2009 Big Dog Motorcycles First Ride

Pressing my face against the giant glass windows of Big Dog Motorcycles new Orange County store, I felt like Charlie waiting to get into the Chocolate Factory. Within sight but just out of reach sat Big Dog's 2009 lineup, a cavalcade of chrome and custom paint on stretched-out frames with a monster V-Twin in the middle. I admire the symmetry of super-long forks and tall chrome wheels all slanted in the same direction with bated breath. Big Dog has six new models on hand for a quick ride around OC and I've got my eye on a stunning nine-and-a-half-foot long 2009 Wolf and am eager to ride my first motorcycle equipped with the X-Wedge engine.

It's a big year for the factory-custom manufacturer out of Wichita. Big Dog is celebrating its 15-year anniversary and just produced its 25,000th motorcycle, a patriotic-themed 2009 Wolf hand-painted with plenty of red, white and blue stars and stripes. The company-owned Orange County store seeks to give Big Dog an increased presence in one of the largest potential markets for high style bikes, Southern California. Big Dog plans to increase its international presence too, with the launch of eight stores in Canada soon.

See photos of 2009 Big Dog Motorcycle lineup

But how do you maintain your claim as 'The World's Largest Manufacturer of Custom Bikes' with competitors doing their damnedest to wrestle away that title? Releasing its largest lineup to date, seven models in all, three of them being all-new is a good start. Dropping prices on its gateway motorcycle and utilizing the newest technology available in the form of the EPA-friendly X-Wedge engine are sound business decisions as well. Using current trends in the industry, consumer feedback, and dealers' input to steer the direction of your company are also keys to continued success.

During Marketing Director Paul Hansen's intro to the 2009 lineup, I learn the Wolf is the second generation of the thinking process that brought us the 2008 Pitbull, which bodes well for the Wolf since the Pitbull was voted 2008 V-Twin Bike of the Year by Easyriders' parent company, Paisano Publications. The immediate similarities are in the lines of the tank design and in the flow of the bikes. But where the sweep of the Pitbull is broken by its dual-spring seat, the Wolf keeps going as the 4.5-gallon tank, seat pan and steel rear fender run together seamlessly the length of the bike. And with a stance that's 9.5-ft long, your lines had better be sharp and refined.

The front wheel on the Wolf is about as big as they come at 23-inches tall. The Wolf attains its enviable attributes by virtue of a seven-inch stretch to the backbone, a backbone that's claimed to be so over-built, so heavy duty that there's no torsional twisting. The front end has a three-inch stretch on the fork, which is exaggerated by the motorcycle's 45-degree rake - a combination of 40-degrees in the frame rake plus five-degrees in the triple trees. The seat sits almost even with the gargantuan 23-inch front wheel. I sit low and upright on the motorcycle, making it a straight reach to the 1.25-inch rubber-mounted pull-back handlebars.

Tall tires front and back make sure that the bike is proportional. The front wheel is about as big as you can get and still be functional. The rear is no slouch itself at 20-inches tall, and the 220mm width is enough to provide

Long and low with killer paint, tons of chrome, a monster V-Twin and better-than-expected handling - yes, indeed, the 2009 Wolf is one formidable pro-streeter. the custom look that buyers require without totally sacrificing handling. The machined aluminum wheels give it a true custom look. They look so good that Big Dog went to the trouble of placing the rear brake caliper and rotor behind the drive to provide an uncluttered view of the chrome design. A single left-side disc on the front puts the lead wheel prominently on display as well.

And sitting in the middle of the 83.5-inch wheelbase is the heart of the 2009 Wolf, S&S Cycle's 121 cubic-inch X-Wedge engine. What's the big deal about the X-Wedge, you say? The air-cooled, pushrod V-Twin is the first 49-state certified lump that meets the 2010 US Environmental Protection Agency's Tier II standards. According to S&S, the belt-driven, three-cam design has its valve train geometry aligned for maximum efficiency and minimal noise. This adds up to a claimed 21% reduction in vibrations, 22% more fin area, and a 30% reduction in parts. The '09 Wolf also has a new primary compensator sprocket to provide a smoother, quieter ride as more throttle is given.

But you want to know the best part? The X-Wedge puts almost 2000cc of power in your right hand. Twist the throttle with authority on this baby and you'd better be holding on. Big Dog claims the big pro-streeter will hit 60 mph in less than four seconds, and I believe them. You'll find most of the torque early, between 2000-3000rpm. Throttle response isn't instantaneous, but fuel delivery to the 4.25-inch cylinders is even as the closed-loop EFI constantly checks air temp, engine temp and speed, throttle position and exhaust oxygen levels. It makes power similar to the 117 cubic-inch S&S mill we dynoed in our 2008 Pitbull review, where max torque came on around 3300rpm.

Read the Complete 2009 Big Dog Motorcycles review at Motorcycle USA!