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/126801
bike is Dung hard imo a corner. The laller su pension makes il much more difficuJL 10 LOuch down pieces of lhe undercarriage. To be sure. lhe FXRS in eilher incarnalion can'l masquerade as a sport/racing mOLOrcycle. BUI where lhe slandard FXRS is a reluclam conspiraLOr for a high-speed dash down a moumain road, lhe optional suspension lransforms the bike inLO a willing accomplice; a partner in spiriled back-road crime. • As good as lhe optional suspension is, there's slill plenly of room for improvement. The fronl forks are only 35mm in diameler - skinny stuff, considering lhal al585 pounds (dry), the FXRS Low Glide is no lightweight. The (orks are also long, and lhe from suspension would likely respond wellLO lhe add ilion of a fork brace. The springs for lhe from forks are mushy-sofl (or a freeway- moolh ride, and heavy application of lhe lwin discs makes the fronl suspension collapse. 0 provision is made for adju lable spring preload or air assisl for the from forks. Considering lhe spiriled nalure of the Low Glide fiued wilh the Performance-Suspension package, this bi ke cou Id well use a beefier and more sophisticated (ron I suspension. An effective ami-dive mechanism would also be a welcome addition 10 the FXR Low Glide. Such handling and cornering prowess would have been beside the poimjusl a few short years ago. Allhe upper revs, lhe old big-inch Harleys were lwo-wheeled jackhammers. The new rubber-isola led drive syslem has changed aU lhal-lO lhe poim where lhe new rubberized Harleys arc decidedly smoolher lhan BMW's boxer lwins. The rubber moums are tuned LOabsorb vibration pulses above aboul 1500 rpm; below lhat figure, the quaking of the engine once again sets lhe whole bike in mOlion. The FXRS is delightfully smoolh when underway, and has a salisfying macho lhrob when idling at a lraHic light -the best of both worlds. The Evolulion engine is a much beuer powerplam than the Lale shovelhead. Power,LOrque, and rideability are all improved. The engine slarts easily and warms up quickly, and will rev lhrough the powerband WilhoUl slumble or hesilation. As advenised, lhe new powerplam is muclliess sensilive 10 gasoline qualily than ilS predecessor. BUI even 92 OClane premium will cause occasional full-load, low-rpm deLOnalion. Gas mileage cheLked in al around 45 mpg, and with a geml lhroule hand al legal cruising speeds lhe FXRS will clear 50 mpg. However... lhe engine fined LO our leSl bike leaked oil. Horrors! Harley has worked hard 10 rid lhe new powerplam of lhe oil dripping habils of lheshovelhead, and in fairness. we're aware of a good number of Evolulion engines lhal don't so much as seep. This wasn'l one of lhem. Telllale evidence was on the pavemem under where lhe bike was parked, all over lhe lefl side of lhe swingarm, and lhe faCl lhal the engine needed a onequartoillransfusion every 1400 miles. Oh well. Who says "They don't make 'em like lhey used lO!" One of lhe big queslion marks lhe bell-drive -lurned oul nOllO be a concern al all. Facl is, lhe bell never required any auemion; il jusl sal back lhere and made lhe mOLOrcycIe go. The bell now appears on virtually all the big-in h Harleys. and I wouldn'l be a bil surprised 1.0 see il lurn up on a redesigned Sportsler in lhe future (and yes. Harley does have an "Evolulion Sponsler" in lheoffing - slill a couple of years away). Livingwilhan FXRS LowGlideis easy. Mainlenance hal. been reduced LO oil changes and occasional check of the lire pres~;Jr - equal LO lhe • needle bearing cams • hardfaced cams • new billet cams • forged pistons (cosworth. venolia & wiseco) • titanium valves and valve collars • venier camshaft sprockets MEGACy