yea, your right!. ill try to not be a "forum rambo" and bite my lip. i should have started the reply with "RESPECT" cause you never know who you are responding too. but come on, give me some credit! ABS on a 700lb bike that loves to wobble???????. i am head over heels with the primitave "unchanged" powerplant/geometry of the HD but understand that it takes experience and ability to survive riding it. if you expect to stab both brakes and come to a "full and complete stop" than pay the $90 admission to disney land and you wont get hurt. ABS should not deter or encourage anyone from buying a two wheel balancing act.

 

Nope, nope, I thought it was a great first post, a Firestarter!


It's not hard to survive without ABS but there ain't nothing wrong with it in my opinion.
I'll tell ya what, I think if I rode in SF with those hills, cobblestones, and rain I would like to have it.
Europe has a ton of slippery cobblestones, comes in mighty handy there too!
I'm still toying with the idea of jumping off my curb, hope I won't need it then

 

Just got home from the dealership - bike's in my garage. I put one cycle of 20 miles on it, letting it cool down before heading back out.

A few things are apparent immediately:

The 103 engine has a lot more torque than the 96 on my Heritage Classic did. I live up a hill and on the old bike it would chug a bit climbing the hill. The new bike didn't have that happen. Lot a world of difference, but noticeable. Even more impressive is that the Low Rider has a tach and I was very careful to stay under 3K RPMs during initial break-in, as recommended. I didn't expect the torque to be so usable in the lower RPM range.

The 103 seems mounted with a bit more damping that I recall. I've ridden several Dynas in the past, and they seemed to have the "Harley" idle - a very noticeable rocking motion. Not unpleasant, just noticeable. I didn't notice it so much on my bike.

Looks - very subjective, but whether it was the new temporary tag on the back of my bike, or not, I got a lot of smiles as I rode home from passing cars. Glad I picked the Whiskey color - very striking in the sun. There is a gold fleck to the paint that is highly visible in sunlight, but less so in the showroom.

Added the rear light brake kit - converts the orange turn signals to red running lights. The red lights blink like the normal turn signals when turning. I've added that option to each of my four prior Harleys - highly recommended.

Not much more to say - only 20 miles on the odometer with me as the rider. So far no comments on ABS - a gentle uneventful ride home despite the wet roads, just what I wanted.

 

I'd say you did fine lenscap. That you have a new Harley is quite something in itself. We can't always have everything!

My last bike was a Low Rider, 2000 FXR4. Kept for almost 10 years and regret selling it every time I think about it. I was getting older and thought I wanted a dresser for the comfort for self and wife, but I got sick and now I worry a dresser is too much to handle.

Point being you didn't snooze and you didn't loose. Be interested in hearing (and seeing) your reports as time goes with it.

 

I lost a bike tucking the front wheel while braking in a fine silt leftover from winter ice treatments. It was near/on the shoulder of the road. I had to move over there to brake to prevent someone from running over me as the vehicle in front of me slammed on their brakes for no apparent reason.

Still, it's not a deal breaker for me. I've been riding legally on the street for well over 30 years and this was the first incident that ABS would have saved my bacon. I've had other bikes with ABS and can assure you there would have been a lot less drama that day had I been on one of them.

I too am interested in the Low Rider, but of the 5 dealers in the area I've checked, not one has had one on the floor so equipped.

 

Completed three 20 mile heat cycles on the engine. More impressed with each ride. I installed the Harley Auxiliary Brake Light/Running Light Signal Conversion Kit (Part: 69462-06D). A very simple install. Biggest problem was removing the seat. For some reason HD uses the passenger grab strap as a secondary attachment point for the seat. To remove/install the two person seat you have to reach an awkwardly placed nut and remove/install it, which also releases the grab strap. Sounds complicated and it is. Took quite a while to get a secure hold when reinstalling, or secure grip when removing. Now I have three red rear lights all the time. They work for braking as well. A good upgrade and a bargain (at least in Harley terms) at $70.

Dealer suggested running 20 miles, letting the bike sit "for 10 minutes to cool" and repeating that cycle for the first 100 miles (5 cycles). The engine isn't close to cooling in 10 minutes, or a half hour for that matter. I'm taking my time and should complete the cycles tomorrow.

Had some rain today, didn't stop me from taking the bike home or playing a bit. Seems very solid in the rain, even with new tires and no ABS. I didn't press it, but I felt fully in control.

The position of the rear brake pedal is too low. It's far below the right foot peg. Either you have to lift your foot to grab it, or you have to hold your foot at an odd angle ready to cover the brake. I don't like it and it wasn't an issue on any of my other Harleys. I'll let you know what solution I find.

Continued to get some "thumbs up" from several cagers on the road. One guy a "senior" like me, was laughing out loud when he saw me on the bike with new plates wearing a full Aerostich rain suit. I had to admit, it was a pretty funny sight.

About the bike: I removed the auxiliary back pad when I installed the light conversion kit. I like the bike better without it, but I will have to adjust the bars to be closer to me. I'm 5'7", 170, 30" inseam plus a bit with riding boots. Harley claims the bike will fit anyone from 5'1" to 6'1". Given my very limited experience I believe them fully. On all of my other bikes I'd have to buy a different handlebar (two for the Heritage - couldn't find one that fit), or an aftermarket seat. With the standard adjustments available on the Low Rider that doesn't seem necessary. This may not be a big deal for you, but considering my past experience having the option to change the bike's setup so far has saved me $400 or more. By the way the adjustments are very easy to make. The hardest part is removing the seat and reinstalling it.

