A few people have asked about the car tire. It's a BF Goodrich G-force COMP-2 A/S Performance Radial Tire 215/45ZR18 /XL 93W Make sure to read up on the vtx forums about proper inflation pressure. VERY IMPORTANT
These bikes are bullet proof. Ride it like you stole it. Being an old man that rides 1, I sold my Valkyrie to buy my 1800 VTX.. A lot more comfortable for me with 2 very bad knees & bad arthritis to ride than the Valkyrie due to the floor board position vs the peg position. Had put over 105000 miles on mine until a car tagged me. Just bought an 08 model. Getting it ready to travel on. Enjoy it.
Jamesdunlap@gmail.com I have a vtx1800f1 2005, hyper charger power commander, lots of torque, I get a lot of crap from my Harley rider friends, but I can still out run them.lol
@@jamesdunlap1981 Hell they know their beat when you pull up by them. It is funny though that I have had several Harley riders tell me they like my bike a lot but all of their buddies would give them HELL if they were to buy 1. I look at it this way. I ride what I can afford. I don't have to worry about a lot of problems, break downs unlike some others or what other riders think. I just do my own thing you know.
I went to the darkside on my Mean Streak for 3 years and 22k, no complaints other than a little resistance when counter steering. I liked not paying 300 bucks every year, burning through tires. But, in the end I went back. I couldn't find anyone willing to put a car tire on my bike, and the dude who did moved. VTX 1800F Spec 3 is the best VTX. I want one next.
A shame he moved! I really like having a car tire on the rear. At one point on this ride I literally forgot there was a car tire on the back! Haha cheers 👍 dont forget to subscribe
@@NicePantsLance Man I'm not going to lie, when you said that I got so full of hope thinking the owner had some magical unicorn aftermarket transmission, I have an '05 1800f and boy 6th would be a dream
Thanks for watching!! Nice channel. I'm quite amazed that you've got almost 1000 subscribers with only 13 videos! What's your secret?? Seems too good to be true
I have a feeling that the power on this bike has been attenuated from factory to make the bike easily drive able without surprise you at any moment. Mine is a 2003 1800R.
That's absolutely a fact. Mine is fairly tame, but I've ridden a few that jump from gear to gear like you applied NOS between shifts, chirpin' a dark side through 3rd. They're absolutely brutal when even a few bolts on's free up the flow. That 40lb crank shaft is something you quite literally feel under you, it makes itself known once in a while, reminding you, "I'm being nice, you won't like me when I'm angry" :D So, yeah Honda did a great job containing this beasty so that we can enjoy it at all speeds, it really needs nothing at all, imo, *great*, right from the factory!
Awesome! I have an 02 1800r and they are freaking monsters, only has5 gears tho, and that’s the only reason my two buddies on Harley keep up and get a little ahead.. if this beast had 6 I’d probably kill myself on it! 😂😂
9:47 I'm sure you quickly discovered no 6th gear. It took me about 30 miles to adjust to the shift speeds of my F. Mine also has a DynoJet Power-Commander, which exaggerates the acceleration. I hope you are still enjoying it! LOVE MY F
Yeah i knew it before i even rode the bike, i just slipped up lol its a sick bike. I almost feel angry at Honda for not making gnarly cruisers like they used to anymore
I rode darkside on an 05 vtx 1800N spec 3 for a bit over 15k miles on 2 different tires.. It was no different than the original tire that was around $300 to replace.. Mine dynod at 113hp and 124ft lbs.. But I sold it for a Harley like an idiot, now I dump money into a 2010 street glide every year on broken shit..
I see a lot of people comment on how Honda V-twins like to rev. Yes, it's a Honda, not a Harley. They do have some low end grunt, but they also can rev, which will give you more power. There also is a rev limiter on Hondas, so you don't have to worry about hurting the engine. And no you don't ride on the sidewall with a car tire on. It won't lean far enough to get near the sidewall. The tire tends to mushroom a bit so you actually get better traction than a bike tire.
You should hear mine. 1300 c with Vance and Hines staggered long shots. I've definitely heard some louder over the past few years, but definitely not often!
I prefer regular motorcycle tires, but I will admit this thing grips harder in a straight line and lasts 3x longer than a regular tire. It handles well enough in the curves that I actually forgot it had a car tire mid-ride lol Still not for me though. Ride safe out there
No Harley Riders ever feared any Honda ever made. People riding Harleys don't even acknowledge Honda's existence. It's a whole different world, and if I had to explain you wouldn't understand. I was a Harley mechanic for about 30 years. That being said love my Honda Valkyrie. Harley Riders could care less about Honda or any other metric bike. That's why they make Zippo lighters, and Cricket lighters. One you throw away ,and the other you refll and keep.
