PURPLE REIGN: 11 States in 10 Days on a Harley-Davidson Ultra Limited

PURPLE REIGN A view from my motel balcony in Ann Arbor, Michigan after a steamy, June morning rain. Good times.

If you are looking for a touring motorcycle to take you across the country and back again in comfort and ease, then look no further than the Harley-Davidson Ultra Limited and the Ultra Limited Low.

It’s a hell of a ride and a real state of the art touring machine, despite its funky, two-tone Purple Fire/Blackberry Smoke paint job and a passenger seat that looks like it was designed for a toddler. The Ultra Limited rides like a monstrous, 900-pound La-Z-Boy on two wheels.

TANKS A LOT Harley-Davidson provided an awesome ride for my epic, summer trip to the 93rd Annual Laconia Bike Fest.

I put over 2,400 miles on one on a fantastic ride from Milwaukee, Wisconsin to Laconia, New Hampshire and back again this summer with plenty of detours along the way. The best way to see this great big, country of ours is definitely riding on a Harley-Davidson.

My road trip took me through many secondary roads of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts and Vermont during the first weeks of June. The weather varied from temperatures in the low 30s to the upper 90s.

LAKE BREAK  A quick pit stop in the thriving metropolis of Sandusky, Ohio, home of the world famous block party – sorta.

The Ultra Limited and all of its Project RUSHMORE upgrades make road tripping a breeze. I tested the Low version, which has a one-inch lowered front and rear suspension than a stock Ultra Limited.

It’s a serious low ride and center of gravity that was designed for shorter riders and makes it easier for handling and to lift the 896-pound machine off its kick stand. It’s also the lowest seat height currently available at only 26.5 inches off the ground and highly recommended for riders in the 5’5″ range. This is great for shorter riders, but the weight of the machine can still be an issue for some folks.

NEW YORK STATE OF MIND Cruising back from New England between New York and Pennsylvania’s countryside.

The Twin Cam 103 Engine is more than adequate for this bagger, and having tested the Twin Cam 103 and 110 engines back to back, I believe the Twin Cooled High Output Twin Cam combined with the smooth, six-speed cruise drive is all you need for long hauls and epic two-wheel journeys. I haven’t tested the all-new Milwaukee Eight engine yet, but we’ll keep you posted on that.

NO NUKES Just a fossil fuel burning hog on the side of the road south of Toledo, Ohio. Smokin’ for reals!

The restyled Project RUSHMORE Batwing fairing is my favorite of all the Harley-Davidsons I’ve tested. The interior gauges are easy to read and in all the right places.

You never have to look down to check your speed and the touch screen navigation system is easy to use, even with your gloves on. There’s a trigger switch on the handle bars that’s easy to use too, if you don’t want to touch the screen and get your fingerprints all over it.

CRUISE CONTROL The fairing keeps the wind gusts off of your chest and even your hands. The sound system ROCKS.

Granted I am not a big fan of navigation systems on motorcycles in general, but when you are nearly out of gas in the middle of Indiana on a secondary road surround by farmland – it can be a real godsend.

There is also voice activation for music, phone and GPS if you are so inclined. I’m a big fan of silence and would opt for removing it to lose the weight and gain some valuable storage space. But hey, if you want to blare some White Snake outta your speakers as you pull up to the road house on a Saturday night – live your dream.

DEER HUNTER All of my gear fits inside the Ultra’s hard bags; my Indian bud from Texas, not so much. 

Aside from looking pretty cool, the Batwing fairing also reduces head buffering and you can control the airflow on top and along both sides through its vents. It makes it easier on your constitution and keeps the bugs and other critters at bay.

The hard saddlebags and Tour-Pak luggage carrier design make it easy live out of your motorcycle while you are on the road and not have to worry about unpacking all of your gear every time you stop for the night. The one-touch latches make it super easy to reach in and out of them without a fuss.

LEADER OF THE PACK Enough room for all my junk and a passenger if you can’t leave your old lady or partner behind.

The locking Tour Pak is easy to use and can easily hold two full face helmets or a backpack full of gear. I had a week’s worth of clothes, a one-person tent and a sleeping bag the saddlebags, plus room for a passenger to boot. Not too shabby.

Now stopping and turning the beast around on the highway is another story and a hell of a work out. I’d opt for driving straight ahead than having to stop and turn this monster around.

I hope in future models, the engineering wizards at Harley-Davidson can shave some of the weight off of this model and design a cooler looking passenger seat like you used to see on old choppers of the Seventies. It looks better without the passenger seat and you can order one without it, but if Harley can develop a better design, you just might have a perfect touring motorcycle.

BIKE RIGHT Harley-Davidson is still the tops in touring; now is a good time to find a deal on the 2016 models.

I still can’t believe I managed to get all of this crap in the bike for my trip: clothes for a week, a sleeping bag, tent, computer, rain gear, a full face helmet and more.

Check out more photos of the Ultra Limited Low in the photo galleries below.

Specifications:
Dimensions
Length: 102.4 in. (2600 mm)
Seat Height: 27 in. (685 mm)
Fuel Capacity: 6 gal. (22.7 L)
Dry Weight: 861 lbs. (391 kg)
Powertrain:
Engine: Twin-Cooled High Output Twin Cam 103
Displacement: 103.1 cu. in. (1690 cc)
Engine Torque: 105.5 ft. lbs. @ 3750 RPM (143 Nm @ 3750 RPM)
Transmission: 6-Speed Cruise Drive
Wheels/Tires

Contrast Chrome Impeller Cast Aluminum
Front: D408F BW 130/80B17 65H
Rear: D407T BW 180/65B16 81H

Color Options
Solids: Vivid Black; Black Quartz Two-Tones: NEW Billet Silver/Vivid Black; Amber Whiskey/Vivid Black; NEW Mysterious Red Sunglo/Velocity Red Sunglo; Deep Jade Pearl/Vivid Black Custom Colors: Purple Fire/Blackberry Smoke; NEW Cosmic Blue Pearl

PRICE: $26,899

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Photos by Ed Tahaney