and for the most part I'm pleased. The handling, ride and engine power is great. As should be expected. My issues are with the "bells and whistles".

First, the NAV. Why can't HD just get a Garmin OEM product and put it in their bikes? I've had the Zumo for years and it blows the Boom6.5 NAV away. Twisty roads, great avoidance features, easy use. The HD NAV is so cumbersome having to dig down through myriad layers only to not find what you want. And $149 to upgrade a map? REALLY? When for $70 for a GPS you get lifetime upgrades? Come HD, if you want to recruit younger riders, you need to get with it.

Second, the buttons on the bars seem backwards to me. For example, the cruise toggle has RES/- on top, SET/+ on bottom. You'd think you would press the RES/- to resume speed, but nay nay, you press up on the SET/+ button. I don't know about you, but when I see a toggle with ON and OFF I press ON to turn it on, not vice versa.

Third, the radio reception sucks and the audio quality for a "premium" sound system is really bad. You have to crank it up so loud to hear it it's all distorted. I guess HD wants you to by the upgraded amp? IDK.

Fourth, the iPOD control sucks too. The dealer told me it can control the playlists and stuff like that. I can't get it to do that. It just randomly plays songs. I haven't seen anything in the BOOM book to help (yet - I'm not throught it totally yet.)

Comfort is ok. The "craddle" or U-Shaped rider seat gets tiring after a while. Feels like it's squeezing the nut sack...lol. Will be looking for aftermarket for sure.

I did notice the EITMS is disabled by default. The dealer didn't even mention that when I bought it (I could write a book about the incompetence of the dealer), should I turn that on?

Thanks and I look forward to getting flamed or helped.
Ride Safe!!

 

Pretty easy to enable. Basically with bike running and at idle roll off the throttle it is spring loaded hold it there for a few seconds and you should see it change from disabled to enabled. It will go "Active" when the Ambient temp gets above 80 degrees and it is at idle under 3 mph. That is how the new EITMS is designed. As for the rest of your complaints I guess I see it differently but I have been on my Rushmore for 21 months and found it very easy to get used to. there is a "Twisty" option in the Boom system though in the options for the Navigation You will have "Fastest, shortest, Twisty and one other that escapes me at the moment. Haven't had to upgrade my maps yet and if needed I am hoping I can talk the dealer into throwing that in on a service. The buttons on the bars may take some getting used to. On my 2009 the cruise was on the right side and made setting it a hassle while trying to keep a steady throttle. Now on the left you can set it with either a push up or down on the control. Yes "Resume" is up but I believe that is the same on my Ford and in my Garbage truck. As for Radio Reception, Check to see which version you are using. 1.18.1 had a bad clicking and terrible reception, 1.18.3 was the last update that fixed that on my radio. Now they have 1.19.0 out and I just installed it a few minutes ago so I am not sure what changed. They may wannt you to buy the amp for sure. I just put a 7 inch windshield on andthe wind noise at highway speed almost drowns out the radio altogether. With the factory 10 inch I never had an issue even in a full face helmet. Enjoy the ride!!

 

I would enable the EITMS. It's easy as noted above.

 

Good valid points.
The GPS that comes w/ a CVO softail is the Zumo and works great. I never had GPS at all (even in my cars/trucks) so I was a newbie to this tech. Your right about the GPS being cumbersome for your model.
I had the 2014 FLHTK and never got into the gps but loved and got spoiled w/ the Zumo on the softail.


I found, for me, the stock radio to be pretty functional.
The seat worked for me also and I found it pretty good on long distance trips.
The bar button set up took a few times to get used to but in the long run I think it started to become second nature.


And yes, the dealer may not know about the bike they are selling. I was told that the base FLHTK had a Sirius module stock.


The EITMS worked but man did it make the bike run funky.
So like it posted above go out and play w/ it on a nice warm or hot day. Once you do the EITMS the first time its very easy to change the setting at a stop light.


Have a nice ride and enjoy...great bike


Overall,, a nice review!

 

I have a Road King so I don't have most all the things you complained about. I like not having all that stuff, for me it's all about the ride. I do have curse control, and I love how it works, on the left side, perfect,as to how it functions I got use to it and it's great. Good luck to ya, and remember, things could be a lot worse.

 

There is not one single vehicle manufacturer doing what you want. I bought a $60,000 2013 Cadillac and the GPS was not nearly as good as the one on my Harley.

That's you.

The "RES" on the top indicates the direction to move the button. UP.

Mine is clear at full volume and 90mph. Not concert hall clear, but I'm not in a concert hall, I'm on a motorcycle. A loud one.

Again, you. You need to spend some time in the garage with the bike on the tender and figure the controls out.

I can control songlists, artists, albums or songs easier on the Boom than I can on the iPod itself. I have a 7th gen Nano.
There is a setting to tell it to play random.

A Corbin Dual Tour fixed that for me.

My EITMS has been disabled since day 1. And the day I picked it up, it was 110ºF outside.
It gets hot here in South Texas, and I never turn it on, and I've had the bike 21 months now.

It is there for rider comfort, not for the bike. If it were crucial for the bike, we wouldn't have the option to turn it off, would we?

The only thing it MAY cool is the rear exhaust header.

If you think that piston and rings flying around inside that cylinder at 1000 rpms is going to cool the engine, you are mistaken.

Want proof? Go fire up grandad's old air compressor, let it run 10 minutes, and go lay your hand on the pump....

Same concept, draws air in, applies horsepower to create pressure, no combustion.

You are STILL generating heat via friction and compression.



...Hope I wasn't too harsh, not trying to be...

 

When I bought my 2015 Limited Low a few weeks ago I had them install the Harley Hammock seat before I left the building. Seat problem solved. I agree with you about the GPS. Gee you can buy a Garmin with just about the same size screen from Wally world for less than $200 bucks thats upgraded several time a year for life free of charge. No way should Harley charge to upgrade maps as long as it's under warranty.

 

Thanks for all the great replies. I'm learning and spending more time reading the books and operating the units.
Ride Safe.

 

[QUOTE=striper.seeker;14050930
Fourth, the iPOD control sucks too. The dealer told me it can control the playlists and stuff like that. I can't get it to do that. It just randomly plays songs. I haven't seen anything in the BOOM book to help (yet - I'm not throught it totally yet.)
[/QUOTE]

I think you have to have the phone plugged in to the USB for those features to work. Bluetooth offers limited control.

 

The one on my 25K Nissan works WAY better than the one on my Harley....

GM nav does suck...