Great on long rides, lacks power, quality issues
Written: Jul 21 '03
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Pros: Very comfortable on long rides
Cons: Way too expensive, seriously short on power
The Bottom Line: There is the Harley experience but there are better bikes out there.
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| doctorjeep's Full Review: 2002 Harley Davidson FLHTC/FLHTCI Electra Glide C... |
Okay, I don't own a Harley but I borrowed a friends while my Goldwing was being repaired after I was hit by a car. I took the bike on a 2700 mile trip and became quite familiar with it's various nuances and quarks. I was very critical at first of the Electra Glide because I am comparing it to the 2003 GL1800 Goldwing. I do not believe that this is unfair because both Honda and Harley compete for market share in the full dress tour bike area. The Electra Glide I rode had all accessories (stereo, intercom, fuel injection, and cruise control)and was the 2003 model year.
What did I like about it? My first impression of the bike was that it sits nice and low, and seems to have a lower center of gravity than the Honda. The seats were very comfortable and the sitting position is also conducive to long hours on the road. Both the Honda and Harley excel at this. The luggage was a little on the smallish side, but did the job. The stereo was good but not great. Off idle response was good up to a point. The cruise control again was good, but lags behind the Honda offering. The paint was a lovely silver and black that was obviously high quality. I thought the headlights worked exceedingly well. I had no problem seeing the road after dark and a great spread of the road surface was illuminated. Wind protection is superb, a little better than the Honda GL1800 in some respects with great visibility through the windscreen. The exhaust had not been modified on this bike so it had a nice mellow blub blub sound vice the annoying racket that so many Harley owners ascribe to. The controls were basic, easy to use and understand. The speedometer and tach were dials and are easy to read. Long range gas mileage was good around 34 mpg or so averaging around 75mph.
So what did I not like about it? I am not going to bash the Harley. I did have some problems with it though. Handling is, well, like trying to manhandle a big fat blob. I have been riding for over twenty years, and have been actively racing for the last ten. I really know how to get around on a bike, but this one mystified me at every opportunity. I am speaking mainly of the low speed maneuvering. All I can say to you is 'Watch out'. Breaks are good, but again not great. The clutch pull is pretty stiff, and the gearbox is far from seamless. This Electra Glide, when I took it out had roughly 3000 miles on it and had been recently serviced. The gearbox was clunky and lacked any refined feeling. As I stated above the motor did work great but only to a point. There seems to be a magic RPM number that the motor just lost all power. It's around 3500 rpm that the power just ends…completely. Oh well, I wasn't out to break any speed records, just have a good time. I found out that at speeds above 90mph you had better know what you are doing too. I got the bike to top out at 114 by GPS, and 125 indicated on the speedometer. High speed driving is not something that I would advise for anyone to try on this bike, it simply cannot do it. The vibrations are too annoying, and the motor sounds like it will explode. Likewise I wouldn't recommend going around sharp winding roads on this bike either. I did take great amusement in leaning the bike into corners and sending up a shower of sparks. Again not something for the faint of heart and I had to purchase replacement floor boards at the tune of $280.00. Harley says the bike is around 750 pounds, I really think it's closer to 950, which is what it feels like. The weight does give it rock solid stability and immunity from cross winds, but god where is all that weight at? The CD player skipped continuously, so after a few tries my wife and I settled on the radio. The speakers in a word sucked, so we stuck to the helmet speakers, which were much better. The intercom was functional, but again not on the same level as the Honda. Luggage. Okay here is where I have some quality issues. I had the unfortunate experience of being caught in the middle of nowhere in a driving rain for a little over an hour. The side bags leaked from the lid, soaking my cloths. Okay call me a fool for not packing my stuff in plastic but you would expect something better from a 25,000-dollar bike. My wife and I were pretty disappointed in this, never happened on the Honda is what she commented.
I did have a good time on the Harley and as long as I stuck to what the bike could do (go in a straight line for hours and hours on end) it was a great experience. The first time you begin to push the performance envelope (i.e. cornering, high speed) you will be sorely disappointed or in a ditch. Would I run out and trade my GL1800 for one? Hell no. The Goldwing is on a completely different plane of existence and far more refined. For what these bikes go for you would expect much more. There is the Harley experience but there are better bikes out there.
Recommended:
No
Amount Paid (US$): 25200.00
Condition: New
Model Year: 2003
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Epinions.com ID:
doctorjeep
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Reviews written: 8
Trusted by: 2 members
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