all of Harley's motors since the Evo in 1984. The Evo, the Sporty Evo top end, and the Twin Cam were all designed in collaboration with Porsche. Porsche is the master of air cooled engines. they helped Harley tune the engines and get them within global emissions specs. Something that was becoming harder and harder to do. Even Porsche eventually had to give up air cooled engines to meet sound emissions.

[@Ian-bq7gp]

They sould never have let BSA go, especially as they were so popular in USA. The frames and style was great like the single scramblers.

[@bylbanos]

Bart, I love your videos! Thank you for looking into unique bikes and telling their stories. Would BMW r1200c be a good bike for another video like that?

[@montyscribner700]

I never rode one so I can't speak from experience but my son and I ran into a guy who had a V-Rod a few years ago and he didn't like his at all... he had had it for a couple years so he wasn't talking off the cuff. It was a few years ago so I dont remember what all he said but I do remember him saying that it was cheaply made. Like I said, I dont remember specifics but he did say that the chrome was flaking off in places here and there, he didn't like the economy, the tires wore out in a hurry, the paint was fading and so on. Not sure if any of this helps but there's what I know about it.

[@gibgob3094]

Something I wish you had touched on, and I get why you didn’t from what I understand it’s just rumors. But it was actually buell that engine was originally designated to get but Harley decided they’d take it during development. Everything that bike has seems more buell. Engine water cooled, no gas tank on top off the engine. Buell ended up going to rotax before Harley gave up on them, but it is cool to think of these engines inside of a buell

[@justinyates5558]

There were concepts of using the vrod engine in the buell thunderbolt...which wouldve been really fricking cool!

[@gibgob3094]

@ Erik buell didn’t deserve what happened to him and his company. Makes me sad

[@mrpoizun]

The only thing Porsche helped with was taming the Harley VR1000 racing engine so that it was livable on the street. That's it. The racing engine was developed beginning in the '80s by Harley engineers plus outside engineers who were then hired by Harley to keep the work in house. Erik Buell was one of them. Harley bought his entire company.

[@Fast48-1]

Please forgive my off-topic post!!! I'd really appreciate hearing your thoughts on this subject!! I believe Harley erred when they dropped the Street 500 and 750, and especially the Street Rod 750 from their lineup. I really wonder how they're going to attract new, younger riders with their entry bike (Nightster 975) now costing 12000.00 MSRP? (Personally, I thought the Street Rod 750 had a shot a filling that bill.) Oddly enough, when I got back into riding at age 51, I had a job working at a local H-D dealer. That was in 2011. The Buell Blast was the bike used in the Rider's Edge class. I asked my manager if I could ride one around the lot during my lunch hour. He allowed me to do so. I bought one two weeks later! One month later, I traded it in on a used Iron 883! I really think they need a true entry level bike in both size and price! Should they bring back the Iron?? Thanks again, Bart! Love your work!!

[@electric_boogaloo496]

I love the idea of a power cruiser, XDiavel S owner for 4 years. Its a shame that the market never caught on to the joys that a Power Cruiser brings to the table. VRod is discontinued, VMax is gone, only the Diavel and XDiavel remain, with some competition from the Rocket 3. When you already own a superbike (I also own an 899 Panigale), a street fighter just feels like more of the same but worse wind protection for slightly better comfort. A power cruiser on the other hand is a more novel experience, and variety is the spice of life.

[@althejazzman]

Manufacturers in the car and motorcycle industry share their expertise all the time. Yamaha have developed engines for Ford, Volvo and Toyota, Lotus had a big part in the design of the DeLorean and several Fords. HD were obviously too proud to embrace this.

[@heroicspartiate]

the best engine i ever found on a bike . Awesome sound , smothness and powerband , incredibly reliable (never had a broken engine at the dealership i worked). A shame they didnt used the engine on other bikes

[@guitarenigma]

I loved my V-Rod. Smooth, powerful, and so comfortable my wife as a passenger actually used to fall asleep on long rides. To this day I regret trading it in for a Softail Deluxe.

[@JA-zh5xi]

You can always pick up another one for cheap. No one wants them and they just rot on dealer floors as trade ins.

[@TheDutchPathFinder1]

If Harley Davidson wants to survive they should bring back the V-Rod and Dyna line..... To my knowledge the MIlwaukee line has too many flaws.

[@super16g123]

That's what the nightster 975 is. A new dyna with a vrod engine basically.

[@NICOLABANDEIRA]

Use to have a 78’ Yamaha xs11, with just a 4-1 pipe. Paid 700 bucks for a 25 year old bike (back then) that bike (two up) ripped the sh…. out of the V rods. It was just so much fun….

[@paulblouin6955]

XS 11 would pull hard any time the throttle was twisted.

