WHERE TO SECURE THOSE DAMN HELMETS!

Have you ever found yourself after parking your beloved Harley and then not knowing what to do with your helmet? Do you place it on the seat, to later when you're not around fall on the ground and chip, or worse yet have someone else decide your helmet is much better than theirs, so they take it! Yeah I know, what's the big deal taking it with you. Well, have you ever sat in a booth for lunch with three other riders and their helmets? Didn't think so, because if you have, you wouldn't have asked! Keep in mind that you can click on any image and it will open much larger! By-the-way, those with Tour Paks (King or Chopped) can move their Pak forward or backwards approximately 2" by removing the same 5 bolts in the photo and moving the entire Pak to the second set of mounting holes on the mounting bracket.

Helmets protect the head and neck in the event of a crash. Most motorcycle heads injuries are the result of, you guessed it, not wearing a helmet at all! So they protect the head, is there anything positive about lugging one around all day long, well other than you can always tell the wife, "No more purchases, I gotta carry the helmets!" Seriously, if you are like us and like to tour with your Harley, then you don't have room in the saddlebags or tour pack to secure your helmets. Carrying them around all day long is a pain in the butt! So many are seen either resting on the seat of the motorcycle waiting to fall and damage or on the ground.

Helmet locks have been available for purchase for many, many years. These locks can be easily mounted to the engine guards, saddlebag guards or frame tubes, but they come at a price of appearance. Where to mount these buggers that is out of the way, useful when needed and might create a conversational piece? On our first Ultra Classic, purchased used from a guy near Orlando, Florida he had the helmet locks mounted under the tour pack! They were out of sight, useful when needed and started many a conversation on our rides.

I didn't take the time to purchase helmet locks for our 2008 Ultra and have since sold that for a 2008 Road Glide. Recently we had the detachable tour pack installed and I will show you the list of materials needed and what is involved in securing these locks under the tour pack. Any anyone that knows me, if I can do this, hell anyone can!

Materials needed include helmet locks (dah!), part #45732-86 Harley catalog $18.95, 7/8" to 1-1/4" diameter tubing, preferably solid plastic dowel, though a piece of PVC capped off on both ends would also work. You can choose to use a drill press (I recommend it), drill through the center of the dowel, from one end to the other. If using PVC then drill through the center of both caps. Use PVC cement/cleaner to adhere end caps on (again if using PVC). Use a 1/4" drill bit for the holes. Thanks Don for locating the needed dowel at Grainger Part #1UTW2 (1 inch diameter) . You can order this item in different lengths. One example is a length of one foot for $3.70. If using a 1-1/4" part #1UTW6 one foot length is $5.97. This is extruded Nylon 6/6.

Finally it is done! After cutting the extruded nylon dowels to 2-1/4" in length, drilling a 1/4" hole down the length of the dowel and getting the few pieces of hardware (3-1/2" Phillips head bolt, washers and nylon lock nut $4.64), all I needed to do was mount it on the Tour Pak. In all I have less than $45 total cost including the dowel, locks and hardware. Now the helmets will be out of the way when dining out with friends or simply traveling with tour and saddle bags full of clothes and other necessities.

If you should come up with a useful idea, making rides more enjoyable, please share it! We are all in this together. Enjoy another riding season and remember to always be on your "A" game when you ride (Be Alert by being drug free and having plenty of rest. Be Aware of ever changing road & weather conditions along with other drivers. Ride within your Ability, not someone elses and bring a positive Attitude to every ride)!

What Are The Rumors about the FLTR

Before we get to the rumors surrounding Harley-Davidson's "best kept secret" the FLTR or more commonly called the Road Glide let's look at its' long history.

The FLT Tour Glide was introduced in 1979. Sold alongside the existing FLH Electra Glide, the FLT had a larger frame with rubber engine mounts, and a five-speed transmission. The FLHT was introduced in 1983. This was an Electra Glide based on the FLT Tour Glide frame, but using the Electra Glide "batwing" fairing instead of the Tour Glide frame-mounted fairing. The FLT Tour Glide, which introduced the current Touring frame, was dropped from the lineup in 1996. The frame-mounted Tour fairing would return with the FLTR Road Glide in 1998. The FLT Tour Glide was later offered as an Ultra Classic version, similar to the Electra Glide Ultra Classic except for one noticeably unique difference, instead of the "batwing" fairing, the Tour Glide since 1979 had a frame mounted fairing known as the "sharknose". The FLT Tour Glide Ultra weighed in at a bit over 806 pounds, sported a 1337 cc (81.58 cubic inch) v-twin and 64 horse power (based on the 1992 specs.).

