Hey, Electra-Glide owners: tell me the +/- about this H-D

[billo]

I'm no Harley rider but after years of bashing them and never having ridden one, I took them up on their free test ride offer last June.  We took out an '09 Electra Glide for a 20 minute spin (we have a Honda ST1300).   I have to say, my over all impression is - this is a fun bike and I like it.  It's comfortable, handles well - especially in town - with great confidence on the freeway, even though floor boards are a new thing to me.  The things that could use improvement are probably easily remedied, and here they are:  The motor was surprisingly smooth but at the same time surprisingly gutless on the freeway.  75 mph roll on's produced almost no acceleration at all.  You will be stunned at the lack of performance.  The shocks were jarring on sharp edged bumps.  There was noticeable heat on my right foot - and it was only a 72 degree day.  There are adjustable vents for this that the dealer says may have been set wrong.   So, about the same as any other bike.  Not perfect but not bad either.  I'd buy one for half the MSRP.

Bill

[Ti954]

It's an HD...BIG negative.

[chornbe]

It's an HD...BIG negative.

At least have the balls to stay out of the Harley subsection and do your bashing where everyone else does it.

Or just get some new rhetoric. You're played out.

[Playinthestreet]

  I'd buy one for half the MSRPBill

I did, it's an 07.

[Geoff]

The Electra Glide is a great bike with excellent wind protection, lots of storage and good reliability. The comment about the bat wing fairing having trouble in high wind is crap. The only nit I had with the '05 Electra Glide Ultra Classic I owned was limited cornering clearance and a small (5 gal.) gas tank.  The tank was enlarged to 6 gallons in 2008.  

[hig4s]

Not as comfortable for the passenger as my Yamaha Venture (so my wife says) because of the three inch shorter wheelbase which comes mostly out of the passenger area.

About the same weight as the Venture but the taller V-twin engine has a little higher COG,, but hardly noticeable.  

Both are somewhat difficult at parking lot speeds, but with practice the shorter wheelbase allows the Harley to work a bit better at slow speeds. Both are much better than a Goldwing at very slow speeds.

[chornbe]

Agreed about the somewhat cramped passenger area on the 'Glides. A thin pillion will be fine. A busty or belly-laden pillion will touch the rider.

[sagerat]

For me it won't matter, as I'm always riding solo on my trips.

I reserve the right to change my mind if Lolita is hitching.  

[hig4s]

For me it won't matter, as I'm always riding solo on my trips.

I reserve the right to change my mind if Lolita is hitching.  

Then why an Electra-Glide???

If I only, or even mostly road solo it would have been either a Yamaha Royal Star Tour Deluxe (same frame and engine as a Venture with no trunk and a removable windscreen), or a Road King (same frame and engine as a Glide with no trunk and a removable windscreen, but has an optional tour pack trunk). Yeah you don't get the stereo and intercom, but solo you don't need the intercom and Ipods are cheap. The difference in wind protection form the removable shields to the bat wing is not that much different.


OH, and once you have a certain amount of storage space on a bike, it is very hard to go back. But if you never had it, you don't really miss it.

[atadaskew]

 A busty or belly-laden pillion will touch the rider.

First option - excellent.
2nd option - nothankyouverymuch

[sagerat]

Then why an Electra-Glide???

Because I've always wanted one.  Or at least to rent one for a trip just to scratch that itch.

[chornbe]

Plus, they're great bikes.

[weidauer]

Then why an Electra-Glide???

There's just something about the Glide that triggers all the right neurons. HD claims the that E-Glide line - in its various guises - is its top-selling model. Considering the price, that's saying something. They developed the current Ultra Limited to continue to tap into the bank accounts of those who can afford this indulgence. I'm sorely tempted to trade in my '08 Anniversary model for one.

[hig4s]

There's just something about the Glide that triggers all the right neurons. HD claims the that E-Glide line - in its various guises - is its top-selling model. Considering the price, that's saying something. They developed the current Ultra Limited to continue to tap into the bank accounts of those who can afford this indulgence. I'm sorely tempted to trade in my '08 Anniversary model for one.

When they say E-glide line don't they mean all the touring machines, Road King, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide and Ultra Glide?
They are all the same frame and engine.

[weidauer]

When they say E-glide line don't they mean all the touring machines, Road King, Road Glide, Street Glide, Electra Glide and Ultra Glide?
They are all the same frame and engine.

Not in this case - they're only talking about the Electra Glide Standard, Electra Glide Classic, and the Ultra Classic. The "batwing" bikes.

[hig4s]

 

OK, not that it is important, and I hesitate to even ask, but the Street Glide is a batwing bike, is it counted in the E-glide line?

[weidauer]

 

OK, not that it is important, and I hesitate to even ask, but the Street Glide is a batwing bike, is it counted in the E-glide line?

Electra Glide Standard. Electra Glide Classic. Electra Glide Ultra Classic. Nowhere do the words "Street" or "Road" appear.

Electra. Glide.

[chornbe]

The Street Glide is a variant of the ElectraGlide Standard. It includes the base stereo package, some models have ABS and Cruise Control, akin to the ElectraGlide Classic. They do not have the big comfy seat, tour trunk or passenger floorboards and other "comfort" and convenience nicities like the Classic and Ultra have. They're the "hot rod" version of the e-glides. Lowered rears, less chrome and doodads, while still being a full on touring package for one-up (stock) or two-up (with some addons). The Street Glide has a 4" "chopped" windshield, where the other e-glides have the 9" (or higher) windshield. Minor differences. Same bike.

ElectraGlide Standard:


Street Glide:

[Geoff]

The Electra Glide Standard is gone from the 2010 line up. I don't know how the Standard sold in recent years, but this clearly is a move to steer buyers to higher priced touring models.  

[chornbe]

The Electra Glide Standard is gone from the 2010 line up. I don't know how the Standard sold in recent years, but this clearly is a move to steer buyers to higher priced touring models.  

Factoring in the price increases across the board, at $17k, the Road King is the new "entry" level touring frame bike. It sits where the Standard would have, I think, in the pricing line up. More or less.