Big Dog Bulldog Bagger
Big Dog Bulldog Bagger
.If you're hoping to slip out of town every weekendunnoticed, cruising stealthily under the radar, here's a little tidbit ofadvice: Don't even think about attempting it on a Bulldog. This latest creationfrom Big Dog-long and low with lustrous chrome, vivid paint, slinky saddlebags,"batwing" fairing and big-inch V-Twin power-is more than just a motorcycle; it'sa moving event, a two-wheeled parade float that draws more attention than a wetT-shirt contest at high noon in Times Square. Pedestrians stop and gawk at itlike tourists beholding the Grand Canyon, and people in passing cars giveenthusiastic thumbs-up or dangle out the windows extolling profound shouts ofapproval like "Duuude, cool bike!"
But even though, visually, the Bulldog is about as subtle as a whack across theforehead with a Louisville Slugger, functionally, it's a lot more pleasant thanits high-profile custom-bike style might imply. It's surprisingly comfortable,handles decently and generally behaves the way a proper motorcycle should. Notonly that, its build quality equals or surpasses that of just about any otherproduction bike on the planet.
This is not news to us. The last couple of Big Dog models we've ridden haveimpressed us mightily with their high levels of fit, finish and function. Thisone is no exception.
Don't think, however, that Big Dog threw this baggertogether simply by hanging a fairing and saddlebags on an existing model; theBulldog does bear a strong resemblance to the company's other chopper-inspiredbikes, but it clearly is its own entity. Compared to, say, the Wolf we sampledin our April, 2009, issue, the Bulldog has a different frame and swingarm,less-radical steering geometry, a shorter wheel-base, smaller-diameter wheels,more ground clearance and a dual seat that is lower than the chopper's solosaddle despite being thicker.
It also has a different engine. Instead of theWolf's 121-cubic-inch S&S X-Wedge 56-degree V-Twin, the Bulldoggets its impetus from a 111-inch, fuel-injected, rubber-mounted, 45-degreeV-Twin, also sourced from S&S. Transmission is a right-side-drive six-speedspinning an 18-inch rear wheel through a 1-1/8-inch-wide belt. The tires areAvon Cobras, the rear "only" a 250/40-18 (as opposed to the 280, 300 and330mm-wide meats on other Big Dogs), the front a 120/70-21.
Although some people might claim that the Bulldog's H-D Evolution-style engineis outdated, that design having been abandoned by The Motor Company more than adecade ago, its power output is utterly flawless. The torque and horsepowercurves are models of linear perfection, with nary a dip or a spike anywherealong the line, and both peak at almost identical levels: 96.3 hp at 5800 rpmand 96.1 ft.-lb. at 4200.
Those 111 inches of torque-heavy urge won't quite yankyour shoulders out of their sockets, but they do scoot the Bulldog along in aneasy, almost effortless fashion. The EFI meters fuel impeccably, absent a hiccupor glitch anywhere in the rpm range; when you roll the throttle open in anygear, the response is crisp, clean and immediate. Even in the taller gears, the777-pound (dry; 805 lb. with its long, 4.5-gallon teardrop gas tank brimming)bagger accelerates steadily and forcefully, seemingly unfazed by headwinds,heavy loads or gradual uphill climbs. It's far from "fast" by the astronomicalstandards set by today's hyperbikes, but it nonetheless will leave all othertraffic for dead without breaking a sweat.
Plus, it gives off virtually no vibration at road speeds, compliments of therubber engine mounts, and it sounds the way a big, narrow-angle V-Twin shouldsound. To the rider's and passenger's ears, the exhaust is deep, throaty and hasjust"The Bulldog proves that true custom-bike styling and real-world function neednot be mutually exclusive." enough bark to be satisfying; to everyone else inthe vicinity, the note is recognizable without being annoying.
Thanks to the engine's plentiful torque, you don't have to spend a lot of timetap-dancing on the shift lever; but when you do change gears, you work whatmight be the smoothest-, quietest-, lightest-shifting H-D-style gearbox ever.The tranny snicks through the gears more like that of a modern Japanesesportbike-short throw, light return-spring resistance and a willing, almostinaudible gearchange. The clutch engages smoothly and is easy to modulate,requiring only a fairly easy squeeze at the lever. It also disengagescompletely, which contributes to the transmission's excellent shifting qualitiesand the ease with which the box can be popped into neutral at a stop.
More pleasant surprises await in the chassis. The steel-framed Bulldog is reallylong (a 74.8-inch wheelbase), yet it's not at all awkward to handle. It has alow center of gravity-aided by a dished seat that operates just 25 inches abovethe tarmac-and steering geometry that is reasonable despite the kicked-out frontend. The steering-head angle is 34 degrees, very rakish for a bike with"touring" on its list of aspirations; but the fork is angled out an additional 3degrees in the triple-clamps, which reins in front-wheel trail to a manageable4.8 inches.