The 2008 FLTR (Road Glide) weighs in at 752 pounds, a new 6-gallon gas tank, 6-speed transmission, available Brembo ABS brakes, 96 cubic inch (1573.2 cc) v-twin and 92.6 foot pounds of torque. The Electra Glide Ultra Classic weighs in at 814 pounds, Classic at 791 and Street Glide at 749 of the same year.

Many have said they don't care for the look of the sharknose fairing and many more HD enthusiasts own the batwing version because, well as I see it, they are afraid of being "different". Owners of Road Glides or Tour Glides for that matter have known for a very long time how much more stability a fixed mounted fairing offers them at highway speeds and cross winds, not to mention less rider fatigue and ease of turning. Road or Tour Glide owners beg to be different, they refuse to conform to the greater population of Touring Riders. Having said all this, one of the rumors coming out of many HD Forums includes the discontinuation of the Road Glide model! How dare HD dropping their best riding touring motorcycle. Just look at the 2009 Screamin' Eagle Road Glide, at $30,999 which will see a production of 3000 bikes. Arguably the boldest-looking of the 2009 CVOs, the Road Glide contradicts typical bagger stereotypes with its short windshield, saddlebag extenders and rakish profile. The CVO Road Glide's massive frame-mounted fairing is color-matched front and back, and houses spun aluminum faces and a two-speaker Harman/Kardon stereo system. The Glide features Harley's new touring chassis, which is now robotically welded, and has a new motor mount system for smoother idling. A revised touring exhaust is also designed to offer more passenger space, and less heat.

Don't fret, I hear rumblings of HD reintroducing the Tour Glide line and an Ultra Classic version! Well hell, it's about time! Why this hasn't been done ever since reinventing the Tour Glide as a Road Glide I will never know. The other bit of news I've heard is that the 2010 Tour Glide might be HD first ever liquid-cooled touring bike! You would think sooner or later with all the success of the V-Rod it was just a matter of time! You can try until you are blue in the face, no one at HD or its' many dealerships will let any clues out except maybe that the Road Glide will no longer be offered in it's "present form", whatever the hell that means! There is talk of closing the York, PA plant that assembles the Road Glide. Then I read in another article they were simply down sizing the work force.

What we know for sure is................................................nothing! As always we will need to wait until the 2010 line is introduced before rumors can be substantiated or put to rest. Until this time comes, keep the rumors coming, it's like reading "Letters to the Editor" in the Watertown Daily Times or stopping by the local supermarket and reading the many headlines on the tabloid magazines as you wait for the jerk with a shopping cart full of stuff in the "10 items or less line"! In the meantime enjoy this burnout on a Road Glide from You Tube

Blue Knights Bike Blessing

The Blue Knights South Central Chapter II held its' Annual Bike Blessing on Saturday, April 4 in Jefferson at St. Mark's Lutheran Church. I had never experienced a bike blessing and since I was free and had a "new" 2008 Harley-Davidson Road Glide from Capital City HD, I knew that was where I needed to be.


An e-mail was sent to fellow Tourin' Hawg members and a few made the journey. The first week in April might be too early for those fair weather riders, but not any of the twenty or so true bike enthusiasts that were in attendance. I guess anytime you mention donuts and coffee, you are bound to attract cops! Fellow officers from the Warthogs, Blue Knights and Tourin' Hawgs and Fire & Iron made their way at least once to the selection of fine baked goods! Thanks Chad and Rhonnie for organizing the donuts and coffee!


There were many officers who were present that I have known for years; Bill, Dwayne, Bruce, Wayne and Chad just to name a few. Thanks for hosting this event and the Pastor at St. Mark's Lutheran Church for opening your doors to God's house and welcoming us inside. The bike blessing isn't really a blessing of bikes, it is a blessing of the riders and passengers who ride. We were blessed with perfect weather and fellowship.



The twenty or so riders that were present I'm afraid didn't put a dent in the 80 cup coffee pot! Sorry guys! Some of us at our age need to remember our bladders aren't what they used to be as teenagers! Stops between cups come far too often, if you know what I mean!



