Dgrason 03-01-2006, 10:45 PM I had no idea when I woke up this morning that this was going to happen. But by the time I got home tonight, I was the proud owner of an Evo powered Electra-Glide. Both my wife and I have been dreaming of an Electra-Glide for a very LONG time ...... ever since we sold the Kawi LTD1100 really. The pillion on the Kawasaki was way too uncomfy for my wife. Also, it was a very peaky rocket and hey I'm too old anymore to have to worry about either going nowhere or go somewhere at warp 9. That bike has always been so darn fast that it was always all or nothing. I want slow comfort. Also, given my physical size, I could never get comfortable myself on the Kawi. The big Harley has some real stretch out room and my wife loves the cushy back seat. So we've wanted one of these for forever. However, we just have not had the money to even think about it because they're SO expensive and way out of our reach.
But today I made a trip into town for some lumber. The lumber yard didn't have what we needed so I called the customer to offer to mill the stuff myself. I knew I could get the correct profile on the table saw. He didn't pick up the phone so I left a message to call me. So now I don't want to run all the way back out to the jobsite and then back into town for different wood. That gave me some time to kill and the Harley dealer is like a block away. I thought that I'd go buy me another Harley coffee cup or something. I've got a pretty good selection of those. But I've gotta say that I haven't been into that dealer for over a year because looking at all those gorgeous bikes makes me heartsick. I can't deal with pining away after something that is priced beyond my reach. But today, I thought: "Oh, what the heck?"
As soon as I pulled onto the lot there was this '88 Evo powered Electra-Glide sitting there. It just called my name. I looked at the price, looked at the down payment, looked at the monthly notes and asked the salesman if I could take it around the block.
I took it out on Briley Parkway and by the time I got back, I was figuring out how I could make the notes and I now have a Harley. I can't believe it.
My wife was absolutely THRILLED. We couldn't wait for American Idol to finish cause we wanted to take a ride. In fact, I'm going to log off right now so I can just go to the garage and look at it.
WoW! Good for you! That's great ya got a new motorcycle!
How's it ride?
Dgrason 03-02-2006, 05:58 AM How's it ride?
It rides GREAT! I've always said that the Electra-Glide is the only full dresser on the market that actually has "flickability." ....and this bike is no different. I used to have a Honda 750 with a Vetter. JEEZE that Vetter was clumsy and heavy.
Now this is interesting and something I didn't know. When this bike was made, Harley never put in an inner fairing - not like the new ones. From away from the bike, It looks virtually identical to a new twincam but my fairing is only one layer of fiberglass and that's it.
Hehe, I was wondering if you'd make it back to answer that one!
Glad to hear you folks are in the wind and happy!
nidan 03-02-2006, 07:03 AM Congrats! part of what makes the E-glides so "flickable" is the tight steering head angle. I was watching one of several drill teams and asked one of the guys after , "how do you get those big old baggers to turn SO sharp?" he replied " 26 degree steering head angle " my FXDX had a 28. my wide glide has a 34 .
Enjoy the miles , now that I finally got my FXDWG3 and motor work paid for , I'm saving for a bagger too.
bigwater 03-03-2006, 12:02 AM KICK ASS Dgrason. Perfect time of year to be popping for a new bike! Perfect time for a road trip too.
So I guess we'll see ya at Art's Place on the 11th, huh?
immortalbitch 03-03-2006, 12:24 AM i'm really happy for you (a little jealous too). enjoy your new ride!!!!!!!!!!!
Dgrason 03-03-2006, 04:33 AM Thanx all for the kudos. This really had been a very long time in coming. There are a number of bikes that I could've been perfectly satisfied with but it was my wife that wanted the E-glide. She refuses to learn to ride - I think it's because she has a phobia of dropping one in traffic. (this is one reason we've been considering a trike build) Being on the back is perfectly fine with her. Plus the tour pack makes a wonderful backrest for her and gives her a real sense of security. For a passenger, we've never found a bike that's as comfy on the rear seat as the E-glide and we've borrowed or rented several over the years. This includes the Road King, which my wife hated, The Gold Wing interstate, which was too high and too hard. A friend of ours let us try his Valkyrie Interstate and it was very similar to the Wing. I personally didn't like straddling the opposed engine and both of those bikes were top heavy IMO. A number of years ago, we rented an E-Glide from Cool Springs Harley and put over 600 miles on it in 2 days and after that, the decision was final. Besides, my wife LOVES that Harley sound. She says it's singing to us as we go down the road.
