My man! I'm over here in LP. Denham Springs to be exact. If you're ever in the area let me know and we can link up and do some riding!

@@ThrashTestDummies sounds great. I ride out that way a few times a year. Some real nice backroad motorcycle riding out that way.

😂 I just got 2 vtx 1300 from my father-in-law for doing his roof and looking them up to complete maintenance on both, then I came across this video. Heard grobeck and said dang he's close to me 😂😂. I live in Pierre Part. It looked like you were in Frost Livingston/French Settlement area riding.

The one in this video belongs to my friend. He took it on a trip with us from walker, louisiana to key west, Florida and he liked it overall. His only complaint was that the seat (also mustang) sat him too far forward. But he's also 6 foot 5 like me. Other than that he liked it. He didn't like that the rest of us had 6 speed bikes though. Lol.

I bought the VTX 1300c to scratch the itch when I can’t get out on my CRF 450x or KX250. I love the VTX. Easy to work on and rides smooth. I have the original seat and it lays back nicely. I have a Mustang seat for when the old lady rides with me. I bought a 2006 with 3900 miles in 2009 for $5000 at 2% interest. Great purchase and bike. Outran a large Harley a couple years ago.

That’s good to hear. I’m 55 and sold my Harley 10 years ago. I’m seriously considering a 06 VTX 1300R from a friend but a little apprehensive wondering if I still got skills to ride. Thanks for the inspiration!

I really torn on the 1300 vs the 1800. There are plenty of 1300 available but I'm concerned I'll "out grow" it. I like the fuel injection of the 1800, the power...can't decide!

I'm 62 and got a 2006 retro nice bike

They are great bikes. This review was meant to be un biased in any way and was my opinion of the bike. No bike gets a 10/10. I just bought a 2015 road glide special for 20k and it even makes about an 8 out of 10.

Awesome . ive also got an 07 model and its got a vtx 1800 rear wheel brake and tyre fitted... my has cobra pipes too, what stage jets did u fit ?

I never said there was a problem with the clutch. I implied there was definite room for improvement. I own a vulcan 1500, vulcan 800, sportster, my 2015 harley road glide special, and a few others. All of which have DRASTICALLY better stock clutches. The vtx clutch has a very long friction zone and more throw than is necessary. Perhaps to a newer rider or someone who has not ridden several different bikes it is acceptable. Nonetheless, there us room for improvement. Hence the countless upgrades. As for the gas gauge, thats more of a convenience thing. Its a 2005. Every other comparable model had a fuel gauge. If you already have a preconceived opinion, maybe you shouldnt watch review videos where someone expresses their personal opinion... Just a suggestion.

@@ThrashTestDummies I had a Vulcan 1500 also. Several other bikes too throughout the years. Anyway I was on a forum with thousands of other VTX owners and just never ran across any of them which didn't like the clutch so I thought it rather unique that you didn't. I don't know that I would refer to that as "preconceived" or not but I suppose it depends on how you look at it. Have a great day.

Tattoos facial iron. Forget about it.

My 2003 model had a reasonably stiff clutch it’s fair to say but was a very reliable bike, have a 2015 Honda fury, same engine but it is definitely a smoother ride and the clutch much lighter.

Go to Glenn's vtx garage and get you an adapter for the clutch, much lighter pull and as smooth as can be. I have never had a gripe about the clutch, and as for the gearing you just need to get used to it. Been riding for 50+ years. The VTX is pretty much trouble free. Throw a set of floor boards on it, makes a big difference in comfort.

Of course! it is a very well made bike. This was just my personal opinion of the "out of the box" performance of this bike.

@@ThrashTestDummies my daily rider is a BMW F800r, I keep the VTX because I love the bike. I don't ride the cruiser much anymore but it is a great machine. I am a Power Sports tech and love the ease of working on the bike.

