Monday, September 21, 2026
Sunday, September 20, 2026
High Tech Compared
What else would a motorcycle geek do but drill deep into every facet of the systems—then build a web page about it?
I’ve been fortunate enough to test some of the most luxurious touring baggers on the road, from Harley-Davidson and Indian’s latest flagships to BMW’s formidable six-cylinder K 1600 B.
Each manufacturer takes a different approach to displaying information, controlling the motorcycle and connecting the rider’s phone.
The comparison covers five motorcycles I’ve ridden first-hand:
• Harley-Davidson CVO Road Glide
• Harley-Davidson Street Glide
• Indian Pursuit
• Indian Chieftain
• BMW K 1600 B
Harley-Davidson’s beautiful 12.3-inch Skyline OS display represents an enormous leap from the ornate analogue dashboards, radio/cassette units and CD players of its earlier baggers.
Indian combines traditional analogue gauges with its highly customisable RIDE COMMAND touchscreen. Its cascading screens and drag-and-drop widgets provide an extraordinary amount of information and control.
BMW takes another path. Its wide TFT display isn’t touch-operated, relying instead on the familiar Multi-Controller and handlebar switches. It requires some familiarisation but soon becomes intuitive—especially while wearing gloves.
The full feature includes specifications, system functions, phone connectivity, expanded image galleries, star ratings and my pluses and minuses for each system.
Which one works best from the rider’s seat?
Read HIGH TECH COMPARED at Dave’s Place:
Monday, September 7, 2026
Indian Pursuit 112 Tested
The Pursuit of happiness.
Dave reckons in the case of the Indian Pursuit 112 that more is … more.’’
One of the things I’ve come to grips with over a long time testing motorcycles is they inevitably get better.
There’s been the occasional retrograde model, but overall, as automotive technology evolves, engine performance, EFI mapping, suspension components, rider safety enhancements, tyres, etc—all have improved over the 24 years I’ve been moto-noting and pontificating about these marvellous machines.
And it’s all relative of course, horses for courses et al, but as a standard, showroom-stock machine, the Indian Pursuit 112 could well be the best touring motorcycle I’ve ridden.
There’s certainly an argument that old-school bikes with basic equipment and inclusions still have plenty of enjoyment to offer—more can indeed be less too.
Particularly when talking about a bike that weighs 425kg (wet) and costs over $50,000.
But in terms of design and fitness for purpose, particularly when comparing modern, high-tech touring marvels—the Pursuit is a standout.
It’s remarkably comfortable, performs very strongly, handles beautifully, has excellent brakes and a very long list of standard features and inclusions.
Add the latest technology, including Indian’s Ride Command system and its rider safety enhancements, and the entire package is simply superb.
Engine
At the heart of the Pursuit is Indian’s modern, liquid-cooled PowerPlus 112 V-twin.
It runs single overhead cams, four valves per cylinder and hydraulic valve-lash adjustment.
Bore and stroke are 110mm x 96.5mm, giving 1834cc, and a compression ratio of 11.4:1.
Fuelling is closed-loop injection through dual 52mm throttle bodies.
Drive to the six-speed transmission is through a gear primary, with a wet, multi-plate assist clutch and belt final drive.
It’s a relatively compact, contemporary design and a different proposition from the traditional air-cooled, pushrod motors we’re used to—but it still delivers the feel and character you’d expect of a big American twin.
In Australian specification (E10 fuel), Indian claims a maximum of 122 horsepower and 181.4Nm of torque, with peak torque arriving at 3800rpm.
The oversquare dimensions allow it to rev freely, but it hasn’t sacrificed the broad, muscular grunt expected of an engine this size.
It’s smooth, responsive and deceptively quick, with effortless roll-on performance and plenty of hurry-up when you do ask it to get up and go.
Handling
One of the remarkable things about the Pursuit is how well it carries its size and weight.
With the fairing, top box, electric windscreen motor and other components mounted high on the bike, it’s quite a lump to negotiate during low-speed, feet-down manoeuvres. It really is big effort top-heavy at or near standstill.
There were several times during the test when I did a feet-down U-turn on a gravel verge and wondered, ‘What am I doing here?’ as I inched around a 180.
It’s exacerbated by the frame-mounted fairing and the way it doesn’t turn with the forks and bars. That’s something I got used to pretty quickly – but at first …
Once you’re moving, however, it’s remarkably well-mannered. There’s no top-heaviness at all when under way. Most impressively so.
