V-Rod Ownership..
The V-Rod with the stock pipes has a sound I would describe as "sweet potato-potato"... It's not the rough rumble of earlier Harleys, but its not the sewing-machine whine of a stock Japanese bike either. The sound, and perhaps most importantly the tempo, is definitely Harley. You notice it most if you slightly "lug" the engine - say by accelerating from 30 to 40 in third gear. At very low speeds, and at idle, it is very quiet. If your goal is to annoy your neighbors, this is not the bike for you.
There were some crankshaft-related problems with the first 100 bikes built. These were all recalled, and the engines replaced under warranty. I've had no problems in my first 1600 miles. Everything I've read so far indicates that the Revolution engine is very well designed and engineered - the fact that it is watercooled most probably means that it will be far superior to air-cooled engines in the long haul, although it does mean you've got an additional set of things to go wrong (waterpump, radiator, hoses, fanmotor, etc.)
I would absolutely buy another one. I've never owned or even operated a vehicle that was so much fun; or that has generated so many positive comments and questions.