Will a Voyager run with the big hogs?

[denny 606]

Originally Posted by MAS Tequila

May 15-20, I'll be across the street from where we stayed last fall.

Think about something Chuck, The FLHP is the Police bike.

It's not the run of the mill 103, this thing is damn fast.

It surprised me the first time I tried running it out and had a hard time staying in the saddle.

I NEED a backrest!

But come on over in May and bring that KY buddy of yours.

John is coming and another old friend from Charlotte is coming.

Oh, and a bunch of other Vulcan riders will be there too.

Oh Hell, everyone is invited.

I’ve missed something. When did you get the HD. I’m going to have to pay closer attention! May ain’t out of the question yet. I’m your Huckleberry

[DragonLady58]

Originally Posted by Toku57

Another local dealer had a non-ABS Voyager, so I thought I'd try it out to compare with the ABS one I rode a few weeks back. This real short test ride was led by a sales guy on a Harley bagger (I'm not an H-D expert so am unsure of model and year). There were a few occasions where under hard acceleration it seemed the Voyager struggled to keep pace with the Harley, though perhaps that could be attributed to my not being familiar enough with a Voyager to get the most out of it.

Assuming many if not most of you ride with folks on H-Ds and others in the 900 lb. bagger/touring segment, do you find it's capable of keeping up? I've seen comments about Ivanizing that suggest "yes" when that's done, but was also wondering about Voyagers in stock form. I'm pretty certain this was a non-Ivanized bike since it seemed kinda rough and pokey at low rpm.

By the way, riding the non-ABS model confirmed I want the ABS model. Braking on the ABS model just seemed much more settled with less reliance on engine braking for me at least.

Once Ivan-ized, a Chucksters Air cleaner or any low restriction air intake, and open it up with a good flowing exhaust, yes-sir-eee, she'll run with the Hogs!
Most of the H-Ds, if setup correctly, are pretty damn fast. You can run with them, maybe not past them.
Guy with a 2010 StreetGlide, with a 110"+ S&S way pretty pissed he couldn't just up and walk way from me. Kept up I did, didn't pass him, didn't try to. At 100 mph on a bagger, your pushing against a big ole wind sail on the front....
I tore him a new one up until about 65-75, then he went around me, but I was 20 ft. off his ass....
BUT, my engine is heavily modified for such things....you can legally only go so fast....
My Thunder 1600 will run all day/ all night at 100, but why would I want to. I want all the power for passing, on the interstate, fully loaded, pulling a trailer. Its saved my bacon on more than one occassion....

A stock Voyager against a big inch H-D, you'll be close, they will be up the road some....
80-96 cubes, you be ok. 96-103s maybe, 103s on up, if tuned, no.....for the same rpm, they can just pull the taller gearing more easily.

[ponch]

Originally Posted by MAS Tequila

Not sure what a 104 is.

Be careful about the 103 comment, my 2016 FLHP will flat out smoke a 1700 Voyager/Vaquero.

And my RT will smoke that...

[MAS Tequila]

Originally Posted by ponch

And my RT will smoke that...

Damn Skippy it will.

[Toku57]

Originally Posted by DragonLady58

Once Ivan-ized, a Chucksters Air cleaner or any low restriction air intake, and open it up with a good flowing exhaust, yes-sir-eee, she'll run with the Hogs!
Most of the H-Ds, if setup correctly, are pretty damn fast. You can run with them, maybe not past them.
Guy with a 2010 StreetGlide, with a 110"+ S&S way pretty pissed he couldn't just up and walk way from me. Kept up I did, didn't pass him, didn't try to. At 100 mph on a bagger, your pushing against a big ole wind sail on the front....
I tore him a new one up until about 65-75, then he went around me, but I was 20 ft. off his ass....
BUT, my engine is heavily modified for such things....you can legally only go so fast....
My Thunder 1600 will run all day/ all night at 100, but why would I want to. I want all the power for passing, on the interstate, fully loaded, pulling a trailer. Its saved my bacon on more than one occassion....

A stock Voyager against a big inch H-D, you'll be close, they will be up the road some....
80-96 cubes, you be ok. 96-103s maybe, 103s on up, if tuned, no.....for the same rpm, they can just pull the taller gearing more easily.

Thanks DL - that's an awesome summary of what to expect!

[blowndodge]

Originally Posted by ponch

And my RT will smoke that...

So will my 106.

[Chuck A.]

Originally Posted by MAS Tequila

.................Ride that 1700 some more............

I'm hoping the folks at RDL can give me the 'fit in the seat' I want. An hour and I'm off for a few minutes. the 1500 I'm good all day.

As far as May, I'm still snowed under at work. Lucky to get a day off.

Back to the 1700 Voyager, I think Kawasaki did their homework fairly well. Took mine to the parts store tonight and had two women come over and tell me how pretty it is. The K-act is sweet and with the upgrade smoothing the performance of the engine, it is a keeper. I ride the curving back roads in the hills around home and it handles great. The radio and cruise buttons will stretch your thumps out to use them but that means they are not too crowded. Windshield is taller than I normally like but if you have a passenger they will like it. My factory lights at night show the roadway really good for me. Dash lights/gauges are bright and clear, day or night. I really like the fan at the rear cylinder to push the heat from the exhaust pipe to the bottom of the engine. Takes a lot of heat off your leg.

[recumbentbob]

Originally Posted by blowndodge

So will my 106.

My 106 will to.

Sent from my Moto Z2 Play using Tapatalk

[cactusjack]

Originally Posted by mbarr10

An HD 103 it will toast. The new 104s You can hold your own after that you can just about keep up.

