HD Got It Right?
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Joined: Apr 2017
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From: DeLand, FL
HD Got It Right?
The current HD that I am riding is a 2013 "Limited" bagger. I admit, I only bought it because my lady friend was not comfortable on my Triumph Bonneville, or may 1982 KZ 550 four.
So far, the 2013 HD has been a pleasure to ride and trouble free. Needless to say, the lady likes her "couch" sitting behind me.
After owning a 1985 FLTC, which I bought new back then, I swore off HD. My current HD is my eighth HD.
It has been a long road since the early 1960s, when after coming out of the 2nd Armored Division, I bought a 1955 KHK. Following that, I had a string of HD motorcycles, all of which gave me multiple headaches. 1949 EL, still having "suicide shift" on the tank. 1953 FL, seemed fast for those days, but threw a lot of oil. 1965 FL. Wish I had kept that one. Last of the Pan Heads and the first Electra Glide. Others, all used, that I cleaned up rode and then sold until I bought a new 1983 Super Glide with enclosed chain. As I remember that was the last of the shovel head engines.
I much admired the belt drive, so in 1986, I got a great deal on a new FLTC. From the start, the engine leaked oil. My friendly Harley dealer tried a lot of band aids and finally tore down the engine and fixed the problem.
Each time I bought a Harley, I told the dealer of my past problems with HD and their answer was always the same: "Oh, we've taken care of that now on our new models!"
In 1992, when I sold the '85 FLTC, I bought a Yamaha Venture Royale. What a great, trouble free bike. Shaft drive, water cooled. Change oil on time and ride it.
More recently, I had heard that probably because of heavy competition, HD had fixed many of the old problems that used to plague Harley riders. So, okay, I am sucker for a pretty bike and two tone, dark metallic red and Merlot did hit me right. So forgetting my "swearing off of HD" I bought it and have not regretted doing that for one minute.
All the improvements hit me just right. 103 engine. Six gears. Great suspension. Good brakes. Very comfortable seating for rider and passenger. Will cruise all day at highway speeds without breathing hard.
What's not to like. So many "look like a Harley" foreign bikes, but when I speak to the riders, they all seem to have an inferiority complex, over the fact that their bike is not a "real" Harley Davidson Motorcycle!
Steven L. Ashe
So far, the 2013 HD has been a pleasure to ride and trouble free. Needless to say, the lady likes her "couch" sitting behind me.
After owning a 1985 FLTC, which I bought new back then, I swore off HD. My current HD is my eighth HD.
It has been a long road since the early 1960s, when after coming out of the 2nd Armored Division, I bought a 1955 KHK. Following that, I had a string of HD motorcycles, all of which gave me multiple headaches. 1949 EL, still having "suicide shift" on the tank. 1953 FL, seemed fast for those days, but threw a lot of oil. 1965 FL. Wish I had kept that one. Last of the Pan Heads and the first Electra Glide. Others, all used, that I cleaned up rode and then sold until I bought a new 1983 Super Glide with enclosed chain. As I remember that was the last of the shovel head engines.
I much admired the belt drive, so in 1986, I got a great deal on a new FLTC. From the start, the engine leaked oil. My friendly Harley dealer tried a lot of band aids and finally tore down the engine and fixed the problem.
Each time I bought a Harley, I told the dealer of my past problems with HD and their answer was always the same: "Oh, we've taken care of that now on our new models!"
In 1992, when I sold the '85 FLTC, I bought a Yamaha Venture Royale. What a great, trouble free bike. Shaft drive, water cooled. Change oil on time and ride it.
More recently, I had heard that probably because of heavy competition, HD had fixed many of the old problems that used to plague Harley riders. So, okay, I am sucker for a pretty bike and two tone, dark metallic red and Merlot did hit me right. So forgetting my "swearing off of HD" I bought it and have not regretted doing that for one minute.
All the improvements hit me just right. 103 engine. Six gears. Great suspension. Good brakes. Very comfortable seating for rider and passenger. Will cruise all day at highway speeds without breathing hard.
What's not to like. So many "look like a Harley" foreign bikes, but when I speak to the riders, they all seem to have an inferiority complex, over the fact that their bike is not a "real" Harley Davidson Motorcycle!
Steven L. Ashe
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