It becomes quite nimble and easy to throw around.
There’s no real setup or body English required when approaching a corner either—you simply tip or drop it in. Effortless.
It remains impressively stable and sure-footed, even over Queensland-rough tarmac, it holds its line beautifully and won’t change direction unless you tell it to.
When you do tell it to change lines mid-corner — usually to avoid the many potholes installed by the wet season — it responds confidently.
On one reasonably tight right-hander on a test run through the Northern Gold Coast cane fields, I encountered a mulch truck coming the other way and running fairly wide.
All it took was a quick flick to move the Pursuit towards the centre of my lane, and it did so with absolute ease. A joy in fact.
Chassis
The Pursuit is built around a cast-aluminium frame with a 25-degree rake, 150mm trail and a 1668mm wheelbase.
They’re substantial numbers for a substantial motorcycle, but the chassis carries the bike’s mass deightfully.
Front suspenders are inverted telescopic forks with 130mm of travel, while the FOX rear shock provides 114mm and features electronically adjustable spring preload.
The preload can be adjusted through the Ride Command system to suit a solo rider, pillion or pillion and luggage, and can then be fine-tuned—all without having to reach for the toolbox. Just a press of the on-screen button.
The stoppers are Brembo twin 320mm semi-floating rotors and four-piston callipers up front, backed by a 298mm floating rear rotor.
The setup has plenty of power, feel and control. Two-finger operation is all it needs for the linked system, which also includes lean-angle ABS and hill hold.
The 10-spoke cast wheels measure 19 x 3.5 inches at the front and 16 x 5 inches at the rear. They’re fitted with 130/60B19 and 180/60R16 Metzeler Cruisetecs.
It’s a well-sorted combination that contributes considerably to the Pursuit’s light steering, mid-corner stability and willingness to change direction.
By the numbers
As noted, it’s a very large bit of kit at 2578mm long, 1066mm wide and 1237mm high, but the low 672mm seat helps make it manageable for shorter inseams too.
Indian claims 31 degrees of lean angle, which is about standard for a full-dress tourer. I scraped it once over the course of the test—crossing the Burringbar Range—and if you don’t scrape the footboards on any bagger on that super-smooth bit of road, you aren’t doing it right!
The 22.7-litre tank theoretically provides a touring range of around 320 to 360km in normal use, with something approaching 400km possible under favourable conditions.
As always, speed, load, wind and wrist enthusiasm will have their say. The range counter usually displayed around 380km when I topped it up.
The Goodies
As you’d expect at this price point, the Pursuit includes an extensive list of standard equipment.
There’s keyless ignition, remote-locking panniers and top box, a power-adjustable windscreen, adjustable fairing vents, heated grips and seats, tyre-pressure monitoring and a USB charging point in the top box.
The passenger is well looked after too, with a heated saddle and (manually) adjustable footboards.
Storage capacity is a very useful 136-plus litres across the hard panniers, top box and fairing compartments.
One of the few gripes I do have is the top box has been fitted with a luggage rack and the hex-bolt fasteners on the underside of the lid are exposed—and they damaged my helmet when I stowed it during a lunch stop. It’s one of those things you only do once, but it needs lining or a cover.
Full LED lighting is standard, along with a four-speaker, 200-watt audio system—two speakers in the fairing and another two in the top box.
It’s a good sound system, but I prefer a headset or in-helmet sounds and there is a convenient jack plug located on the fairing lower or Bluetooth connection – which proved reliable throughout.
Indian’s seven-inch Ride Command display provides GPS navigation, Apple CarPlay, configurable gauges and ride data.
It’s evolved into an excellent system now.
The brightness-adjustable screen sits under conventional analogue speedometer and tacho dials with LCD displays inset, so the information displayed is comprehensive—and occasionally duplicated — depending on the many display customisation options, and customisable widget placements, but the layout is Indian’s best yet.
Colour choices are Black Smoke, Maroon Metallic and Ghost White Metallic with Black Metallic.
The matte Black Smoke finish worked for me — although it does show every speck of dust and bug splatter. Fortunately, a quick wipe with a damp microfibre cloth and it’s all good. Easy.
Conclusions
Every time I rode the Pursuit I arrived home wanting more.
A lot more, no matter how far I rode it—and that’s the acid test for any touring rig.
