Introducing Scarlett – 2006 Honda VTX 1300 S

April 28, 2026

Scarlett is my new to me 2006 Honda VTX 1300 S with 32,317 miles on the odometer (which is nothing for the Honda VTX cruisers). I completed the paperwork this afternoon and Scarlett officaly joined the herd. Currently, Scarlett is at the dealer, RC Hill Honda in Deland, Florida (very close to Daytona Beach). I will be flying from Atlanta, Georgia to Orlando, Florida on Friday May 8th, 2026 and will ride Scarlett home the next day.

I wanted a cruiser again for local and near regional riding and 2 up riding with DeAndra, my wife. We have only rode together once since 2018, Dexter’s last ride (excluding the ride for trade in at Atlanta Harley-Davidson). I really miss our rides and she has stated this in the past as well. My original plan was to keep Dexter but we decided that we didnt have the garage space, plus Dexter still had some issues to eek out but overal was in much better shape that when I purchased him in November 2017.

No Worries Bruce, I Love You Man!!

I love my new motorcycle (actually new) Bruce, my 2025 Harley-Davidson Pan America 1250 Special. That motorcyle is just mind bloiwing. But I have been missing Dexter and I have a thing for beefy cruisers. Oh, and I still don’t have enough garage space LOL, right now the shed project is not planned to happen until sometime in the fall of 2026. In the meantime, the Cub Cadet lawn tractor and it’s accomplice Polar Lawn Tractor Trailer (trailer trash perhaps? LOL ) are being booted outside and will reside under a canvas type tarp under our second story deck / patio (but still with a battery tender connected) until the garage/shed project is in a usable phase this fall.

I will still ride Bruce localy, simply because the bike is a freaking blast to ride and easily is the best, most capable and crazy fun motorcyle I have owned and my favorite I have ridden. (though I was strongly considering the V-ROD to fill my cruiser void, have ridden them a few times and are a heck of allot of fun too) But I still love cruisers and relaxed thumping and growling through long sweeping curves, well, just crusing. Plus, Bruce is terrible for adult 2 up riding, as are the V-RODs. We are also not petite people LOL.

Bruce is my primary horse for regional and long distance riding and touring, hands down, no competition. And will still see action on some local riding and for now is the dedicated bike for 2up riding with Tristan. The bike has outstanding technology that makes it a safer bike to ride (with rider good decisons of course). Scarlett will fill the void created with the departure of Dexter, a growling road cruiser that is comfortable for 2 adults who are not petite (I wonder if I keep saying this if my wife will kick my ass! hmmmm).

Scarlett, You’re Not My First….Let’s Not Make This Weird, OK?

Scarelt is now the thrid Honda VTX 1300 I have owned. I was strongly considering the Honda VTX 1800 but went back to the 1300 mostly because the 1300’s are less expensive, not as heavy, and frankly, was always engough power for my needs. No hate on the 1800’s as they are great, just more than what I really need. When I started motorcycle riding for real in 2015 I had a 2007 Honda VTX 1300C. I low sided that one in June 2015 with only some cosmetic damage to the bike, it still ran and rode fantastic. I sold it in October 2015 at the end of the Minnesot riding season (I lived in apartment then and did not have space, tools, or knowledge to fix it up, I probably still don’t have the knowledge LOL). In February, 2016 I purchase Jolene, a 2004 Honda VTX 1300C that I brought with me when I moved to Californa in January 2017. Jolene is the bike that DeAndra and I rode together on the most and was fantastic. Sadly, in August 2017 I had a high side crash with Jolene in the San Diego County Desert area near Desert View Tower. I did not ride again until I purchased Dexter, a 2005 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic in November 2017 as I increased my primary motorcycling interest in touring (which is still my primary motorcycle interest).

I also wouldn’t mind having a small dual sport someday say someting like a Yamaha XT250 or a Honda CRF300L or 300L Rally. However, I think it may be best to let the dust settle on the acquistion of Scarlett and complete some of DeAndra’s bucket list / wish list projects before I expand the herd any further. Otherwise my super intellignet, hottie, badass wife might murder me (I called you a hottie DeAndra, you now can’t morally murder me!).