Thanks again. Ride safe and be forever Faithful! Remember whatever you do, do it to the glory of God!

Road Glide vs Ultra Classic

I have read many an article titled, "Road Glide vs. Ultra Classic". Those who own Road Glides slam Ultra owners and vis versa. I am not here to slam whatever you ride, the important thing is that you ride. Because you ride, we share a common bond, the family of bikers! I will share my thoughts on two of the many touring models Harley-Davidson sells. Whether you purchase a bike for looks (timeless beauty) or effortless stability on the road, it comes down to one thing, you buy what "you" like. Don't be persuated by the thoughts of others. Take the time to ride many different models, then make an educated decision based on the type of rider you are, where you ride, how far you ride and whether you go solo or with a passenger.

My first touring model was a 1984 Honda Gold Wing Interstate 1200. I loved that bike, but our children were still in diapers and I couldn't get enough time to ride to enjoy what I had. Within a year the bike was sold. What I remember about the Wing was the fixed mounted fairing, mounted to the frame of the bike and not the handlebars. Back then I didn't know what stability was because I had ridden very few bikes, especially at highway speeds.


The next touring bike was the 2000 Electra Glide Standard, followed by a 2000 Electra Glide Ultra Classic and then last year purchased a brand new 2008 Ultra Classic. These three bikes had one big thing in common, the "bat-wing" fairing. This fairing is a signature of Harley-Davidson touring models. The bat-wing fairing has not changed much in 30 years. What has stayed constant is how it is affixed to the handlebars. Before buying the Ultra Classic, I had looked at the Road Glide and even priced out a few options such as adding a King Tour-Pak and Lower Glove Boxes. The price for the Road Glide with these options far exceeded the Ultra Classic! At the time none of my friends owned a Road Glide and I didn't want to stand out! I got a great deal from Capital City Harley-Davidson on the Ultra Classic. How can you go wrong with an Ultra? It has everything and much more when it comes to features.


For the past year I have read more and more articles from owners of Road Glides as well as talking to new friends that ride them. They all say, ride one, then make a decision. Don't buy on looks alone. I forgot to mention that last summer for one week I rode a Yellow Sun Glo 2005 Road Glide from Capital City HD. I was very impressed at how sure footed it was on the Interstate. The frame mounted fairing handled the wind and 18 wheelers without any wind buffeting. I never had to "hang-on" with cross winds and fight the handlebars like the "bat-wing" fairings. The looks of the RG, well I'll be honest it is different but it does have the European sexiness of a Italian sports car. The RG is very nimble is the twisties and stable at highway speeds. I look at the RG as a sport touring bike and maybe Harley's best kept secret. It is their only frame mounted touring bike.


From the articles I have read these are some comments made by other Road Glide owners; better gas mileage, less wear and tear on the rider (less fatigue), better stability in cross winds, easier into and out of corners, greater distances without aches and pains. About 90% of my riding is on the Interstate at highway speeds, in close proximity of semi trucks and cross winds made my decision for my next bike to be a Road Glide fairly easy.


As luck would have it, I had some little things continuely go wrong on the new Ultra Classic. These little things made it difficult for me to enjoy it to the fullest. The Ultra had been in and out of the service bay more times than I remember. It was after Daytona Bike Week in March that I decided to shop around for a Road Glide. After looking at many dealerships and pricing a few 2008 models I knew the RG had to come from Capital City HD. I contacted Kerry Royce Head of Sales to see if they had any used RG's in. To my amazement he had just taken a 2008 Vivid Black one in with the laced wheel option and ABS brakes. The bike's previous owner had barely driven it as the odometer read 498 miles! Kerry and I got together and got 'er done! My goal, an even trade, my 2008 Ultra Classic for the 2008 RG. Now you might think I got the short end of the stick, but I was not to be taken advantage of. Within the deal I received heated grips, highway mounts and pegs, center stand, passenger detachable backrest, rider adjustable backrest, detachable King Tour-Pak, luggage rack, adjustable passenger pegs, GPS mounting bracket, 1 year remaining on the warranty and another year of membership to National HOG. My total cost, was the title transfer!


Capital City treated me like a celebrity! They were going to do whatever it took to satisfy my driving habits and come away with a stronger word-of-mouth relationship. By pleasing one person, you might gain a larger customer base.