It has so many little touches throughout that make it a joy to live with.
There is a light in the top box lid, the lane-change and tailgater-warning systems, and even the presentation of the owner’s manual in a faux-leather folder makes this bike feel special.
It’s comfortable, performs delightfully and is very capable. The longer I lived with it the more I enjoyed its unusual lines and look.
Most importantly, it made me very, very happy.
Things I Liked
Comfort
Performance
Inclusions
Things I Didn’t
No adjustment on the clutch lever
Top box rack fasteners
Feet-down bulk
Things I’d Change
I’d probably get the red one
A liner for that lid
Indian Pursuit 112
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Image Gallery
Saturday, September 5, 2026
H-D Sport Glide
Happy Places.
Dave reacquaints with a Sporty Softail.
I was loitering in the showroom at Gasoline Alley H-D and chatting with the sales folks when Tyde asked, “How are you enjoying that Sport Glide, Dave?”
“Heaps! It’s such an enjoyable Harley.” I genuinely enthused.
“Yeah,” he agreed. “When someone comes into the shop and they aren’t sure what model Harley they want, we put them on a Sport Glide for a test ride and they always come back very happy.”
Bingo! That’s exactly what the 2022 FLSP does for me too. Every time I jumped on it over the course of a three-week test it took me straight to my happy place, no matter what my actual destination was.
It’s comfortable, it goes, it stops, it handles and it’s versatile enough to do several different jobs well.
Not long after that conversation, I was chatting with my pal Paul Lewis, having a similar conversation, and mentioned that the Sport Glide reminded me of the Dyna Switchback, a bike I also rated highly for its versatility.
“Yeah, you’re right,” he laughed, “But at least the bags and screen won’t fall off this one!”
While I personally didn’t have any issues with equipment falling off the Switchback, even during some extensive touring, the panniers and fairing on the Sport Glide fasten quite securely and like the old Dyna, they only need a few seconds to remove or re-fit on purpose!
The small fairing does exactly as Harley advertises and keeps the wind off the rider’s body while allowing the helmet to remain in clean air without turbulence.
And while they are quite secure and lockable, the panniers only have 0.05m³ of carrying capacity, so they won’t accommodate a helmet or bulky kit, but they are handy for carrying wet weather gear or other sundry items.
Last of the 107s
The first Milwaukee 8 powered Harleys HEAVY DUTY tested back in 2016 were fitted with the 107-cube iteration and at the time it became my favourite H-D powerplant.
That remained the case, even after testing several 114-cube Breakouts two years later.
Back then, the 107 was smoother, spooled up better, and was a nicer all-round experience.
Over the following model years that has changed.
Spending an extended amount of time on board our 114-cube ‘Project Packhorse’ Road King Special recently has turned the tables. It’s now a smoother and ‘stronger’ engine.
That may partly be due to the Tourer’s isolated front engine mounts whereas the Softail’s is rigid-mounted and internally counterbalanced, but it’s also true of the current batch of 114 and 117-cube rigid mounted Softails.
That’s not to say that the 107 shakes like the Dyna, for a big V-twin it does remain remarkably vibe free – it’s just not quite as smooth as the current 114s. Harley says it’s about the genuine H-D experience.
What was also noticeable is that for lower speed cruising, and for pulling out of tight apexes, it needed a gear lower than its ‘big’ brothers.
Overall, it’s not a big deal, and the motor is still effortless, with a 100mm x 111.1mm bore and stroke displacing 1,745cc and a compression ratio of 10:1.
Harley claims it produces a healthy 139Nm at 3,500rpm.
The upshot of all that is it remains an engine that is well-suited to the chassis and character of the bike.
That happy chassis
If ‘chuckability’ was a word, it could be readily applied to the Sport Glide.
It’s fitted with single cartridge, 43mm inverted front forks containing triple rate springs up front, and a free piston, coil-over monoshock with 43mm stroke and tool-less hydraulic pre-load adjustment at the rear.
Coupled with a 1625mm wheelbase, 30-degree rake, 150mm trail, 304kg dry weight and the stiff Softail frame, it makes for a bike with solid and planted roadholding on the freeways, with very rewarding sports cornering capability on a mountain road – all up: another big tick in the versatility stakes.
Braking is by way of split 7-spoke floating rotor with 4-piston fixed caliper on the front and solid uniform expansion rotor with rear 2-piston floating rear caliper.
