Modern Harley road bikes also come with cush drive, which has rubber pulse dampeners in the rear drive. It makes the bikes smoother, but also feels slower than it is.

Moving from an "old friend" bike that you are used to to something new, will always feel a bit strange. You will feel that different is worse, when it might actually be better. Clutch is a good example. If you road a new bike for a few weeks, you might even feel that your old clutch feels weird after going back.

You will also get the hang of finding neutral. Every bike seems just a bit different here.

Takes some time in the saddle.

 

I agree. When shopping for my current ride I had a moderately modded 88 and I test rode quite a few stock 2012 103" and was blown away on how much more torque and power the stock 103" had over my 88.

 

Disagree with the Lack of Power, the new HO 103 is almost Stage 1 numbers to previous year 103's. And as for the clutch, it gets better and neutral become efortless.

 

Thanks for the input. I am nervous about making the right purchase. We are not talking chump change on a new bike. I really feel I want to buy new this time instead of a used bike with stage 1 already done. I want to make my own decision on exhaust, cams and air cleaner instead of riding someone else's choice

 

I also think my 2013 Street Glide 103 falls short of my 2006 Road King Custom 88, much broader torque band on my 88. Not saying gutless but my 88 pulled hard all the way through each gear where my 103 pulls harder but not all the way through the gears and feel like it falls on its face around 4,500 rpm.

 

Don't blame you a bit. You are a wise man.

 

The finding neutral issue is strange to me.
I tested 2 new Lo's before I bought mine.
The one I couldn't get into neutral at all and it took a tech about 5 tries.
The other (which I bought) went right in every time.

 

the new rushmore version of the 103 is almost - ALMOST - indistinguishable from the 110 in the touring bikes

I rode back to back to back touring bikes and bike week in Daytona, jumped from one to the other - granted there is NO CVO Streety now so each time on a SG it was less weight compared with the limited and CVO limited, but two others said the same thing, the 110 is no where near the boost in power it was over the stock mules, so your power feel compared with your 88 must be related to the smooth delivery of the new power plant versus the evo, because power plant to power plant they don't even stack up

 

the 88 is a Twin Cam, not Evo. I'm Yet to ride a 2014 with the upgraded cams. My 103 does have more than my 88 just not as broad of a torque curve. I've neve done more than stage 1 on any of my bikes, (off Topic) can anyone suggest a good cam upgrade? not looking for huge numbers just broader torque curve that pulls strong through out the rpm range.

 

Neutral becomes available around 1500 miles for some reason. Good luck.