2014 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited

2014 HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE ULTRA LIMITED

CW FIRST RIDE

Liquid-cooled heads are just one of Project Rushmore's refinements

Jamie Elvidge

PART TOURING BIKE, part time machine, Harley-Davidson's Electra Glide, the first Motor Company model to use an electric starter, has been the steed of choice among many long-road loyalists since 1965. And for 2014, the Electra Glide models have been reborn via Project Rushmore, which has sired more than 100 changes across the platform. Most significant are liquid-cooled heads on a High Output version of the Twin Cam 103, plus linked ABS and restyled luggage and bodywork.

Standing out among the tourers is the Electra Glide Ultra Limited, which comes with every available accoutrement, including The Motor Company's new Boom! Box 6.5 infotainment system. It's an incredibly complex audio and information system that's remarkably easy to master thanks to an intuitive control system that utilizes twin thumb toggles as a primary means to scroll and select options. This interactive system, with voice recognition and Bluetooth capability, is a huge upgrade from the standard Harman/Kardon system we've used on previous models.

On the CW dyno, the new High Output Twin Cam 103, the version without liquid-cooled heads, produced 76 hp and 95.6 poundfeet of torque. Although adding liquid-cooled heads—which helps the engine maintain peak performance in mechanically demanding situations—bumped horsepower to 80.5 (while keeping torque at 95.6 poundfeet), there is very little difference in feel between the two engines.

Honoring heritage, the Electra Glide Ultra Limited's new cooling system is for the most part hidden from view. A keen eye will notice the bug-catching radiators now housed in the fairing lowers, but other than that, it's beautifully hush-hush. Likewise, the new Reflex linked ABS is easier felt than seen, electronically adjusting the proportion of linking based on how the rider is using the brakes. Other mechanical improvements for 2014 include a new hydraulic clutch, an even more solid 49mm fork that replaces the previous 43mm assembly, and new castaluminum wheels that are said to be stiffer and lighter.

IGnITIOn

But anyone shopping for an Electra Glide is going to be interested in comfort and functionality at least as much as performance, and that's where this Harley shines. Remember that trunk with the wobbly lid and temperamental latch? Gone. From the outside, both the TourPak trunk and saddlebags look smaller and sleeker, but capacity has grown. The bags shut definitively, and the saddlebags can easily be opened while you're seated on the bike.

Also slick is the new forkmounted fairing. First on the scene in 1969, the Batwing now harbors a plethora of high-tech goodness. In addition to housing the new gauges and audio, the shell also has a much-appreciated venting system that significantly reduces head buffeting. What's more, the seats are wider and deeper on Harley's new tourers, and the two days I spent on the bikes didn't produce a shred of discomfort. Special attention has been paid to passenger accommodations. Harley didn't just slap a passenger backrest on a trunk; it studied how passengers feel and then designed the trunk around that.

And therein lies the care at the heart of Project Rushmore, whose countless refinements will be appreciated for years to come. CTU

SPECS

HARLEY-DAVIDSON ELECTRA GLIDE ULTRA LIMITED

PRICE:

$25,899 to $27,164 ENGINE:

ohv V-twin DISPLACEMENT:

1690cc

SEAT HEIGHT:

29.1 in.

FUEL CAPACITY:

6.0 gal.

CLAIMED CURB WEIGHT: 896 lb.

HARLEY-DAVIDSON FLHTKSE CVO LIMITED

-> If more does, in fact, mean more to you, then the CVO Limited should be on your radar. For starters, HarleyDavidson's ultimate touring rig gets the latest Project Rushmore TwinCooled Twin Cam 110

engine, which cranked out an impressive 88.9 hp and 105.5 poundfeet of peak torque on the Cycle World dyno, a significant bump compared to the 103 version's 80.5 hp and 95.6 pound-feet. But it's the exclusive paint schemes,

wheelbarrows full of chrome and billet accessories, Daymaker LED headlight and fog lights, plus virtually every available option, that set this bike apart from standard FLHs. Of course, the ultimate touring twin has a high price: $38,999.-BC