Bought a new bike

(July 27, 2015) I'm a rider. I have to ride to feel fully alive. Without a functioning bike, I have been feeling much less than fully alive these past four weeks. It became clear to me last Friday that I was desperate to make the pain end. As I test rode a new two-tone deep jade (on black), 2015 Harley-Davidson FLHTK Ultra Limited Special Edition touring motorcycle, I had found the remedy for my suffering.

If you've been reading my blog, you know how hard I tried to keep the Electra Glide going. I was devoted to her, slavishly so. I spent way too much money trying to keep her going. She was only nine years old, but at 110,856 miles, she was terminally ill. It's gonna take a while, but I do expect to get through the grieving process.

My new green machine goes a long way toward helping me forget the past and focus on what lies ahead.

I'll be the first to admit that Harley-Davidson motorcycles are very expensive and buying one is rarely based on rational thinking. My case is no exception. When I went into Rommel's Harley-Davidson in Durham to test ride a bike, I wasn't expecting to buy one that day. However, life can take unexpected turns--pun intended.

As I took the bike out on the dealer's recommended route, I missed a turn and ended up way out by Falls Lake. From there, I decided to go a little further and lo-and-behold, I came to NC50. I made a left and cruised through the little town of Creedmor and then west to Butner, and what was supposed to be a 12-15 mile, 20-30 minute test ride ended up being a 30-mile, one-hour tour through the countryside. I was hooked. (The 0.99% interest rate on the loan proved to be a key factor as well.)

Full disclosure here: this was not an impulse buy. I have wanted this model bike since Harley-Davidson began shipping it because it offers the Twin-Cooled™ High Output Twin Cam 103™ motor. The heads are liquid-cooled. That's something I've wanted for a long time.

I've also very badly wanted a model with the six-gallon gas tank and a six-speed transmission to give me greater range--critical on ride to Alaska. This bike, the FLHTK, has this and much more than my FLHTCI Electra Glide Classic. For example, it comes with a 6.25-inch touch screen display that allows me to access a variety of communication, information, and navigation tools.

I haven't managed to make the two connect yet, but in theory, I should be able to use my iPhone with the bike's headset via Bluetooth. In other words, I can monitor my phone for calls and play music from it wirelessly. That will be a topic for a later blog.

The sound system is great. I feel like I'm riding a giant boom box. My Electra Glide had a radio and CD/MP3 player, but this bike takes the sound experience to a whole 'nother level.

I am surprised and disappointed that Sirius/XM satellite radio did not come built in. At $500 for the module, I'll likely never get that service. I'm surprised Sirius doesn't offer a contract deal like the mobile phone companies do.

Among other improvements I like are the high-gloss black inner fairing. On the older models, such as my Electra Glide, the flat black would fade badly and turn almost white. It looked awful. I expect this to hold up much better in the sun.

I was surprised that the tail light was not an LED. Fortunately, I was able to swap the LED on my old bike with the new light before the dealership took possession of my old machine as a trade-in. (They gave me a whopping $3000 for it.)

My son-in-law likened the green speckled paint job to a bowling ball. Thanks buddy! He then nicknamed my beautiful new machine "The Hulk," as in The Incredible Hulk. He's used to smaller, off-road bikes and this big green machine looks huge by comparison. Me, I've gotten used to riding these beasts--though a Gold Wing still strikes me as over-the-top big.

I'm not naming her The Hulk. I'm thinking Em or Emma, as a variation on Emerald. I haven't named a bike since the early 80s when I called my Honda CM450C Jennifer. We'll see.

Now, I can get back to writing about rides rather than repairs! What a great feeling this is. I plan to make the best of what's left of summer and expect to have a great fall riding season. I've already connected the wiring for my heated jacket liner to the battery and this beauty has heated grips! Weather permitting, I plan to ride all winter as well. I have many miles to make up. :-)

As always, keep the shiny side up!

-The Long Rider