eNewsletter | Contact  

Honda VTX: More choices than you can swing a 101mm piston at

By Bill Andrews

"Nice bike!"

When I took Honda's flagship cruiser on a 1,800-mile tour of the East Coast recently, (see the story in the September 2006 issue of American Motorcyclist), that seemed to be the universal consensus. From toll collectors to gas station attendants, crewmen on a ferry and even people happening by on the boardwalk, everybody thought Honda's VTX1800C was one great looker.

Introduced as a 2002 model, the VTX was the first of the cavernous-displacement V-twins we see today. Honda claimed then 106 bhp at 5,000 rpm and 120 lb./ft. of torque at 3,500 rpm, initially making the VTX a power monster in the cruiser world. But the world has caught up, and now V-twins with 1,800cc of displacement (and up) are commonplace.

Choose your VTX Honda's VTX is more than one model. Go retro or sporty, depending on which model you start with. Then pick paint, options and accessories to suit your taste. Here are the other models, in addition to the VTX1800C. The VTX1800F, a "sport custom." Honda calls its VTX1800N "neo-retro art." The "R" in VTX1800R stands for retro. VTX1800S rides on spoked wheels.

Honda has taken cruiser individuality to the next level, though, by offering a seemingly endless range of customization straight from the factory. Starting with five different body styles, numerous factory build specs (which includes different levels of chrome, polish and accoutrements), several different paint schemes, and finally adding your personal touch in accessories, you can easily get a one-of-a-kind look straight from your dealer.

Our test bike was the "C" style, build spec 3, with black-and-flame paint, and saddlebags added from the accessories catalog. It seems flames and chrome never go out of style, and our bike had ‘em stem to stern.

The engine and powertrain are essentially unchanged from '02—a 1,795cc liquid-cooled 52-degree V-twin with shaft final drive—but it appears the fuel tank may have been redesigned a bit.

Currently, factory specs indicate 4.8 gallons, a half gallon down from the original 5.3-gallon tank, which back then we thought was a bit wide for comfort between the knees and a little too shallow for touring. So the new tank makes ergos better, but at the cost of range. If you're typically ready for a stop at about 120 miles (the point where the fuel indicator light first flickers) this may be a non-issue.

Lastly, the seam has been removed along the bottom of the tank, giving the bike a cleaner, finished look rather than the cheaper stamped sheet metal look of old. If a complaint in the otherwise brilliant finish could be made, it might be that the flame "paint job" is really a decal under clearcoat. It's a small point, and one you only detect if you look closely.

The programmed fuel injection and digital ignition work virtually flawlessly. The big crank was sent spinning reliably each and every time the starter was thumbed, and the 101mm slugs kept running through their 112mm of stroke under a variety of conditions without complaint. Whether it was highway drones with bodacious passing ability, or boulevard chugging while just letting the engine idle along, the system simply worked great.

There is a transition from closed throttle to slightly open that gives you a bit of a lurch, but that's a common symptom with fuel injection and shaft drive. It's really nothing out of the ordinary and, frankly, if you like the feel of a good torquey pull from idle, you may just love it.

On any other non-cruiser bike, one might call the five-speed transmission a bit clunky. But it seems that the people who love big V-twins also like a solid-sounding engagement of shifting dogs, and so each successive shift gives a solid report.

Handling is pretty good for a 734-pound (claimed, dry) machine. Pushing the VTX-C through the turns, the bike inspired confidence with its predictable tracking. It seems you can lean the "C" a bit further than some other VTX models because it has footpegs instead of floorboards. First contact will likely be your heel, then the peg feeler. Lean angles are so generous, however, that most cruiser riders may never touch down anything.

As asphalt conditions change, (as in rain, gravel or packed sand) the cruiser never seemed to lose its sturdy composure. The amount of weight on 130 front and 180 rear tires probably helps this equation.

The low 27.6-inch seat made in-town cruising enjoyable. At lights, it wasn't that far for my feet to drop to reach pavement. And the ergonomics—feet forward, body somewhat leaned forward to reach the fairly wide bars—was comfortable enough to me for all day cruising or highway blasting.

On my tour, I found the VTX to be a willing, enjoyable and trustworthy companion, one that never ceased to turn heads whenever the opportunity arose. On the few ferry crossings I took, the bike always drew a small crowd.

I never seemed to tire from glancing down at the massive, chromed headlight nacelle and seeing my smiling face with a panoramic view of the world going by.

Again, the fuel range might put off some, but look at it this way: It's just another chance to have folks come by and ogle all that style.

2006 Honda VTX1800C
Engine	Liquid-cooled, 52-degree V-twin
Displacement	1,795cc
Bore x Stroke	101mm x 112mm
Valve train	Three valves per cylinder
Compression ratio	9.0:1
Transmission	Five-speed
Final drive	Shaft
Front suspension	45.0mm inverted fork, 5.1-inch travel
Rear suspension	Dual shocks with five-position spring-preload adjustability, 3.9-inch travel
Front Brakes	Dual 296mm discs with LBS three-piston calipers
Rear Brake	Single 316mm disc with LBS twin-piston caliper
Front Tire	130/70R-18 radial
Rear Tire	180/70R-16 radial
Rake	31.45 degrees
Trail	152mm (5.7 inches)
Wheelbase	67.6 inches
Seat Height	27.6 inches
Dry Weight	734 pounds
Fuel Capacity	4.8 gallons
MSRP	$13,199 As tested: $14,699, plus studded leather saddlebags: $539.95