1800 VTX

[DIGGER]

My 16 yr  old gson that has been riding a 650 KLR is looking for a bigger bike.  He wants mecto go with him Monday to look at a 2007 1800 VTX he has found that is owned by an older man who bought it new and wants to sell it now.  30,000 miles.  $3,800.  Sound high or low?
Garage kept , new brake pads, like new tires and pics look like a very well kept motorcycle.   Guy says it runs great. 
Do you guys think it is too much motorcycle for a 16 yr old?   He stands 6' 1" 200 lbs.   He has only been allowed to ride his KLR if he is with me or his dad.   Dad has a 1300 ST.  He is very mild mannered good kid and is very cautious when we ride.....so far.  Im just wondering if its too much motorcycle for him.

[Jack B]

The 1800 is top heavy I only rode it about 10 miles but to me it felt like it was going to tip over in the corners.
But my friend kept up to us on all our rides. He now rides a F6B and he loves it.
But other than that, it’s a typical Honda, it will run forever guys that have them seen too love them. I never drove the 1300 VTX. I heard that’s a much nicer bike with less power.

[scooperhsd]

The kid has the size to handle it, and it sounds like he has the right attitude as well. I wouldn't get rid of the KLR yet, however.

[klb]

Back in 2010 I bought this 2008 VTX1800 Tourer. It had impressive torque and power but I couldn't get used to the forward controls. For me it rode and handled fine just not as well as the Valkyrie. That's about what the going price for a VTX1800 is in the southeast now minus the negotiating. 

[Hook#3287]

Seems like a good fit and a good bike.

Price seems reasonable.

[sandy]

The 1800 has about 120 ft lbs of torque. It’s the only Vtwin with a dual pin crank which is why they sound bad with straight pipes. But it provides better engine balance and gives the good HP and torque. The price is a very good price. Keep him with you till he gets use to the weight and power.

[3fan4life]

A friend of mine had a VTX 1800, another had a VTX 1300.

I rode both bikes and liked them both.

New the 1300 was the best bang for the buck and handled a little better than the 1800.

The power difference isn't that noticeable.

The 1800 feels more top heavy than the 1300.

The 1800 has fuel injection where the 1300 is carbureted, that alone would make me lean to the 1800 if I was in the market.

[DIGGER]

Thanks for all the feedback.  Going to look at the bike Monday

[Oss]

1800 is a beast and loves the highway

At slow speeds I found you cant ride it like a Valk  It demands to be in the lowest gear and will let you know it

Cant say I have ridden a 1300 but hear wonderful things about it

as grandson is tall and good weight it is a good bike imho but still I would let him ride the 1300 1st

[Rams]

All I am going to say is regardless of what he rides, he’s eventually going to test the bike and his skills.   We all did.   Any Honda and most other bikes will still take him where he wants to go and once he’s out on his own, the parents and grandparents have lost any control they may or not have had.

I thought we reared our children right but things went south somehow, somewhere.   Both ride Harley’s now.   

Rams

[NewValker]

I had an 03 1800, put 104 k on it.  Loved it, only way I sold it was for my Valk.
Couple years ago I bought a 2005 1800 N from a friend that was unable to ride anymore.
They are a bit top  heavy until you hit 5 mph, then I never felt it was heavy at all.
Honestly, moving it around the yard, dirt roads, making a U turn, duck walking it in traffic, the VTX is easier. 
As stated, the X will lug when the Valk won’t. Drop a gear, problem solved.
And the fuel injection is great, turn the key and go! 
Fuel tanks are susceptible to rust if sitting for a long time. Don’t let rust into the fuel pump! I believe they are non- serviceable and 800+ bucks.
He’s going to love it!

Craig

[h13man]

On a note, the VTX 1300 PTWR is the same as the VT1100 Sabre, Ace Tourer, 00-02' Aero and Spirit @ 1:13 PTWR. The base 01' VTX1800 (86hp/99ftlb) and post 97' Valks (92hp/98ftlb)  share the same PTWR @ 1:9 PTWR. These spec's are taken @ the rear wheel. For sure "butt dino's" are different with folks.  I sat on and tried a 1800 in the showroom and I was afraid it would fall to other side due to being so top heavy. I wanted that "twin pin" power but the Valk is a better at low speed handling and much smoother. Loading the 1800 power way down in lower RPM's is really hard on driveshafts due to this large VT engine pulses. VT1800 is a beast in the VT world but...

[sandy]

The 1800 has fuel injection where the 1300 is carbureted, that alone would make me lean to the 1800 if I was in the market.

In 2010 the 1300 went to fuel injection.

[3fan4life]

The 1800 has fuel injection where the 1300 is carbureted, that alone would make me lean to the 1800 if I was in the market.

In 2010 the 1300 went to fuel injection.

I didn't know that.

I guess technically it's still a VTX, but:




That's when it changed to a Stateline.

I've never ridden one, but it always looked to me like they killed the handling and turned it into a Boulevard Cruiser.

