Harley ventures into the realms of Star Trek with its latest offering, treading where no man has gone before, and discovering an exotic piece of metal in the process.
This anodised piece of aluminium is called the V-Rod and is powered by the rightly named Revolution engine complete with liquid cooling and double overhead camshafts, with styling and engineering that could have come from a Swiss watchmakers drawing board, although in reality it was with the assistance of Porsche engineering of Germany.
The 1130cc engine has a one-piece forged crankshaft and pumps out an impressive 115bhp at 8250 rpm.
Dual overhead camshafts are driven by chains with hydraulic tensioners, operating the 4-valves per cylinder.
The engine is rubber mounted in the frame and also has an internal counter balance shaft to make power delivery glossy smooth to its professed 140mph top speed. Electronic fuel injection feeds the beast, adding to the smooth delivery of power. The fuel tank is located under the seat, lowering the centre of gravity, which helps with the handling. A flip up seat gives access for fuelling, and a fuel gauge and warning light tells you when. There is no reserve on the 15.1 litre tank.
Lubrication is managed by an oil pump housed in the sump, negating the need for an external tank and its associated plumbing spoiling the flowing lines of the design.
The shroud around the radiator and twin fans gives away the fact that this new incarnation is liquid cooled, allowing closer tolerances within the engine, which in turn allows higher revs and better performance.
The exhaust is a finely styled 2-1-2 maintaining that most distinctive of sounds only a Harley can produce.
The all-new 5-speed transmission has been designed to provide smooth short shifts in a way current Harley riders can only dream of and in itself will make this Harley more rideable than any other.
The steel frame was manufactured using a process called hydroform, which allows for the striking bends in the metal. Both lower rail parts are bolted to the main frame. The silver-dip finish is pleasing to the eye, which is just as well, as most of the frame can be seen in the absence of any traditional side panels. The swingarm is polished aluminium and keeps the traditional twin shock set-up. Front forks are wide 49mm with a rake and angle that keeps the bike long and low, said to improve stability and both low and high speeds. Neither end is adjustable.
Wheels are 19” at the front and 18” at the rear, both solid cast discs. 4-piston calipers control the twin disc brakes on the front and single disc at the back.
The V-Rod, or VRSCA to give it it’s full title, arrived in the UK late 2001 in small numbers and should be more readily available in 2002 to coincide with Harley Davidson’s 100th anniversary.
The V-Rod is not a replacement for any of Harley’s already impressive line-up, but will co-exist with current models on the showroom floor, and is only the first of a new range of power cruisers that will help carry Harley forward, hopefully for the next hundred years.
The bike just oozes quality from tip to fender and looks as if it was machined from one piece of exotic metal. Has to be seen to appreciate the quality, no photo can do it justice.
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Last updated 01/04/02