The brakes are great, with plenty of stopping power, without being brutal, and they showed no sign of fade or overheating from the single front, even lugging my payload during some spirited downhill runs.
Comfort ergos.
The confident handling is enhanced by the riding position.
For us taller gents, it’s more of a ‘standard’ riding position than that of a feet forward cruiser - and to that end I do prefer the footpegs it’s fitted with, rather than footboards.
I found when utilising its cornering capability in tight going it allowed me to get on my toes and move weight over the front end easier. Dragging the rubber pegs on the deck isn’t as grating as touching down boards either. Which on this bike is very easy to do with 28/29-degree lean angles.
Back on the freeway I found the saddle and overall comfort to be very good, although I did get a bit saddle-sore around the 300km mark and needed a ‘bum break’, but overall, with its wide ranch-style bars it proved to be very roomy for the longer limbed, even allowing for its low 680mm saddle height.
The pillion accommodation is … scant.
Presentation.
“It’s too plastic.” Rabbit said.
“I like everything about it except turning around to look at it in the shed.” Mick said.
And like Mick, I didn’t like the Mantis cast aluminium wheels much on the first two Sport Glides I tested back in 2017, but over time they have grown on me to the stage where now I don’t mind them at all, particularly with the ‘Gauntlet Grey Metallic’ paint on the test bike (add $355).
Otherwise, I found the bike has a nice line, particularly from the rear quarter.
I enjoyed the ‘sporty-ness’ of the aesthetic and found it to be equally nice looking in the variety of combinations available by removing the fairing, bags, or both. Fit and finish all worked fine.
Without the bodywork it resembles a low rider. Put it back on and its uniquely Sport Glide. Score that as another versatility tick!
Other niceties.
There are plenty of other things to like about the Sport Glide. The mirrors are great, the LED headlight is brilliant, the self-cancelling indicators and switchgear is as good as we have come to expect on a Harley.
The tank mounted instruments however … let’s just say we wished they were like the latest Low Rider S, but the rumour is we are unlikely to see it as ’22 could ‘possibly’ be the final run for the Sport Glide.
We often talk about the premise, “If you could only have one motorcycle …’
Like all of the answers to that question, it depends on priorities, but overall, the Sport Glide is a very good answer.
Harley claims it’s, “For riders seeking equal parts performance and touring.”
It does work as a tourer, with good comfort, road manners and H-D’s excellent cruise control fitted as standard.
It’s also a very rewarding Harley on a back road and the ‘Sport’ part of its name is equally apt.
Take the bags off and it works well as a good looking boulevard and Sunday cruiser.
With a price starting from $30,250, it really is a rewarding machine that can do a number of different jobs well.
You’ve got to be happy with that.
Things I Liked
The bike’s versatility, comfort and performance
Things I Didn’t
Tank mounted instruments on a performance Harley
Scant pillion accommodation
Things I’d Change
Add stage 1 slip-on mufflers, air cleaner and tuner
Sport Glide Image Gallery
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Image Gallery
Guts & Bolts — FLSB Sport Glide
Model & Measurements
ModelFLSB Sport Glide
Test BikeHD-A
PriceFrom $30,250
Fuel Capacity18.9 L
Weight, As Shipped304 kg
Running Order317 kg
Luggage Capacity0.05 m³
Engine
Type107 cu in Milwaukee-Eight
Torque139 Nm @ 3,500 rpm
Bore × Stroke100 × 111.1 mm
Displacement1,745 cc
Compression10.0:1
Fuel SystemElectronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection
Exhaust2-into-1; catalyst in muffler
Frame & Suspension
FrameMilwaukee-Eight Softail
FrontSingle-cartridge 43 mm inverted fork with triple-rate spring
RearHidden free-piston coil-over monoshock with hydraulic preload adjustment
Wheels, Tyres & Brakes
RimsBlack machine-highlighted Mantis cast aluminium
TyresMichelin Scorcher 31 front and rear
Front BrakeFour-piston fixed caliper
Rear BrakeTwo-piston floating caliper
CVO Road Glide Touring
Livin’ the Dream
With the top of the range.
Part 1 — Sydney to Brisbane: The Middle Way
It all began when Mick confirmed that the plan involving me collecting the 2023 FLTRXSE CVO Road Glide press bike from H-D in Sydney, and riding it back home to Brisbane, was a goer.
