e’ve built more than 300 of these so far,” Randy Aron says pointing to his latest Cycle Visions V-Rod/Road-Rod conversion, and the latest in a lineup of Drag Specialties bolt-on customs. “This has become an extremely popular bike. It’s no flash in the pan.” It’s easy to see why. This really is a straight bolt-on, easily accomplished. “And when people take their first ride they’re sold,” Randy’s found. “The Road-Rod is a motorcycle with plenty of speed and agility, and all the comfort and convenience of a touring bike. It’s a heck of a package.”
     Your V-Rod customers can have it, too. Virtually everything needed for a conversion like this is available through Drag Specialties. It’s in the FatBook. The Cycle Visions/Randy Aron fairing brackets perfectly position a Road Glide fairing onto the V-Rod frame, and everything bolts right on. There’s no welding and no extra holes to be drilled. It’s the same story with the Cycle Visions saddlebags, the floorboards and everything else. The Cycle Visions/Randy Aron parts bolt right into OE threaded holes. Easy as that.
     

The Drag Specialties Sprocket Cover provides a clean look on the left side.	Removing the right saddlebag reveals the Legend Air rear shock.
A high tech look is achieved with the use of the Kuryakyn Pilot Grips.	The PM Trinity front wheel, brake caliper and rotor are matched with Metzeler rubber.

     Now, on this build Randy took things to the limit. Along with his own Road-Rod conversion kit and the saddlebag lowers that so neatly adapt that Road Glide fairing and saddlebag tops and latches to the V-Rod, Randy took a walk through the FatBook adding plenty of other V-Rod bolt-ons. Some of them, like the exhaust, are actually required for the conversion, others are strongly recommended. “You do have to change the pipes,” Randy says. “Stock V-Rod exhausts won’t work with our saddlebags. The shock angles are different on the V-Rod and Road Glide. The exhaust has to be low, and there are any number of systems that’ll work.” Randy chose Samson Long Cannons here. Cycle Visions strongly urges that you change the front wheel, too. Changing wheels on a V-Rod, with or without a Cycle Visions-adapted fairing, really improves the handling of these machines. This bike’s rolling on Performance Machine Trinity wheels with a matching 72-tooth sprocket. Randy mounted Performance Machine calipers and rotors, too.
     We’re looking at an all-out conversion here. While certainly not required, Cycle Visions stripped this ’02 V-Rod right down to the bare frame and then built it up again painting and detailing everything. Underneath that Ferrari Red and Brilliant Silver there’s quite a few Drag Specialties V-Rod parts, too, things like the Hotop frame- and neck post covers, the Corbin Dual Touring seat, Kuryakyn Pilot Grips and Novello plugs and covers to list off just a few. Legend Air Suspension Rear Shocks went on, too, and a Dynojet Power Commander pumped up the performance.

     Cycle Visions came up with this conversion about two years ago, shortly after Harley introduced the V-Rod. “I had a brand-new V-Rod in the shop,” Randy says, “and parked next to it I had a Road Glide. It didn’t take long to see that the Road Glide fairing and bag package was a perfect match to the new Harley.” It didn’t take long for riders to find out about this conversion, either, and almost everything needed for it is right in the FatBook. Bolt-ons don’t come much easier. Sport Touring, Harley-Davidson style, doesn’t get much better.

The front and rear Cobra Swept floorboards are particularly well-suited to the V-Rod style.	Drag Specialties Smooth Clutch Cover insert.
	A view of the Cobra Swept rear floorboard flipped up for solo riding.