Harley-Davidson VRSCAW V-Rod 2009 — Specifications

What would a Harley look like if it rejected its roots and turned to the future? The answer, in 2009, was the VRSCAW V-Rod. This machine is a fascinating paradox, a kind of custom dragster that chose revolution over tradition. Under its bright aluminum faux tank, you won't find the venerable air-cooled V-twin, but an engine called "Revolution." A 1250cc V2 liquid-cooled with double ACT and four valves per cylinder, developed with Porsche. It delivers 121 horsepower at 8500 rpm and 115 Nm of torque at 7000, figures that make classic Big Twins pale in comparison. This is not an engine for slow rumble enthusiasts, but for those seeking nervous propulsion.

The V-Rod doesn't hide. It sprawls, with a wheelbase of 1715 mm and a wet weight of 304 kg. It is long, low, and its 240 mm wide rear tire clearly announces its dragster intentions. The design is a complete success, a metallic sculpture that attracts the attention of even the uninitiated. The full rear wheel, the spoked front rim, the sparkling chrome, and this monumental engine exposed as a work of art: it's a machine that flatters the ego before even turning the key.

But this beauty comes at a price, and it's not just 18390 euros. The V-Rod is an atypical Harley, a cruiser that thinks like a sportbike but behaves like a custom. Its 660 mm seat is accessible, but its 127 mm ground clearance and imposing weight limit its agility in the city. It is made for long, straight roads, for brisk accelerations where its Porsche engine can express its character. The braking, with 300 mm discs and ABS, is effective, but the five-speed transmission and belt final drive remind you that you are still in the world of cruisers.

Compared to a Yamaha V-Max of the time or even more spirited Japanese cruisers, the V-Rod remains a Harley. It offers a unique experience, a blend of American prestige and European performance. Its audience? Those who want a Harley without the folklore, riders who prioritize style and brute power over nostalgia. It is not suitable for beginners, nor for Harley purists. It is for the iconoclast, the one who accepts that the winds of madness from Milwaukee have sometimes produced machines as radical as this custom dragster.