Harley-Davidson is undoubtedly the most famous motorcycle manufacturer in the world. Even people who have never ridden a motorbike in their lives have heard of Harley-Davidson, thanks to the company’s cult status and the starring roles their bikes have played in TV and movies like Easy Rider, Terminator2, and The Wild Ones.
William Harley and his childhood friend Arthur Davidson founded their motorbike company in 1903 in Milwaukee and launched their first motor-bicycle two years later. Over one hundred years later, Harley-Davidson is the king of cruiser bikes as well as powerful muscle machines like the Harley-Davidson VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer.
10 Fastest Harley-Davidson Motorcycle Ever
Harley’s usual cruiser motorcycles are designed to be great fun to ride while looking good at the same time, but speed usually isn't a priority for these machines. However, the Harley-Davidson VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer is a very different type of motorcycle, and the result is that it is also a lot faster than your average Harley-Davidson.
In fact, it could very well be the fastest Harley-Davidson motorcycle ever made, with a blistering top speed of around 144mph.
9 Created By The Custom Vehicles Operations Team For The Dragstrip
The Harley-Davidson VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer was specially designed with the racetrack in mind, where it can use that impressive turn of pace to great success in motorsport competitions. In fact, the bike was created for drag races, contests that take over a short distance and which require an explosive acceleration off the start line.
Harley-Davidson’s Custom Vehicles Operations team were the brains behind the VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer. The Custom Vehicles Operations project was first launched in 1999 to create special edition models of Harley motorbikes.
8 It Can Make The Quarter-Mile Run In Under Ten Seconds
A top speed of almost 150mph is impressive, but when it comes to drag racing speed off the line is much more important. Luckily, the Harley-Davidson VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer is also quick off the mark and has put in some exciting performances on the drag racing track.
Drag races usually take place over just a quarter of a mile and the Harley-Davidson VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer frequently records times of well under ten seconds over this distance. Blink and you might just miss the whole race!
7 As Well As Boasting Impressive 0 To 60mph Figures
Given that the Harley-Davidson VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer can destroy a drag strip in less than ten seconds, it is hardly surprising that the bike is also able to record some impressive 0 to 60mph figures when it roars off the start line.
The bike’s 60-degree V-Twin Revolution engine, capable of generating 170hp, can power the VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer to 60mph in just over 3 seconds, only marginally slower than performance cruisers such as the Ducati Diavel and the Yamaha V-Max.
6 Features A Wheelie Bar With Side Panels
The Harley-Davidson VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer is a powerful machine, and safety is also an important consideration for riders who are going to be trying to keep these potent two-wheelers under control on the track.
Harley has added a wheelie bar to the rear of the Harley-Davidson VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer, which stops the motorcycle’s front end from flipping up when it starts to accelerate. This bike’s wheelie bar also has side panels, which professional drag racers have used to provide additional space for sponsorship.
5 The Motorcycle Has No Ignition Key
Harley-Davidson may have added a wheelie bar to its VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer motorcycle, but some other basic features are missing from this drag race doyen. Perhaps the most obvious is that the bike doesn’t have an ignition key; riders simply have to make sure that the kills switch is turned to “run” before hitting the starter button.
This may not seem the most secure system, but professional racers are unlikely to ever let their VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer out of their sight! Besides, in the chase for speed, every ounce of saved weight helps.
4 The Instrument Panel Only Has One Instrument
The ignition isn’t the only thing that is missing from the Harley-Davidson VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer. The bike also has a very small instrument panel with only one gauge for riders to look at.
There isn’t a speedometer or a gasoline gauge on the VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer, though given that the bike is designed for the track, neither of these are particularly useful. The only device on the instrument panel is a digital tachometer, which measures the motorcycle engine’s RPM
3 Sadly, The Motorbike Isn't Street Legal
The Harley-Davidson VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer probably sounds like it would be great fun to ride and given the chance, there would be bikers queuing around the block to try it out. Unfortunately for them, the VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer can only be ridden at the track, as the model isn’t street legal.
The closest bikers can get to riding the VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer is to buy themselves a VRSCA V-Rod motorcycle, which was launched in 2001 and which is a toned-down version of the Destroyer.
2 Only 600 Models Were Ever Made
When it was first launched in 2006, Harley-Davidson initially said that they were only going to be making between 150 and 300 limited edition VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer models. The company soon changed their mind when they realized how popular the powerful motorbike was going to be, and upped production to make 600 of the track-only motorcycles.
While most of them have enjoyed their day in the sun on the track, several models were bought by hardcore Harley supporters, and have been kept in museum condition ever since.
1 The First Bike Went Straight Into A Museum
While many of the limited edition Harley-Davidson VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer’s ended up in private collections, a few of these very special motorcycles have even found their way into automotive museums.
The very first VRXSE Screamin' Eagle V-Rod Destroyer was bought by a fan of drag racing, who kept the bike in mint condition at his home for a few years before it was bought by the Canepa Motorsports Museum in California. The Destroyer, which has zero miles on the clock, still has pride of place in the museum today.