[@kasperkjrsgaard1447]

But the V-Rod would leave the XS 11 for dead

[@RamonInNZ]

Another model ridden by the group I hung out with in the 1980s to 1990s

[@pleun315]

Porsche / Harley did a horrible job on the v rod.....could have been really powerful but.....many 70s and 80s bikes are way faster 😂😂 its so hilarious 😂😂

[@dev1360]

The KZ900LTD was ONLY made in 1976. It was the first and last year for it. They went to the KZ1000, LTD available, in 77+. You made it sound like it was made in the 80s. It was still just a UJM bike.

[@oov55]

they tried - but nobody in the HD factory had any skill with a pencil and paper...

[@Emily-ou6lq]

or anything else for that matter LOL

[@soggycracker5934]

Harley DID build a bike influenced(in part/allegedly) by the UJM style bikes. It was the best bike they had ever built, and some argue still the best in some respects. The FXR series was phenomenal. The sound and torque of the Big Twin and set into a modern, stiff, perfectly engineered frame. The Original FXR, the Super Glide II is one of the most beautiful Harleys ever made. An '83 FXR will STILL walk away from a modern Touring or Softail on tight mountain roads.

[@3wheelmannc860]

It IS/WAS a Harley and a very good one imo. Not for everyone, but a viable option for H-D customers to consider. I could not get one at the time, but man...if that would have continued...just consider the possibilities of where it could be in 2024. Hopefully H-D will keep moving the newest 1250 platform to new heights...the Adventure bike is a very good first offering, but put that in a touring style bike and hang on.

[@Schutti73]

I remembered that someone eradicated the Porsche Involvement out of the Wikipedia Page about this engine. Porsche is to non USAisch for the hardcore HD Rider. :)

[@SaintBrickalous]

The real thing that held the vrod back so much is the lack of aftermarket support. Harleys arent meant to be kept stock, they are meant to be bought and built to the liking of the owner, it was doomed to fail because no one bothered to make parts for it afterwards.

[@1Curmudgeon]

Enjoying your channel. Would love to see your take on the HD vs Ducati racing rivalry from the Gene Church (Lucifer's Hammer) and Adamo / Leoni era.

[@halloyoutubers7047]

HD did stay to the HD Heritage, think you do forget the HD 2stroke and Aeromachi models.

[@Redmenace96]

He is glossing over the V-4 Honda Magna. I was there, in the 70's and 80's. Older men than me lusted for the Magna. It was a cruiser, but not a POS like H-D. It was a big seller in my neighborhood!

[@76629online]

Indeed! The V65's were rocket ships!

[@thundercactus]

I ended up getting a 3rd gen Magna this year. What a conundrum of a bike. I love it, but I can see why it didn't sell nearly as well as the 1st and 2ng gen Magna's. Firstly, it's a DREAM to ride. The shocks are buttery soft, the mid controls cramp the hips a bit but the strain relief it has on the back makes it more than worthwhile. And the CoG being right under your butt makes it a bit tricky to handle at low speeds, but super manuverable around pot holes at highway speeds. The upside and downside is the engine. 100hp and a mere 41lb-ft of torque (compared to the V65's 116hp and 80lb-ft). Plenty of power for a mere 550lb cruiser, but the problem is in the delivery. While it'll give my Indian Scout a run for it's money in both the 0-60 and 1/4 mile (I think it's actually faster in the 1/4mi), it's all peak power with no torque, so it's actually not nearly as fun to ride which explains why it performed poorly in the cruiser sector compared to the 1100 Shadow and was replaced by the VTX1800/1300

Harleys motto "Yesterdays technology...........tomorrow" Then came the v-rod

[@Stuntman175]

And now this engine lives on as the new engine for the 1250 Sportster. Porsche designed an absolute peach of an engine, it just was too far ahead of its time.

[@omgitsabloodyandroid5161]

The best bike they ever made

[@htimmermans1938]

The frame is a steel tubular frame.

[@darrell3368]

I wish I had one nightrod they are amazing bikes I love them

[@daveruff47]

This was the best bike they ever made

[@kenwise4596]

I started my bike career out at a metric dealership in 1990 uncrating the new bikes and setting them up and we would sell probably two VMX1200's a year compared to probably ten FZR 600's. Older guys bought the VMX younger got the FZR but that was lost on me the FZR looked like a cheap toy compared to the Max. I could never own a V Rod because there is nothing you can do to not make them sound like shit no mater how well they run. Every platform has it's distinct sound that is part of the soul of the machine and the V Rod sound cheap and shitty.

[@IVWOR]

Цікава історія. Дякую 👍

[@gregbrigden2909]

The VRod was never really accepted by the faithful. Some referred to it as the VRoid. There is a famous picture of the VR1000 race bike on fire by the side of the track. It was never competitive in super bike racing.

[@omw2fymom76]

I have to comment on remark that the vmax was the first "super cruiser". Definitely was the the v65 magna hands down no questions asked. The v65 is the grandaddy OG of the fast cruiser category. Those bikes will do 110 in 2nd gear and have a 5 speed plus over drive 6 gear transmission. Also with the right rider the v65 is putting down a 3 second 0 to 60 as well. Yes without a doubt the vmax was faster and all around much better. I'm just pointing out it definitely wasn't the first super cruiser.

