ROAD TEST H-D ELECTRA GLIDE
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h! Electra Glide in Blue!’ said Ferg when we met in town, referring to the 1973 film of that name. ‘Very tasty’ was the comment. Though I admit I had to come home and utilise my Ph.D. in Google to refresh my m memory of the flick. m
The clichéd title had stuck with both of us as a catchphrase, not bo bot for the integrity of the Robert Blake police drama, but because it was the first movie, we can recall, which featured the model designation of a motorcycle in its title. (I think it’s the only one?) And Electra Glide is such a famous name in motorcycling. The first FL Electra Glides appeared in 1965, and as author Mac MacDiarmid asserts in his comprehensive encyclopaedia ‘The Ultimate HarleyDavidson’ (Hermes House); ‘Of all H-D models, surely the enduring FL Electra Glide is the one that best epitomises the breed.’ Brave claim, Mac, but after spending a week living with a magnificent Flame Blue Pearl and Vivid Black FLHTK Electra Glide Ultra Limited, I’d have to agree that it’s everything I like about a big block Harley. (And confuses me about Harley names!) Don’t believe any of the internet dribble about ‘Harleys don’t do this or that’, because this is a very competent, really pleasurable, good fun motorcycle. It goes, and chucks around, like a Sportster did four or five years ago – and it weighs 400kg. I read a bit more from the esteemed Mac and he proceeds to completely dump on the original Electra Glides. Referring to the 1966 model he claims ‘this never was a state-of-the-art machine’ and bemoans the reliability of the first electric starters and lack of decent front brakes. Fortunately in the ensuing 44 years that whole situation has changed and the 2010 unit is up there with any machine – if uber-tourers are your riding pleasure. FUN TO RIDE Don’t let the touring and luxury deportments fool you either, it really is a fun to ride motorcycle. Well balanced, nicely mannered, torquey and even (I know this sounds unlikely) feels like quite a ‘zippy’ bike. I did one of those ‘Hellllooooo, niiiiice!’ things in my helmet the first time I twisted the grip in earnest. Co-pilot looked at me like I was drunk
26 KIWI RIDER
when I got all fizzy about it when she came home from work on pick-up day. Harley claim the 103 cubic inch (1690cc) ‘Police’ motor has 11% more torque than a Standard Ultra with the Twin Cam 96 (1584cc) engine, the extra capacity achieved courtesy a bore of 98.4 and stroke of 111.1mm. As is the H-D way now, there are no published horsepower figures, but a claimed 136Nm of torque is the selling point. Whatever their horsepower number, they are fun to saddle up and take for a ride. The whole shebang shakes like a Harley should at idle, then when it’s going, it’s probably the smoothest V-twin I have thrown a leg over. It just purrs along on its rubber mounts. Kick it down a couple of cogs and it torques up nicely and equally smoothly. I felt an occasional faint vibe through my H-D brand FXR boots, but only when I was searching for vibe, overall I thought it’s a very sweet unit. THE EFI’S AS GOOD AS ANY The EFI was also noteworthy. This unit is also as good as any I’ve tested. It didn’t stumble once in the entire test. I ran it on 95 Octane and it seemed un-bumbleable. Harley says it ‘delivers easy starting cold or hot and self-adjusts to changing elevation and atmospheric conditions.’ Fuel economy also got better with each kilometre of the run-in and the estimated range to empty (by the trip computer) got longer with each km of engine loosening. Wick it up and it gets along, but at the price of burning the fuel required to shift 400kg plus rider passenger and gear, but shift it nicely, it does. I almost did stumble a few times though. For a unit that only had 120km on board when I picked it up, the gearbox was very good and easy to select. All of these car size engines have a noticeable run-in transition but this one’s box was particularly nice from the get-go. The only problem was that it is so easy to click in and out of gear that I accidentally knocked the heel shifter into neutral with my size twelves on a few takeoffs. Very Keystone Cops. It’s a very easy 6-speed gearbox. LIGHT ON ITS FEET As soon as the ‘Limited’ is moving it feels quite light on its feet. It’s not a hard chore to get the footboards on the ground, but with so much bike around you it feels like