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Is 2004 VTX 1800 too top heavy?

12K views 70 replies 52 participants last post by  Philscbx 
#1 ·
I am getting ready to buy a 2004 1800 with 5,000 miles (tomorrow).
A competitive seller who wants to sell me a Kawasaki Nomad 1600 says that the 1800 is notorious for being top heavy.
That is a bit of concern since I am only 6' and 200 #'s. Will it beat me up, keeping it upright?
Any opinions would be appreciated.
 
#2 ·
If you are going slow in a parking lot making tight turns you'll notice the weight more. Driving down the road I don't even notice the weight. Im 6'2' 275 and I have no problem with the weight. But.. the smaller guys usually complain about it. As far as top heavy? meh.... 800 pounds is 800 pounds( Mine with all my gear). I can lay my bike down and pick it up myself. Thats the usual rule tho.

If you cant pick it up yourself you shouldnt be riding it.

Going down the freeway, Its a titan. King of the road. Way better than my old vulcan 750.

There is always an adjustment period of course. Its taken me a while to get used to the feel of the bike. I rode a smaller bike recently, and It really reminded me just how big the vtx 1800 really is. The first time I opened up the throttle (wot) I almost came off the bike it pulls so hard.
 
#5 ·
Yes, it is too top heavy. :D Of course, "too heavy" is awfully subjective. For me, I wouldn't trade fewer cubic inches for less weight.

As for "too heavy", that means it's less nimble at walking speeds. At any point above that, the higher CG is much less noticeable. You will have no problems at all with it "beating you up"; you've just got to get on it, ride it and learn how it handles.
 
#7 ·
Test ride em

Its all about what makes you happy, text ride the bikes and see which one suits you the most.
Testing riding the bad VTX 1800 might be a bit harder because they aren't made new any more. But maybe you can find one.

I am only 5' 8" one of the little guys mentioned earlier on this thread, and I rode a VTX 1800 Retro for years, (one of the heaver ones of the line up in VTX 1800's), and I handled it great. Of course I could feel the weight in slow tight turns, but that never really concerned me, because I don't spend a lot of time riding my VTX 1800 around in slow tight turns. But on the open rode my old Retro road like a cloud, so smooth with very little effort it cruised at 80 miles per hour.

I now own a VTX 1800 F model and it is better handling in slow tight turns then the Retro.

So look for an F or a C model if you are want the better handling model, but you will give up the floorboards and other things that go with a Retro or Neo in the stock models. Of course you can customize any VTX to your hearts desire.
 
#9 ·
1800 is notorious for being top heavy.

That is a bit of concern
since I am only 6' and 200 #'s.

Will it beat me up, keeping it upright?
Do I Dare ask 132 lb 5' 9" woman that rides hers everywhere? What she thinks...

By chance 76 yrs old or older?
Is One gallon of milk is too much in right hand - carried to door?

What the hell do you guys eat - to get beyond 200lbs @6'? Is Bacon involved?
 
#10 ·
top heavy is relative ... to what?

yes the VTX1800 is top heavy to a VTX1300... if weight is an issue buy something under 1,000 cc's

or purchase something that is not top heavy... a BMW 1150 2 cylinder (boxer) or a 4 cylinder Goldwing. or a 6 cylinder F6B. (stripped down Goldwing)


I am 6'3 and 250... and 62 years old...and I find the VTX1800 to be a light bike...
 
#12 ·
I am getting ready to buy a 2004 1800 with 5,000 miles (tomorrow).
A competitive seller who wants to sell me a Kawasaki Nomad 1600 says that the 1800 is notorious for being top heavy.
That is a bit of concern since I am only 6' and 200 #'s. Will it beat me up, keeping it upright?
Any opinions would be appreciated.
It's big, and a little top heavy. I'm 6'-1" and 230, and the ONLY time I've had a problem is when I came to a stop on loose gravel and my feet slid when I put them down. That could have happened with ANY cycle. I enjoy the ride better than my Shadow or Virago, and I wouldn't trade mine for a Nomad if they threw in several thousand difference.
On the highway - - NOTHING beats the power and the ride.
 
#15 ·
5'9", 29" inseam, 33" sleeve, 200 lbs, late 50's.

I have owned one VTX1800 and put roughly 40K on it before selling. It was our 2-up bike and we took it on the Dragon, Back of the Dragon, Devil's Triangle, The Snake, Georgia Six Gap, and.... well - you get the idea.

Certainly, if I were comparing it to that Kawasaki then there's no question in my mind that I would opt for the Honda.

