The VTX is a more dependable and a better performing motorcycle than any Brand X motorcycle; yet, it FAILED. Why?
Why did the VTX 1800 fail?
UndauntedTraveler
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The SO has a VTX 1300. It's a great little around town bike. For a 1300 it does get up and go. It handled nice while riding the Dragon. I enjoy riding it around town once in a while. The reason the 1800 is not being carried this year according to the Honda salesman is because the 1300 was more popular do to the size and price plus the three new cruisers they have coming out and right now they still have alot of the 1800's in stock. That's what the Honda salesman told me anyway.
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·Failure is just getting up one less time than falling down.
After a test ride on an 1800 I can think of several reasons.
1. Its heavy, very heavy. My Dyna feels like a featherweight in comparison.
2. It's exhaust note is unappealing, particularly with aftermarket pipes.
3. It rides like a jackhammer in the rear end.
4. It had a very annoying driveline snatch.
5. It's styling didn't appeal to me, particularly the lame gas tank with flange, which most makers managed to get rid of.
Most of the above also applies to the Kawasaki 2000 Vulcan but at least it has power, no real driveline snatch and they don't have the cheap looking flange on the tank.
The only big metric cruiser I've ridden I really liked was the Yamaha Stratoliner, thats a neat bike.
1. Its heavy, very heavy. My Dyna feels like a featherweight in comparison.
2. It's exhaust note is unappealing, particularly with aftermarket pipes.
3. It rides like a jackhammer in the rear end.
4. It had a very annoying driveline snatch.
5. It's styling didn't appeal to me, particularly the lame gas tank with flange, which most makers managed to get rid of.
Most of the above also applies to the Kawasaki 2000 Vulcan but at least it has power, no real driveline snatch and they don't have the cheap looking flange on the tank.
The only big metric cruiser I've ridden I really liked was the Yamaha Stratoliner, thats a neat bike.
I never road one so I can't say about handling etc....
but as for looks the 1800 had the radiator that stuck out the side of the down frame where the 1300 radiator stayed inside the frames, looked better to me. A friend had one and fuel mileage was terrible. MSRP was so close to the HD Dyna that I think if I wanted a V-Twin cruiser, at simular MSRP, between the two I would have went with the Dyna...
The 1300 was a lot less money and sold better...
As for metric cruisers the Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 classic and Nomad was a better looking bike, in my eye anyway. The fuel tank is longer and smother, no tank seam either ( on the 07 and later)...fenders looked better too...
But I think price hurt it along with resale value and supply ( too many)...
but as for looks the 1800 had the radiator that stuck out the side of the down frame where the 1300 radiator stayed inside the frames, looked better to me. A friend had one and fuel mileage was terrible. MSRP was so close to the HD Dyna that I think if I wanted a V-Twin cruiser, at simular MSRP, between the two I would have went with the Dyna...
The 1300 was a lot less money and sold better...
As for metric cruisers the Kawasaki Vulcan 1600 classic and Nomad was a better looking bike, in my eye anyway. The fuel tank is longer and smother, no tank seam either ( on the 07 and later)...fenders looked better too...
But I think price hurt it along with resale value and supply ( too many)...
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Not sure why someone would say that the 1800 had very little power?? I thought the bike ran like a raped ape. I feel safe in saying that the VTX 1800 would out run ANY(except VRod) stock V-Twin Harley. My buddy had an 1800 Goldwing and my VTX would run dead even with the Wing as far as acceleration goes. About as dead even of a race that I have ever had! I would never have thought that the VTX would run with a Goldwing. Even though both bikes were 1800cc's they had completely different style engines. Freeway speed roll on power the VTX would run off and leave the Wing. Now the Wing might catch back up but that's going to be on down the road. I had a Candy Red 1800N Spec 3 model. Very nice looking bike. It did not handle very well, did feel very heavy and sounded like crap! That was my biggest disappointment, the sound! Sounded like an anemic, muzzled motorboat! I feel that Honda made a major mistake with the this engine. People like the Harley sound and this bike did not have it. Just my take.
I think that has loads to do with it, handling and sound...the 1300 has better of both compared to the 1800, and sold fairly well...also, I know a lot of people who got 1300s as their first motorcyce due to price and displacement (my first bike was a road star, but only because I didn't like the shaft drive of the vtx); I would think many new riders would be intimidated by the size of the 1800, and those who are skilled and comfortable with a bike of that size would immediately see its shortcomings and look elsewhere.
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Hmmm.. I guess perception is everything. I still have a Shadow 1100. The wife has a VTX1300. I ride them both. I see a difference. As to road worthy; I wish you had told us that before we rode those two, individually, on a 9 state trip last year. (Left the Wing at home that time because the Shadow has been a very good road bike, 1 UP.)
:shrug::shrug:
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804 pounds is a bit heavy for a bike that was designed to be a cruiser. That would have turned me off.
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Bought a 03 1800 Retro in April of 05. Rode it for 4 years. 13000 miles. Rode down to Honda homecoming twice. Ran 80 mph up and back. There was a 1300 c that went with me. My X ran so good. At least 40 miles per gal while doing 80. But I knew that I wanted a wing for the last couple of years, Or else I would still have the X. :bow:
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Yes, I agree and so do others. So the question is: Why did Honda make such a hugh mistake, designing and building the 1800 VTX with a split crank? It seems that decision has cost Honda many many millions of dollars in sales. If the 1800 only had the single pin crank, just by the sound, I think it would have been a success instead of the failure it was for Honda.