Whoa...not so sure about that. My buddy had a '11 Voyager and my 103 would leave it in the dust. He couldn't keep up with me getting on the on-ramp.

Harley doesn't make a "104". They make a 107 and a 110 CVO. Oh, and my buddy got rid of his Voyager and bought an Ultra Limited . Now he can keep up, even when he's riding two-up.

[Toku57]

Originally Posted by Chuck A.

I'm hoping the folks at RDL can give me the 'fit in the seat' I want. An hour and I'm off for a few minutes. the 1500 I'm good all day.

As far as May, I'm still snowed under at work. Lucky to get a day off.

Back to the 1700 Voyager, I think Kawasaki did their homework fairly well. Took mine to the parts store tonight and had two women come over and tell me how pretty it is. The K-act is sweet and with the upgrade smoothing the performance of the engine, it is a keeper. I ride the curving back roads in the hills around home and it handles great. The radio and cruise buttons will stretch your thumps out to use them but that means they are not too crowded. Windshield is taller than I normally like but if you have a passenger they will like it. My factory lights at night show the roadway really good for me. Dash lights/gauges are bright and clear, day or night. I really like the fan at the rear cylinder to push the heat from the exhaust pipe to the bottom of the engine. Takes a lot of heat off your leg.

You hit on a lot of the Voyager's selling points for me. IMO, it's the best looking touring bike and in addition to the things you listed, I love the lights on the back of the top case. They look sharp and help make Voyagers one of the most visible bikes out there.

[Chuck A.]

I swopped bikes with a friend 2 weeks ago for a 35 mile stint on a ride with a group. He's got a 2011 HD dresser with all the bells and whistles. I wasn't impressed at all with it. Didn't feel to have any more power than my 1700. Sat more cramped up toward the handle bars and the floor board were closer toward the seat which cramped my legs with these knee replacements. Trans didn't shift as smooth as the Voyager. The brakes on it don't hold a candle to the Kawasaki K-ACT system, period. Unless you have ridden a bike with the K-ACT on it, you are missing out. It was 80+F that day and at the traffic lights the HD was putting heat on the legs. Makes me wonder if thats why HD owners wear chaps here in the Summer heat. My 2015 Voyager has the radiator and fan sealed around the front of the engine pushing the radiator heat under the engine and the rear cylinder having the ducted fan to push the heat from the rear cylinder and exhaust down under the bike away from your legs and seating area. Both felt about the same in the curves on the side roads. I won't knock his bike but I wouldn't pay the price to own it either. He had more good to say about the Voyager than I did about the HD. But then again, he is one to pay $60 for a tee shirt that just says Harley Davidson. Then the coat, the bandana, the gloves, the boots..................

11000 miles and the HD trans has got to be pulled for a leaking seal. 7 hours labor they said. Would you like an oil change to?, they said. I laughed till I darn near pee'd my pants. I asked him if he could trade in some of his decorative clothing for the labor!

[Chuck A.]

My question is how many here have taken their bikes to a drag strip and raced it against all of these other bikes? A lot of folks have out ran a lot of folks on here by keyboard.

[Chuck A.]

Originally Posted by DragonLady58

Once Ivan-ized..........A stock Voyager against a big inch H-D, you'll be close, they will be up the road some....
80-96 cubes, you be ok. 96-103s maybe, 103s on up, if tuned............

I can tell you that my Ivanized Voyager with V&H slip-ons has seen 128 on the OD and was still climbing. I don't know how right the OD is at that speed but from 40 mph to that 128 didn't take far at all. Unless one has ridden the 1700 with upgrade it would just be hear say. Unreal the change in the performance the reflash makes. Stock HD's don't worry me at all. I have found that most will gun it while you least expect it just to get a jump on you. But I didn't plan on drag races mine when I bought though.

[DragonLady58]

Originally Posted by Chuck A.

My question is how many here have taken their bikes to a drag strip and raced it against all of these other bikes? A lot of folks have out ran a lot of folks on here by keyboard.

What, on a Voyager, Vaquero, or Nomad? I have, but mines not a Voyager 1700, but I've worked on them.
I had my engine dyno tuned in Sturgis in 2016 at the DynaTech tent. Rode back home getting 35 mpg, then took it to the strip 2 weeks later.
I smoked a 80 Wideglide and a 83 Electra Glide. I then got smoked by a turbo'ed BMW, a Kawasaki Z1000 and Hayabusa, fastest run in the 12's.
Drag guy from the Harley dealership I wrenched at showed up, got on my bike, started running faster and better times each run....finally ran in the 11's.
After his 5 runs, came up against a supercharged total custom StreetGlide. The guy missed a shift, the Monad came out on top. After the pits, changing some air pressure in the tires, adding some racing fuel. Dude got back in line, against the same Harley that missed a gear. That Harley ran almost a whole second faster than the Monad!
Mine got to the high 11's. His Harley ran 10.55, which was a totally custom Harley bagger, full air suspension, big 26" front wheel,etc. He's got about $28,000 in his. I've put about $8500 in the Monad....

[Toku57]

Thanks all. You've convinced me a well-sorted Voyager can hold it's own with its touring/dresser peers in normal riding situations, which is all I care about. And in my area they stand out from the crowd because there aren't many around. Plus style-wise, they strike a nice balance for me between frumpy and futuristic. Key style elements for me are the dash, tour pack with the LED, and the fact there isn't a bad color scheme.

And most importantly, I love the ride. They fit me perfectly, offer great wind protection - e.g. I won't need earplugs anymore - shift beautifully, brake better than anything I've ridden (K-ACT version anyway), and that planted, cushy ride is heavenly.