As the pump operator at the Ampol servo in Armidale later observed, “Talk about livin’ the dream!”
Naturally, when the good news broke, I started spending quite a lot of time studying maps and cherry picking the most favourable weather forecasts for the upcoming journey.
A full-noise CVO no less! The top of the two-wheeled range. And ride it home for Christmas. Pinch me!
As he was delivering this confirmation, Mick was also at pains to point out that there was ‘some jealousy that would need to be dealt with’ regarding the assignment.
I believe the subtext was, ‘Mainly from me!’
And like I also replied to that friendly operator in Armidale, “Indeed”.
So it began.
Friday started with an early Uber, a plane ride, and another Uber.
All that rigmarole went smoothly enough and was long forgotten immediately on arrival at Harley’s Australian HQ.
Not long after I was in the loading bay and the affable Elliot was giving me an introduction to the bike.
I already had a pretty good understanding of the bike’s systems - being the magazine’s total geek and all.
But nonetheless, Elliot paired up my phone and helmet to get me going with the basics.
It all worked seamlessly, so I loaded up the panniers with my carry-on luggage and cameras, wheeled the magnificent machine slowly out of the driveway, eased onto the main road, and another incredible motorcycle adventure began.
First South
I had already saved the ride from Headquarters to my parents’ home with the Harley online ride planner - and had subsequently re-saved it – as well as the ride from Sydney to Brisbane – to the H-D app before I left Queensland.
Now it was just a matter of opening the app and sending the route to the bike – and its onboard navigation system showed me the way to a bonus early Christmas Dinner and overnight stay with my dear Ol’ Man on the Southside of town.
Sydney has changed. It’s a long time since it was my hometown, and although I probably knew the way well enough, bringing up a map on the new 312mm wide, TFT, high-resolution, touch screen ‘TV’ that now comprises the dashboard of the CVO … well, it was welcome backup.
It now has a sunshade built into the dash and the screen remained bright and legible in all conditions throughout the journey. It even has different display modes: Cruise, Sport and Tour that present or highlight different data and info.
‘Tour’ features a big map. ‘Sport’ has a big tacho. ‘Cruise’ is a mixture of both.
During the journey I pulled over and switched the system to run Apple CarPlay – mainly because of that inner geek.
Apple maps and all the CarPlay apps work well – as long as there was a headset connected via Bluetooth. It’s also compatible with Android devices.
Most Importantly
It’s also critical to note that until you are familiar with the reasonably complicated display and connectivity options of the new systems, and the significant number of menus and drop-downs it has available, stopping to make your selections is paramount.
It’s very easy to get distracted by the process and take eyes off the road - with the obvious implications thereof.
After dinner, I sat in the old boy’s garage and started to really drill down into the options.
Once familiar with the layouts it all became much easier to do on the fly – but circumspection is still paramount.
Existing ‘Boom’ Box equipped Touring model owners will make the transition to new interface and its revised toggle controls and switches intuitively.
It just has more layers of control and enhanced options.
It took me a short while to get comfortable with the new switchgear - and not hit the intercom button instead of the indicators. But it didn’t take long to bed in, and once I had some muscle memory established, the controls came to hand well. Even the improved cruise control switches - and the nifty way those settings are displayed on the screen.
First Impressions
Initial impressions on the first ride across Sydney were that indeed it’s a very large motorcycle.
It feels like it at low speed where it is a lot of bike, particularly on a gravel verge or throwing a tight U-turn when looking for a photo opportunity.
Conversely, doing what it’s actually meant for, rolling away big distances in comfort, safety and style, well, then it’s nimble and feels as light as a feather. Even more impressive considering it is 393kg in running order, has mini ape hangers, and notably wide bodywork.
Towards the end of the near 2,000km test period, I was comfortably lane splitting at low speed along a gridlocked Motorway or comfortably performing tight manoeuvres on instinct.
Points North
After fond farewells, an early Saturday morning start saw reasonably light traffic as I made my way South to North across the city.
The bike has a selection of ride modes, all switchable on the fly (no need to stop) via a reverse toggle on the right-hand indicator.
Sport, Road, Rain and two fully customisable modes – the latter of which I didn’t engage at all—because I was very happy with the three standard modes – and I did employ all three during the journey.
In the urban sprawl, and onto the M1 at Hornsby and beyond, I left it in ‘Road’ mode.