I live in Harley country so i know EXACTLY what the "whole different world" is. Thats because the majority of Harley riders are in their own world, and only care about Harleys. Most Harley fanatics dont even realize that other cruisers exist!! Thats because there's a difference between motorcycle enthusiasts and "Harley guys" who don't really know much. Talked to a coworker who is a die-hard Harley guy, and has been riding them for 30+ years. I asked if he knew what a Triumph Thunderbird was, and he said "Triumph still makes bikes?!" Metric bikes can be kept around forever, without much work. Harleys NEED to be constantly tinkered with to keep going 😁👍 Thanks for watching John 🤘
@@NicePantsLancelol I asked a harley rider co-worker of mine what to look for when buying a used bike since I’ve never owned one before. He asks what kind I’m looking at, I say either VTX or a Shadow.. he asks what year, I say around 2004-2007… He then proceeds to tell me I should look for oil puddles and damage to the tank 🤦♂️ so helpful and knowledgeable! 😅😂
Wow, you may be the first person I've ever heard prefer the Shadow over the VTX1800! I kinda understand. My very first motorcycle was a Honda Shadow Phantom 750 and it holds a special place in my heart!
I'm totally jealous! I've always wanted to ride a Vulcan 2000. My last bike was a 2018 Rocket 3 Roadster so i have a soft spot for large torquey cruisers
@@GrzegorzDurda bone stock, the Vulcan 2000 runs a quicker quarter mile. Probably because it makes 20+ more ft lbs of torque more than the Honda.. However, i believe the VTX1800 has the better top end and I know from experience 👍
Just bought a 2004 VTX1800S. It's pretty perfect in every way other than the sound. I know it's a dual crankpin motor but I miss that shake rattle and roll from my Roadstar 1600 (single crankpin). I pulled the baffles from the Vance and Hines Big Shots and that really let the sound come out and I enjoy it. It feels faster and I'm definitely getting better MPG. But now of course it's too loud. I have a set of baffles coming to tone it down a slight bit.
Yeah these cobra drag pipes are way too loud too!! I love the performance of a dual crank pin setup, but theres just something about the sound and shake of a single pin crank that i love!!
If you are going to put high miles on the VTX1800, you have to darkside. These bikes eat rear tires. You can't get coast to coast without stopping for a tire.
I’ve had two VTX 1800F’s, and I loved them both. My only complaint was the exhaust sound. It just never sounded good to me. I currently ride a Harley Night Rod Special, which is very similar in performance and feel to the 1800F, but it sounds a LOT better. But I do miss my VTX’s from time to time.
Recently bought mine after looking at 6 of them. I had to agree I didn't care for the sound. This one has custom pipes and I need to figure out the brand. It sounds great!
If you install the 1300 final drive, it's like having a 6th gear. for some reason Honda decide to put the lower gear ratio final drive on the 1800, and the taller higher gear ratio gears on the 1300. probably to help make the smaller engined 1300 more highway worthy.
I'm picking up a 2003 Honda VTX 1800CC with Vance & Hynes str8 shot pipes open airfilter on the intake power commander 3. It's been sitting for 3 years but just had a fuel flush and a new battery $1,800. It's that green I think it's called toxic green? The gut had back surgery and can't ride anymore. So it'll be my winter project gonna turn it in to a bagger with the batwing with GPS and 6x9s 8" subwoofers in each bag. They make a 1 piece bagger set up for the rear for $750 the batwing with GPS and 6x9s is $890. It'll go good with my 06 Victory hammer with the 116ci big bore kit and my 02 Yamaha YZF-R1 1000cc.
I was owner of one 2002 VTX 1800 for two year, reagret I sold it, wonderful bike and It smoked every of my Harley friends, same mods like you tells this bike in video has . Can tell you way more than 100 fps in torch, closer to 130 fps on backwheel
My 2008 f2 has the same digital readout. I have the same sissy bar on mine👍. I want to know what rear tire that is! I have the biggest fattest rear tire on mine but I like that shit! Cobra injection controller, skull shaped air cleaner and street sweeper pipes on mine. It's closer to 125 HP than 100. I luv this bike!
I personally think the VTX with the digi display is the best variation!! Lemme ask the owner about the rear tire and get back to you 👍 sounds like you have quite the beast!! I wonder what the street sweepers sound like compared to the drag pipes on my buddies bike!
@@NicePantsLance it's obnoxiously loud. Just what I wanted 😃. Freedom performance pipes if I remember correctly. Has a Star etched into the chrome next to the name
@NicePantsLance if they make another one they need to throw a 6 speed on it... That's the ONLY thing that kinda bothers me about the vtx. Torque for days, but not long enough legs lol.