Thats awesome man! The clutch could have been tighter from factory for sure. But there are aftermarket options available. I will show them soon. As well as how to change exhaust, air cleaner, and jet, rebuild, and tune your carb so stay tuned! My whole objective is to teach people how simple most of these things are to do and hopefully give them the confidence to do it themselves if they wish. Nothing like working on your own stuff! But on the same hand, there's nothing wrong with hiring a trained professional either. Thanks for watching the video!

I just got a vtx 1300 with 3,800 miles and I’m in love.

Awesome . ive also got an 07 model and its got a vtx 1800 rear wheel brake and tyre fitted...

The rebound of the rear shocks are adjustable. The front is not adjustable, which is where the suspension is lacking. However, I recently swapped the fork springs on another VTX over to some from Progressive and the difference was HUGE. Definitely an upgrade I would recommend.

They are very solid bikes. I have an 05 the has air ride, stretched rear fender, and tall bars. I like it a lot. I have always been a fan of Honda reliability.

I'm on a V star 650 and I just wish it was faster and had a 6th gear.

Awesome . ive also got an 07 model and its got a vtx 1800 rear wheel brake and tyre fitted...

They are definitely bulletproof. And I agree with it being a good bike for someone with a little riding experience. A few weeks after this video the owner went with us to Key West (3000 mile round trip) and found out every little thing he wanted to change. Lol. Most of it had to do with his seating position and suspension.

Yea 1st gear feels like taking off in 2and or 3rd have to feather the clutch but all in all I like it

Gonna make this the first bike I buy, because I only get one chance to get a bike

Glad to have been some help to you! They are great bikes. The things I counted against it were more improvements that can be made later. Off the showroom floor they are very good machines. Stay tuned for the build I'm going to be doing on this bike. I'll be using it to design aftermarket parts for the vtx series of bikes.

Yeah 5 speeds us a bummer but they are pretty tall gears but I too would prefer a six speed..but what ya gonna do ? Lol

By the way, you only need to use the clutch coming out of first into second gear, from second on you only need to roll off and shift into the next gear. Same with down shifting, only need to use clutch going down into first. Makes the loud clunk and you know you are in first. It's a wet system, so you don't need to squeeze the clutch every time you shift. If you think it's "cluncky" coming out of first to second, then maybe you need to adjust the cable. Check the spec book and make sure it's within range.

@@stevevandermeer1958 Every once in a while, if you shift without the clutch a transmission here and there is destroyed. You might get by with it but it's kinda like russian roulette. You never know when things might not line up just right and some metal gets broken off. That happened to a guy I was talking to on the internet just the other day. You are free to take that chance if you wish of course, but I am going to take the safe route and just use the clutch cause fixing a tranny is a very costly and time consuming job.

I'm glad you liked it!

lol. I will for sure do the harley rumble again. And yes, a lot of hondas bikes are geared that way to ensure first time riders can safely operate them. Same reason kawasaki has a built in clutch slip. Without it, the vulcan 1500 would be perfectly capable of doing a wheelie. Ask me how I know...

That is the number one complaint I hear from people who get the vtx. The stock bars are almost as bad as the old school Yamaha bars 🤣

Thanks for watching the video, commenting, and subscribing! Those are the things that grow this channel and make it possible to keep producing more videos. I truly appreciate it. I live down here in south Louisiana. It is a pretty hostile environment but it certainly is beautiful. I have always wanted to bring my bike to Australia and ride completely around the entire continent. A huge endeavor, but a worthwhile one. Maybe one day.

@@ThrashTestDummies welcome any time, 👍🏼

This is the exact reason my friend bought this one. You cannot beat what you get at that price point. A bike that is capable of long rides, yet is light enough to not be cumbersome around town. And plenty of engine to do practical riding. Thanks for watching the video! Let me know exactly what you like and dislike about the VTX. I plan on making a follow up video to this one that is based on the opinions of others who have put more miles on them than I have.

Hondas are indestructible and very well made. 2 to 5 feel more correct for the bike for sure. And I'm sure with an upgraded clutch it would really wake the bike up. Maybe I should make a video about getting the vtx to be a little more peppy...

@@ThrashTestDummies that would be sweet .

