Honda Vtx1800r

HONDA VTX1800R

Quick Ride

Whole lotta motorcycle

AS A HARDCORE SPORTbike type, I’ll own up to having limited saddletime on cruisers. But if the latest iteration of Honda’s piston-pounding VTX1800 offers any indication, I apparently jumped in at the right end of the spectrum.

In recent months, I’ve spent quite a bit of time aboard both the original VTX1800C, which was unleashed on the public late last year, and this new model dubbed the “R” for, you guessed it, “Retro.” It’s exactly that-a retrofitted C, which by no means is a bad thing. To the contrary, it’s a badass thing!

Both bikes are powered by the same engine-a fuel-injected, liquid-cooled, 1795cc V-Twinand use the same steel frame, but the R-model has plenty of detail changes to call its own. Fat-or should it be phatl-is the underlying premise here, beginning with the wider tires, a 150/80R17 up front and a 180/80R16 bringing up the rear. The broad pullback handlebar, beefy brake and clutch levers, and wide gas tank continue the theme. With all this mass, the bike’s kickstand should no doubt earn Most Valuable Part honors; after all, it’s charged with holding up a 750-pluspound motorcycle!

Assembled in Marysville, Ohio, using Honda’s largestever piston-and-rod combo, this titanic cruiser is certainly a smooth runner. While there’s not quite enough room to dance on the VTX-R’s floorboards, you can tap out a heal-and-toe rhythm as the large-caliber slugs keep time.

Considering the hard-charging R makes 89 horsepower and 99 foot-pounds of torque at its rear meat, the linked braking system is a welcome addition, and it’s well engineered, to boot. Best braking results from using the pedal first, followed by progressive lever application.

No one ever said a cruiser shouldn’t handle well; in fact, in the corners, the VTX maybe works a little too well, with the edges of its floorboards paying the price. Luckily, they fold up with little fuss-along with the hinged brake pedal! In the straight stuff, the 67.6-inch wheelbase, nearly 4 inches of wheel travel and six-position spring-preload-adjustable shock work together to soak up mile after mile of road imperfections, making things easy on your backside.

With a truckload of factory accessories-saddlebags, a custom windscreen, padded backrest and luggage rack, to name a fewsoon to follow, buyers will be able to outfit their bikes with a bit of their own personalities, which is what Honda had in mind when this big Twin was originally conceived. Another possible selling point, especially for earth-conscious riders, is the fact that the California version of the VTX1800R meets exhaustive 2008 emissions standards today.

Hey, this bigger-is-better cruiser stuff could grow on a guy...

-Mark Cernicky