Hello All, new to the forum and the cruising bike world.. i was out around looking at bikes today, was actually looking at a touring bike because i just moved from Colorado to Florida and i brought my KTM 450exc i had in Colorado with me, but its not really performing very well on the hot florida roads... I drove sport bikes for about 6 years tell i was stationed in Colorado and fell in love with offroad riding, since moving to Florida most of the areas i have tried to ride are just pure swamp or sugar sand... so i have kinda lost my mood to ride it anymore offroad due to how difficult it is to ride these types of areas, so i put road tires on the bike and have been riding it on the road more as a supermoto bike, but the natural vibration of the single cylinder motor really gets to me on the road and the seat is just not of any fun riding for more than an hour... i try to do group rides around me, but the bike just struggles to keep up with the group since most typically ride like 5-10mph over posted easily and the coastal winds blow me all over the dang road especially at those speeds.... so i have been looking at maybe adding a 2nd bike or replacing with something i can enjoy riding in Florida.... I thought about a more touring/adventure style bike, but the more i think about it there is very little places to ride it local to me.. so i would have to ride to pretty much another part of the start or another state to really utilize it.. then i started looking at streetfighter style bikes because i cant stand the sport bike bent over anymore and the salesman told me about a Harley Vrod they had come in as a trade in.. Its a 2006 w/ 24k miles for $4999. I have never every rode a cruise bike before because when i took my motorcycle course like 15 years ago i was given a Ninja 250 to learn on the course with and after that i naturally fell into the sport bike sector, but after loosing my license on sport bikes and numerous speeding tickets years ago i hung up my riding days and got into offroad riding and started on a dirt bike and eventually got my KTM....

What do you guys think about the Vrod, i test rode it around the block and it felt really good and the power was pretty dang impressive... im gonna call about insurance prices tomorrow... the ONLY ISSUE i kinda had with the bike is the frame around the tank is knee level for me on the bike, so when i try to hit the rear brake my knee kept hitting that frame bar...outside of that the bike put a huge smile on my face.

 

Just make sure your not after fuel mileage. This bike is a performance machine, and the first thing that people complain about is the gas mileage.

 

I suggest finding a VRSCR Street Rod produced 2006-2007.

 

I bought new Night Rod last summer. The stated gas mileage is 37 mpg, and I was getting 37-38 depending on how I drove, of course. However, my biggest concern was motor oil usage. I was told by a custom shop that it wasn't burning, it was due to crankcase pressure venting. Losing a quart every aprox. 1000 miles was very troubling. For this spring's oil change, I drained the HD syn. oil and used Amsoil. I've gone 1000 miles on it and haven't lost a drop. Plus a pleasant surprise- my gas mileage increased to 40-41 mpg. By the way, HD syn. vs. Amsoil - same price (expensive), but a no-brainer.
Now I'm debating if I should invest in Mid-Foot Controls.

 

You have a Night Rod Special. If you had a Night Rod, you would have already have mid controls

 

That's correct.

 

If you want a gradual transition from your KTM to a true cruiser, the V-rod might be a logical choice. Make no mistake about it, however - the V-rod is much closer to the sport bikes you are used to then it is to the cruisers you think you might eventually want.

 

very true indeed!!, try going back and forth between a Rod and a softail!!

 

Check this out...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harley-Davidson_VRSC

Get the bike it is nice...

 

Did you take a look at the Breakout? Not a V-Rod, but does have you leaning forward and with a stage 1 upgrade with a proper tune has a lot of get up and go. Good luck to you.