How Did This Harley-Davidson V-Rod Wind Up Abandoned in the Woods?

Puzzling Find

The Harley-Davidson V-Rod (VRSC) may be gone, but it's certainly still a popular entity among fans of muscular, futuristic-looking cruisers. However, it's also a pretty new product after having been in production from 2002-2017, so the V-Rod isn't exactly the kind of vehicle one might expect to find sitting in a barn or - in the case of this one recently discovered by the YouTube channel Riding In The Ozarks - slumbering in the woods. 

Will it Start?

At the very least, this V-Rod was apparently close to someone's driveway, and it's also for sale, which is what intrigued our hosts here. One is interested in purchasing the bike, but the seller doesn't have the key, and he notes that it hasn't run in at least a year. Regardless, this 2003 model year V-Rod is a pretty cool find as a 100th-anniversary model, to boot. 

Cosmetic Issues

The seller claims that the V-Rod has been sitting in this particular resting spot for a year, but it certainly looks like it's been there far longer, given the presence of mold, mildew, tree sap, and various other gunk. Unfortunately, there's also a little bit of damage including a broken brake lever perch arm and a bent mirror, but otherwise, it looks to be in decent cosmetic shape.

Various Debris

Those types of things are easy fixes, of course, as the most important unknown here is the condition of the engine. Our hosts brought some tools with them to see if the V-Rod will at least turn over, but right off the bat, they find a lot of acorns and various debris in the air box, though nothing too terribly serious. After putting some fresh gas in the tank and cleaning everything up, they get nothing more than some clicking from the starter, however. 

Running Into Snags

The good news is, the engine isn't locked up or seized, but the seller notes that the bike has a mysterious electrical issue that is preventing things like the headlight from turning on. The shift linkage also isn't returning to center, and making matters worse, the seller wants $3k for his non-running ride, when one can buy a nicer example for anywhere in the $4,500-$5,500 range. 

Major Issue

Unfortunately, the math didn't add up on this particular day, meaning that our hosts chose to pass on purchasing and restoring this old V-Rod. A little bit of research also revealed that the issue with the shift linkage could be related to a broken spring in the transmission that requires removing the engine and disassembling everything to replace - a time-consuming job that would require a big discount to make worthwhile. 

Dollars Making Sense

Regardless, our host stood on his offer, and the seller did say they'd think about it, though the two sides are likely too far apart in price to make it work. Obviously, buying a bike like this isn't something that just anyone should take on as their next fun project, but in the right instances, it can be quite rewarding to breathe new life into an older motorcycle - if the dollars make sense, that is. 

>>Join in the conversation about this abandoned Harley right here in Harley-Davidson Forums.

For help with your do-it-yourself maintenance and repair projects, please visit our how-to section in the forum.