Post a picture so we can all be jealous.
:kewl:
Dgrason 03-04-2006, 07:54 AM Post a picture so we can all be jealous.
:kewl:
Ok I'm on it. I need to go find that camera. JFN, it looks real similar to your avatar except it's an Evo.
I took off down the Natchez Trace parkway yesterday. I shot a hooky from work.....I HAD to. It's a Harley thing and I KNOW you understand. Anyway, I've never noticed how deer herd together in the spring. The parkway has herds of 15-30 deer in each group and they're EVERYWHERE! I made it home after dark and had to be quite vigilant to keep from hitting some of them. But as long as I didn't overdrive my headlight I was ok. The Harley just purred like it was really happy to be out of the garage. The parkway's speed limit is usually between 40 and 50mph. At those speeds the big E-glide moves along on a very surprisingly small amount of gasoline.
After dark it got pretty cold, down in the 30s by the time I got back home. I was dressed for it but I was getting a chill toward the end. But I'm going to be looking for a set of soft lowers just to block a little more wind. And I need to wrap the oil cooler in cold weather like this. I pulled into a rest area and while the bike was parked I put my hand on the oil cooler. I was actually expecting it to burn my hand if I wasn't careful but surprisingly, it was very cold. ....almost as though it wasn't getting any oil at all. Is there a thermostat on it?
Dgrason 03-04-2006, 05:38 PM So I guess we'll see ya at Art's Place on the 11th, huh?
Uh, sorry to show my ignorance but ..... uh..... "Art's Place?" can you fill me in a little?
Anyway, today I went back out on the Natchez Trace after finding my camera. The temps were in the low 50s so that means I had the place pretty much to myself. I don't understand bikers that don't go out unless the weather is just absolutely 100% perfect. Hell, I ride anytime. So here are some pics that I took. The first is of me on my new ride in Leiber's Fork Tennessee. It's a little town just off the Trace where all the posers have been going lately. Since it was cool weather, I didn't have to put up with any posers. Ha ha.
OOPS, I can't get the photo to post. Looks like I need to resize it even smaller.
Dgrason 03-04-2006, 05:50 PM Ok, let's try again. I think I accidentally tried to save it as a bitmap and I should've saved it as a JPEG.
1Scorpion 03-05-2006, 05:53 AM Wow! Great looking ride and one happy rider!!
Oooooooooh, nice bike!!!! Glad you got what you wanted.
Good looking bike!
:dance:
Dgrason 03-05-2006, 03:30 PM Thank you very much folks. I've put over 600 miles on it since Wednesday. ....and I've yet to ride it today. Riding the Natchez Trace is like riding on a cloud. Here are some more pics if I can get them to post: (remember this is still winter and everything's a little drab)
Dgrason 03-05-2006, 03:36 PM I only live within just a few minutes of the northern terminus of this parkway and it's just a GREAT place to ride. In the previous post is a photo of the top of the Highway 96 double arch bridge. It's 155 feet above the valley floor if I'm remembering correctly. So far, 6 suicide jumpers have lost their lives off this bridge since it was built. I wonder how many changed their minds on the way down. Anyway, here is the same bridge from another angle and then a photo of the typical countryside that the parkway travels through.
bigwater 03-06-2006, 02:45 AM Uh, sorry to show my ignorance but ..... uh..... "Art's Place?" can you fill me in a little?
Sure. Glad to. RiderInfo is having a party March 11th at Art's Place in De Leon Springs, FL... right outside of Daytona Beach. Part of the Bike Week celebration. Details can be found here (http://www.riderinfo.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2881). Now that you have a new EGlide, you just *have* to go to bike week, so while you're there drop in and meet some of the people you're talking to on this board.
:)
Dgrason,
I couldn't find a good picture of my 99 Ultra to post but I did add a backrest and highway pegs. I found, for me anyway, that the ability to lean back and change foot positions sure makes the longer rides more comfortable. :)
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