sportshogger
Member
Can somebody tell me Porches exact involvement in the V ROD, did they Design the motor.Or did they design and build it. thanks.:g:25:
V ROD and Porche
- Thread starter sportshogger
- Start date
Crocker
Active Member
Known as the P4 project that took HDs product devolopment team 6 years to design and build the origianal idea was to take the Vr1000 race engine and build a bike around that engine .So Hd went to the porche engineering facilitly to basicly take the $60,000 VR 1000 race engine and make it streetable ,this took place in late 1996 So porche had a very big play in engineering the Evoloution engine in design engineering and RD . Discovery Channel sells a video it a documentry entitled Birth of the Vrod , very informative on this subject you might want to ask santa for one as a stocking stuffer.
The "stuff of legends..." only they did not go far enough. Still do not understand why they did not carry the design a bit further and had a touring model built along the same lines, to be released a year later, which would not have been such a stretch...as it is now to infuse that technology, instead of the complex network electronics just released...JMO.
sportshogger
Member
Thanks for all the information guys, Im gonna get the d.v.d. crocker. I want to be sure, when Im saying to admires that its a porche engine. 
Crocker
Active Member
Well depends who you are saying that to, but If you do some research on Porsche archives you will find a lot more info on what they contributed to this project , I will tell you that Porsche did not play a minor role infact they used there best engineering team on the revoloution engine project that lasted over a year before they were done and they affectionatley call the Vrod a 2 wheel boxster apparently there is a lot of simular tech,between the 2.
theteacher
Member
I would like to have the dvd but I'm not paying $35.00 for it, that's ridiculous.
AMF/Harley paid Porche to design them an engine. They came up with the Evolution and a V4 water cooled engine. A Harley engineer moved from Harley to Yamaha and took the engineer drawings of the V4 with him. Thus, the 1983 Yamaha Venture. The Harley race water cooled engine was destined to failure. It was smaller cc than the rules allowed but the handling will make up for that. I have been around and every time I hear that it doesn't happen. Racers want horsepower and will make the bike handle. The VRod was a Porche design and they changed the V twin cyclinders from the traditions 45 degrees to one more easier to balance. That and water cooling made it very reliable.
Crocker
Active Member
The AMF project called the Nova , has no relation to the P4 project (vrod) ,AMF at the time was in development with the water cooled Nova and had plans to make at least 3 engine sizes as you describe a vtwin and a V4 design,they also had the EVO in design and when HD bought the company back from AMF they made the choice to shelve the Nova and move foward with the EVO and the FLT line up,they are I think about 6 Nova bike at the HD musuem. The P4 project (Vrod)was started in the mid 90s,it was a direct engine concept taken from the the VR 1000 witch was a HD and Roush racing engine design partnership that started in the late 80s ,the VR 1000 HD/roush racing team entered in to the AMA circuit in the early 90s and I if I remember correctly they raced in the superbike class untill 2000 or 2001 before HD pulled the plug. but they already buy this time teamed up with Porche to develope the VR 1000 engine in to a streetable version called the Vrod
Crocker
Active Member
Never happen they will never (EDIT) with the touring models ,they are there number one seller ,they outsell all other models consitantly every year , and if aint broke dont fix it, they sell enough add on touring options for the vrod as well as other models like touring options for Sportsters and that is good enough for them.At best you might see a touring based model Vrod at some point ,but doubt it. I do agree with you and would like to see that engine in some sort of touring capacity because it does run so well, but the engine is still treated like a red headed step child at best from the HD consumers and doubt if they would sell as good as other models just because if it aint a 45deg V it aint really a harley outlook from the masses, I would really love to see them discontinue the Vrod Models , because then 40 yrs from now these will be the knuckleheads of today commanding insaine prices and hold the after thought ( of one of HDs best built designs). The Vrod does not get the recconition it deserves in the Sport/crusier class. But dont wait on HD building a Revo touring plateformed bike , If I was in the market for this type of touring bike , I would be waiting for the new Honda touring models they have plans for ,Honda has some really nice touring bike on there horizon,that are just down rite beautiful .
Please read this...
Please read this...
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