Dutch V-Rod Rides on Custom Air

Capital Creation

Until recently, the V-Rod was Harley-Davidson's most contentious machine. Slotted under the 'muscle bike' category, it struggled to gain acceptance in America but was a bestseller in Europe. Dave Willems Custom Motorcycles in Zevenaar, Netherlands appreciates this fact. Their latest creation puts a capital 'M' on muscle, while softening the ride with a floor-scraping air ride system.

Photos courtesy of Dave Willems

Wide Slab

Officially tagged VRSC for 'V-Twin Racing Street Custom,' the V-Rod's legacy was Pro Stock racing—where it excelled. Taking the drag racing aesthetic to the limit, Willems Customs shoehorned grossly wide tires to both ends of this slammed ride. The rear is wrapped in a 280mm Metzeler tire and the front received a meaty 200mm slab—almost eight inches of rubber.

Height Package

Taking the Willems V-Rod from caricature to capable is a custom-built air suspension setup. With the flick of a switch, the tough-as-nails machine lifts up to regular ride height. The rear is sorted by an Arnott Motorcycle Suspension package. Located in Merritt Island, Florida, Arnott has been an industry leader for over three decades—a top choice for vehicular air ride systems.

Rest Demand

A customized swingarm facilitates the rear up and down movement. Emulating the back end's functionality, the forward setup was designed in-house. The radical design allows the already-lowered frontend to collapse completely, bringing the wide, custom-made, triple trees to rest on the fork sliders. A large, but hidden, compressor and air tank brings the whole package alive and operating on demand.

Family Equipped

The Willems V-Rod left the factory as a VRSCDX Night Rod Special. An enthusiast's favorite, the model was a blacked-out version of the standard Night Rod and a member of Harley-Davidson's 'Dark Custom' family. Like its colorful cousin, the Special was equipped with a bumped up 1,247cc (76 cubic-inch), German-engineered, liquid-cooled, overhead cam, 60-degree V-Twin Revolution engine.

Power Touch

While considered diminutive by some measures, the Revolution engine had a very healthy delivery. Introduced in 2008, the larger displacement motor put out a respectable 125 horsepower and close to 90 foot-pounds of torque. By comparison, Harley-Davidson's latest engine, the Revolution Max 1250, is a motor that retains its past DNA and cranks out almost the same power—if not a touch less.

Custom Satisfaction

The tasteful white, burnt orange, and black livery softens the V-Rod's aggressive appearance. A set of Galfer USA Floating Wave brake rotors are coupled to the stock brake calipers. A Jack Lomax rear section houses the two-toned, custom-stitched leather seat. Roland Sands Design handgrips and footpegs deliver a custom touch, while a polished Speed Demon exhaust maximizes the auditory satisfaction.

Performance Equation

A connected smartphone mount doubles as the V-Rod's dashboard and rearward mirror, displaying the camera feed located in the license plate. Car & Driver once famously stated that Harley-Davidson branding was “culturally rather than technologically driven.” Today's emphasis on performance makes that observation somewhat obsolete, with Willems Custom demonstrating that 'muscle' has been part of the equation for quite some time.

>>Join in the conversation about this custom V-Rod right here in Harley-Davidson Forums.

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