[@grahamsmith2022]

If you want a negative reaction to your motorcycle turn up to your local outlaw mcc on a V-Rod.😂

[@Lemmon714_]

You not a REEEEEEEEEEEL biker A coworker was such a douchebag to me because I bought a 1000sx after he got a REEEEEEL bike, a nineteen eighty something Dyna. He let me know how much better a Harley is compared to "jap crap" and would ask me why I wore all that "stuff" when I rode. Stuff like a full face helmet, kevlar jeans and armored jacket. I rode from 1990-2022 in shorts and t shirt without incident so I figured my luck would run out at some point. I realized how right he was when he put flame stickers on it.

[@grahamsmith2022]

@Lemmon714_ we've all met them,bud,when people start talking about "real bikes" you know you've met one.👍✌️

[@alfordmick]

“Harley fanatics and normal people” 😂😂😂 🤙🏻

[@radricster]

At 8:59 I think you refer to "rake" angle, and the V-Rod's 34 degree forks are pretty kicked out compared to my Superglide's 28 degree head. Hardly a corner-carver. Then at 9:05 you say the V-rod uses a monoshock rear suspension. Dude, have you ever actually seen this bike?

[@danconnolly2341]

I think it is the Rocker and Rocker C that use the monoshock configuration.

[@mattman3495]

The only Harley I'd own.

[@JoaquimGonsalves]

An XR1200V would have been a wonderful successor to the XR1200. Oh well.

[@Pleksilasi]

Vrod is the only harley (that I know of) that was designed by non-american engineers. It is also the fastest and maybe the prettiest, those flat black rods are just chef's kiss. Correct me if I'm wrong but porsche is a german engineering company, that usually makes cars, not motorcycles.. It's almost as if the german engineering was superior to american?

[@danconnolly2341]

Some of the German engineering is first class. They are last in line though when it comes to ease of maintenance and service parts pricing and installation methods. Truly baffling though as it kind of resembles the late war tanks they made that, on paper, were nigh invincible, but in reality were rather less than the sum of their parts.

[@Pleksilasi]

@@danconnolly2341 ah, a man of culture I see. for the reasons mentioned above, I'll never ever buy anything made in germany. Japanese bikes got like 85% of the tech of the german bikes with 300% the reliability and ease of maintenance with 34% of the price lol.

[@clintonhalunajan467]

Requesting a history video about honda rebel series

[@michaeljkasnter]

Porsche clearly had 0 input in the Breaking Dept😂, absolutely horrendous breaks that almost got me killed!!! Bye bye V-Rod!!!Another Huge issue was the lack of fuel capacity, nobody wanted to ride with someone on a V-Rod because it needed fuel 2x more than other Harley’s

[@TexasRiverRat31254]

That would be ...brakes....unless you mean actually physically coming apart. 😂🤣

[@captainamerica9353]

@@TexasRiverRat31254 = I hope English is the guy's 2nd language.

[@CZ65]

The V-Rod is the only harley I would like to own.

[@peterturnbull9133]

I am afraid I too have never been a Harley guy but I really like the Vrod. I think it is a very stylish and classy creation …as is the VMax…..I disagree that either of these bikes are ugly….the Honda Rune also falls into the category IMHO. I guess the fact that as another non Harley guy who really likes the Vrod, goes some way to explaining why true Harley guys don’t like it. I still think is is a Harley which they should be proud of.

[@Lemmon714_]

The worst thing about Harleys is the arrogant riders on them. No, you are not automatically a Hells Angel when you get one.

[@robbieandbeckie]

Might be interested if they still made it.

[@skaldlouiscyphre2453]

bart, what does the scouter say about it's redline?

[@philhawley1219]

Bart, you seem to be forgetting the first AMF Harley and Porsche collaboration in the late 1970's with the Nova project. It never went into production but was this a resurrection? Did they dig out the original blueprints or did they begin anew with a clean sheet of paper? There is more to this story than meets the eye.

[@MrPomdownunder]

was that a V4 ?

[@philhawley1219]

@MrPomdownunder I think they tried V twins and fours, overhead cams, water cooling and all sorts of modern stuff but the yanks being yanks still kept on building an engine that was fifty years out of date even then.

[@F3Y3F3]

Honda created the power cruiser with the V65 Magna in 1982. Yamaha dethroned as the fastest with the V-Max in 1985.

[@cyberlux]

Buell was supposed to get this V-Rod engine. And what a game changer it would have been.

[@captainamerica9353]

Buell wanted something much lighter. Hence going to Rotax.

[@cyberlux]

@@captainamerica9353 I have just a bit of inside info on this.

[@captainamerica9353]

@@cyberlux Do tell - I used to have an 1125r

[@ricardobufo]

should have been Judge Dredd's mount 😊

[@shadymoto3690]

9:07 rear monoshock?

[@johncallow22]

There shouldn't be an apostrophe in its if you'e using it as a posessiive.