There's nothing like a brand new Harley

(August 3, 2015) I am really enjoying the new bike. It's going to take a couple of years or more for me to get it just the way I want it, but it's still pretty awesome as is. My favorite feature of the new bike is the smooth and powerful 103 cubic-inch engine. I'm very impressed by how it gets that big green beast moving so quickly; and even on the highway at 70 mph it's still ready to jump up to 80 or more if you need to pass.

Music made easy: Bluetooth to my iPhone

After several failed attempts, I got my iPhone 6 to connect via Bluetooth to the bike's audio system. I was able to listen to the different iTunes playlists I had created on my computer and downloaded to the phone. I took my mother for a ride yesterday and she appreciated the Big Band music I was able to play over the abundant sound system.

Lighting

The headlights are very bright and white, as you can see in the photo at left. I have not tested them much in actual use, such as a dark country road. My only night riding so far has been suburban where there is plenty of ambient light to supplement the bike's lights. I have read some criticism of their inferiority when it comes to the range of these headlights. We shall see.

The LED fender lights front and back are surprsingly bright. I appreciate the extra visibility they offer. Speaking of lights...this model comes with an interesting button on the handle bar: you press it to flash your headlight to get the attention of oncominig traffic. It's a nice safety feature, if only I manage to remember it's there and practice using it.

As far as the rear lights go, the'yre OK. Fortunately, I swapped out the stock tail light on the new bike with my LED version on the old bike at the time of sale. It makes a huge difference in brightness and a significant reduction in power draw when the brake lights are applied.

As one fellow HOG member observered, I need to fill the holes between the rear fender and saddlebags. It turns out that Küryakyn makes LED lights to fill those holes...for a mere $199.

The other issue I can readily imagine is one or more of the LEDs on the Tour-Pak going out and driving me crazy as I struggle to decide how l long I should go before replacing the whole unit because of a single LED failure.

I need to check if they're covered by the warranty...Ah, the warranty...I haven't had one those on a bike since 2001. That may be my favorite aspect of owning a new bike, especially given what I went through with the Electra Glide these last several years.

Audio, Navigation, and Comm System

I've only just begun to learn the many electronics-based features of this bike. The big ones that remain are the Citizens Band (CB) radio and Navigation system. I also need to learn how to use the phone to communicate while on the bike, not simply use it to play music.

Upcoming Rides

I've got another 400 miles to go to complete the break-in phase. That's happen next weekend when I ride to Hendersonville to see my wife, daughter, and son-in-law.

I also plan to finally do the NC 16/VA 16 ride to Tazewell, Virginia, probably later this month or September. Over the Labor Day weekend, I plan to ride to Allegheny State Park in northern Pennsylvania. My sister and her family be camping there with their big RV and I hope to join them.

On the Pennsylvania ride, maybe I'll stop by the Flight 93 National Memorial along US 30 near US 219, just north of the town of Shanksville. I haven't been there yet. Time to start planning the route. :-)

Keep the shiny side up!

-The Long Rider