First Look: A Tale Of Two V-Rods - Up To Speed

First Look:Harley-Davidson's V-Rod blew plenty of minds when it debuted in 2002. Its strong, quick-revving, Porsche-designed Revolution motor has about as much in common with past H-D Big Twins as the latest David Foster Wallace novel does with a Dickens classic.

Like The Motor Company's famed air-cooled, pushrod, 45-degree V-twins, which have been the go-to powerplant for custom chopper builders going on 50 years now, the V-Rod's liquid-cooled, DOHC 60-degree Revolution motor is now also attracting the attention of custom builders. Unlike the traditional chopperheads, however, the guys utilizing the Revolution powerplant operate in a decidedly more modern aesthetic, as evidenced by the two bikes shown here: the Travertson V-Rex future cruiser and the V-Roehr Superbike.

The V-Rex is the more radical of the two, a collaboration between noted Australian designer Tim Cameron and American bike builder Christian Travert-the latter best known for his outrageous Y2K jet turbine-powered sportbike made famous by Jay Leno. Cameron spent two months designing the V-Rex in 3-D detail on a computer screen using sophisticated computer-modeling software typically employed to create Hollywood special effects. And then, working from Cameron's computer designs, Travert spent almost a year hand-crafting the running prototype. Like it enough to buy it? Travertson (www.travertson.com) is gearing up for limited production at a target price of $39,990.

Do your tastes run more toward track days than toy rides? In that case, download the data on American innovator Walter Roehrich's latest creation, the V-Roehr (www.roehrmotorcycles.com). Roehr-whose previous creations include the Rv500 streetbike powered by a YZ250-based two-stroke V-twin and the Rv1000 powered by the Swedish-made Highland 950-has now set out to construct the street-legal VR1000 Superbike Harley was afraid to sell. Roehr plants the 1130cc Revolution motor in a composite frame created from steel main beams bonded and bolted to machined aluminum plates and outfitted with top-line chassis components from hlins, Brembo and Marchesini. The bodywork is all carbon-fiber, and overall the bike has something of a Frankenstein look with what appear to be reclaimed Ducati and Yamaha parts giving it shape. Roehr is planning a limited-production run of 50 units for 2008 priced at $39,995.

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By Aaron P. Frank

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