This April I had the opportunity to visit friends in San Francisco, California. Once there, I had certain things that I must do. As well as the obvious West Coast tourist traps, such as Disneyland, Universal Studios and the usual white knuckle rides, there was something else I had always wanted to do in America, which I imagined was not going to be quite so accessible.
Having been a motorcycle nut for 16 years (half my life) I had dreams of cruising mile after mile of Route 66 in bright sunshine on a worthy machine. Well, what is the motorcycle to ride when in the USA? I would suggest perhaps something made in Milwaukee. I told my friend, Dave Wild, of my wish to rent a Harley Davidson, perhaps for a day whilst visiting the States, and although not a motorcyclist himself he was fascinated by the idea. We both set about finding out whether it was possible. 'You're bound to be able to rent one,' said Dave optimistically, 'America is the ultimate country for the consumer!'
It turned out that motorcycling was not going to be as easy as all that and after several blind alleys and much research we found the only place that could fulfill my dream was in downtown San Francisco, an establishment called Dubbleju Tours & Services. It doesn't sound very American, does it, that's because it's run by a man called Wolfgang, a German who started the business when he came to America because he found there wasn't anywhere to rent a Harley when he'd wanted to.
My friend contacted Wolfgang while at work and found that as well as providing BMW motorcycles, he hired out Harley Sportsters and perhaps the ultimate (well, romantic?) touring motorcycle, the Electraglide. On discussing the options both Dave and myself decided to go the whole hog (sic) and book the Eletraglide Sport for two days and would take in Highway 1, the coast road stretching north and south beside the Pacific.
For those of you less informed, or who just like facts and figures, like I do, the HD Electraglide Sport is a vee twin, air cooled motorcycle of 1340cc. It weighs 700lbs and knocks out in the region of 69hp. Some would say an obsolete and heavy dog of a bike but I was prepared to keep an open mind on the subject.
So Friday night came, Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda (aka Michael and David) packed their overnight bags - undies, toothbrush, camera, tee-shirt - all the stuff Jack Kerouac packed for his 1950's American travels, no doubt.
We arrived Saturday morning about 11.00am, at Wolfgang's emporium and waited whilst he dealt with some German tourists who were renting bikes to tour the area. Wolfgang has a tour service which advertises his motorcycle rentals in Germany and his usual clients are Germans wishing to hire motorcycles for two week tours. From the photos on the wall of satisfied customers, I have the feeling that their first choice of machines are Harleys and not BMWs!
I dealt with the paperwork and checked my knowledge of operating the huge beast I was being trusted with for the next 48 hours. The bike was spotless and had a little over 13000 miles on the odometer. It was black with red pinstriping and had hard panniers and a huge flyscreen fitted as standard.
We borrowed open-face helmets at no extra cost and packed our few belongings, which fitted easily into the panniers. I reminded Dave of the finer points a pillion has to play in the safe forward passage of a motorcycle (being in the region of 14 stone I thought it best he didn't lean at the wrong moment), while I picked my way through the San Francisco traffic. Frightening to say the least.
My first impressions? Well, first of all what a nice surprise to find a saddle that was more Dolly Parton than say Twiggy. My last three Japanese bikes, both large sports and trail bikes, could've done with lessons in comfort from this dream in ergonomics. The gearchange was a heel and toe affair and my feet when not operating the controls sat on a massive pair of footboards, part of an armchair-like riding position. The pillion sat nicely above the rider so a clear forward view is enjoyed by the passenger who has a low backrest in just the right place for lumbar support.
Anyway, we pottered along the streets, passing the Hard Rock Cafe on our way to the Golden Gate Bride. Despite the mass, the Electraglide grumbled along without too much trauma. The view from the bridge was stunning, you can see back to the city itself, Alcatraz, and ahead lies Marin Country and California's trees and coastline, not forgetting the curving roads and coastal views on Highway One.
We continued along the coast for about two hours, marvelling at the views and the size of the waves along the shore. Our hunger got the better of us and we found a small restaurant full of characters in an old town called Tomales. I ate the best char-broiled burger I had had so far in America. A friendly old Californian, of Irish descent, kept us in conversation and showed us a photo of his Irish extended family which had been taken on a visit to the Emerald Isle some years earlier. His opinion was that you could keep southern California, his California started north of San Francisco.
After a couple of photos outside the restaurant in front of a large Star & Stripes blowing in the breeze, we set off north and I started to see the old-timer's point of view. It became more rugged, wild and spectacular as we went higher.
We decided to stay the night in Mendocino, some 250 miles of riding north of San Francisco. Mendocino was an old lumberjack town on the coast which ceased to be when they cut down the last of the Redwoods (well, very nearly, anyway). Now, it's a town favoured by artists and writers. The houses are beautiful, wooden detached giants of blue and cream with ornate water towers of various descriptions next to them. It struck me as a place where a close encounter of the third kind could take place.
This was borne out by our hostess for the night at a B & B. By the way, a B & B is seen as an up-market, more personal place to stay than in a hotel in America, rather than the grotty image it conjures up in the UK. Anyway, our hostess believed we should all be ready for visitors from another planet who are more advanced than us and she intimated to Dave that he struck her as being ready for this visit; I don't know why I wasn't!
We dined that evening in a fabulous old Western movie style hotel and slept like logs (Redwoods?) that night. The next morning I manoeuvred the Harley out from the back garden where I had parked it for safety. £10,000 is a lot of motorcycle to lose. We went a couple of miles further north and turned inland on Highway 20 towards Willets. Words can't describe the bends, the Redwoods, the light and shade along that road, the spiritual beat of the Harley making it all the more tender.
At Willets we had brunch and then took the 101 down to Greyserville - the 101 goes from one end of California to the other and in most parts is a motorway. We then turned on to 128 towards Calistoga which is in the wine country area of the Nappa Valley, very similar to some of France's wine regions only with even more sun. After a quick stop in Calistoga, an old western town with spa baths, we headed back to San Francisco via Highways 49, 116 and 101. I stopped for petrol at one point and covered my nose with a handkerchief like a bandit as I was fast losing my skin to the sun.
Tailbacks on a Sunday or Bank Holiday can be dreadful at Dartford but the tailback to recross the Golden Gate Bridge is usually bigger and much worse. I almost burnt my legs, there was so much heat coming off the idling engine under me and it's $3 to cross the bridge - no concessions for motorcycles unlike lovely old Dartford. A quick dash along Highway 280, having passed the Presidio military area of San Francisco and back home to Redwood City.
It's sad to take a bike like the Harley back to the shop. I gave Wolfgang his Electraglide back and shook his hand - what a nice man, allowing me my dream! Do it, if you can!
Michael Chadwell
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If buying a new Sportster seemed an act of financial lunacy, back in '89, buying a new Electra-Glide two years later could only be attributed to the brain rotting effects of the male menopause. However, it was my birthday, my 40th birthday, and I could, if I gave up eating as well as the fags and booze, just afford the repayments. What tipped the balance was that this time I found a Harley dealer who not only acknowledged my existence as I walked into the shop, and gave me a cup of coffee, but actually allowed me a test ride on the model of my choice.
Although I had really enjoyed my two years on a Sportster, it did have its limitations, particularly two-up, as an 800 mile trip to friends in Scotland proved. The agonised screams of the pillion probably still echo around the glens to this day. So after 12000 miles on an 883 it was time to move up to a BIG TWIN.
The difficult bit was choosing which one, as the prices of 1340's, with the exception of the full dress tourers, were all pretty close. I had a ride on a Soft-Tail, although they are arguably the best looking of all the models, the solid mounted engines do vibrate, which did not bode well for long distance comfort. This left the FX series or FL's. I didn't really consider the new Dyna-Glides as they had only just come on to the market and I preferred someone else to iron the bugs out of the new models.
The FX models are in some ways similar to Sportsters and offer a similar amount of wallet shrinking customizing opportunities. By a careful process of elimination all that was left were the Electra-Glides, if only for the amazing name. As I didn't fancy paying out £2000 extra for a radio-cassette and cruise control, I settled on a FLHS, an Electra-Glide Sport, which in Harley terms is something of a bargain.
You get all sorts of goodies with an FLHS. Air forks and shocks, spotlights and running lights, twin front discs, GRP panniers and, last but certainly not least, a really comfortable dual seat. The big, police type, screen is also well worth having. With all these features, plus a virtually maintenance free belt drive, the bike's a real mile eater.
At over 600lbs it's no lightweight, but even round town the impression of bulk disappears once on the move, helped by the low seat height and the unique back to front forks. This strange set-up has the headstock in front of the fork legs, which gives lighter steering and added stability at higher speeds. The only thing that limits the fun is the rather small tank, at four gallons, with around 40mpg. It shows how comfortable a machine this is, on most bikes a stop at 150 miles would be a blessed relief.
The first days of ownership were almost trouble free. The only faults found on the initial ride were the strange behaviour of the self-cancelling indicators and the fact that the bike had a headlight that dipped the wrong way. The problem with the indicators was because 10W bulbs had been fitted at the factory for some unknown reason. Once replaced with the correct bulbs the problem disappeared, the self-cancelling feature working a treat. The headlamp was changed to a UK spec Cibie unit, the original Bosch light kept for trips abroad.
The brakes are up to (or rather down to) the usual Harley standards. Having two discs out front makes them slightly less wooden than those on the Sportster but they used to pack up at the first sign of rain, needing a lot of pressure in the dry. The real problem's is the disc pad material being rock hard, never seems to wear out. In fact, the discs would probably need replacing before the pads. EBC pads were a big improvement.
Having completed over 12000 miles on the machine, I've been very pleasantly surprised at the low running costs. The rear tyre lasted nearly 10,000 miles and the front is still only half worn. The Avon Elan rear replacement works even better than the original Dunlop, without the strange noises. The belt drive still looks like new. Apart from oil and filters, the only replacement parts were a pair of spark plug, a set of HT leads, an exhaust shield and a spot-light rim. The last two replaced under warranty. As depreciation isn't a problem with Harleys, it would be difficult to find any large tourer that would be cheaper to run. Even the high initial cost looks better, these days, compared to large Jap tourers.
Of course, you don't buy and run a Harley on the grounds of economy, but it does go some way in preventing the family getting you committed to the local home for the financially insane. So, what's it like to ride? Well, it's arguably one of the most comfortable bikes on the road, both for rider and passenger. Not only has it got a really good seat, the rubber mounted engine and belt drive stop those bum numbing vibes getting through, as do the large floor-boards.
As you would expect, the ride's pretty soft, although the air suspension can be pumped up to maximum to tighten up the handling, you end up with a very jarring ride. The bike's surprisingly agile except that it has a large turning circle which can be awkward in tight hairpin bends. Even on loose gravel it can be a bit, er, tricky.
It's also somewhat over-geared, the European models having a smaller rear pulley than the US spec bikes. I suspect this has more to do with noise regs than our higher cruising speeds, as it leaves first gear a bit tall for pulling away fully loaded, and it makes fifth gear an overdrive. The bike will just pull 100mph with the very quiet and restrictive OE exhaust. In fact, the bike's still standard except for the screen which was swapped for a handlebar fairing off an old FL.
It'll happily cruise at 85 to 80mph all day long, with the engine chugging away at around 3000 revs. It's all so relaxed you sometimes need to make an effort to keep awake, particularly when the passenger's snoring away. The bike's been totally reliable, the only real fault was petrol overflowing from the carb on starting up. A problem that also occurred on my Sportster. A modified float needle cured this but caused a misfire at high revs as the fuel level became too low. This has now been fixed and the bike pulls like a train right up to the red line.
Like all standard Harleys it could do with a bit more power at the top end, as although I start every journey intending to cruise along at 60mph, I find that the further I go the more the speed creeps up, as everything else on the road, these days, seems to drive at 90mph. The bike out-accelerates most things on four wheels up to 80mph but most cars have a higher top speed.
