2014 wtf?
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 319
Likes: 4
From: Home of Harley
I read your post about your mods and theres one or two of yours that I've done to my '14 Limited, but I'm considering a few more. I took the "flush handle" off both my saddlebags because I like to able to open the bags with 2 hands instead of one. For my faring vent I just bondoed over it, that way I can paint it the color of the faring instead of looking at that hideous black color of the vent. I'm looking to go back to a chopped tour pac because I really miss bungie tying my full face helmet on top of the rack. Right now on Ebay I'm high bidder on a faring from an '03 Road Glide. I'm putting that on instead of the stock one because they are the best being bolted to the frame, and also I want to pay homage to the bike that they no longer make due to poor sales. The hydraulic clutch swap has been a bit of a problem so far, but I have a friend that is giving me his clutch cable from his old ape hangers so I should have plenty of reach on that. I was able to get in a long ways with a wire snips and cut the usb cable and took the foam out of the junkbox compartment and now have a place for my change for the toll booths. The easiest mod so far though has been cutting the air lines and taking off the air shocks and now the bike is an awesome ride much like my grandfathers 1932 hardtail. The thing that has been the hardest to figure out is how to get some more heat back on my legs. I really miss that from my old bike. Like you I'm also looking for suggestions from guys with their dinosaur bikes on how I can make my new bike much like their old ones.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 82
Likes: 0
From: Spanaway/Puyallup, WA.
By some of the comments I'm reading, I can only assume some of you guys are about half or at least partially retarded.
I checked out a '14 Street Glide and a 14' Ultra today and they are nothing short of beautiful. (But not really much different looking, overall than previous years.)
Of course, everyone will need to do something to it to make it their own, but that's what it's all about.
The radio and dash set up, in conjunction with the new switch housings are far more intuitive. The dash has a much cleaner look. If you use a GPS, you won't need a separate unit mounted to the handlebars or dash.
I could live without the liquid cooling, because I know how to make my bike run cool as a cucumber myself.
That being said, when they put out a wet head 120R, that will get my attention.
The hard bags and tour pack are a light years ahead improvement. You may not like the shape, they don't necessarily look modern, but sitting next to a '13 or earlier, makes the earlier bags and tour packs surely look outdated. The easy, 1 hand open latching mechanisms are a thing of beauty. They work so nice.
The linked braking system is a straight up safety improvement that some Harley simpletons just won't get. They don't have the mental capacity. It's not their fault.
Overall, the 2014's IMO feature the best updates in recent years. I'll be holding out for a CVO Street Glide, but only when I can also buy a wet head 120R to stuff in it before it leaves the shop.
I checked out a '14 Street Glide and a 14' Ultra today and they are nothing short of beautiful. (But not really much different looking, overall than previous years.)
Of course, everyone will need to do something to it to make it their own, but that's what it's all about.
The radio and dash set up, in conjunction with the new switch housings are far more intuitive. The dash has a much cleaner look. If you use a GPS, you won't need a separate unit mounted to the handlebars or dash.
I could live without the liquid cooling, because I know how to make my bike run cool as a cucumber myself.
That being said, when they put out a wet head 120R, that will get my attention.
The hard bags and tour pack are a light years ahead improvement. You may not like the shape, they don't necessarily look modern, but sitting next to a '13 or earlier, makes the earlier bags and tour packs surely look outdated. The easy, 1 hand open latching mechanisms are a thing of beauty. They work so nice.
The linked braking system is a straight up safety improvement that some Harley simpletons just won't get. They don't have the mental capacity. It's not their fault.
Overall, the 2014's IMO feature the best updates in recent years. I'll be holding out for a CVO Street Glide, but only when I can also buy a wet head 120R to stuff in it before it leaves the shop.
Well said
Road Master
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 1,053
Likes: 39
From: Central Florida
My God, if some of you were hung with a new rope you would complain.
On the outside, the batwing looks very very much the same, the vent is about the only difference and it actually works. The gauge setup is big and functional but not quite as pretty as the century old look. The screen is the cats azz, love it!
Come'on toilet handles?? What do you want? They are way better than before and very positive locking just like the tour pack, now that is a real latch system! How nice it is not having to fiddle with the lid to get it open.
Stick with your i'll handling, ruff riding, slow dinosours.
The 14's just leaped ahead big time or should I say caught up with the 21st. century.
On the outside, the batwing looks very very much the same, the vent is about the only difference and it actually works. The gauge setup is big and functional but not quite as pretty as the century old look. The screen is the cats azz, love it!
Come'on toilet handles?? What do you want? They are way better than before and very positive locking just like the tour pack, now that is a real latch system! How nice it is not having to fiddle with the lid to get it open.
Stick with your i'll handling, ruff riding, slow dinosours.
The 14's just leaped ahead big time or should I say caught up with the 21st. century.
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 55
Likes: 1
From: charleston sc
Awesome- but, if the fairing removes the buffeting, I am in. I absolutely hate the buffeting, hence the reason I like the roadglide's "fugly" fairing.
I like the bags, it is about fricken time.
The stereo could use some work for the 20th century, but I am ready to trade my 12 FLHX.
I like the bags, it is about fricken time.
The stereo could use some work for the 20th century, but I am ready to trade my 12 FLHX.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2013
Posts: 3,820
Likes: 587
From: Michigan
Last edited by Hammz; Oct 8, 2013 at 10:41 PM.
The '14's may end up being bastard children...
I hate the 14's so much, I bought 2 of them.
My garage:
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 773
Likes: 11
From: Roanoke, VA
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Tourer
Joined: May 2012
Posts: 263
Likes: 30
From: Canada, Thailand
Maybe it is because I am older, been riding Harleys for over 40 years. I currently have a 2011 RKC and love it, stage one, solo seat, wild one bars, and it runs and looks great. Oh, and it is black. In my opinion it looks like a Harley should but it is extinct now along with the dinosaurs. The new bikes definately look a little Japanese to me but maybe that is what the younger guys want. It is all about making money and Harley will do what they need to to sell bikes, that is just business. When I started riding we were a completely different group than today, our pan and shovel heads leaked a little oil and gas and needed more love to keep them on the road but I can still remember the smell of those engines and the way they sounded, it was magic. I think we have lost a lot of the magic with the new bikes, just my opinion. if you rode a Harley and wore a black leather jacket you were considered bad news, now the people that scorned me out before are all riding harleys and wearing black leather jackets, mostly genuine Harley jackets of course with lots of cute designs and bikes with colors we would have laughed at before, no offense intended. Anyway, I will ride my bike the way I like it and others will do the same, nothing stays the same forever. Kind of sad though.
Every time I go to a local dealership, I feel like I'm getting old and left behind. I don't like, and haven't like the direction of the models for the last several years. Except for maybe a Street Glide, if I were given a $25,000 gift certificate, I would have a hard time spending it on a new bike.