2009-2010 Honda VTX 1800
The Honda VTX 1800 is a massive bike with some fairly impressive muscle. Though it has the biggest engine in the performance cruiser class, it isn't necessarily the fastest thing off the starting block. But once it gets going, its high gear performance is among the best of the performance cruisers. And despite its enormity, it has been found to handle surprisingly well on curvy roads...
The Honda VTX 1800 comes with a liquid-cooled, 2 cylinder, 1795 cc engine configured as a V Twin. It is a 4 stroke engine with a 42 mm fuel injector, single overhead cam valve configuration with 3 valves per cylinder. The VTX is what is known as a "performance cruiser," which some motorcyclists consider to be an oxymoron. Of course, compared to a super sportbike like the CBR1000RR, the VTX 1800 is a land yacht. However, a performance cruiser blends the coolness of a cruiser with some extra oomph when the light turns green.
View Honda VTX 1800 Motorcycles for sale on Honda-CBR600.com
Honda's theory of the performance cruiser is that nothing compares to good old cubic centimeters, so you get plenty, with a 1795 cc displacement. Perhaps the first thing people notice about the VTX 1800 is that it's a big bike. The frame is big, with a 67.5 inch wheelbase, and a low-slung, muscular look that's a bit menacing. On the other hand, a bike this big - though roomy and stylish - weighs a lot, and some of the power is used up just hauling around the extra poundage. So the displacement doesn't tell the whole story on the VTX 1800.
Though it doesn't necessarily excel at taking off at the starting line, the VTX shows what it's made of in top-gear acceleration, where it is one of the very best. The bigness factor can be a liability when it comes to stopping or turning, but the VTX 1800's linked actuation system for the brakes provided great braking power. The considerable size of this bike is noticeable on corners, where it doesn't excel at making sudden direction changes. A bumpy road can make it stutter, too. As for the suspension, going over a big bump does a number on your backside.
The VTX 1800 has semi-forward foot pegs, a generous saddle, and a low-rise bar, making it comfortable even for long rides (except for those bumps!). One omission that bike experts bring up is the lack of a tachometer, particularly because of the way the rev limiter kicks in. When you're trying to accelerate hard, the limiter can come on abruptly, and feeling and hearing the best time to shift is an acquired skill that would be made easier if there were a tachometer.
Aside from these few annoyances, the VTX 1800 is the bike you want when you want people to do a double-take at its massive size and imposing presence.