This sees the engine response a little more relaxed than the ‘Sport’ option and well suited to the clear run I had all the way up to the approaches to Hexham, north of Newcastle.
No Fear
The first section at Freeway speeds also allayed one of my biggest concerns before the ride.
In the past, a standard Road Glide’s screen and bodywork has generated a lot of uncomfortable turbulence and buffeting for tall riders – usually necessitating an aftermarket windscreen.
But the new bodywork, taller handlebars, improved ergos – with nice touches like the adjustable brake levers – are a delight.
I got a bit of noise off the new screen, but minimal buffeting and reasonably good protection, (apart from my hands - but more of that later.)
It really is that good. Harley claims wind tunnel testing has reduced buffeting by 60%. I believe it, and the large equalisation vent under the screen allows the wind flow to be directed optimally. As do the wind deflectors fitted to the lower fairing.
Full Stop
Just north of Newcastle, the motorway constricts, from four lanes, to two lanes, to one lane, to cross the Hunter River.
As expected, it took nearly an hour to get beyond Raymond Terrace in the holiday traffic.
The bike’s EITMS (Engine Idle Temperature Management) system kicks in seamlessly in the hot going and it has a loud fan for the dual-cooled engine’s radiator. A sound that made this old Buell XB12 enthusiast reminisce fondly.
The heat shields around the motor and under the seat worked well, as did my new Paradigm Triple Vent V2.0 leather jacket (see side bar). I remained reasonably comfortable in the heavy going all the way up to Karuah and the turnoff to The Buckets Way.
Up the Middle
The goal in planning the ride was to take the twistiest route viable, to avoid as much of the pre-Christmas holiday traffic as possible, and to present the bike with a variety of roads and conditions. It worked perfectly.
From the moment I left the freeway, and all the way through to Brisbane I hardly had another vehicle in front of me.
The quickest route would have been to head straight up the M1, which is pretty much dual carriageway all the way. Efficient, but incredibly boring on a bike.
It also would have entailed passing through the Gold Coast and that section of Freeway which becomes an extended parking lot at peak times.
The other popular alternative is the New England Highway, via Tamworth. Apart from the climb to the New England plateau, that too is rather straight and open. And I suspected the traffic would be equally heavy that way as well.
Getting Better
But taking The Bucketts Way and Thunderbolts Way to Armidale on day one proved simply glorious.
Once clear of the coast, I was met with partly cloudy conditions as the road rolls through quite magnificent countryside of meandering streams and lush, green and gentle hills.
After a sandwich and cuppa in picturesque Gloucester it was on to Thunderbolts Way and the foothills of the Great Dividing Range towards Armidale, where, to my delight, the first part of the ascent has been resurfaced.
It’s smooth and was twisty enough to be worthy of the CVO, because the torque, grunt and smoothness of the new engine is quite magnificent.
I first noticed how good the top gear wind-on from the new 121-cube VVT motor is back on the Freeway. It’s turbine-like smooth and its 139 ft.lb of torque delivery is superb.
All 115 of its horsepower are served up in all the right places too, particularly when I switched to Sport mode.
Combined with the new suspension package it makes for a big bike that really is very rewarding to tip in.
The front end has been fitted with 47mm Showa inverted forks – with 117mm of travel, and even though they are non-adjustable, it’s a lovely setup.
The rear has been upgraded with Showa components too. These took me a little while to get set right as they now have a combination of pre-load adjustments - and they also feature adjustable rebound damping.
The primary pre-load setting is via a traditional thread and lock ring to compress the spring on the right-hand shock. This requires removal of the pannier and an H-D C-spanner.
However, once set, fine tuning and adding additional pre-load (up to approx. 40kg), can be done with a remote knob located under the left-hand pannier – this doesn’t need the bags to come off.
Damping adjustment is via a dial at the base of the shocks – and that does need the panniers off. Removing the bags is simple enough, just having somewhere to put them without scratching them is the biggest challenge.
I found it needed more pre-load than the owner’s manual recommended, (the manual is downloadable from the H-D app) but once dialled-in, it was pretty good – particularly on the good tarmac. I didn’t scrape the footboards or touch anything down, even when hooking in quite vigorously at times.
It just felt lovely, stable and planted.
H-D does make a point about the fact that the rear now has double the previous model’s suspension travel, but its three inches is still on the minimal side for the conditions on Australian roads – particularly up in the high country. If it was my bike, I’d fit the Screamin’ Eagle Ohlins upgrade and jack it up a bit more.
