• The VTX 1800's engine puts out incredible torque.motorcycle image by Greg Pickens from Fotolia.com
  
  Cruiser motorcycle design has been a race to the top in terms of engine displacement. The Honda VTX 1800 carries the largest motorcycle engine ever, with power that will give even big bike fans pause. This is a serious motorcycle, not for the faint of heart or the uninitiated.
  
  

Engine

• The Honda VTX 1800 cruiser boasts a monstrous 1,795cc liquid-cooled V-twin engine, with three valves per cylinder and a nine-to-one compression ratio. It has a bore and stroke of 101 by 112 mm, making it an undersquare, or long-stroke motor, meaning it's tuned for low-end torque. With a curb weight of 800 pounds, you'll need all that low-RPM power to get off the line. The bike does not have a tachometer, so you'll have to shift the five-speed transmission by feel.
  
  

Fuel System

• The bike is fuel injected, with an automatic choke. Fuel injection helps the VTX 1800 ride more smoothly than carbureted V-twins. The tank carries 5.3 gallons of fuel. In reviews, the bike had an average range of 194 miles on a tank of gas.
  
  

Performance and Handling

• This is a massive and massively powerful motorcycle. It corners wide, and is really meant for highway cruises rather than city riding. The bike gets a remarkable 100 foot-pounds of torque at 3,000 RPM. The suspension is rough, and you will certainly feel bumps in the road. Honda, however, has put a lot of effort into minimizing engine vibration, so the gigantic V-twin won't rattle your bones the way you expect it to. The engine makes a solid, satisfying thump without chattering your teeth.