They are great bikes. This one was recently sent off a highway into a ditch. My buddy who owned it had a busted wrist, ankle, and shoulder. Now he has rods and pins. But the bike was brought here, sustained minimal damage, and I even rode it onto the wrecker just fine. But of course insurance totalled it. So he's looking at getting a road glide like mine next. Just like everyone else who I let ride it. Lol. It truly is a terrific bike. But the vtx is also great in its own way.

Glad I could help man! And thanks for subscribing!

Great video I own a 2005vtx1300c n I just love it has lots of pulling power

You'd be hard pressed to find ANY harley that handles better than a honda "out of the box" so to speak. They make great machines. The only one I'd say actually does handle better would be the fxr. But the fxr was designed by Eric buell so I reckon that don't count as a harley. Lol

Awesome man! I'm glad you enjoy it and thanks for subscribing! 🤘

How do you like it? I like to hear the opinion of others on bikes I review since this video is strictly from my perspective.

@@ThrashTestDummies on my way to the middle east right now. I got it all fixed and ready to ride for my return though. I'll keep ya posted.

The stock seats are pretty neglected. I found that the one from the s model suits me better personally. As far as the kick stand goes, I have heard the same from people who ride them as their daily. The bike in the video is getting an extension. And next Thursday he's taking it to key west with all of us. If you're ever around the livingston parish area let me know and we can go knock down a few miles!

@@ThrashTestDummies absolutely. I’m in St. Landry parish just north of Lafayette. Not to far away.

Thats not far at all. I know the area pretty well.

Awesome! Thanks for the support! Have you seen the video where we try to see how much we can torture the rebel?

@@ThrashTestDummies not yet but I will watch it in a minute lol

I definitely think that the VTX would benefit from either a 6th gear or better ratios in the transmission, rear end, or both. There is absolutely no reason that a 1300cc motor should be screaming at 80 to 90 mph. Thanks for watching!

@@ThrashTestDummies Totally agree with you!

Maybe it’s time for a change of fork oil. I’ve ridden for a few years and always take my bike in for a complete change of all fluids every two years. Every time I head home from the shop afterwards the change in how the brakes, clutch and suspension are amazing.

Awesome man! Glad to hear you dig the vtx. They are great bikes. This video wasn't to bash them, just give my overall opinion which would include the things I felt could be improved. Also, if you live in lp hit me up on my Facebook page! I just moved from walker to denham. Hit me up and we can go ride. Maybe do a video together. I'm about to start doing a lot of super cool shit.

Definitely a keeper. And of course, there are aftermarket options for getting the clutch to be as tight as you want.

I'm working on designing new gearing for the rear end that will come in two variations. One will increase acceleration and the other will increase cruising speed while lowering the rpms. That's as close as I can get within reason to changing the gearing.

@The Heathen cost n mileage?

@@lstruggy Do you mean the price i paid for the bike and odometer reading? About five grand and 12k miles. I paid a little over blue book value, but I didn't mind, because it has a nice aftermarket one piece exhaust, highway pegs, good tires, and is in excelent condition.

@@theheathen1516 very nice! Congrats! What year is she? From what everyone seems to be saying online and KZfaq is that she’s a solid cruiser! I’m currently selling a 2006 vtx1300R only 11k miles, 1 owner, great shape mostly stock, Honda dealership recently did oil change, brake fluids flushed, radiator coolant flush, new fuel lines, mustang seats, HD progressive f&r shocks garage kept. My neighbor who was a retired air force fella in his late 60s not riding it as much and he took care of it very well since he bought it when Honda literally assembled it brand new from the box. He didn’t ride is as much the last 5 yrs or so so it had rusty tank and carb needed to be rebuild and cleaned and retuned which I just recently had that taken care of. One day few months ago he asked me if I’m interested to claim the bike from Honda dealership and just pay for the work mentioned above and she’s all mine! He wasn’t interested in riding anymore and said of course! A gift from nowhere! Got the title already just did a super detail and she’s in tip top shape. I don’t even have a motorcycle license or ride at all but I listed her on Craigslist here in Vegas.

