[Psalmist]

At the Bike Blues and BBQ rally I took a test ride on the new Full dresser Harley and was very impressed. I actually was very pessimistic when I got on it. My wife got on the back. We went for a 20 minute ride. The bike handled great and sounded great. The stock seat was very comfy. The 6 spped tranny worked great. For $20,000 I was extremely impressed.

Please don't make this a Harley bashing post. (famous last words)

 

[gladeeaytur]

Yes Harley seemed like a good bike at slow speeds (hotter than panther piss on the inside of your right leg at slow speeds unless out on the highway). Very light and nimble, weight is kept low. 6th gear is good at 70MPH or higher. Not good at lugging engine RPM. Needs higher octane. Shakes like it has the DT's while stopped but higher RPMs smooths out. Rumor has it they are coming out with a 121 CU motor.
You could buy me a Harley I would I would use it, But I don't think I would buy one. I recommend them to women who are looking to make bike purchase. It's all good though.
Have you looked at Victory. They look like direct competition to Harley. Less maintenance they claim. I have heard "ride 'em change the fluids till they break"

 

[Biker John]

Try riding a Harley while wearing short pants. I test rode an Ultra and found my legs touching too many hot surfaces. It was a nice ride but the heat was a turn-off.

Oh man, now you've done it.:lol:

 

[laen]

Ride what makes you happy

 

[FredGarvin]

...took a test ride on the new Full dresser Harley...

exactly which model would this be?

 

[murf]

Try riding a Harley while wearing short pants. I test rode an Ultra and found my legs touching too many hot surfaces. It was a nice ride but the heat was a turn-off.

Well, when you have a large air cooled engine sitting out in the open, and exposed heat shields on the exhaust pipes, the surfaces are going to be hot especially if you touch them with bare skin. Common sense would dictate you probably should wear long pants while riding one regardless of what the ambient air temp. is. As we all know, you can't legislate "common sense." :doorag:

 

[storm]

exactly which model would this be?

The Vtwin model

 

[jeffswinginit]

The Road Glide Ultra is the latest flavor, and a fine bike it is. As soon as my Goldwing sell's (hopefully Tuesday). I'll probably have one. As for the "riding in short's". I ride in short's alot. And while there is no question that the H-D put's off more heat. The Goldwing is a close 2nd. If your wearing short's on a GW. You might as well throw the highway peg's away because they are unuseable. The difference is, the Harley will melt your ball's while your sitting still. And the GW will Barbeque your calves' while moving. The only solution I've found for either is, don't ride in short's. The Harleys are a great fit for some, not so great for other's. Same as the GW.

 

[storm]

Gee just what I would want - a furnace

I think I stick with the shorts and my current rides. I have no need for ATFATT :doorag:

 

[murf]

Yes Harley seemed like a good bike at slow speeds (hotter than panther piss on the inside of your right leg at slow speeds unless out on the highway). Very light and nimble, weight is kept low. 6th gear is good at 70MPH or higher. Not good at lugging engine RPM. Needs higher octane. Shakes like it has the DT's while stopped but higher RPMs smooths out. Rumor has it they are coming out with a 121 CU motor.
You could buy me a Harley I would I would use it, But I don't think I would buy one. I recommend them to women who are looking to make bike purchase. It's all good though.
Have you looked at Victory. They look like direct competition to Harley. Less maintenance they claim. I have heard "ride 'em change the fluids till they break"

The tourers and baggers with the 103 motor can run in 6th gear at 55 mph all day long without lugging the motor. You don't have to wait until 70 mph to shift into 6th gear. Harley already has a 120 cu in motor out. It is the 120R "crate motor." It's a "drop in" motor. However, there is no warranty on it as it is advertised as race only. The 110 motors power the CVO models.

