Harley-davidson Night Rod Special vs Harley-davidson V-rod
Side-by-side comparison for used motorcycle buyers
Harley-davidson Night Rod Special vs Harley-davidson V-rod. Harley-davidson Night Rod Special: 122 hp @ 8,250 rpm hp, 294 kg (wet/curb weight) weight, top speed 210 km/h (estimated; Harley does not officially publish top speed), Motoryk rating 7.5/10. Harley-davidson V-rod: 122 hp @ 8,250 rpm (2012+ V-Rod Muscle; original 2002 model produced ~115 hp) hp, 295 kg (wet/curb weight — V-Rod Muscle variant) weight, top speed 225 km/h, Motoryk rating 7.5/10.
Performance at a Glance
Green = winner per metric · Bars are relative to the higher value
Harley-davidson Night Rod Special
Harley-davidson V-rod
Horsepower (hp)
122 hp
122 hp
Torque (Nm)
116 Nm
116 Nm
Top Speed (km/h)
210 km/h
225 km/h
Weight (kg) — lower is better
294 kg
295 kg
Type
Cruiser
Cruiser
Horsepower
122 hp @ 8,250 rpm
122 hp @ 8,250 rpm (2012+ V-Rod Muscle; original 2002 model produced ~115 hp)
Torque
116 Nm @ 7,000 rpm
116 Nm @ 7,000 rpm
Top Speed
210 km/h (estimated; Harley does not officially publish top speed)
225 km/h
Weight
294 kg (wet/curb weight)
295 kg (wet/curb weight — V-Rod Muscle variant)
Fuel
7.5 L/100km (approx. 13.3 km/L, typical real-world average)
7.5 L/100km (approximately 13.3 km/L) — estimated real-world average
Fairing
No
No
Individual Reviews
Harley-davidson Night Rod Special
7.5/10
"The Harley that actually rides like it looks — buy smart."
Pros
+Genuinely fast V-twin
+Handles surprisingly well
+Striking aggressive styling
Cons
−Serious heat from engine
−Aggressive ergonomics punish long rides
−Parts sourcing more difficult
Harley-davidson V-rod
7.5/10
"A genuinely capable cruiser that rewards riders who do their homework."
Pros
+Porsche-developed engine is exceptional
+Genuinely strong top-end power
+Handles better than expected
Cons
−Parts increasingly hard to find
−Heavy and awkward parking lot
−Specialist servicing costs hurt
Top 10 Accessories
Picks that work on either bike.