Once up on the tablelands the countryside really opened up and the run into Armidale saw me engage the cruise control on the almost-empty roads, and sit back and watch it all roll by in great comfort – and style, while rocking my favourite playlist inside my helmet.
Keep Smiling
Even a stop to put on wet weathers as the skies darkened near Uralla couldn’t dampen the mood.
I reached Armidale in slight drizzle and checked in to the cheap and cheerful ‘Estelle Kramer Motor Inn’ (which I recommended), unloaded the panniers, and set off on a cruise around the Cathedral city looking for photo opportunities after the rain conveniently cleared.
After that, a burger and an early night, with an occasional eye on the satellite weather images, ensued.
Riding Home for Christmas
I delayed my departure for an hour on Sunday morning, hoping the worst of the storms that were showing around Grafton would blow over by the time I got there.
Rarely has a plan failed so dismally, but it was another wonderful day of motorcycling, nonetheless.
The first part of the run was across the scenic high country, heading east along Waterfall Way, was in partly cloudy and gradually cooling conditions.
As I turned on to Armidale Road and began the descent from the ranges it was 12°C and it started really pelting down.
Going down that tight, steep ravine, where the road surface has been badly chopped up by a combination of recent flooding and heavy vehicles, in a torrential thunderstorm, is probably the most treacherous the roads in northern NSW or Qld can get.
A test for man and machine – and I loved it.
The bike is fitted with Harley’s Rider Safety Enhancements and some of these did come into play during ‘that terrible descent’.
The systems include Cornering Electronically Linked Brakes, Cornering ABS, Cornering Traction Control Cornering, Drag Torque Slip Control, as well as Vehicle Hold Control and Tyre Pressure Monitoring.
I know some old schoolers pooh-pooh some of this tech, but I was sure glad of it.
At the top of the hill, I engaged ‘Rain’ mode and as I came around one tight right-hander the road had been badly deformed, subsequently repaired, and then had deformed again.
The result was a ramp of slippery-smooth new bitumen that stretched across the entire lane.
Even at my due-caution speed, the front wheel had nowhere to go but airborne, “Oh this will be interesting.” I muttered into my helmet, amongst other expletives, and reached for the picks.
But as it touched down the tick-tick-tick of the oh-so-clever linked ABS and traction systems kicked in - and it was all tickety-boo in next to no time.
I don’t think it saved me from crashing, and an embarrassing $62,450 phone call, but it probably did stop me from ending up on the wrong side of a mountain road - and those implications.
After I un-puckered, the rest of the run down to hill was unremarkable, apart from the torrential rain.
Torrents in Grafton
By the time I got to Grafton it was raining like it seems it can only do in Grafton.
It was hosing down, so I just thanked goodness for my effective rain over-suit and boots and how sure-footed the bike is.
The only issue was that the mini-apes leave hands somewhat exposed to the elements, so I turned on the CVO’s three-position heated grips to compensate for my saturated gauntlets and rode on.
Through the Northern Rivers region and along Summerland Way, with a stop for a pie in Casino and then on to Kyogle, was through some more fine countryside and thankfully the sun was out in patches again.
From there I headed northwest over Mt Lindesay, switched the bike back to Sports Riding mode and hooked in again – as much as the occasional surface water in those hairpins would allow.
Back on the Queensland side I took the run straight up the Mt Lindesay Highway via Beaudesert and on to Brizzy base, to be home by mid-afternoon.
I arrived a little weary from some long periods of intense concentration, but very, very content. Sated. Like a great ride on a fabulous bike will do for you.
And that’s the thing. It is a great machine. And this was only the first part of the test, but it was a comprehensive beginning, with a near 1,100km gamut of roads and riding conditions covered.
Part 2 — But Wait, There’s More
Over the next two weeks I racked up another 800km of riding around Brisbane and environs, with day rides to the Hinterlands, and a lot of general running about and doing errands.
This is where I really did appreciate some of the added CVO niceties and the versatility of the bike.
The large panniers have good capacity, even with the impressive stereo components built into the lids. They feature central locking, either from the screen or a button on the stylish fob.
The audio system is powered by Rockford Fosgate with 150 watts RMS per speaker and it has multiple equaliser presets built-in and a 7 Band EQ is available for creating custom settings. The amplifier is good for 500 watts!
