You'll appreciate that additional range with the Street Rod's more accommodating ergonomics. The V-Rod's laid-back riding position, with its footpegs well forward and handlebar up, may allow you to stretch your legs, but it also puts virtually all your weight on your butt. On the thin, narrow seat standard on the V-Rod, that's a recipe for almost instant monkey-butt (though we found a huge improvement with Harley's Sundowner accessory saddle). The high handlebar also stretches you in the wind more than the lower bar on the Street Rod. The Street Rod's riding position rotates the rider about 20 to 30 degrees more forward than the V-Rod's and lets your legs take some of your weight. The seat is also roomier (except in the passenger portion, which is still just a thin pad) and slightly flatter, making it easier to endure for long rides, though we still swap it out if we ride more than a half day. At riding speeds, wind pressure takes any weight off your hands. Since your legs are under you, you can also stand over bumps, something your back is sure to appreciate.
Your back will also be pleased by the suspension's extra travel. There is an inch more movement available at each end, giving much more stroke to handle big bumps. And because it doesn't have to be so stiff to avoid bottoming out, small bumps that would judder the V-Rod pass unnoticed under the Street Rod.
That additional four inches of saddle altitude will worry a few riders, but probably more than it should-and we think the trade-off for a much more comfortable ride and greater ground clearance is well worth it, even if that's an uncruiserly sentiment. Our 5-foot-8 tester had no problems standing flat-footed on the Street Rod despite the 31.0-inch saddle height. In fact, he preferred it to the V-Rod's because he didn't have to deal with the long reach to the footpegs (which Harley offers kits to remedy). His only complaint was that the handlebar seemed a bit distant, but it offered good leverage. Overall, he, like everyone else who rode both, felt more in control on the Street Rod than on the V-Rod.
Of course, some of that is due to the Street Rod's superior handling. Although the V-Rod has been one of our favorite cruisers to scoot down a winding road, its steering geometry definitely takes some getting used to. The V's steering is most neutral if you can accelerate all the way through a corner. The Street Rod's steering head is raked to a moderate 30 degrees instead of the V-Rod's 34 degrees (the triple clamps change the fork legs' angle to 32 and 38 degrees respectively), and it has slightly more front-wheel trail (4.3 inches instead of the Street Rod's 3.9 inches). These differences make the steering just slightly quicker and lighter, but it is much more linear and tolerant of midcorner power adjustments.
Of course, the Street Rod handles bumps much more effectively than the V-Rod, and it has a lot more cornering clearance. The V-Rod lets you lean farther. Harley says it offers eight degrees more lean angle (40 degrees versus 32 for the V-Rod), allowing you to tilt it in more than any cruiser we have ridden. Although the tires are almost the same as the V-Rod's, they still feel firmly stuck when you lean far enough to drag. In fact, it's generally more assured when banked over hard than any cruiser. A very few, like the now-discontinued Honda Magna, steer a bit more nimbly, but none feel quite as settled, especially if the corner packs some bumps. However, the steering is not as responsive as a lighter naked bike or standard-style motorcycle-a Yamaha FZR1000 or a Ducati Monster, for example-with a real sporting bent.