I'd say I see both points. The Electra glide model came first in the time line . Thus setting the stage for refinement that led to new models. These new models popularity and success brought improvements to the Electra glide.

 

My opinion but the closest thing to a 1965 eglide today would have been the FLD Dyna switchback.

 

It was definitely designed with the old 4-speed Electra Glide in mind

 

They're two seperate timelines. True Electra Glide bikes were sold ALONGSIDE FLT Tour Glide bikes till HD scrapped all the old tech, the 4-speed frame, the whole thing in 1984. Then they just slapped the Electra Glide name on the FLT and the FLHT they brought out a little later with a traditional style headlight and windshield. Harley used to give each revision of the chassis a name. When. hydraulic forks replaced the springer in 1949 they gave it the name "Hydra Glide". In 1958 when they added rear shocks and a swingarm they named it "Duo Glide". In 1965 they added electric start and named it "Electra Glide". Then in 1980 they completely modernized the frame, added rubber mounting, brought out a whole new 5 speed transmission, and named it the FLT Tour Glide. Only after Harley scrapped everything did they go back and change the name on the FLT to "Electra Glide" for nostalgia purposes. It's really sad that more people don't know this.

 

Harley called its modern touring bikes "Electra Glide" for nostalgia purposes. The new frame and setup was given the name Tour Glide in 1980. Harley didn't change that name till they decided to get into the retro/nostalgia/tribute bike market in a big way in 1984/85. People had been riding Electra Glide bikes for 20 years at that point so to hell with tradition, we'll just stick the old name on the new bike to make it sound cooler. Electra Glide bikes were sold alongside Tour Glide bikes for years. Did Chevy build two different 2 seater cars, one unibody and one old frame, side by side for multiple years under different names and then slap the trade name of the older design on the newer model after discontinuing the old model and ignoring the fact that they had been using another name for the new style frame for the previous 5 years? That example you give doesn't work here. Your modern Harley isn't a refined version of the old 4-speed platform. That platform was scrapped 5 years after your modern platform was introduced and after the old platform was scrapped it's name was assigned to your new platform as a marketing ploy. That's the facts. No Harley marketing and no wishful thinking is going to change facts.

 

Nostalgia? Slap an old name on a new bike? The Electra Glide has been in production continuously since 1965 and yes they have been making upgrades to the Electra Glide all along as new technologies have improved motorcycling. They have been using technologies that first came out on other cycles.

To the rest of you, here's what Jakedaniel is talking about: When the Tour Glide came out in 1980 it had a stronger frame and rubber mounted engine. Later the Electra Glide received such a frame. At that point Jakedaniel is saying it's no longer an Electra Glide. He says they slapped the old Electra Glide name on the new cycle.

Yes, that's exactly what happened. My comparison to the Corvette is a good one. While Chevrolet was building the Corvette they decided to try a unibody, a new technology on a new car and they called this car the Corvair. Chevrolet built the Corvair alongside the Corvette for multiple years. It's true the Corvair has back seats but realize Corvair actually is a combination of the words Corvette and Bel Air. When they discontinued the Corvair they used the unibody technology in the Corvette. The Corvette was already a long standing and very popular car so Chevrolet did not want to discontinue the Corvette. Instead they used the unibody on newer models and called these new models the Corvette. They were small high performance cars that upheld the tradition of the Corvette line. The fact that the unibody technology came from another model is irrelevant. The unibody Corvettes upheld the Corvette tradition but with new technologies.
New Corvettes had a V8 but not the same V8 as the old Corvettes. New Electra Glides had a big V Twin but not the same V Twin as the old Electra Glides.
With that being said you seem to be saying the frame of the mid 80's signifies that the cycle is no longer an Electra Glide. You say it's frame is more like the Tour Glide. But remember the Tour Glide had a frame mounted fairing. That's an important distinction! Many Electra Glide owners did not buy a Tour Glide or Road Glide because of the fairing. The issue is these fairings and other styling changes DEFINE the new Electra Glide and the Road Glide. The frame and the rubber engine mounts are technologies that REFINE the cycle. To reiterate I believe the Electra Glide name should stay with the name that defines what Electra Glide has evolved to become. And riders expect technologies to REFINE and improve the motorcycle.
JakeDaniel, your argument surrounds the refinements of the Electra Glide (frame and engine mounts) not what I believe defines the Electra Glide.

