Harley Davidson
introduced the V Rod for the 2002 model year. It was Harley's first motorcycle with a liquid-cooled fuel-injected engine. Art Friedman, in the February 2009 issue of Motorcycle Cruiser magazine, says, "The V-Rod turns convention on its ear and proves that a performance cruiser needn't be big, heavy, low-revving or have a traditional narrow-angle V...to be accepted and outperform the pack."
Engine Specs
Harley-Davidson gave the V Rod a brand-new engine, dubbed the Revolution. The Revolution engine is a 60-degree, liquid-cooled, twin-cylinder, 1130-cc power plant with four valves per cylinder. Harley-Davidson's Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection (ESPFI) system delivers fuel to the engine.
Transmission Specs
Adrian Percival, in the June 2004 issue of Motorbikes Today magazine, says, "The gearbox on the V Rod is by far the best of any H-D...ever." The five-speed (one down, four up) transmission transfers power to the rear wheel via a belt final drive. Like most motorcycles, the V Rod has a wet, multi-plate clutch.
Body
The Harley-Davidson V Rod is built around a steel upper frame with hydroformed main rails and bolt-on lower frame rails. The fuel tank is hidden under the seat, which requires turning the ignition key to the "fuel" position to pop open the seat to gain access to the tank. The 49-mm front fork and adjustable rear shock absorber provide suspension on the V Rod. The front brakes are dual-disc-caliper, while the rear has a single disc. Instrumentation on the V Rod includes speedometer, tachometer, tripmeter and fuel gauge.
Dimensions
The V Rod is 93.6 inches long with a 67.5-inch wheelbase. The riders sits 27.1 inches off the ground and the ground clearance is 5.6 inches. Fuel capacity is 4 gallons and dry weight is 606.3 pounds.
Tags: Harley Davidson, magazine says
