2009–2017 · Cruiser · Buyer's Guide
Detroit Muscle, Milwaukee Badge
This one runs a liquid-cooled 60° V-twin, 1247 cc, making 119 hp at 8,250 rpm with 85 lb-ft arriving at 6,500. Those are not cruiser numbers in the usual sense. The power lives high, and the whole machine is built around that idea: a 67.0 in wheelbase, a 240/40-18 rear tire, 673 lb (305 kg) wet, all of it stretched long and low. Belt final drive and five gears keep the delivery simple. What you end up with is a factory muscle cruiser that carries its metal on purpose and looks like nothing else on the street.
The priorities are clear once you own one. It wants open road and a rider who is fine with being looked at. It ages honestly if you keep it sheltered; the hardware is solid, the surface finishes less so, and the valve service interval is the one line in the ownership budget that bites. There is no traction control, no ride modes, no cruise control, and ABS was an option rather than a given, so any used example needs checking before money changes hands. You buy this for presence and for the pull, not for a feature list.
Spec sheets don't ride bikes, but they set the baseline.
| Power | 119 hp (89 kW) @ 8,250 rpm |
|---|---|
| Torque | 85 lb-ft (115 Nm) @ 6,500 rpm |
| Displacement | 1247 cc |
| Engine | 60° V-twin |
| Cooling | Liquid-cooled |
| Gearbox | 5-speed |
| Final drive | Belt |
| Fork | Upside-down (USD) |
| Front tire | 120/70-19 |
| Rear tire | 240/40-18 |
| Wheelbase | 67.0 in (1702 mm) |
| Seat height | 27.8 in (705 mm) |
| Wet weight | 673 lb (305 kg) |
| Fuel capacity | 5.0 gal (18.9 L) |
Equipment check
Chassis
Safety
Sit on it and the geometry does the talking. Feet out front, wide flat bars, a 27.8 in (705 mm) seat that drops you into the bike rather than onto it, torso stretched forward into an assertive posture you cannot fake. Hit the starter and the sound comes across harder and more metallic than this segment usually delivers, a snarl rather than a rumble, and it sharpens as the revs climb. There is enough vibration through the tank and pegs to keep the thing feeling alive, without the numb buzz that wrecks a long stretch. At real road pace the 673 lb (305 kg) sits low and quietly disappears underneath you. On smooth pavement the ride is firm and controlled. On broken surfaces you feel every joint through your lower back, and that is worth planning your routes around.
None of this comes from my own test miles. It is what riders have told me across the years: talk after track days, conversations at meets, and the messages that land in my inbox from owners. On the V-Rod Muscle the reports sit close together, and they sort into two clear piles.
The motor leads almost every account. Owners describe it coming alive high in the rev range and pulling to the top, with more drive than they associate with a cruiser. Braking carries nearly the same weight: riders call the stopping power strong and easy to lean on, stronger than they had any reason to expect here. Looks close out the three. The low body, the wide rear tire and the hard-edged panels come up again and again, and owners say the bike never blends into a lineup.
The riding position collects the most complaints. Owners say the feet-forward, arms-wide layout works the hips and turns uncomfortable once a ride runs long. Corners bring the other steady note: riders report understeer through tighter bends and pegs touching down well before they expect. Fuel range draws fewer mentions, though some owners say the small tank keeps the gaps between fills short.
ABS module recall (18V-076)
Certain 2008-2011 VRSC models with ABS may experience brake fluid contamination leading to loss of braking; covered under NHTSA recall 18V-076.
Complex valve clearance maintenance
Checking and adjusting valve clearances every 15,000 miles is labor-intensive, requiring partial engine removal; high dealer cost.
Finish and minor component fragility
Some owners report corrosion on wheels, peeling chrome, and fast-fading finishes when the bike is frequently ridden in rain or stored outdoors.
Where this Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle VRSCF pulls ahead of — or falls behind — its rivals on the numbers, and the typical bike in its class on character.
Power
Torque
Displacement
Wet weight
Seat height
Forget spec-sheet bragging. Here's who the V-Rod Muscle VRSCF is actually built for.
It has the presence and the noise for the ride into town, but it speaks with its own accent rather than the traditional one. It will also hold a steady line through the hours of interstate to get there.
Made for A1A — Florida Atlantic Coast · Black Hills / Sturgis Rally Hub · Daytona Main Street / Bike Week
This is modern muscle, not old Americana, so it will never blend into a vintage road trip. It covers two-lane miles happily enough, though you feel the rough patches and there is no cruise control.
Made for Acadia National Park · Austin / Handbuilt Motorcycle Show · Blue Ridge Parkway
Honest answer: not your bike. The 5.0 gal tank, the firm ride and the absence of cruise control or luggage make a long park-to-park week harder work than it needs to be.
Made for Beartooth Highway · Blue Ridge Parkway · Going-to-the-Sun Road
If you're cross-shopping the older generation, here's what changed.
Previous generation · 2006
The Drag Strip In Disguise
Compare to the previous model →If this one isn't quite the fit, these are the bikes worth riding back-to-back against it.
Any price note compares both bikes at the same age — the youngest age both have on the used market — against this Harley-Davidson V-Rod Muscle VRSCF. “cheaper/pricier” is what that bike costs second-hand, not how worn it is.
