Ironically, Harley-Davidson installed a very effective ramp-style slipper clutch on it's '08 V-Rod motor, and combined with the great power and feel from the two-pad/four-piston Brembo radial-mount brakes, the Roehr can be slowed controllably and effectively from speed. The sidestand is now tucked in properly so you don't risk lifting the rear wheel off the ground when you flick the bike over in left-handers, and the extra side grip afforded by the wider 190/55 rear tire (compared to the prototype's 180 rear) handled the RV1250sc's additional power without complaint. Roehrich didn't go with a 6.25-inch-wide rim out of concern for slowing the steering response, yet the front felt a little vague on turn in, which I put down to the fatter rear tire. Not so; turns out the steering head bearings were over-tightened, but it's a credit to how intrinsically right the Roehr is that it didn't feel too unwieldy swapping it from side to side in the Blackhawk chicanes. Still, it definitely wasn't as agile as the prototype, probably thanks to the extra weight of the Rotrex blower, although it didn't feel top heavy or want to fall on its side on turn-in, nor did it wobble and shake its head hitting a bump cranked over.
The compliant Ohlins suspension at either end could be dialed in ideally to iron out the many ripples in the rural racetrack surface, while providing acceptable ride quality in spite of the short rear wheel travel. It's a good chassis package, especially with the progressive link now fitted to the rear shock, with the pullrod that operates the linkage adjustable to either raise or lower the ride height. Feedback from the Pirelli Diablo Corsas was good from both ends of the bike.
The only real fly in the ointment is the lack of detail hardware. The aforementioned stock V-Rod instrument panel's tachometer issues are also accompanied by a hopelessly inaccurate fuel gauge, and other parts like the stock V-Rod footpegs don't seem appropriate on a $49,995 bike like this. One reason Bimota can get away with charging the same kind of money for comparable proprietary-engined Euro-exotica is because that company doesn't stint with gorgeous hand-carved hunks of hardware. Roehrich needs to get busy with the CNC machine or find a supplier who can, to add extra perceived value to his bike.
Nonetheless, the Roehr RV1250sc is a really promising package, and especially so with the extra performance from the supercharged engine it's now fitted with. Roehr's target customers will be different from those of other V-twin sportbike manufacturers, for its appeal lies in the way it combines its dynamic attributes with a degree of supercharged exclusivity. "We're looking first for dealers in the USA," declares Roehrich, "because we need to get our U.S. market sorted out first, then look at exports, especially with a low U.S. dollar. We've had huge interest from overseas, and we've taken several deposits from foreign buyers-indeed, two of the first bikes we'll build are headed for Australia. But it's hard to work around all the different technical requirements for each country, so they'll all be sold as race bikes only, and it'll be the responsibility of the customer to register them locally. It'll be nice to wave the Stars & Stripes around the globe with our all-American motorcycle-but I hope we can convince customers over here that we have something to offer which they can't get from anywhere else."
The American Way of delivering a performance package to the sportbike arena may end up pointing the direction for other, bigger companies to follow.