I didn’t use it much, preferring in-ear sound or my Forcite helmet’s speakers, but when I did crank it up … well, it sure cranks.
The infotainment did sometimes need reconnection to my phone or headsets before setting off on a new ride, but overall the Bluetooth pairing remained reliable and was easily re-established.
The Other Bits
The headlight is brilliant – figuratively and literally, as are the rest of the all-new touches the bike features throughout. The CVO fruit, mirrors, footboards, pegs, grips, pinstriping etc.. It’s all what we’ve come to expect from a CVO. The mirrors are as good as it gets.
The saddle took a while to break in, and I got some butt-ache initially, but by the time it had 2,500km on the clock, I was good for extended runs. I did a 350km day to the Gold Coast and could have done a lot more by the end of it.
I also thought the fuel economy was also very impressive – the trip computer calculated 23.3km/l on the Sydney Brisbane run – for a 1,977cc engine. Also pleasing was the 400-plus km range from the 22.7-litre tank.
Conclusions
We’ve covered the new tech that has gone into the 121-cube VVT powerplant in detail over previous editions of HEAVY DUTY – from Mick’s launch report – to Paul’s comprehensive Street Glide write-up - as well as going over many of the bike’s performance features.
Suffice to say that, from my experience, after what has been one of the most comprehensive tests I’ve compiled over the last 22 years of evaluating Harley-Davidsons, I found this a very easy conclusion to draw.
Overall there are a few upgrades I’d consider for the CVO Road Glide, and some of its inclusions, like the expensive stereo for example, don’t speak to my personal preferences.
But the nub is that this is easily the best stock Harley I’ve ever ridden, or that the Motor Company has built so far.
There was a moment coming up the hill from Gloucester to the tablelands when a line from the Springsteen classic ‘Cadillac Ranch’ popped at random into my head: “Rides just like a little bit of heaven here on earth.”
It's an absolute delight. And yes, for the money it would want to be. But really, WHAT a machine!
Christmas was an absolute cracker. Livin’ the dream.
Things I Liked
That engine.
The handling.
The technology.
Things I Didn’t
Rear suspension travel.
Reconnecting Bluetooth devices.
The saddle before break-in.
Things I’d Change
Fit a Stage One kit.
Add the Screamin’ Eagle Öhlins upgrade.
Fit a pillion backrest.
CVO Road Glide Image Gallery
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Image Gallery
H-D Paradigm Triple Vent System 2.0 Leather Jacket
I’ve been wearing this jacket for a few weeks in the Brisbane heat and humidity – and it is fantastic.
Harley claims it “Redefines breathable riding comfort.”
It’s made from heavyweight cow leather and features their upgraded ‘Triple Vent System 2.0', which has three strategically placed vents (per side).
It has airflow diverters behind the side pockets, with tabs that can be employed to hold the vents open slightly - so they act like mini air scoops - and it has a centre zipper extension, also redesigned to improve airflow.
It consists of an extended mesh placket with a magnetic component that flips back and stays in place when the jacket is done up normally, or when utilised, it creates a mesh vent that runs up the centre of the full length of the jacket.
There are big vents that run from under the arms and partly down the sides with large exit vents at the rear.
The system was wind-tunnel developed and tested and it really does work a treat.
The understated graphics are made of reflective material and so too are some of the infill panels.
Other features include action back, pre-curved, articulated sleeves, a 100% polyester mesh lining, zippered cuffs, zippered hand-warmer pockets, interior stash pocket and one interior vertical zipper pocket. It has an Airprene collar roll and throat guard with snap tab fastener.
Armour is extra, but it has pockets for Harley’s D3O Ghost armour at shoulders, elbows and a back protector. (I used the armour from the jacket it replaces.)
I like the protection of a nice leather jacket and so far, this one is still comfortable, and viable, in 30-plus-degree SEQ temperatures.
It feels really nice on and the leather is supple and it looks great.
Conversely, up in the high country on the recent ride from Sydney to Brisbane, when the temperatures fell to around 12°C, I closed all the vents and fastened the openings tight and it proved draft free and efficient in the cooler going.
The RRP is from around $1,120.
It replaces a Mk1 Harley triple vent jacket that I’ve been wearing for the last 15 years and it still looks near new. I reckon this one will stand the test of time just as well.
H-D supplied the jacket for HEAVY DUTY evaluation.
If you are in the market for a new jacket, this one's a beauty!
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