So what traits DEFINE an Electra Glide? I can not emphasise enough that the Electra Glide and it's intended purpose have changed continuously over the years. Electra Glide has become synonymous with our idea of a full dress touring motorcycle but it was originally an all purpose motorcycle.
The 1965 Electra Glide had a big V twin. Front suspension was telescopic forks. The rear suspension was a swing arm with coil over shocks on both sides. All those traits also describe the new Electra Glide.
The Electra Glide has not changed as much as the Corvette. The early Corvette had a solid, one piece axle and 2 steel rails formed the basis of the frame. Later Corvettes had four wheel independent suspension and a unibody design.

This is a good debate but I see you concentrating on what I think are details. Then you say these changes are too much for HD to continue to use the Electra Glide name. I say Harley Davidson has every right to continue the Electra Glide name on this motorcycle line as technology has refined the frame, engine and suspension. All the while the public expects more from what Electra Glide has become, a touring motorcycle. If you just want something to get you to work or school you should look to the Sportster.

 

Yep, it was (is) a "trailing" triple tree designed by non other than Erik Buell long before he left Harley to found Buell motorcycles.

A "trailing" triple tree (triple clamp) has the pivot point ahead of the fork tubes to give a more stable feel at speed. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I know of no other bike built this way to this day. I'd also add that after 45 years of motorcycling on dozens and dozens of bikes, I'm dubious if the design actually adds any stability, but I'm sure it doesn't subtract any stability.

 

No, it's really not "sad". It's 20th (and 21st) Century marketing. It will continue WELL into the future, as it should. You are talking "Trademarks" and "Copyrights", not motorcycles.

Any company has a right to it's own innovations, trade marks, and copyrights. These companies have the legal right to determine how to market their own innovations, trademarks, and copyrights.

Harley has the right to call ANY motorcycle that it produces an "Electra Glide" simply because they own the trademark - "Electra Glide".
To argue that HD shouldn't use the name "Electra Glide" because of the brief interlude of the "Tour Glide" name, more than 30 years ago, is a "Fool's Errand".

Anyone can see the timeline of HD touring bikes. The timeline is without holes or spaces, or gaps in time. Wether they call current bikes Electra Glides, Hydra Glides, Duo Glides, or something else is irrelevant. Harley Davidson INC. owns ALL of those trademarks. And frankly, ALL of the current HD touring bikes owe their existence to ALL of those bikes.

Back then they were simply called "big twins". Heck a SuperGlide, another derivative of an Electra Glide, to which ALL Dynas owe their existence (SuperGlides, Low Riders etc), is simply an Electra Glide with a Sportster front end, thanks to a VERY young Willie G. It's the first bike he designed for HD.

 

2013 Ultra has lowers

 

The first big bike I rode was the ol mans 76 FLH faring and all, had a big white seat. He was an old biker from the 50's I took it down the road and went to turn around and fell over, waited till he came down to beat my ***, he helped me pick it up and said you got the bitch here now get it home. I had a 77 sporty for some time until I picked up an 86 FLHTC Electra Glide Classic, belt drive and 5 speed put 80,000 miles on it then went to an 90 FLHTC, put close to a 100 thousand on it. Think the evo is bullet proof. I have since had an '01 Road King and this year went to a '13 Ultra. To me there ain't nothing better. I wish the ol man was alive today to ride the new bikes, I think he'd have a huge *** smile. Just my 1 1/2 cents....