Harley-Davidson usually advances their products through evolution rather than revolution, and the changes between model years are often negligible. So, what have they come up with for 2017? GAVIN FOSTER finds out on the roads of the Western Cape.
In the eyes of the purists, Harley-Davidsons have to have big engines with the two cylinders arranged in a 450 Vee. Harley have been building ‘em like that for more than a hundred years and, truth be told, most of their more recent engineering advances have been dictated by increasingly tough emissions control legislation. The new Milwaukee-Eight big twins introduced this year are claimed to be more powerful, smoother, and cooler running, more economical, and mechanically quieter than the Twin-Cam engines they replace. The engineers took an interesting mechanical sidestep in that the new engine uses a single camshaft for each cylinder rather than the two of the outgoing model, but then steals back an advantage by squeezing four valves into each cylinder head rather than the two of its predecessor – the total number of valves gives the new engine the “Eight” in its moniker. The valve gear is, of course, still pushrod operated.
Late last year Harley launched their 2017 range of touring bikes in the Western Cape, all of which came with the new 1,745 cc (107 cu in) air and oil cooled engine. The bigger 1,870 cc (114 cu in) version will arrive in their new heavyweight full-dress models, and those with lots of bodywork to conceal the radiators and plumbing will benefit from liquid-cooled cylinder heads.
At the launch, Harley-Davidson very obligingly also provided a 2016 Road King with the older 1,690 cc Twin-Cam engine, and it was this that I elected to ride on the first leg of our two days and 700 km adventure. Not having ridden a big Harley of any sort any real distance for years I was impressed because it was a completely different animal to what I expected. The engine, complete with the expected low frequency vibes, pulled well from just off idle and the bike as a package worked much better than I expected from the 2017 model, never mind the old bike. The engine was torquey, which made acceleration out of the tight bends of Chapman’s Peak a lot of fun, and the handling was good for a bike that weighs something approaching 400 kg fuelled up.
Moving from the old to the new, I hopped aboard the 2017 model Road King (R308,000) with the Milwaukee-Eight engine and new-for-2017 adjustable Showa suspension. The new bike really is a big step forward. It pulled slightly more strongly than the old one, but for me the most marked improvement was in the reduced vibration thanks to the new engine balance shaft, the ride quality and the handling. The engineers went to a lot of trouble getting that engine to produce just enough low-frequency shake to please the purists without giving newer arrivals into the Harley fold room to complain. The bike is obviously not a sports machine – it’s long and heavy so it doesn’t take kindly to sudden changes in course mid-corner, but if you choose your line and commit to it, tackling winding mountain passes briskly can be loads of fun. In between the bends you can thud along at 160 km/h if you wish, without any frantic mechanical shenanigans going on beneath you. There’s a crisp six speed transmission with Harley’s version of a slipper clutch, and a smooth final belt drive, so all’s well with the transmission.
By way of further comparison, I rode two other new Harleys briefly on our route to Barrydale and back. The R335,000 Street Glide Special was superbly comfortable and stable, but felt heavier and more cumbersome than the Road King and that for me was a step in the wrong direction. The third, the R369,000 Freewheeler trike, I rode more as an experiment than anything else, and it didn’t take long to convince me that too much confidence gained in a short time would end up in tears, so I abandoned that at the first opportunity.
LAST WORD
What was interesting about that trip was that all three 2017 models I rode used the same engine, yet each did more than what it was designed to do, and well. The new Road King could also be hustled through mountain passes at a fair lick while having lots of fun, which is an essential part of touring for many of us.
Despite what their critics say, modern Harleys are far from agricultural, and while they may not be sports bikes, they make for excellent tourers that can also come out to play occasionally.
Report by GAVIN FOSTER | Images © GAVIN FOSTER/HARLEY-DAVIDSON
