Harley-Davidson VRSCDX Night Rod Special 2010 — Specifications

What is a Harley-Davidson? For many, it’s an iconic image, a pushrod V-twin fueled by chrome and nostalgia. But in 2010, Milwaukee pulled a beast of a different caliber from its hat, the VRSCDX Night Rod Special. Imagine taking the DNA of a drag bike, grafting on an engine derived from a collaboration with Porsche, and dressing the whole thing in a head-to-toe black evening suit. The result is a power cruiser that almost makes you forget its origins, a machine designed to put overly arrogant sportbikes in their place at the traffic light.

At the heart of this strategy of the shadows beats the Revolution, a 60-degree V2 with dual overhead camshafts and four valves per cylinder. Far from traditional pushrods, this 1250 cm3 powerplant delivers 123 horsepower at 8500 rpm and a torque of 111 Nm. The figures speak for themselves, but it's its character that strikes: it revs with an unprecedented vehemence for a Harley, propelling its 307 kilograms fully fueled to 210 km/h without the slightest complex. For those looking for a used Harley-Davidson VRSCDX Night Rod Special, it's this engine, reliable and modern, that remains the sledgehammer argument against more languid cruisers.

The riding position is purely custom, but revisited for performance. The 690 mm seat is low, the wide and flat handlebar imposes a forward position, the controls are advanced. You sit in the bike, not on top of it. The hydroformed steel perimeter frame and the 49 mm inclined fork set the tone. But the real message is visual: everything is black. The engine, the exhaust, the fork, the swingarm, the spoked 19 and 18 inch rims that swallow a 240 rear tire. Even the brakes, generous four-piston Brembo discs, are dressed in dark. This Black-on-Black finish, enhanced with fine contrasting stripes, gives it an aura of glacial malice. The 18.9 liter tank, housed under the seat, completes its dragster street profile.

So, who is this Harley-Davidson VRSCDX Night Rod Special for? Certainly not for the beginner or the touring rider seeking soft comfort. It’s the customizer’s mount with a racer’s soul, the one who wants the intimidating style of a cruiser with the guts of a sportbike. At the time, its price of 18,825 euros placed it in a higher orbit, justified by its exclusivity and finishes. Today, on the used market, it represents a fascinating and much more characterful alternative than a standard Japanese muscle bike.

It has its flaws, of course. The weight remains significant in tight corners, the 140 mm ground clearance requires vigilance, and the position can be fatiguing on very long distances. But these flaws are part of its Faustian pact. The Night Rod Special doesn't seek to please everyone. It is there for those who accept its excesses in exchange for a unique sensory experience, that of riding a custom that has definitively turned the page of the retro to write its own, in black and capital letters.