Still, I "prefer" a VTX1300 to the VTX1800.

We also own a GL1800 Gold Wing and some others.

I vote for the VTX1800 for several reasons - not the least of which is reliability and longevity.

:thumbup:
 
#16 ·
the vtx are balanced top heavy. I read more than one review that stated this shopping a couple of years ago. Too heavy??? YMMV. I understand this is more evident with a passenger.

I did not google up the reviews again. Some friends of mine, 60ish, got an 18 and let it go down twice with his wife on the back. She now rides her own spyder. Once was in a park lot, the other at a stop sign. There are other stories like out there.

obviously in a forum for guys who own and like them... ain't a problem. It do be, though
 
#18 ·
#19 ·
Here we go again ~ but a new person asks and we try to answer without being too critical.
I'm soon to be 66 yrs old, 6' and 190 lbs. I do not have any trouble with my VTX 1800 R, all a person has to do is learn to adjust their riding style for whatever bike they own ... learn to control the throttle at low speeds, allow the bike to do the work but manage to control it! You can scrape the pegs or floor boards doing low speed figure 8's in a parking lot as well as high speed thru the twisty's ~ it's all in the control of that wonderful machine.
Okay, that's my opinion ~ flame suit on :roll:
 
#20 ·
I'm 5' 8", 170 lbs and only time I ever notice the weight is when slow parking lot speeds and then it's like driving a cra without power steering but I've had my 1800C beast 3 yrs now, 30k miles later and would never go back, glad I didn't buy that new 750 Shadow or 1300 Fury.
 
#21 ·
What the hell do you guys eat - to get beyond 200lbs @6'? Is Bacon involved?
Some, but I'm only 5'10" and 240#. Mostly, personally, it's that I have a wife who LOVES to cook, mostly Mexican food, being hispanic, which is high in fat but also quite flavorful, and I LOVE to eat! Of course, it helps that when she gives me portions to eat, that she's very generous, and I don't want to 'insult' her by not eating it all. Lately, though, I've been trying to 'cut back' on my portion sizes, and did lose a little, but then gained it back. She must have gotten a dozen zucchinis from folks she works with, and went crazy making zucchini bread. I probably had it coming out of my ears, but it was SOOOO good!! Naturally, it doesn't help when she wants ice cream at night, and doesn't want to have any unless I do too. The things we do for 'love', eh? LOL
 
#22 ·
jammerwalker ~ know what you mean, I grew up out there in West Texas, about Mexican food, slow cooked bar-b-que and all that. Plus, most folks don't understand that out your way ~ It's so dang hot that we never ate supper (dinner for northerners) until late in the evening when things cooled down a bit (unless you wanted a high dollar electric bill for the AC unit). If you get tired of zucchini bread, look up a recipe for sweet relish made from zucchini ~ easy and delicious.
 
#23 ·
Compared to the VTX1300, the 1800 is the Dolly Parton of the two. :lol:

I am 6'3" and 300 lbs.....and I still feel like the bike is balanced top heavy-ish. I also feel like the seat/tank area is a bit cramped, even with my Ultimate Big Boy. But they had to design the backbone to allow for the huge 1800 mill.

I rode my 1300 in the snow a few times (out of necessity not choice)....2-3 inches on the road.....and the low-center of gravity and my big behind helded keep that bike planted....actually I was impressed at how well it did in snow. Easy to weave in and through parking lots.

But the 1800? I doubt I will even consider riding it in snow. And while parking lots are not a problem, it does take a bit more concentration IMHO.

I added a trunk and regularly carry a lot of crap in it, so that makes it even more top heavy.

That all said, to each his own and you need to sit on and ride a bike before you buy it to be sure you get what you are comfortable with.

It is a wicked good bike IMHO.

As far as being able to pick it up, haven't yet dropped it....assuming I can back up to it and push her back up. Not sure I would try and dead-lift the bike off it's side alone from the front. I value my back and nutz too much. LOL But ya gotta do what ya gott a do....and usually when you drop a bike you have excess adrenaline running thru your veins from the embarassment. LOL
 
#24 ·
Soon to be 64, just under 5'10, 205#-208#. After 3 years, and dropping it once from a stop, and riding 2 up sometimes, you get used to that 800# behemoth. It helps keep us young.
 
#25 ·
Soon to be 69, 6'4", 215 lbs. Yeah it's top heavy, but manageable when going through slow turns, just be careful.

Buuuuuut hang on when you crank the throttle!!!!

Have ridden 40,000 miles in three years. Not stopping soon.
 
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