[DIGGER]

well......we bought the 2007 VTX.....it was bought new in 2007 by a preacher from Gatesville, Tx.   He said he has had one kneww replacement and is in the process to get the other knee replaced.  Said it is time to get off the motorcycles.   This VTX is in showroom condition with 30,000 miles on it.  Grandson is sooooo excited   he has been riding that KLR 650 for the last year and he said this bike is sooooo comfortable.  He rode it about 200 miles yesterday. I pray that he is careful and enjoys the ride.   

me, my wife, and gson Klye

[scooperhsd]

Great for him. NOW - if you haven't (I sort of doubt that's the case) - stress to him the proper attitude to have when riding something that big and powerful. Stress all the hard things out there that can hurt / kill him,  and how his body is (relatively) soft. Some biker education courses would be a wonderful idea too, especially ones where he rides his own bike.

[f6john]

Congrats on the purchase! I only had one experience with an 1800 VTX and one on a 1300. The 1800 belonged to a buddy and he wanted to know what I thought. Good bike I’m sure but getting off my Valkyrie and onto the VTX I had to see what it could do. My issue with it was I kept hitting the rev limiter before I was ready to shift. I never did any cruising on it so that’s where my critique ends. The 1300 I test rode was an early model and it was a dog, never so happy to get off and get back on my Valkyrie.

[DIGGER]

Great for him. NOW - if you haven't (I sort of doubt that's the case) - stress to him the proper attitude to have when riding something that big and powerful. Stress all the hard things out there that can hurt / kill him,  and how his body is (relatively) soft. Some biker education courses would be a wonderful idea too, especially ones where he rides his own bike.

he took the rider safety course before he got the KLR

[LTD]

a beauty and a great deal

[cookiedough]

I too was leery when my kid age 16 let him drive my Valk around a few times.  Is a lot of bike for any 16 year old but the pic seems he is a pretty big kid and has a good head on his shoulders to not do anything too stupid while out and about. 

Never hurts to remind him of the dangers of going too fast, etc.  though. I always did.

never driven a vtx1800 only sat on one in the honda showroom floor.  To me just leaning it back and forth seemed top heavy to me as well vs. the Valk also used sitting in the showroom floor.

in that 4K range is a pretty good deal for what looks like a very well kept lower mileage vtx1800, congrats!

[Jess from VA]

Great for him. NOW - if you haven't (I sort of doubt that's the case) - stress to him the proper attitude to have when riding something that big and powerful. Stress all the hard things out there that can hurt / kill him,  and how his body is (relatively) soft. Some biker education courses would be a wonderful idea too, especially ones where he rides his own bike.

he took the rider safety course before he got the KLR

Good.  Riding around inside that box is the hardest riding there is.

But moving to a bigger heavier bike is good reason to do a little self refresher training, and going to an open parking lot/area and practicing your tight turns (both ways), stop and go maneuvers, etc. is always a good idea.  I've been riding for over 50 years, but after long winters with only the very occasional rides, I do my own refresher training every spring just to brush up on my skills.

Dude, what are you doing, showing off?

No sir, I'm just brushing up on my skills on this heavy monster.   

[scooperhsd]

Precisely. I do the same thing - ideally a refresher course on the new bike. every start of the season work on the basic skills, etc... And that Digger, is what I was suggesting your grandson think about doing on the new VTX. I'm not saying he is a bad rider, but he needs to get familiar with the new bike and we all know that riding slow is harder than riding at a moderate speed on the road....

[DIGGER]

I agree with you guys.  He is just dieing to get back on it but football practice after school and the next week of bad weather has him grounded for riding. 

By the way....his football coach at school is not happy about his getting a big motorcycle....ha

[cookiedough]

I agree with you guys.  He is just dieing to get back on it but football practice after school and the next week of bad weather has him grounded for riding.  

By the way....his football coach at school is not happy about his getting a big motorcycle....ha

when my kid was age 16,   felt a smaller yet just as fast cycle was in order so surprised the kid while he was in school me and the wife took off work and drove 3 hours in NOVEMBER COLD in upper 30's into Illinois and bought a 1997 honda magna 750.  Boy, NEVER EVER been colder driving a few hours on the interstate had NO windshield when the sun set got dark out in say 36 degree temps, darn fridged got home and kid was gleaming ear to ear.  I had to go inside to warm up my fingers were frostbite even with gloves on going that fast 70 mph.  If I had a windshield would not have helped much on my hands I think though.

My kid was not in any sports after school, so since was winter, next April 1st he drove the heck outta that magna EVERY night after school an hour or so and put on more miles than I EVER have on a cycle in 6 months of riding season here in WI being 6000 miles which is a ton of miles.

oh yah, my previous doctor also did not like that I had a cycle since he claims his professional dr. career club or profession or whatever he belonged to got the feeling by him that riding cycles and being a dr. is a big NO NO.  whatever?