@@lstruggy mines a 2005, and they are great bikes. Here in Pennsylvania the vtx1300’s all seem to start around $4k unless they are thrashed, been wrecked, or are overly customized. My old boss had a 2006 with 46k miles, never any problems. At least until a deer decided it didn't like it. If they were still making them, i probably would have bought one new.

ive got an 07 1300 myself.. is the 1800 way more powerful ? or is it not worth the extra weigh and less handling

@@blackbird69xxx The 1300 has about 70-75 HP. The 1800 has about 100-105. You can notice the difference, BUT the 1800 is significantly heavier - I had an 1800T - and takes more effort to pick it up off the sidestand. It does cruise more readily than the 1300, but I have no problem on the highway with the 1300 either. Both are excellent bikes.

@@lendirk902 Thanks for the info I will most likely stick with my 1300.. dont want to go heavier .. especially here on the smaller UK roads

why bother with the 1800, .. way to heavy..less nimble and sounds feeble

I recently replaced the fork spring in another VTX with springs from Progressive and it made a HUGE difference. They are also only about $120 or so. They certainly fix the front end dive and the overall handling of the bike. Thanks for watching!

When you come down hit me up on my Facebook or Instagram. Maybe we can take a ride. I'll show you some good food and awesome spots to ride and hang out. Be safe on your trip!

It has been a great bike for me. I’m 6’4 and 280 and started riding at 58 (5 years ago). Thought about selling it this year but just can’t bring myself to do it. Great bike and I think a perfect bike to start on and continue to ride.

As a bigger guy myself (6'5", 310 lbs) I would suggest looking into the VTX, Vulcan 1500 or 1600 (1700 if you have a little more cash to spend), or the road star line. NOT the Raider or Warrior, but the cruiser models. The Raider and Warrior are VERY powerful.

@@ThrashTestDummies i owned a 99 Vulcan 1500. good bike. The only down side with the one I had was the tank was empty at 110 miles. Coasted into several gas stations, lol. Now have a 97 Royal Star Tour Deluxe but no fairing, just the windshield. Love the smoothness of the engine running and it ignores interstate speeds. It almost seems bored on the interstate. Very nimble and much easier to maneuver than my Suzuki C50T, which is a nice bike too. Good luck and ride safely.

I get that all the time. Lol. Glad you enjoy the content!

Stock it's horrible. But if you swap out the fork springs it makes a world of difference. You'd still be able to scrape easily but nowhere near stock.

Awesome! I appreciate your support!

Hell yeah man! Another LP native! I'm in Denham as well off Juban. The vtx is really a good bike. Not necessarily my first choice for a good bobber platform, but that's just personal preference. Hit me up on the I are biker Instagram or Facebook and we can link up and ride sometime! But if you live in Denham you'll likely see me around at some point. Lol

They handle similar to the vt750. Not as agile. You can defiantly tell its heavier. Being 5'5" you'd probably be good one footing it. They make risers for your floor boards and what not as well

It is a little bit of a big bike if you aren't used to larger cruisers. I could see how it could feel heavy for sure.

In my personal opinion, the vulcan 1500 is the better choice. And yes, every one of my videos has at least one comment where someone told me I look and sound like Phil 🤣

@@ThrashTestDummies That's a cool look to have, dude. I wish I looked like rockstar. 😁😂🤣

Being carb is no big deal as its a single carb and easy to maintain and adjust

I dont know about 195 on a tank. The same bike in this video just rode with us to key west from baton rouge. A little over 1000 miles one way. It averaged about 130 per tank from full to "we really need a gas station" lol. That is going off the trip meter on the vtx, my harley road glide, and a harley softail.

In my opinion the vtx 1300 is a scaled up version of the 750. I say that because everything is bigger, but the riding position feels the same. All the way to my balls feeling like they're on the tank 🤣 But seriously, you'd be just fine at 5'4". The stock bars make it feel wider than it really is though. So if you change them out it would really just feel like you were on a faster 750.