Not ABS, LBS! Linked Braking System. The front and rear brakes are always in play, it's the reason this bikes insists on staying upright under hard braking.
You never ride on the sidewall with a car tire. The bike won't lean over far enough with a cruiser. I 've had car tires on a few bikes now and won't go back to a motorcycle tire any time soon. They handle just as good with the correct tire pressure. Since when do you have a 6th gear with a VTX?
@@NicePantsLance hope so, don’t really want to spend the money on a turbo. Bigger cams should do it. If not I’ll go bigger on the crank shaft. The vtx is a monster bike to start with.
I just bought a 2004 1800c VTX, 15k miles. It's 15k so nothing should be wrong BUT it feels like it struggles to breath or something. Like 50 mph is 4th gear, if I try 5th it just shakes and stutters-ish. Is that normal?
@@NicePantsLance if the "cobra" tach is correct, it feels like it's struggling under acceleration at anything under 3k. It gets up and goes but it's not smooth at all, like it's struggling for air.
Could be anything from fuel pressure regulator to a vacuum leak. Might even be loose battery terminals, or fouled plugs. Is there a power commander or any tuning done?
there's no difference in power from the R to the C to the F, s all the same, except for looks, and minor difference in weight. ALL are equally fast AF!
Sounds like you're unfamiliar 😁 Its called "going Darkside" and thousands of riders do it in the USA. Believe it or not, the car tire will flex just fine. It doesnt ride on the sidewall, and it actually gives you a wider contact patch than a MC while leaning! You'll scrape the pegs long before you "run out of tire". Better braking from the rear, better stability, better handling in the rain, and you also get 20k+ miles out of 1 tire. People have been successfully doing it since long before i was born. I will be posting plenty of videos on the handling, so stay tuned! If you are still in doubt, check out the multitude of Darkside groups on facebook. There's plenty of info to be read!
@@NicePantsLance Very interesting. I'm really wondering, how can it work in corners. MC tyres are usually using special compounds and different compounds on different parts of the tyre for proper grip in the corners. And even the shape of the tyre is designed to lean easier. I'm just trying to imagine now, that a car tyre can be pressed on sides under pressure in the corners if the tyre pressure is lower. Interesting idea, but I have no idea if it can be still safe if leaning harder. Otherwise I fully agree, that on a highway and when driving in a straight line, the grip must be fantastic, especially in rain. I will do some researxh about it. Changing my tyres usually every 3000.
It definitely seems like it wouldn't work at first glace, doesnt it? I can see why its hard to believe, but there's definitely more to it! I mean, people have been doing it for so many decades! Now that I've spent a little time with the darkside, i cant imagine going back to a regular tire! No lie, after you get used to the handling you'll forget theres a car tire on the rear lol Stay tuned, ill make some videos on the darkside in the next few weeks! 🤘
It's the pop and gurgle from an open exhaust and a rich tune. Also the engine braking on deceleration changes the sound of the motor a little bit. The doppler effect comes into play too
My VTX1800 with V&H and no baffles sounds like a tri-axle dump truck desperately jake breaking down a mountain when I am at moderate to high RPM and snap off the throttle. It makes people look.
If you are still curious about this thats pretty normal, its a massive engine and transmission, if its not slipping or doing anything else funky make sure you have enough clean oil in it and you're good to go!
Yeah absolutely 👍 ive seen some powervision'd Breakout 114's in the 110-120whp range. Vtx1800's are usually in the 100-110whp range and are way heavier than the Breakout. Props to the VTX1800 for makin that power since like 2001
Abomination 😅👍😎 just kidding. Beautiful machine. Just waiting for GB gov to let people train me on A and I go for one if still available. Lmao when I heard you being impressed by it speed and acceleration.
@@NicePantsLance Any time. Just corrected my spelling as thanks too auto it looks like I do not know what I am typing. Was car tyre standard on this model. I won't probably do it as my reason for riding is to get of the car after being only driver in my family 🙄 and would remind me of it all the time then 😅though I a believe it must feel nice but would feel like having Mum picture attached to dashboard yet trying to relax once driving 😁... if that make sense. Any way do you know whether there has been much change in models since 2002 to 2007?
Yeah i goofed that one up pretty bad 😅 i knew it had 5 gears, but 6 came out of my mouth anyway. I've been getting roasted in the comments section ever since so i guess it evened out haha
Oh, you're including the walkaround portion, which would be absolutely ridiculous in silence with no music. The mute button has always been accessible to you, so i really dont mind if you use it. You dont need to let anyone know you muted it though. Thanks for watching anyway
