2013 Harley Davidsons

Growing Old But Not Growing Up; Harley Turns 110 Years Old

Harley Davidson invited members of the motorcycling press to Cape Town to sample their 2013 line-up a couple of weeks ago and I have to say that I came away completely hooked. It is all too easy to knock Harley Davidson and everything they represent but I would have to say that most of that attitude comes from pure ignorance.

After a whole day of riding on highways, twisty mountain passes and good A-roads under pure blue skies, I was definitely starting to see what all the fuss is about. One thing that struck me is that a Harley is possibly the only ‘honest’ motorcycle out there. But that means what, exactly?
 
Well, it strikes you that a Harley really is made out of what it appears to be made out of. And mostly that is metal! If there is plastic around it is used very sparingly and is invariably of very good quality. You do get a lot of material for your buck. But more importantly, the modern Harley doesn’t pretend to be something it is not; it sits comfortably in its own skin and makes no apologies for what it is. And what it is, is a large and powerful, yet strangely crude but appealing motorcycle that wears its heritage on its sleeve.

For 2013, the H-D line-up is subtly tweaked but, in actuality, is more of the same. And there is nothing wrong with this; why mess with a recipe that has been so successful for such a long time? The big news is that 2013 sees the 110th Anniversary of the company and, to celebrate there are some new cosmetics and one or two improvements in running gear and a larger V-Twin on some models.

But the essence remains exactly the same; rolling acres of torque from enormous capacity V-Twins; heavyweight chassis that deliver a surprisingly high grin factor in the corners; gaudy, but not unattractive hardware and paintwork and a general air of quality helped, no doubt, by the sheer bulk of the bikes. Even the ‘baby’ Sportster is a significant piece of engineering in terms of weight but it is this very weight that gives the bikes their feeling of solidity and comfort.

In all I rode six models throughout the day and, to my great surprise, the standout models were the two Sportsters – the 72 with its high rise chopper bars and forward controls and the Sportster Custom. The latter had a great riding position and was, literally, the sportiest of all the models we tried, feeling taught and punchy.

The Softail models all were great fun to ride, only let down by poor ground clearance from the footboards which, nonetheless, gave entertainment to those following me through the twisties to the accompaniment of showers of sparks.

The only model that left me cold was the Electra Glide Ultra, a great pudding of a bike that felt just like a ship, both in its response to commands from the helm and the general size of the thing. It wasn’t unpleasant but after the dynamics of the others, it wasn’t fun on anything but a dead straight road. However, it seems I was alone in feeling this way so either I am wrong or everyone else is!

The whole point is that Harley’s feel so different from anything else on the road and it’s a great feeling. I’ll never be wealthy enough to buy one, but I will jump at the chance to ride one again.