The V-Rod's big fork has nearly 4 inches of travel, and it sucks up smaller bumps with aplomb.
The V-Rod, aside from having a frame and two wheels, is unlike any Harley ever seen. The Motor Company has departed from the air-cooled, pushrod V-Twin layout that has been its staple since time immemorial in favor of a modern, liquid-cooled, DOHC, 4-valve-per-cylinder design. The 1130cc engine has a 100mm x 72mm bore and stroke, quite an oversquare design for a cruiser. As such, this is not a typical H-D engine that pulls like a tractor from just off idle. Based loosely on the architecture of the factory's VR1000 Superbike and honed by Porsche, forged 11.3:1 pistons and a forged crank keeps the mill together at its stratospheric-for-a-Harley 8800 rpm redline.
Other new bits include a curvy new frame that wraps sinuously around the gleaming engine thanks to a contemporary pipe bending process called hydroforming (using water). Anodized aluminum bodywork completes the all new look, complimented by the solid aluminum disc wheels.
Will the real Yamaha please stand up?
Yamaha is one of the most high-tech motorcycle manufacturers, being a pioneer in 5-valves-per-cylinder heads as well as an erstwhile participant in the elite Formula 1 car racing series. So what's it doing loading the Warrior with an air-cooled, 4-valve, pushrod engine for the performance cruiser battle?
For a traditional, bottomless well of power wrapped up in a cruiser-first aluminum frame, that's what. Based on the 48-degree V-Twin from the Road Star, the Warrior's engine sports a 2mm bore increase that bumps displacement from 1600 to 1670cc, making it the largest air-cooled Twin in production. New cylinder heads and cams are fed by a pair of 40mm throttle bodies that shoot through straighter intake ports, complimented by a two-section airbox that has 115% greater capacity than the Road Star. Much improved breathing is the result, helping to raise the redline from 4400 to 5000 rpm. Cylinders have 30% more finning for better heat dissipation, augmented by a left-side air scoop that routes cooling breezes to the rear cylinder. The compression ratio is bumped a point to 8.4:1, and 7% stiffer clutch springs help harness the 40%-greater power.
Despite the greater focus on performance in this bourgeoning hot-rod cruiser class, perhaps nothing is as important as how the bikes stack up when profiling.
It's not too surprising that the V-Rod wins the drag race, but what shocked us was that the high-strung Harley also managed to beat the burly Warrior during impromptu roll-on tests. The Warrior's top gear (5th) is an extreme overdrive (0.800:1), and even its fourth gear is overdriven at 0.935:1. Conversely, the V-Rod has a much lower fifth gear (1.040:1), and it's able to use torque multiplication and its reserves of power to walk the Warrior.
With the tires nicely warmed (the rear ones, anyway), it was time to head off in search of twisty backroads on which to test other areas of performance. We weren't sure what to expect when we got there because of the duo's differing steering geometry.
The V-Rod has the most radical fork angle (38 degrees) of any production bike, as is befitting of its drag bike styling. A steering head rake angle of 34 degrees makes it chopperesque, but it counters that with a short trail figure of 99mm (3.9 inches) to make it steer quicker. The Warrior goes a different route, with a much steeper 29.3-degree rake, but with more trail (130mm/5.1 inches).
Out in the real world, the Warrior's geometry wins out. It's, dare we say, almost flickable. The wide bars offer plenty of leverage, and the rigid chassis allow a rider to quickly heel it over in a corner without any instability-inducing flex. Just lay it into a corner until the forward-placed pegs touch (keeping in mind to raise your feet so the heels of your boots don't drag), and you can comfortably rail the canyons all day. Grip from the Dunlop D220s is beyond the V-Rod's 40-degree lean angle, so the only possible way to crash in a turn is to hit a bump mid-corner that might cause the folding pegs or pipes to drag too hard.
The V-Rod, with its narrow bars and heavier wheels, is less eager to carve the canyons. And with the front wheel in a different zip code, there's not a lot of feedback coming back to the rider. It steers quick enough, but the front end doesn't feel very planted, as do many bikes without much trail, and it needs extra bar effort to right itself from when leaned over. More troubling is that the Rod's pegs and mufflers dig in harshly when past its claimed 32-degree max lean angle, making the prodigious grip of the Dunlop D207s a moot point. And there's so much distance between the wheels that mid-corner bumps cause noticeable flex when it's leaned over.
Cornering clearance on the Harley is limited by footpegs that really dig into the asphault at full lean...scary!
The brakes on both bikes are a step above what we're accustomed to on cruisers, as each has plenty of whoa power. The V-Rod has 4-piston calipers biting on 292mm discs via steel-braided brake lines all high-spec pieces but it takes a fair amount of lever travel to get maximum stopping power. The Warrior's R1-spec brakes, with monoblock 4-piston calipers clamping on 298mm discs, do a slightly better job, but they exhibit a more wooden feel with a duller bite than on the R1.
The V-Rod also loses out to the Warrior out on the open road. The counter-balanced Twin that feels so smooth actually has subtle vibration that will numb a rider's hands and feet during a long freeway stint. It doesn't help that riders shorter than 5-foot-8 will have trouble even reaching the way forward pegs that force a semi-recumbent position. The deep-dished saddle cradles a butt nicely, but it also prevents the rider from repositioning for greater comfort.
The V-Rod's big fork has nearly 4 inches of travel, and it sucks up smaller bumps with aplomb. But with just 2.36 inches of rear suspension travel, the overall ride can be a mite harsh, especially over large bumps. One problem that Harley is loathe to admit is the tendency for the cool-looking solid dish wheels to act like sails in a crosswind, making the steering nervous on the freeway. It's real, Milwaukee, and we don't like it.
