The Underrated Honda V-Twin That Outclassed Harley’s Softail Deluxe On Paper
A decade-old used Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe can still fetch close to $12,000, and that’s with more than 10,000 miles on the odometer. That’s quite the resale value for a motorcycle with a simple air-cooled V-twin, but Harley’s appeal was never based on its specifications. On the other hand, you had a Japanese cruiser from the same era, delivering a larger 1.8 liters of displacement, liquid cooling, and a torque output that overshadowed Softail Deluxe engines. Besides this, the Honda cruiser also delivers Japanese levels of reliability, traditional American cruiser styling, and low running costs, yet it remains an underrated classic.
Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe Resale Value Hinges On Badge Value
The Softail Deluxe has a special place in Harley-Davidson’s lineup. Its low-slung stance, whitewall tires, valanced fenders, dollops of chrome, and traditional styling remind us of old-school cruisers. It was never developed to win on specifications. Instead, it was built around heritage, visual identity, and the unmistakable characterful V-twin. That formula works even in the used motorcycle market. A 2012 Softail Deluxe with over 12,000 miles costs around $11,000. These listings demonstrate the incredible resale values for a decade-old Harley.
That’s not to say that the Softails did not have good engines. Earlier Softail Deluxe models used Harley’s Twin Cam 96B, and later versions used the larger Twin Cam 103B engines. The latter models produced around 110 pound-feet of torque depending on the specific model. That’s impressive enough for a traditional cruiser.
It is interesting to note that there is another cruiser that offers substantially more sophisticated engineering and performance and better value overall, yet it is overshadowed by American heritage and traditionalism.
Honda VTX1800: A V-Twin Built For Serious Torque
This overlooked Japanese motorcycle is the Honda VTX1800. When it was introduced in the United States in 2002, its 1,795cc engine helped establish it as one of the biggest production V-twin cruisers in the world. Unlike the traditional American air-cooled engine format, Honda gave it a liquid-cooled, 52-degree V-twin with fuel injection and a dual-pin crankshaft to keep primary vibrations in check.
The V-twin delivered around 106 horsepower at 5,000rpm and 120 lb-ft at 3,000rpm. On paper, the VTX800 had a noticeable torque advantage over the Harley Softail Deluxe, whose Twin Cam 103B offered roughly 110 pound-feet.
The VTX offers more than just heady torque. It is the more sophisticated of the two. The engine gets programmed fuel injection, or PGM-FI, which helps meter fuel delivery. The dual-pin crankshaft helps improve engine refinement without compromising the characteristic V-twin vibes. It also gets linked braking to help distribute and improve brake force.
The VTX1800 was an interesting alternative for riders who wanted the typical heavyweight cruiser presence, without paying the Harley tax. The Japanese cruiser’s performance specifications made a compelling argument on paper. However, it was not so black and white in the real world.
Honda VTX1800: Claimed Vs. Dyno Performance Numbers
Honda’s specifications made the VTX1800 the clear performance winner on paper, but those numbers were measured at the crankshaft. How those 106 crankshaft horsepower translate to the pavement was a different story altogether. Cycle Canada did a dyno test on the Honda VTX1800 using a Hindle dynamometer and found it to be pushing out a low 82 horsepower and 93 pound-feet at the rear wheel.
A loss in power from crank output to rear wheel output is expected. The power made by the engine has to pass through the transmission and the final drive before reaching the rear tire, and drivetrain losses along the way lead to a lower output than the crank numbers. The Honda VTX1800 uses a shaft drive, which is known to sap power (around 10% to 25%) owing to parasitic losses.
That’s not to say the VTX1800 is slow. Its large displacement and ample torque at low engine speeds work well on a heavyweight cruiser platform. Contemporary road tests praise the VTX1800’s acceleration, describing an abundance of low-end performance that’s ample enough to surprise sportier motorcycles.
Why The Honda VTX1800 Deserves Attention Over The Softail’s Resale Premium
The Honda VTX1800 combines nearly 1.8 liters of displacement with modern tech like liquid cooling and fuel injection. More importantly, it offers substantial performance. The Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe, meanwhile, offers a more traditional, mechanical cruiser feel, and a design that remains closer to old-school Harleys.
Neither cruiser is a disappointment. A Harley buyer may value the brand’s heritage, styling, community, and the experience of riding a Softail over more engine output, reliability, and refinement. This emotional buying factor also kind of explains the high resale value of a Softail Deluxe.
In comparison, the average used price for a Honda VTX1800 ranges around $4,500. It is vexing given the motorcycle’s technical features and performance numbers. The VTX1800 makes sense for riders looking for a large-displacement cruiser and are not worried about brand identity. It is a motorcycle that deserves to be judged on its merits rather than overlooked because it does not sport the Harley badge.
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