Is The Harley-Davidson V-Rod A Beginners Bike? What You Should Know Before You Buy

In recent years, Harley-Davidson has produced a number of cruisers popular with beginner riders. These include models such as the Sportster 883, Street Bob, Street Rod, itself based on the Street 750, Nightster Special, Iron 883, and the Softail Slim. They feature a mix of V-twins typical for the Harley-Davidson brand, along with low seats that allow most riders to confidently plant both feet on both sides of the bike.

When looking for a beginner-friendly Harley-Davidson, it's a good idea to remember that many HD models offer variations that may or may not be suitable for first-time motorcyclists. The Softail Slim, for example, comes as a S variant powered by the Screamin' Eagle V2 engine delivering up to 107 lb-ft of torque. Its 12.7-second quarter-mile elapsed time and top speed restricted to 125 mph make it one of the fastest motorcycles Harley-Davidson ever built. The Harley-Davidson V-Rod also belongs to that group, with a 130 mph top speed and 11.5-second quarter-mile performance.

In my 50+ years of experience riding motorcycles and introducing a number of beginners to their first riding experiences, any motorcycle that ranks among a brand's fastest models isn't the best choice for learning to ride. A new rider has a lot on their mind, from learning to operate the hand clutch, shifting gears with one foot while braking with the other, and remembering not to apply too much front brake with their right hand while also using that hand to control the throttle. Having an excess of power doesn't do them any favors.

Sadly, Harley-Davidson discontinued the V-Rod following the 2018 model year. The V-Rod debuted in 2001 as the inaugural member of Harley-Davidson's VRSC, orV-twin, Racing Street Custom model family. The first iteration of the V-Rod, the VRSCA produced from 2001 through 2007, featured a four-valve-per-cylinder 1131 cc V-twin backed by a five-speed gearbox mounted in an exposed tubular steel cradle frame. 

The VRSCB, built from 2003 to 2005, had its exposed frame finished in black and a few other cosmetic differences. In 2006, the VRSCA got a wider rear tire, a bigger fuel tank, and frame modifications to accommodate those changes to become the VRSCAW which lasted until 2009.

Other VRSC versions included the VRSCR Street Rod, not to be confused with the Street 750-based Street Rod, and VRSCD Night Rod, one of the most powerful street legal V-Rod models Harley-Davidson ever made. Those models were produced from 2005 to 2007, but the non-street-legal VRXSE, the Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer tops them all with its 170-horsepower V-twin producing 97 lb-ft of torque. The final years of the V-Rod were dominated by the exposed-frame VRSCD Night Rod Special, built from 2006 to 2018, and the updated VRSCF V-Rod Muscle from 2009 to 2018.

The V-Rod Muscle shows a little less framework than previous V-Rods and has a larger, 1,250 cc, Revolution V-twin engine. Overall, the Muscle is heavier than the VRSCA, and its 60-degree V-twin produces a dyno-confirmed 109 hp to the rear wheel.