Open Letter To Harley Davidson
Banned
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 4,576
Likes: 978
From: Viet Vet, crossroads
If they had ever put a someone famous on the bike it would have been the ice water in hell.
We all could list a personality, but it is a moot point as they junked it.
I think a metric motorcycle is now using that engine I forget who.
Porsche designed it for them, HD went to great trouble to build the frame and did advertise that.
End.
They never stuck john Travolta out there on it (I hate him anyway) but with the movie "Wild Hogs" it was a no-brainer.
That would have been almost a huge free plug.
nope.
We all could list a personality, but it is a moot point as they junked it.
I think a metric motorcycle is now using that engine I forget who.
Porsche designed it for them, HD went to great trouble to build the frame and did advertise that.
End.
They never stuck john Travolta out there on it (I hate him anyway) but with the movie "Wild Hogs" it was a no-brainer.
That would have been almost a huge free plug.
nope.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 5,280
Likes: 3,411
From: Idaho Panhandle
Hey, I took a marketing class in 2nd grade, so here is my take. (My marketing class was being a Milk Monitor, so I learned everything I needed to know to be an expert on H-D forums.)
Actually, I rode the V-rod once. It had forwards. I felt like a closed C-Clamp. They only made one model with mids. Never even saw one. It needed rearsets, not forwards. I ended up buying a second bike of a different brand. I could not figure out who Harley was targeting with the V-rod, not any experienced riders I knew.
Actually, I rode the V-rod once. It had forwards. I felt like a closed C-Clamp. They only made one model with mids. Never even saw one. It needed rearsets, not forwards. I ended up buying a second bike of a different brand. I could not figure out who Harley was targeting with the V-rod, not any experienced riders I knew.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 6,863
Likes: 3,727
From: St. Charles, MO
Hey, I took a marketing class in 2nd grade, so here is my take. (My marketing class was being a Milk Monitor, so I learned everything I needed to know to be an expert on H-D forums.)
Actually, I rode the V-rod once. It had forwards. I felt like a closed C-Clamp. They only made one model with mids. Never even saw one. It needed rearsets, not forwards. I ended up buying a second bike of a different brand. I could not figure out who Harley was targeting with the V-rod, not any experienced riders I knew.
Actually, I rode the V-rod once. It had forwards. I felt like a closed C-Clamp. They only made one model with mids. Never even saw one. It needed rearsets, not forwards. I ended up buying a second bike of a different brand. I could not figure out who Harley was targeting with the V-rod, not any experienced riders I knew.
Seriously though, I think that riding position was the deathknell of the V-Rod.
Banned
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 23,816
Likes: 57,355
From: Tampa, FL
There's tens of thousands of owners spread over 16 years of production that might happen to disagree with you.
The entire point behind the V-Rod was to NOT appeal to the existing base (namely you), but broaden it and bring in new buyers who would never consider a traditional air-cooled HD (namely me). Without bikes like the V-Rod (or something just as untraditional), that predicament remains IMO.
The entire point behind the V-Rod was to NOT appeal to the existing base (namely you), but broaden it and bring in new buyers who would never consider a traditional air-cooled HD (namely me). Without bikes like the V-Rod (or something just as untraditional), that predicament remains IMO.
There's a a whole show on the engineering and testing that went into this motorcycle, very impressive but they squandered it because it didn't fit the pirate "lifestyle" that's now plaguing selling to the next generation.
I'll add one back to the stable in the future but HD certainly let it die on the vine. If they would have put one in a better handling setup, that's what I would own now.
Last edited by Walter White; Jun 14, 2018 at 09:53 AM.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 3,655
Likes: 709
From: DFW
Last edited by ChickinOnaChain; Jun 14, 2018 at 06:47 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,310
Likes: 368
From: Panama City Beach, FL
I owned a V-rod a few years back. I absolutely LOVED the engine, but the bike itself didn't fit my body size & shape (I am 6'2" & 225lbs). The bike felt too small for me to ride comfortably for longer periods. Also, the riding position was not great. It was a very good start, but H-D dropped the ball (for my tastes) by not using that engine in a cruiser body style. I am sure with some tweaking, more advertising, etc., they could have sold a lot more of them!
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