Brakes: The two discs definitely make a difference. What surprised me was the "feel". My Street Rod (2006 model year) had great brake feel (Brembos way back when) and were very helpful in controlling the bike. My Softail Deluxe (2007) had more of a wooden feel. The brakes worked, but I wished I had more bite and power. Same for the Heritage Classic (2009). The Sportster (2008) was decent, but not exceptional. It was actually disappointing given the lower weight of the bike.

Control: Haven't really played with it yet - the roads were wet and the tires are new. What little I did experience was confidence inspiring, at least in relative terms. The bike leans more than the Softails (which I welcome), not as much as the Street Rod (which I expected). Even though the Xl200C is a very similar bike, it didn't handle as well as the Low Rider. Could be the lower center of gravity in the Dyna versus the Sportster.

Looks: Clearly I'm biased, but springing for the upgraded Burnt Whiskey paint was a good move, at least for me. The anniversary Sportster had similar colors. I didn't like them initially in 2008, but was sorry when I sold the bike. I won't make the same mistake again. This time I think I'll hold on.

Unexpected Goodies: Dealer enrolled me in the HOG club, which I expected, and gave me a T shirt, which I didn't. Modest discount on accessories and clothing for 30 days - a nice treat, but pretty common. Still it was appreciated. Got introduced to the team - parts/manager/etc. Again expected, but Harley does it well. I got to "ring the bell" - and the entire HD staff was there to great me. No one does this better than Harley. Yeah, call it corny if you like, but it's a nice tradition.

Transaction: If you're like me you probably dread the "Finance meeting" before you can take delivery of your new ride. I was offered lots of options, none of which I wanted or felt provided any real value. I expressed my desire to skip everything, but the very nice woman asked me to at least let her present me with the options. I did, she smiled after it was over and a relatively painless 10 minutes passed quickly. There was no undo pressure to sign up for something.

Value: In the end I thought I got a fair deal. To be blunt I could have bought this bike at a competitor and likely pushed to save a few extra dollars since I'd be a "conquest" sale for the other dealer. I chose not to go that route. I told the dealer that I bought the bike from up front that their competitor was aggressive and promised to make it worth my while to visit them before reaching a decision. I think they realize that the days of selling bikes far above list is over. This dealer has treated me fairly over the years, serviced all four of my prior Harleys and has been prompt and attentive. I didn't think saving a few dollars was worth leaving behind a good relationship with the dealer, and told him so. The salesman, manager, finance manger and the rest of the team thanked me for being loyal. Maybe that's not a big deal, but I appreciated that they went out of their way to let me know that they were grateful for my business. Class act.

The ABS debate is still in my mind, but I'm greatly relieved by the quality of the brakes in the last 60 miles. They are very good overall - not as powerful as sports bikes, nor my BMW rides, but more than capable and far better than all but the Street Rod. The added power provides greater feel as well. I may still second guess not order ABS on the bike, but I'm pleasantly surprised with the stock brakes on the bike. They were fine on the test ride, but owning the bike yourself and riding for more than a few miles is the real test. The bike passed it.

Add ons: The one thing I'm considering, which I hadn't earlier, is the LED headlight option. It's pricey at $400, but after seeing the lights on the touring bikes I'm amazed with how incredible they are. Since lights are on all the time I thought that they may provide some extra visibility. They are far brighter than Xenon lights and have an incredibly wide beam. They are the best lights I've ever come across. We may start to think of these LED headlights in the same category as ABS in the near future. Provide both improved night visibility for the rider, but even more importantly make you very visible to traffic at all times. They are really amazing. Check them out.

Again, thanks for the help. I'm glad I bought the Low Rider - it will suit me very well, and given the adjustments and features I think it's the most reasonably priced Dyna model available, and for my needs, the best bike in their catalog.

 

I know engine break technique in is right up there with helmets and oil selection in terms of biblical debates. I had a Kawi dealer recommend the three heat cycles you mention, although no stipulation for time or distance limitations. I've never heard that from an HD dealer. I just looked at the manual (and I assume that is the word) and they don't mention the heat cycles, much less the criticality of time or mileage intervals. Anyone know what's with that? Are they suggesting additional annealing of internal engine parts? I can't believe that these engines are that sensitive, I'd call BS on that. Most engines would be scr3wed by the impatient new owners and all we'd be hearing about are oil burning issues, or whatever. In addition, HD is pretty liberal with test riding and no one told me to keep the RPMs down OR be back in 20 minutes during my test rides (although I did, but I was planning on buying ;-).
Glad to hear you got your bike lencap. Now is the time to let out a breath and just go enjoy it. Cheers.

 

Do you think so? I wouldn't expect this to really be affected

lencap I think you did just fine going non ABS and getting a discount. ABS is great technology, but so are dual-compound tires, dual discs (which you have, but most of us dyna owners don't!! jealous!), progressive rate suspension, etc. Us dyna owners mostly don't have that stuff. We have (mostly) retro machines. And they are cool as all hell. embrace it! Forget ABS for now and keep on ridin your new sweet ride

 

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The seat is far easier to remove then the process you went through, The passenger grab strap doesn't have to be removed. Unscrew the the screw at the back of the seat. Shove the seat back an inch to unhook the lip that goes under the fuel tank then pivot the seat sideways and it will slide right out. One screw and that is it. The hard part is keeping the screw from vibrating loose after you put is back. Mine kept coming loose so I finally used the lowest grade of locktite 222 to secure it.