The front wheel does have a tendency to turn inwardat parking-lot speeds, and the bike's Greyhound-bus length makes for wideU-turns; on the road, however, the steering lightens up to a normal level andprovides superb straight-line stability at cruising speeds.
So, too, does the Bulldog handle without drama. Banking over into a cornerrequires just a smidge more effort than it does on a bike with conventionalsteering geometry; and keeping it heeled over, due to the combined effect of thegenerous rake and wide rear tire, calls for some light but steady pressure onthe inside grip. Thankfully, the wide, swept-back handlebars provide enoughleverage to prevent this characteristic from being a problem.
Really, the bike's only meaningful handling shortcoming is in its corneringclearance. The Bulldog kisses the concrete pretty early in corners, especiallywhen turning right. And we're not talking about crotch-rocket corner-blitzing,either; we're talking city street corners, turning into or out of some drivewaysand hitting mild bumps while at shallow lean angles. You usually can ride aroundthis trait, but it is the worst aspect of what is otherwise a very good overallperformance program.
No real complaints about the brakes, though. Thesingle front disc is not exceptionally powerful, but it slows and stops the bigBig Dog effectively without requiring the hand of Godzilla at the lever. Therear disc brake is dead-easy to modulate, offering an excellent compromisebetween too much and too little braking force.
Comfort, however, is arguably the Bulldog's best attribute. Theseat/handlebar/footboard relationship is spot-on for riders taller than about5-foot-10, putting a natural, less-than-90-degree bend in the knees andrequiring an elbow-high reach to the bars; shorter riders may have to leanforward a degree or two to grab the chrome-and-rubber grips. The rider's portionof the stepped seat is wide, supportive and well-padded, offering a pleasantplace to park your butt for a couple of days.
The passenger part of the seat is narrower, shorterand not quite as hospitable; at least the long list of factory accessoriesincludes a "cross country" saddle with a longer and wider passenger portion.
For the rider, the stock seat contributes to the 'Dog's better-than-anticipatedride. The front suspension is lightly sprung and damped, allowing it to soak upbumps pretty effectively. And despite the fact that the rear suspension is shorton travel and heavy on unsprung weight, the dual nitrogen-charged shocks do ahalf-decent job of mitigating the thumps created by big road undulations, andthe seat sucks up most of what remains. The net effect is a plush ride onsmoother surfaces and a rear end that, on sharp bumps, delivers a jounce thatsometimes can be abrupt but never is harsh.
More good reviews for the Bulldog's wide, handlebar-mounted half-fairing. Itextends outward past the ends of the grips to shield the rider's hands from theelements; and with help from the abbreviated windscreen, the fairing divertsconsiderable air away from the rider's torso without creating a lot ofturbulence.
There's on-board entertainment built into the fairing, too, in the form of adetachable-face Alpine AM/FM, MP3/XM/ iPod-capable sound system. Two largespeakers try their damndest to provide discernable sound fidelity, but unlessthe Bulldog is parked with the engine off, music and dialogue are largelydrowned out by wind, exhaust and top-end mechanical noise from the big,air-cooled V-Twin.
We weren't exactly overwhelmed with the non-detachable saddlebags, either. Oh,they're stylish and nicely match the contour of the rear fender, but they don'thold much gear. They look bigger on the outside than they actually are on theinside; not only is their curved, arched profile a mismatch for the shape of thethings you're most likely to pack in them, each bag has a long, fat bulge insidewhere it wraps around its adjacent shock absorber.
The result is two bags that barely hold enough stuffto support a weekend for one, let alone two. Plus, the bag's locks do not usethe same key as the ignition, and the locks must be keyed open every time thebags are accessed.
In the end, this is one of the factors that define the Bulldog's role inmotorcycling's big picture. Though positioned as a "touring" machine, it doesn'tquite fit the traditional definition of that term as a long-distance traveler.As delivered, it falls short in cargo capacity and passenger comfort, twoelements that are vital components for extended rides.
But Big Dog didn't create this bike to challenge the super-tourers - the HondaGold Wing, Harley Electra Glide and the like. The Bulldog instead is ahigh-style bagger best suited to shorter-range duty-solo weekend trips, two-upday rides and even long commutes. At those tasks, it excels, earning high marksfor comfort, engine performance, stability and ease of operation. It alsopossesses a high quality of construction that is virtually unmatched-althoughwith its $39,900 list price, buyers should expect nothing less. But the Bulldognonetheless proves that true custom-bike styling and real-world function neednot be mutually exclusive.
Source Cycle World