Opinions wanted please

docmaul

First off, I'm new on the site, now down to business.
I've been debating on buying a bike for quite some time now, a lot of friends have crotch rockets but I don't like em, worked as a cook at a waffle house as a kid and a lot of guys came in with harley's, those I always loved. I started looking around and I think my absolute favorite is the Night Rod Special and I've put it on order here from Iraq but someone here told me that they only are making 1000 of them for 2007, I've seen nothing about that on other posts, wondering how true that is. Secondly, I've never ridden a bike other than a small dirt bike when I was about 10, don't really count that. I'm going to have a couple experienced riders I know show me the ropes and take a safety course, is that enough to keep me from tipping the bike? Thanks all

glider

You have some good ideas about the safety course first off. Common sense usually prevails when riding and a certain amount of skills too.

The V Rod is a great bike with all the advantages of water cooling but it never seemed to gain the acceptance of the die hard Harley lovers that the MOCO thought it would get. It is a very well crafted bike with it's hydro formed frame and the features on it should be applied to the big twins also. I'm sure you would love the bike if you get it. I would give some thought to resale value also on the V Rod as opposed to the big twins. I think this is where they fall short. Of course if you plan on keeping it for an extended period, then this would not come into play at all. Just buy what you like and enjoy it.

In any event , good luck in your choice and ride safe.

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docmaul

Thank you for your input, I talked to a friend back home who said he'd point me in the right direction as well, he said to get the sportster hugger, its cheap which is good for me of course, but I'm thinking it might be a bit too small for me, we'll see when I get home I guess.

Hobbit

doc i have no idea on how tall you are but the vrods and siblings are quite compact bikes the night rods is very low with mid controls and fits me like glove at 5.6ft the streetrod is very tall the saddle is an extra 4" higher so i struggle to reach the floor and the riding position is sportier than the other rods, as the night road special had been sold i was not allowed and rightly so to sit on the bike but i can tell you its a monster it just looked so cool in black sat next to all the other rods and harleys it just screamed speed, the sportsters are a lot bigger than they are given credit for i have the xl1200c and love it to bits i looked at a lowered streetrod as well as the street bob but the xl won

docmaul

hmm thats some good info, an older friend of mine recommended that I get a sportster hugger since I'm completely inexperienced, but now I've heard they're small, I haven't had the chance to sit on one, I'm 6'2" 180, not huge but tall, if they're as small as what I've heard then I just don't think I'll fit, also I'm thinking my friend has a good idea since the sportsters are cheaper, and if I'm unfortunate enough to lay it down, it's not the bike of my dreams so no big deal, I'll get that when I'm more experienced, thoughts?

Hobbit

if the Rod is the Dream bike follow that dream as if you dont you will regret it for yrs to come.
Get to a dealer sit on them try them for size try the rods with mids and forwards the standard night rod has mids but comes with highway pegs for stretched out cruising.
The Xl's come in many flavours go for one with forwards or highway pegs as one with mids will be a bit tight for the legs, if you just want something to learn on get a cheapy that dont cost the earth to repair if you bin it something like a mid weight metric

docmaul

well thank you for the input again, the issue isn't so much the price or that I won't get the bike I want at a later date, I will, the issue is simply which bike I can learn on for now, if I can learn on the night rod special, which after looking at some other bikes more thoroughly I may not get afterall, but if I can learn on the dream bike, I'm getting the dream bike, but not if learning is gonna cost me to fix it, see the predicament?

Hi-Tek Rednek

Hey "doc", Have ya give the 1200 Nightster a look?Been hearing a lot of rants & raves about that bike.Might wanta check it out.Just bought a 2007 Heritage Softail Classic myself. Absolutely "love" it. Good luck on your choice and ride safe, HI-Tek Rednek ( oh, and "Welcome" to the forum!)

glider

As I look around the forum and the bikes that members own, I notice there are a large amount of 07 bikes here. Take a trip to the dealers and they also have the floor covered in 07 bikes too. Makes me wonder what the production numbers were for 07's.

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fireball

My wife took the MSF safety course, highly recommended here. Hey, if You can get a new '06 for a better price, I'd go for it. The V Rod being relatively new should get better as it goes, IMO.