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I read somewhere (maybe here) that the VTX1800 was actually developed and sold in an attempt from Honda to capture some of the Goldwing demographic. The idea was to get some of the Goldwing riders to purchase the VTX1800 instead since the profit margin was much better for Honda on the VTX1800 than what it was for the Goldwing. They actually wanted Goldwing production to slow since the profit margin was not where they wanted it to be and they knew that raising the price point to get the profit margin where they wanted it would effectively kill the Goldwing. Wing riders just did not take the bait and the VTX1800 sales and popularity suffered. That's what I read. I have no facts or statements from sources at Honda to verify whether or not this is factual.
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Bought one of the first 2002 VTX1800c. Loved it, but traded after test riding a wing in the fall of 06. Different bike, I had moved to NH from FL and a wind shield extends the season. Another reason was that the Wing is more of a reving bike, I was always hitting the rev limiter on the VTX and the SO liked the back seat, stereo, heated seats yada yada yada.
BTW, got a terrific trade-in value for the VTX and an internet price for the Wing.
But I loved that 1800, I couldnt understand why anyone would buy the 1300. Soo much torque, low end grunt, and you sat much lower than the Wing. But the buyers were buying the 1300s. That is why the Fury has the 1300 engine.
I thought the VTX handled great (though not like a sport bike), scrapped the pegs plenty, about the same as the Wing. Went off roading with it once, handled great on golf ball size gravel and grass at 50 mph (errant cage decided he needed my lane more than I did)
Honda will give the customer what they want.
BTW, got a terrific trade-in value for the VTX and an internet price for the Wing.
But I loved that 1800, I couldnt understand why anyone would buy the 1300. Soo much torque, low end grunt, and you sat much lower than the Wing. But the buyers were buying the 1300s. That is why the Fury has the 1300 engine.
I thought the VTX handled great (though not like a sport bike), scrapped the pegs plenty, about the same as the Wing. Went off roading with it once, handled great on golf ball size gravel and grass at 50 mph (errant cage decided he needed my lane more than I did)
Honda will give the customer what they want.
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I can believe this and that explains why the engine as a split crank: For balance and smoothness. Of course, that was one of the problems I had with my VTX1800C, it was too smooth for a V-twin. I also hated the flanged gas tank, but I think Honda corrected that later.
The VTX (1800) was a maketing failure by Honda. Somebody whould have told the Honda engineers why people buy Harleys.
Where did you read this?? Must've been Aesop's Fables, or perhaps a comic book.:nojoke:
My previous motorcycle was a 2003 VTX 1800C, I bought it new in 2005, and it was a great motorcycle, I never had a single problem with it. I rode it for between 15-18k miles, some of those on long trips, mpg was not as great as I would have liked, but in reality I did not mind stopping for gas and stretching my legs every 150 miles. But I always wanted a Goldwing, since I was a kid, and my older brother had an 1100 goldwing.
So when all the stars were in alignment, I traded the VTX in on my wing. I would have loved to keep it, but in my wifes words - "I only have one a$$ so why do I need 2 bikes"
But it was great for its purpose - cruising. I made long trips on it, but it is not a touring bike, it is also not a sport bike, however, I never thought there was any lack of power.
If I had the garage space, and the cash, I would love to have it back, it is perfect for cruising around town, poker runs, and bike week.
But I would not trade the wing for long trips.
I have never ridden the rune, but I saw a new one (I think it was an 05 or 06) for sale 2 years ago at the dealer in Jacksonville and they had it priced at $17k.
But I wanted the Goldwing, so that is what I bought..
So when all the stars were in alignment, I traded the VTX in on my wing. I would have loved to keep it, but in my wifes words - "I only have one a$$ so why do I need 2 bikes"
But it was great for its purpose - cruising. I made long trips on it, but it is not a touring bike, it is also not a sport bike, however, I never thought there was any lack of power.
If I had the garage space, and the cash, I would love to have it back, it is perfect for cruising around town, poker runs, and bike week.
But I would not trade the wing for long trips.
I have never ridden the rune, but I saw a new one (I think it was an 05 or 06) for sale 2 years ago at the dealer in Jacksonville and they had it priced at $17k.
But I wanted the Goldwing, so that is what I bought..
If honda wanted to cut back on the wing they should have made an 1800 FI Valk Interstate, I would have one instead of the wing.
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Just because you find it hard to believe you shouldn't dismiss it as a fable! Not too long ago there was talk of Honda discontinuing the Wing when production moved back to Japan due to the minimal profit margin on them. They are not big money makers for Honda. That was quoted from Honda execs in an article on the new manufacturing facility that they have built in Japan. It's one of the reasons that there haven't really been any new developments for the GL platform for so long. They did not want to spend the R & D money until they were certain of it's fate or future. But from what I can garner it appears that the GL1800 may be around for quite some time. If that is correct then that's good news! I just cannot imagine Honda discontinuing it.
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