2016 Road Glide Ultra

[Bone Stockman]

So yeah, I've got a BSR.

Got about 300 miles on it so far, and I have some thoughts (surprise, surprise).

Yes, this is the best Touring bike Harley makes, bar none. Yes, the Rushmore improvements are massive. And yes, Harley has made a bike that makes a very convincing argument for leaving it stock and just riding it.

The re-designed fairing with its three vents all but eliminate buffeting and wind noise. A 2011 RGU beat the snot out of Dana when we were out in Arizona a few years ago. She's hated them ever since. We did our test ride in a 20mph wind with 40mph gusts, and there was nothing. I'll get a Madstad eventually, but it's not an immediate priority.

It's been said, but it bears repeating....Getting the weight of the fairing off the forks pays huge dividends. Add in the beefy new forks and upper triple tree, and this sucker turns like no 916 pound bike should. It's downright spooky how well this thing moves around.

The linked brakes ("Reflex" in Harleyspeak) work well. It's still 1,100 pounds of bike and rider, but it stops well. I can feel the front dip when I hit the rear brake.

The suspension is actually pretty good. The aforementioned front end is rock steady. Yeah, it could benefit from a pair of Intiminators, but it's remarkably well damped. I don't know what Harley did with the air shocks, but these are hands-down the best ones I've ever felt (the ones on the Limited I rented in Texas were also very, very good). No, they're certainly not perfect, but they're also not unbearable on our crap roads. Ohlins shocks are definitely on the menu, but again.....I don't need them immediately.

The changes to the 103 are spectacular. The increased compression and revised cam timing make a big difference. The bike pulls smoothly from 2,000rpm on up, and will easily accelerate to 90 (still breaking it in, can't go too nuts). It sounds pretty good too. With my Arai on, the exhaust reverberates a bit, but with a half helmet I can barely hear it. Given how much I liked the Street Cannon mufflers on Danny's bike, I'll probably end up with a pair of them at some point. I'll call Dynojet tomorrow to re-activate my Power Vision too. Given my experience with BOPS, I will not go any farther than Stage 1 with this bike, and I doubt I'll change headpipes and lose the converter. I like quiet, and the converter - while not presenting an impedance to flow - does a damn good job at keeping the exhaust noise level manageable.

The rider's triangle is awfully good for me. The bars are about 2" taller than the non-Ultra Roadie bars. The seat isn't bad at all. I'd like to be about an inch higher, but that's really my only complaint (and truthfully, it's not a big one). I've got a local guy that does seat work, and I'll have him work on it. The windshield is a perfect height, and if it had a recurve I doubt I'd change it. At no time in the 10 or so hours I've been riding the sucker have I wanted for highway pegs.

The infotainment center....Well, it's nice, I suppose. The sound is ok, not great. I wish it got louder. The controls are relatively intuitive. It's not what I bought the bike for, and I don't care all that much about it. It is nice that there's an oil pressure gauge so that people who obsess about such things can obsess about oil pressure. It'd be nice if the time was displayed while looking at the map.

The glove boxes are nice, but small. Nice that I can plug my phone in up there. Nice too that there's a power port in the Tour Pak.

Harley has really hit a home run with this bike. It does everything its supposed to do, and it does those things well. The wind management issue's been solved, and without making the bike look ridiculous. There's nothing that's begging to be "fixed" right out of the gate. Though I will eventually do a full Stage 1, there's really no need at the moment (though I submit that I might feel differently if it were hot out).

On another note, I have to give a big shout-out to Smart Dave and Pocono Mountain Harley. Dave connected me with their sales manager, who offered me a screaming deal on a new bike. Unfortunately, they couldn't do much with the trade (because people don't go into a Harley dealer to buy BMWs). Had I been trading in a Harley, they would have gotten my business. If you are in the market for a new bike, I strongly suggest that you contact Dave and see what Pocono Mountain can do for you.

[MegaGlide]

Hey, I'm down here!

[MegaGlide]

Magic Beer. Cool coaster. What's that there with the candy?

[MegaGlide]

Few more.

[MegaGlide]

These newfangled bikes still using the same timer covers as the BOPS that this one came off of?

[Bone Stockman]

Originally Posted by MegaGlide

These newfangled bikes still using the same timer covers as the BOPS that this one came off of?

Looks the same to me. I can certainly pop it on there and see.

[BillyB]

Nice write up. I've been a big fan of the Rushmore improvements over my 08' Ultra.

[Bone Stockman]

Originally Posted by BillyB

Nice write up. I've been a big fan of the Rushmore improvements over my 08' Ultra.

I bet.

Did 250 miles today and got the break-in all done. Typically conservative fuel and spark mapping above 3,000rpm, and there's no doubt the mufflers are holding things back a bit, but still, it goes pretty well (for a stock, 916 pound bike).

[Geezer-Glide]

Buddy of mine here has a 2014 Rushmore Ultra Glide. He put on the Screamin' Eagle mufflers, air cleaner and a stage 1 flash upload. Bike runs sweet and the mufflers kinda rumble now. Not loud. If you put them on and leave the cats in the head pipes, it's still EPA compliant with noise.

[Infidel!]

Nice accurate write up Russ. That's a great bike. If they had the Rushmore RGU when I bought the limited I would have given it serious consideration.

They still don't have bluetooth to the helmet. Shame on Harley

[Bone Stockman]

Originally Posted by Infidel!

They still don't have bluetooth to the helmet. Shame on Harley

Yes, absolutely. It's ridiculous.

[Infidel!]

Originally Posted by Bone Stockman

Yes, absolutely. It's ridiculous.

KenR in his genius figured out that since the Sena 20s has fm radio, he can plug in an FM transmitter and get the sound to his headset. I haven't tried it yet, but it's high on my list.

[MrSurly]

Or, plug in a BT transmitter (I've been using the SM10)

But, yes, since the BOOM already HAS BT....it's just dumb

[orbit]

Verry nice, Russ.

Was seriously considering the same (except in Black), 'til the 'b' turned into a time bomb.

One day, perhaps.......

[Fe Butte]

Originally Posted by MegaGlide

These newfangled bikes still using the same timer covers as the BOPS that this one came off of?

I am in need of a new one, one that has had an exorcism,an Easter mass blessing, dipped in Holy water, pissed on by whistle pigs, a Navajo enemy way sing, soaked in 30 YO Hibiki Scotch and whatever else can free it from becoming cursed...


The check, so to say, will be in the mail as of next week.