HEAVY DUTY MOTORSPORTS


Phone: (0412) 502 090


Custom V-rod

Photo Set (Click to enlarge)

ATTITUDE V-ROD

by David Cohen

For a great example of how customising your bike can completely change the way you feel about it - and the way you ride it - check out Rob’s story.

‘I’d had my V-Rod for seven years and hardly used it. It just sat in the shed. It really just didn’t excite me’ Rob began . 

‘So I rang Simon (Yates at Heavy Duty) and he said come on in and let’s talk about what we can do for you. I did, we had a few meetings and I ended up leaving the bike with them for a few months. Now it’s completely transformed and I’m absolutely loving it. It sounds good, looks good and yeah, I love riding it’ he reiterated, with genuine enthusiasm.

We talked a little about background. ‘I’ve always had motorcycles’ and he proceeded to run off a lengthy list of the Japanese and Italian sports bikes that had gone before the V-Rod. 

Then an elbow injury made him look for a bike with a more upright riding position and he chose the Harley on a friend’s recommendation, but the V-Rod in its standard form wasn’t delivering the kind of buzz he wanted from a bike.

That’s where Heavy Duty came in.

Simon took up the story; ‘I could tell from Rob’s enthusiasm that the build was going to be something quite exceptional. We drew up a rough plan of the modifications that we thought would inspire him and like most custom builds it evolved during the process. It involved a lot of co-ordination with Rob - to get the look and feel that he was after.’

Simon described the process as ‘a metamorphosis’. 

The build is based around the 300 section rear and ‘after looking at a number of rear fender options we decided to make our own. The result is a full flowing fender that perfectly shows off the massive 300mm Avon.’

‘Doc Hilber, our senior Tech, spent a lot of time on different aspects of the build ensuring that it all went according to plan.’

The seat was another Custom item made by MC Roadrunner. Doc also relocated all of the electronics from under the seat to allow for the low saddle height. That also helps to really set the build off.’ 

It certainly is an exceptional looking machine.

The already potent V-Rod engine has cams upgraded to Screaming Eagle stage 2, Screaming Eagle Pistons and a Power Commander are installed, as is a K&N high flow air filter. 

It’s also fitted with Fitzgerald Racing’s ground pounder exhausts that are loud and proud - with the kind of sound that makes the air in your chest rattle.

‘When Simon sent me through the pictures of that exhaust…man…I wanted attitude, and boy, has it got attitude’ Rob said with that infectious enthusiasm. ‘I wanted something that would let the true character of the V-Rod out.’

Handling and braking haven’t been neglected either with the front end receiving progressive springs and chrome Brembo 4 pot callipers, while the 300 HogPro swingarm kit is suspended on Progressive 444 shocks, also with a chrome Brembo calliper fitted to the rear disk.

Setting it all off is a pair of magnificent looking chrome Colorado Custom Monte Carlo wheels.

Also in keeping with the flowing lines of the bike and its comfortable ergos are the custom Burleigh T-bars that support the remarkably legible (for such a compact unit) Dakota digital dashboard.

It’s now a V-Rod that you can stand back and admire and think ‘Yes – that’s just… right’.

Rob is also full of the highest praise for the team at Heavy Duty. ‘Man these guys looked after me. I was kept fully in the loop with what was going on with the build, there were no unexpected surprises with costing and the communication was fantastic’ he beamed. One happy customer.

On the road it sounds and looks fantastic and the extra grunt from the engine upgrade gives the bike the hurry-up to match its looks.

It has ‘morphed’ from an under-used stocker to a stunning custom machine that is now ridden at every available opportunity.

Share by: