Harley-Davidson Road King
CYCLE WORLD TEST
HARLEY-DAVIDSON Road King
THE ELECTRA GLIDE SPORT IS DEAD, LONG LIVE THE KING
THE NAME EVOKES EXPECTATIONS OF SERIOUS GOODS. SAY IT, "ROAD KING." Two SYLLABLES, TO THE POINT. IT'S a name people repeat when they hear it.
The King, officially the FLHR Electra Glide Road King, carries on the tradition of the now-deposed Electra Glide Sport, itself an updated rendition of 1950s Harley tourers. As such, it takes H-D's proven touring frame, air-suspension and rubber-mounted, 80-cubic-inch Evolution engine, but makes do without the weight and the trappings of the full-dress touring bikes. According to Louie Netz, Harley-Davidson's director of styling, after that, all it needed was a knockout name.
"What we try to do is gUeSS what the street name is going to be, what the people are going to call it," he says. "It's not a real scientific process; it's what feels good. Road King fits it very well." ______________________________________________
The King's broad appeal became apparent in about 10 seconds one Sunday morning. A gaggle of young children were playing as the Road King emerged from a garage in a small California town. Activity stopped. One girl's eyes grew as big as H-D pistons. "Good golly!" she practically screamed. Seconds later, an old-school Harley rider drove past in a ratty pickup with a partially disassembled Hog in the back. He didn't say anything; his partially toothy grin and a thumbs-up said it all.
Look close and you'll see a bike that's 73 pounds lighter than the fully loaded, top-of-the-line Ultra Classic. The weight came off by eliminating the fairing, fairing lowers, stereo, backrest, tour trunk and electronic cruise control. There's a $2450 reduction in price, as well; the Ultra retails for $15,750, the King costs $13,300.
This King’s by no means stripped of jewels, though.
There’s a quick-release windshield with chrome trim, a set of saddlebags out back set off with chromed bars, a big loop of a chromed engine guard up front, and the steering-head lock is now located on a chromed triple-clamp cover.
Adding a touch of the new,
Netz and company fitted an LCD odometer-tripometer just below the electric speedometer. Netz says the electric setup is better technology, but he was more excited by the fact that eliminating the speedometer cable cleans up the front end. What looks like a second fuel cap on the left side of the 5-gallon tank is home to a fairly accurate fuel gauge.
The windshield comes off easily and offers good protection for riders across a broad range of heights. The shield is held in place by U-shaped bracket ends that slide into place against rubber grommets. The ends slide down to mounting points below the headlight, and back to points on either side of the light. Once everything’s in place, the screen is secure, and there are a couple of spring retaining pins that fit over the upper mounting points for an extra measure of security. To remove the shield, simply pull the two pins to the side, push the shield off the upper points and pull it away. It’s that quick and simple.
An expansive tractor-style seat proved comfortable for riders with a broad range of weights and inseams. The King’s throne looks like a one-piece unit, but the rear section comes off for solo cruising. There’s a H-D logo on the seat sides and some black metal studs, but no inserts or fancy stitching, which sometimes can wear on the posterior as the miles roll up.
It’s a moderate reach to the handlebar; only short-armed riders said it was a bit of a stretch. Smallish mirrors are perched on stubby stems fitted into the clutchand brakelever housings. The bar’s span-31.5 inches from tip to tip-is such that the mirrors provide ample rear views.
Large floorboards, with a 2-inch range of up-and-downadjustment, complete an ergonomic package that left nobody here voicing serious complaints about either in-town or highway riding. It is on the highway, serene and stately, though, where the King is really at home. There’s little, if any, vibration at the seat, handlebar or footboards. And there may be more sophisticated cruise-control systems around, but Harley’s screw-adjuster throttle lock is quite effective.
There is a lot of engine to w arm up, but it fires immediately when cold, with the traditional Harley starting technique of full choke, two twists of the throttle and hit the button. Our King made 51.8 horsepower at the dynamometer, a couple ponies better than we’re accustomed to seeing from 49state Big Twins. The engine received no changes for 1994, according to Harley. Our man at the dyno said it was a good air day, lots of oxygen around.
Oxygen quantities aside, this is, of course, not the Road Scorcher. There is, however, enough power and torque here that shifting isn’t a constant activity; the Evo’s making 60 foot-pounds of torque by the time its turning 1800 rpm. Clutch pull is easy, and the transmission works with a solid smoothness. It’s not snick-snick sportbike-smooth, more a feeling of large parts moving in well-engineered harmony.
On the highway, fifth gear serves up a particularly sweet spot between 60 and 70 mph. Speeds above or below that range are by no means rough, but at about 65 the King feels especially content, like it’s right where it wants to be. Night riding’s a joy, thanks to those twin 30-watt running lights, which blaze a bright path down dark, desolate roads.
For the short haul, the Road King takes on more of a low-slung look when the windshield is taken off and the passenger seat is removed. But sitting upright, as one does on this bike, means the rider takes a big wind blast above 50 mph, so the screen-off approach is best suited for around town styling.