So should you rush out and buy one? Well, although, as I mentioned before, once moving it's quite easy to manage, you need to be strong enough to hold up the best part of half a ton of bike and passenger at a standstill. And, of course, you need the very large financial commitment. It took me three years of working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, to pay for it, but as I said before I should be able to sell it for the same as the original cost. Not that this goes any way to placating other members of the family, who seem to have this strange idea that annual holidays in the sun are a better way of spending the money.
You also have to get used to the attention the bike attracts, not unfortunately from the sort of young women who pose for Easy Riders magazine, but from pensioners who rode them during the war. Even though it's ridden all year round the finish has survived northern winters well, the only rust to be found on the exhaust. It's a very easy bike to service at home and spares availability is good, the price of parts cheaper than most Jap machines.
Harley use high quality parts where it counts and the bikes are certainly built to last. Even ignoring all the hype that surround them, Harleys do have a unique character and can, given reasonable care, last a lifetime. They can be customized and tuned, so that there is really no excuse for ever getting bored with the bike, either. I'm happy with mine....I just get the new catalogues for harmless amusement. Mind you, that Road King looks nice...
Barry Meason
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The greatest high in my life, in recent times, was falling off a newish ElectraGlide in the States. An old friend who'd settled in LA was putting me up for a couple of months. The rich bastard owned half a dozen expensive motorcycles, the 1340cc Harley one of them. $14000's worth! As cities go, LA's pretty nasty for motorcyclists even though the roads are wide and the sun shines. Too many jerks wearing expensive clothes in big cars who are living in a fantasy world, who pull out huge guns in reaction to a dose of reality.
I found the Harley a weird bike to ride. The engine was as noisy as a blast furnace but not that many vibes got through to the rider. It revved incredibly slowly, but gut churning torque was belted out that tried to pop my spine out of my body. The bars were so wide they made me feel laid out in the wind but their width gave the great bulk quite reasonable control. I could potter through town at 20 to 30mph, feeling as if I was in complete control. The Harley has one of the most lowly mounted engines in the motorcycle world with obvious benefits from the low centre of gravity. Or so I thought.
On the Freeway the old barge comfortably chugged up to 60 or 70mph. Faster it'd go but the pigs would come up out of the ground and snap up any speeders.
I did find some deserted roads out in the country, where I put 90mph on the clock. There was a horrible weave, the bars threatening to flutter from lock to lock. A patch of pot-holes threw me out of the seat and had the Harley all over the road. 80mph brought back calmness, though the bike seemed happiest in the 55 to 70mph range. Perfect, in fact, for Yank roads.
Harleys are famed for their exhaust note and, indeed, I was mellowed out by its rhythm after a couple of days of trying to ride it like a Japanese bike. Fuel was around 50mpg and they have a reputation for being easy on the other consumables.
I liked the handlebar fairing, which gave protection from the elements without removing the sensation of being aboard a big motorcycle. Americans drive at incredibly slow rates, which is stupid in such a huge country, but it's a restraint within which the Harley fits perfectly. Whereas in the UK it'd be an accident looking for somewhere to happen.
By the way, British bikes are now expensive in the States but old Japanese stuff's still cheap. I was trying to track down a good GS750 with the intention of sending it to the UK. My mate thought I was mad to waste my effort on such dross, especially when $2000 would buy a perfectly adequate Sportster. The only Harley I'd consider in the UK is a Goodman framed one.
In search of a GS I'd ridden about 80 miles north out of LA, to a godforsaken little town in the middle of nowhere. The GS turned out to be no use because the bottom end sounded moments off breaking. I was in a pretty bad mood as I tried to manhandle the Harley out of his drive, gave her a little throttle to bring her around. Instead, the back wheel went away and the bike slid down the drive.
Luckily, the ElectraGlide's fitted with huge crash-bars, which lost their chrome. After that incident I was relegated to a 1200 Gold Wing. Still, the Harley was kind of nice in the States.
Mike Bowler