Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/126470
The tool kit was loaded for bear with just about everything you'd need. Even an MX afficianado - MX Cat creator Tony'Bell - can get with the Tour Glide. Heavy duty front wheeland tire give peace of mind. Things we did like Things we didn't like Unique feeling of safety and security inspired by prudent riding. Chatting with other strangers who admired the FLT in passing. The tool kit. Zero maintenance range: coast to coast. No major production mistakes. Warranty, service attitude of dealer shops. Rear cylinder fries your thighs in hot traffic. Standfoot too small for . the weight of the machine. Footboards too high for the seat. Windshield too far forward. Wind buffets the helmet and makes rider see double. Turn indicators styled into saddlebags, so you can't have one without the other. All six locks were hard to use. Too heavy sometimes. slow at others. Minor production mistakes. Harley-Davidson is no speeder. The speedometer only goes up to 85 and that is about all she'll do in fifth gear, which is an overdrive. It won't even pull its 5,500 rpm redline in fifth without a hurricane from the rear. This is sad, because the Harleys of only two years back will crack off 100 mph eventually without any help from a tailwind. But the Tour Glide seems to have packed its stuff into the legal parameters, where it is peppy enough up to about 60. At 60 mph , the tachometer is only registering 2,900 rpm, and the ' machine barely sips gasoline from its 5.7 gallon tank. The best mileage we got on the trip was 200 miles at 46 .5 miles per gallon, riding two up in calm, air averaging 55 miles per hour. More often we got about 36 mpg. It likes premium fuel , but will run gladly on rotgut regular if that's all there is. The makers caution against using gasohol until they've finished testing the stuff in their systems. Is it the perfect two -up motorcycle? No , nothing is perfect. But the Tour Glide got raves from Sharon; my passenger by marriage. She never had to call for a butt break, and that is a statement no other motorcycle can make. She liked the seat, backrest, and smooth ride. We did bottom the suspention in a couple of potholed cities, but I didn't have to worry about the heavy duty wheels and tires with the Harley safety rim blowout protection feature. Most (in fact, all) other big bikes worry me with their narrow tires and ind ifferent wheels. The worst that can hap- pen with a Hawg is you may have to change a 5.10 x 16" tire. But you won 't have to change your shorts. I rate the driver's seat about five on a 10 scale . It only hurts when I sit. Our one bummer experience with the Tour Glide was when the voltage' regulator blew a diode in Texas. I hadn't been paying any attention to the voltage meter and the battery totally discharged. Fortunately, my traveling companion, having recently been on a physical fitness kick, was able to push the Harley, whereupon it started and got me to a gas station. The battery was charged, and we limped to Stubbs' Harley shop in Houston, where they found the problem. The kickstand had rubbed through a wire and shorted the unit. Stubbs' mechanic worked over- time to fash ion a replacement and save our day. My BMW-riding companion marveled at all the trick new electronics in the system . He understands such things. . In brief, then, since you'll want to get back to the racy news, we liked the new Tour Glide a lot. And if you are a mature adult, and can afford it , you won't be too disappointed with this new Harley. The price is currently $6 ,627 plus tax and license. That's about $9 a pound, but it ain't hamburger. • 15