I also like the V-Rods very much.
Price is already rock-bottom on those.

JM

 

I find all you guys that keep bringing up the Diavel hilarious....

1. Base model Diavel is 20 grand...XDiavel is even more than that...XDiavel S is like 27k. So your argument over price is pretty moot
2. All you touting the Ducati...have you EVER owned a Ducati??? THere are "MAYBE" 10 percent as many Ducati dealers as Harley dealers here in the US. So you may be lucky enough to have one in your town
3. Look up the reliability on a Ducati....I own one...I can tell you that if you thought a Harley was expensive to work on, you havent even begun to understand...
4. Oh you are going to work on it yourself...ummm you better be careful, as pretty much all the parts (including aftermarket) come from overseas, are outrageously expensive, and are usually on a waiting list to get, AND you pay a LOT in shipping for them.
5. Even the Ducati dealers usually have inept mechanics...I wouldnt let ANY of the 3 dealers within 100 miles of Raleigh even touch my bike
6. Many things, you have ZERO choice but to take to the dealer, as they are the only ones that can get into your ECU...and the services are EXPENSIVE...as in 1200 dollars for your 7k service. You need to have valves checked and adjusted at 15k and this is a 2200 dollar service....they aren't called the Ferrari of motorcycles for nothing, its because the cost to maintain them is about the same.
7. Before you buy one you need to look up the issues they are having...they have belt issues, rocks get caught in the belt and its NOT covered under warranty, cost to replace...850 dollars...
8. If you want to customize it, not only is anything unique extremely hard to find, but its MASSIVELY expensive...the Termi Exhaust (thats the performance division of Ducati, think of it as Screaming Eagle is to Harley) is 5 THOUSAND Dollars....

As far as those mentioning the Indian FXR...those mentioning it havent even sat on one yet...its more a duel sport more than a Cruiser...it sits like a dirt bike. It is NOTHING like an FXDR or a Diavel. TOTALLY different type of bike.

All of these threads where people bash the FXDR, 95% of the people bashing it havent even sat on it, and it shows from their comments. And the bikes that they suggest to get instead, well it doesnt seem like they have ever ridden any of them either, they just look at the stat sheet and start spewing about how much better that bike is....typical bashing, almost like when metric riders attempt to bash Harley in general. I have researched and ridden a number of Diavels, XDiavels, did a demo ride this weekend of the FTR, and have been on a few FXDR's now. I want to check out the older CVO ProStreet Breakout and the Lowrider S before I decide what my next bike will be, as I want a low, beefy power cruiser to bar hop on...aside from my Ducati and Streetglide. Its nowhere near as easy a choice as some of you think...

 

Look at where in the powerband those bikes make that torque and HP.

The FXDR makes 119 ft lbs of torque at 3,500 RPM. The Diavel makes 95 ft lbs of torque at 7,500 RPM. That torque down low is much more usable on the street in everyday driving.

 

Could you expand on that please?

I have test ridden a V-Rod Muscle and a FXDR. Put maybe 20 miles on each. And those rides were a year apart. My thoughts on it are the FXDR is simply a slower V-Rod. Handled about the same to me. I will say, I liked both of them more than I thought I would. But not enough to buy one. Well....maybe a VRSCR.

 

I do agree with that. How much of the torque is used to make up for the porkier (pun intended) FXDR? It weighs 130lbs more. 668lb for FXDR , 538lb for the Diavel 1260 S. Don't forget the Ducati comes with cruise control, ABS plus "cornering" abs that is used on race bikes, 8 degrees more lean angle & different ride modes that also allow you to dial back the safeties. How much would it be to add that to the FXDR?

To another poster I did test out the 2016 Diavel when I bought my Softail Slim S. It was fast, actually too fast. The lack of dealership support & price put it out of the running for me. Now the 2019 FXDR is in line with a 2019 Diavel (not x) $20,395 base and $22,995 for the S.

I couldn't wait for the FXDR. Finally something made by Harley that can compete. I didn't know they would only win in highest price vs performance.

If I were to seriously to look now It wouldn't be the FXDR which is too expensive for what it is. I'd be comparing the 114 Fat Bob to the 2019 V-max & 2019 Diavel 1260 S. The Fat Bob 114 is a good bargain in relation to performance in the Harley line up.

I blame Harley's marketing group and price setting that matched the hype for setting the bar high for what they were bringing from the factory.

 

I test rode one of these this weekend. 125 HP 500 LBS. And a lot cheaper. An amazing machine. I put more miles on the back tire than the front.

 

I agree, it's a sweet ride. But after all of the trouble and expense, it STILL has forward controls. Sort of like putting a spoiler and coffee can muffler on a Honda Civic and calling it a "performance car". But that's just MHO.

 

The Ducati Diavel is their cruiser.

Ducati makes other models that are mre "sport" focused.

 

To me, V-Rod is/was all about power and style. Revo engine has 125Hp, and an 8k+ rev limit. It loves to rev, and is an absolute hoot to ride hard. Since it doesn't have some crazy 200Hp, it's also very easy to ride it hard. WOT all the time? Sure. Power slides out of every corner? Why not.

FXDR has more torque, and around town it's fine, but the stock M8 just doesn't fit the hooligan muscle cruiser personality. It runs out of steam much sooner and is significantly slower. Looks are subjective of course, but I think most people find the FXDR to be more polarizing and not as attractive as the V-Rod.

Handling-wise, that 240mm tire is the limiting factor and generally they are comparable.

 

All made up for the first time you have to take it to the dealer to get some tiny little thing fixed because there's no such thing as aftermarket for it or indies who can do it for half the price the dealership does or more still that you may end up waiting two weeks for for that tiny little part. Yeah, what fun not to be able to work on ones own bike or having to wait such gawd-awful times etc. Thing is, even the Harley's are 'getting there' to the point one can't hardly work on it themselves, but this is being done on purpose just like it's been done to the automobile industry. The dealers/auto makers are tired of losing out on that extra penny they could have that some 'damned backyard mechanic' stole from their pocket!

Personally, gimme my old bike that will get me there 5 minutes slower than that moronicly stupid and fugly ultra-fast-leaves-your-skin-behind crotch rocket, that I can work on all I want to, on any part of it, and still get parts for quite easily without much wait at all, as I laugh and turn my back at the dumbshits who think us 'old farts' are the ones 'lost'.