The engine shaking like the DT's at idle has been controlled with four point engine mounting compared to the previous 3 point mounting. I recommend HD to anyone who wants to buy one. In fact, buy whatever brand trips your trigger. :doorag:

 

[storm]

Bigger is not necessarily better. When are they going to have Porshe design a new 21st century style engine?
Asian manufactures rarely keep a design more than 10 years as the public want to see new and improved. Even fashion gets old in time.

Just saying

 

[xregandyx]

Harleys are good bikes and the Tour Classic is very comfortable--heat is a problem--what got me to a Goldwing was POWER!!!! --waiting for HD to come out with a water-cooled, 100hp, Touring Bike-----

 

[storm]

How long do you plan on living? :?

 

[Transformer]

To the OP....glad you enjoyed your test ride. It's good to see/experience what the competition is doing.

 

[goinssr]

I do agree with Psalmist in that the new Harley dressers have a nice smooth ride. I rode both the Victory Cross Country Tour and the Victory Vision also last week and my opinion is that Harley makes nothing that I would choose over the Victory Vision. I have owned four Harleys and do like them so I am not a Harley basher. The Vision is priced at approx 2k below the new Cross Country Tour at around 19.5k.

 

[SilvrT]

I've test rode the Electra Glide Ultra on numerous occasions and most recently one of the "Limited" versions with the 103 engine. Absolutely LOVE the bike. If I could afford one, I'd be riding one. But I have other priorities for my income ... such as building a retirement fund coz that's coming up waaayyyyyyyy too quick. As it stands right now, I will have to work until I'm 70 just to be able to afford to retire.

As for the "{ { { { s s h h a a k k i i n n g g } } } }" ... it's really only at idle and it's really very minimal. They've done a lot to these bikes lately to reduce that. Once you're rolling, and I mean like I could walk faster rolling, there's no vibration felt whatsoever.

Having said that tho, I've heard more than a few "horror" stories about guys who bought a new Harley and the problems they've had and just yesterday I was chatting with a group of riders (some Harleys) and one of them said he'd never buy another due to the problems he's had with it and the fact that in less than 6 month's since new, he'd dropped nearly 15 grand on trade-in value. But sometimes these guys get their numbers a bit mixed up (poor math skills yanno) as he said he paid nearly $50 grand for the bike but I figgure that's inclusive of all the extra's PLUS the taxes and financing charges so he probably wasn't comparing apples to apples.

 

[treeman]

Harley

In my opinion, nothing beats the fun factor of riding a big Harley. I've never been able to understand the loud pipe mentality, but to each his own. When I stop touring, and just ride locally, a Harley Ultra it will be!!! However, the pipes will remain stock!!!!! My last two new Harley's, a 90 Classic and a 2000 Ultra had reliability issues, but I know Harley quality has improved greatly, at least I think!!!!

 

[Pigeon Roost]

It is supposed to pretty and warm again this weekend, so I may visit my HD dealer and see if I can ride the new model. I am not in the market right now, but who knows????

prs

 

[dynodon]

I liked the '10 Ultra I put 600 miles on a couple years ago.

Oh, about that 6th gear, it is NOT correct that it is good for only 70 mph (or near that) and above. maybe in the mountains that would be right, but I used 6th all the time in Florida (flat as can be!) even two-up and at speeds of 50 and up it was very useable. Just roll on the throttle and the bike took off. I could pass vehicles on two-lane roads two-up from 50ish and as long as it wasn't an emergency, I got around by just rolling on the throttle, no lugging at all. To lug an engine you need to be near stall rpm (under 1000) and at high throttle positions. Need more speed? Just drop to 5th and it was very peppy. NO, not like my Wing, but more than enough that I wonder why so many people feel the need to modify the modern Ultra. Yes, I understand the desire for HP, but really, stock the Ultra is more than good for two-up riding with lots of reserve.

I also liked the seat better than on my '04 wing. Vibration at idle you get used to, and at anything other than idle, it is plenty smooth, it amazed me.

 

[BigBlue]

Harley's, Most everyone has seen them, slightly fewer have owned them. Guaranteed to make friends wherever they go ...