Whatever the nature of the ride, this King won’t leave you shortchanged. Footboards touch down as the pace picks up, but little else gets in the way of making good time. In fact, on a two-lane mountain road, the Road King is capable enough that you’ll wish cars weren’t in the way and hope police aren’t in the area.
Steering is a great deal lighter than with traditional H-D tourers, which makes sense, considering the lighter weight around the handlebars. It’s an agile feel for a bike pushing 700 pounds. The wide handlebar provides plenty of leverage, accentuating the easy steering.
Prescribed air-suspension settings work just fine. For riders in the 150-pound range, there’s bump-eating comfort on hand with 15 psi in the front and 0 psi in the twin-shock rear-Harley’s recommended settings. The rear shocks should get an additional 1.5 psi for each 25 pounds of weight over 150. Our resident big guy pumped in about 12 pounds and called the ride wonderful, though it’s not an exact science, since some air is inevitably lost as the pump is disconnected from the screw-attachment valve.
Air is added in the back via a valve located at the lower rear of the left sidepanel. H-D’s front air-suspension valves have traditionally been located at the left handlebar end, but in this case it’s tucked away, by the left fork leg, about 6 inches below the bars. It’s still accessible, just cock the handlebars to the right and it’s no trouble to pump air in. Harley says the valve was moved in conjunction with rearranging components to get the old-time headlight look it wanted.
A couple days’ worth of clothes and supplies are easily swallowed in the permanently mounted saddlebags, though two-up tours of greater duration will call for some creative
packing. Lift their outer hinge locks and the bags’ lids lift up and away from the bike, held in place by a piece of black nylon, thoughtfully printed with a Harley-Davidson logo. It takes a bit of getting used to, but the new system is a big improvement over the old detachable-lid setup.
Those lucky enough to secure a King this year will be able to add storage room (among other things), choosing from an extensive range of H-D accessories. A rear tour trunk will be available, along with different seats and screens, chromed pieces, more elaborate saddlebag guards, etc.
Those who lust after a Road King will have plenty of time to ponder personal touches. Word is that virtually all of the 4000 ’94 Road Kings were spoken for by the end of January, long before they graced showroom floors.
Lack of availability may not be the case in the years ahead, though. Louie Netz says the Road King’s success and popularity are such that this is now more a new platform than a single new model.
“When we saw the first models, we felt like we were on to something, so we’re planning to offer some different versions of the Road King,” he says.
That makes sense. What good is royalty without heirs to the throne?
EDITORS' NOTES
THIS TOURER RECALLS HARLEY HISTORY and, in a sense, my own touring experiences. Many summer days were spent on a big standard, equipped only with a removable fairing and soft saddlebags. Some people want stereos, air compressors, citizens’ band radios, backrests and giant fairings, but those minimalist days were happy ones. It’s nice to see the Road King, further evidence that other people feel the same way. This is just your basic, good ole motorcycle. There’s nothing truly spectacular here, with the possible exception of the styling. It’s more a sense of being on an integrated, well-made machine. Whether it’s because of the styling, or the bike's functional appeal, all 1994 Kings have been spoken for. Some owners will secret the bikes away as collector’s items, some will travel no farther than the next county, but most will look for the long road, knowing that simple pleasures can be the very best. -Robert Hough, News Editor
Is THE ELECTRA GLIDE ROAD KING worth its $13,309 asking price? Difficult to say, considering each rider’s needs, wants and cash tlow are as diverse as his culinary preferences. If I were interested in an all-round motorcycle, one that w'ould satisfy all of my riding needs, I would probably look elsewhere. With 20 more horsepower, the Road King might be an entertaining choice, but for another $350, I could buy BMW’s radical Boxer, which, in addition to its ability to turn heads, is a top-notch backroad burner. Or for $3500 less, 1 might order a snazzy Ducati 900SS SP, which, with soft luggage and a healthy dose of twisty roads, might be my consummate two-wheeled traveler. Appearances carry enormous weight, and the Road King’s ability to empty a crowded diner is uncanny. For me, though, the King’s curbside presence isn’t enough to sway me in its direction. —Matthew Miles, Managing Editor
THE LATE MILLIONAIRE MALCOLM Forbes and I had one thing in common. Unfortunately, it has nothing to do with ownership of a publishing empire, palling around with Liz Taylor or the ability to buy small principalities out of petty cash. Nope, Forbes’ favorite Harley-Davidson was the Electra Glide Sport. Mine too. Until now, that is. The Sport was an Electra Glide from the old school-a clear windscreen out front, saddlebags at the rear, and if you needed more cargo capacity you bungeed on a duffel bag, just like God intended. The Road King takes that concept and plays up the retro theme with a classy paint scheme and what has to be the coolest headlight assembly in motorcycling. Having the King around is an open invitation to pull on my favorite pair of Tony Lamas, zip up my old black Bates jacket, cinch down my white, open-face Arai, and nose towards the West Texas plains. Forbes would understand. -David Edwards, Editor-in-Chief
H-D
ROAD KING
$13,309