Oh man I'd love some pictures of those Indians! I geek out on old bikes. The 1800 is Hondas muscle bike. It is certainly a force to be reckoned with. But the 1300 series are definitely nice bikes! The VTX1300 was actually one of the two bikes I suggested my friend (owner of the VTX in this video) try to find, with the other being a Vulcan 1500 or 1600. He opted for the VTX mostly because he couldn't find a viable Vulcan at the time, but he absolutely loves it! Nothing but love for the VTX from me. But as with any bike, there are areas that could be improved. This would ultimately come down to what the rider wanted to get out of the bike though. Thanks for watching and thanks for the feedback!

@@ThrashTestDummies I sold the 46 in like 1975 and the 48 and my 1933 HD in 1984 to finance my first divorce. I do have photos of my 1933 but only one of my 48 chief when I was stripping it for restoration in like 1981.

I've heard of this. It is meant to help it get going from a stop on a hill or incline. Definitely a useful addition to a pretty heavy bike.

I think that whether or not the first gear seems long is often based on what your last bike was like. If you are coming from a small bike like a Rebel 250 you are in 5th gear before you hit 40 mph. However, since several people have mentioned it, there must be some level of truth to it. Me personally, ... I never even thought about it or noticed it and I now have 100,000 miles on mine. So I guess it's not a problem but I suppose it probably it is longer than some people are used to.

I'm actually not sure. My friend bought it like this. But I have a 1300s that I can compare it to and get back to you with an answer. It's likely a direct swap since all the frames are the same across the 1300 models.

I have ridden all of them. The Valkyrie and 1800 are in a different class. Not really comparable to the 1300. I used to have an 1100 though. And it would easily eat the 1300 alive any day.

I am 6 foot 5 and about 300 pounds. My friend who owns it is about 6 foot 4 and maybe 270 or so. With minor changes such as bars and seat you would fit comfortably. He swapped to a mustang seat and 16 inch apes. That put him with the bars at shoulder height. We just made a 2600 mile round trip from walker, louisiana to key west and he had no complaints. He loved it.

@@ThrashTestDummies I’m 6’2 280. It’s comfortable as fuck bro. Went from south FL to northern PA and back without a windshield and with the stock seat. Also finding something as fun and reliable as The VTX1300 for the price is nearly impossible. Hope this helps man

Get you a VTX 1800

There is not much difference between the 1300 and the 1800 size and weight wise. However, with that said, I think the power of the 1800 could get you in trouble. “Could” being the operative word in that sentence. I’m 6’0 280 and my vtx1300c gets me around just fine and it’s pretty quick for the type of bike. I can, without any trouble, keep up with Harley’s that are priced ten fold. The 1800 is slightly tempting after putting 25000 miles on my 1300 but not tempting enough to get rid of it any time soon. Regards

@@vtx_bluestigma8391 Yeah, me being 6'4" & 300 lbs. the 1800 does what it is supposed to for me. I am actually looking at an 09 1300 right now for $2000.00. 30,000 + miles with lots of ad on's. I may buy it just to have both bikes.

The vulcan 1600 would the the better all around choice.

@@ThrashTestDummies thanks brother

As far as I know, yes.

I have a 2015 harley road glide and I have to stay slower than usual for this bike to keep up. First gear is the only long gear. After that the shift point are pretty close together. At 85mph these bikes are wound waaaaay up. Lol

Thanks for the support homie!

That's not a lot of miles. Lol. And I never said the clutch was bad. Just that it was spongy

Ive been riding for almost 20 years now. I own at least one bike from every major manufacturer. This video was simply my personal opinion when compared to other bikes in its class.

I own an '04 VTX 1300... I have no need for a fuel gauge... I know the range on my bike... then there's reserve....

Awesome! Like I said in this video, I do not have anything against the VTX. However, just like any bike, there are areas that can be improved. But no bike I have ever been on has been perfect "out of the box". Thanks for watching and enjoy your new ride! Let me know what you love or hate about it!

Yes but less nimble , heavier and sounds not as good.. so why bother

I would love to find one that someone would be willing to let me review!