HOG (NYSE ticker symbol) is a business. Many factors dictate changes to thier product. These factors may include (among others) EPA, costs, trends, competition and marketing. Harley's big twin moved from an 88ci to a 96ci. This created "demand" for the 96ci. Now, Harely is making limited versions of 103ci and so on. Would't you know it, 103's are not discounted (many times on the contrary). When you have declining ridership and products that last, you must reinvent yourself so that folks that currently have your product will want to switch to a newer version (HOG does not directly make any money on sales of used bikes).

Best

Greg

 

A simple cam swap will have you pulling tree stumps, and getting the fat girl up and over the hill before your buddies see ya with her.

 

Fat girl! The Limited or my wife. Either way, anyone that has a problem looking at either one is no buddy of mine.
Cams will help, I intend to put a set of 255s to get a little more bottom end, but only time will tell if even that will be enough. The problem is that if you ride roads like the BRP when you get into the really mountainous twisty portions you are forces to slow to 40 mph or so on a lot of uphill tight curves. That puts you well under 2000 rpm and the Limited just doesn't have any grunt under 2000. I'm used to the Wing have gobs of torque all the way down to 1500 rpm and not having to shift under those conditions. With the Ultra, it's hit a curve, downshift to third, hit the next straight, upshift to fifth, over and over again. Drove me crazy at first but it also let my know why my friend with his Ultra was constantly dropping back on uphill curves and then catching back up. After 10k I've gotten more used to it but it would be nice to pick the torque up to at least 90 lbs.ft. in the 1800 rpm range. Hopefully the 255s will do that.

 

Be happy with your powerful goldwing. Ride your less powerful Harley for whatever reason you bought it for and be happy with it. What's the problem?

 

Harleys are COOL. Why else would all these people ride them? It's the COOLEST bike I've ever seen. That is my personal opinion. I don't care that people ride different brands. That's the way the world is. For me, when sombody says "motorcycle", I think of HD. Been that way for 50 yrs.

 

If you are 100% satisfied with your current bike, I'm happy for you. I've never owned any machine that I couldn't change something on it and make it better. My Limited doesn't really have enough power for two up touring in the mountains, my Wing could really use a sixth gear for more relaxed running on the superslab. Niether is a make or break problem, I can downshift on the Limited and the higher rpm doesn't hurt the Wing, bunchs of them have over 200k with nothing touched in the engine. BUT, more low end power and a sixth gear would make the Limited and the Wing more efficient touring bikes, the sole reason I own both. Considering that I can't change either bike then I have no real problems with either one but those things are on my wish list.

 

The folks with money to buy a Harley don't want some foriegn made or looking bullshit.They want a Harley.

 

Who cares??? Everyone here already has a 45 degree air cooled V twin. It's not a right that future generations have the opportunity to purchase one. I'd like to buy a real hemi powered 'Cuda but that ship has sailed too. Enjoy what you have while you still have it. Just sayin . . .

 

When I read a post like this one, the first thing I think is, this guy doesn't know how to ride a motorcycle. The Limited has plenty of power for two up anywhere in the mtn's. Just keep the RPM's up. I only change back and forth between two gears. Only then when I have to slow below 30 MPH. Keep the R's up between 2500 and 3500 and you'll have all the power you need. You can't ride in the mtn's and expect to have torque at 2000 RPM's. You are lugging your engine if you do. Take a course and learn to ride. I also hate it when people compare Harley to a goldwing.
A Harley is a Motorcycle! A Goldwing is a two wheeled sports car!!!

 

Been riding for over forty years, average around 20k a year, this year alone I was in 27 states and two Canadian province. Guess by your standards I'll never learn to ride but the bottom of my Wing has scratchs on the mufflers, center stand, crash guards and bottom fairing on both sides. Big scratches. Come into my mountains and I'll gladly let you give me lessons.
All I said was that compared to several other bikes stock Harleys don't have any low end torque, certainly not tractor like torque. Any engine that has to kept over 2500 rpm to produce good usable power is not a torque monster. I said my Limited can be down shifted and get the job done, it's just a shame you have to. Luckily it has many other endearing traits.
BTW, in fifth gear my Limited and my Wing are geared almost identically, only big difference is that a Wing is not lugging at 1500 because it does have tractor like torque.