Harley-Davidson 2007 FLTCHU Ultra Classic Electra Glide - Rode Test
Brian Goldsmith - Dec 5, 2007

We traded our ‘04 Heritage Softail for a ‘07 Ultra Classic in December ’06. Our justification was the desire for greater all-round utility, better protection from the elements, a bigger engine with six-speed transmission, ultimate riding comfort, relaxed rider/passenger communications and a greater selection of available add-ons.

 

Along the way, we’ve experienced great satisfaction coupled with significant disappointment!

 

The “meaty” look, road handling, overall comfort and utility are exceptional. Relatively poor stock engine performance, leg-burning heat, “blueing” pipes and a “whining” transmission are our disappointments.

 

Our gloss black stock Ultra was very nicely equipped out of the box. Of course, we’ve added our own personality to it over time and will continue doing so by selecting from the vast array of available options.

 

The color is great so long as it is kept clean. This is tough to do but it is a lot of fun trying.

 

The stock double pipes combined with the color-coordinated upper and lower fairings and plentiful hard storage gives the Ultra a really “meaty” look.

 

The heat-related “blueing” of the pipes is not pretty. Although most of this can be concealed externally, the reflection in the adjacent chrome cannot. Cleaning the pipes will not be a solution until the root cause is eliminated.

 

The headlamp/spot lamp combination is not ideal for safety. The headlamp brightness is very dim and therefore almost invisible to others. The bright spot lamps dwarf the illumination of the headlamp. When the headlamp high-beam is set, the spot lamps are wired to switch off. I would like to see the headlamp be as bright as the spots to maximize visibility to others. Furthermore, the spots should remain on when high-beam is selected to maximize illumination when it would be most needed.

 

The stock 96 cubic-inch engine performance seems no better than our 88 cubic-inch Heritage Softail. Higher-speed/power passing performance is disappointing. The stock fuel mapping (due to EPA-required emissions control – according to H-D) accounts for the relatively poor engine performance. This fact, combined with the longer stroke (the method used to achieve 96 cubic-inches without increasing the bore size), air-flow limitations caused by the lower fairings and the higher elevation and low humidity combination of Denver, Colorado, results in elevated oil temperature, leg-burning heat while idling and “pinging” in the 2500 to 3000 RPM rage, especially when under load.

 

According to H-D, the motorcycle’s performance could be improved and the excessive heat reduced by race-tuning; at my own expense of course. H-D also mentioned that I could remove the lower fairings to further reduce heat. We did not select a full dresser only to have to remove some of the “dressing”.

 

The addition of a 6th gear is a wonderful feature for high-speed cruise comfort. However, this is offset by the “horrible” whining sound when in 5th. The manual says to not use 6th until reaching 65 MPH. Therefore, unless you’re on a road with a speed limit over 65MPH, you’re stuck with the whining in 5th. H-D tells me that the 5th gear is helical for strength improvement, hence the “whining”. H-D’s solution – there’s nothing mechanically wrong and you’ll get used to it.

 

It’s interesting to me that H-D would go to the trouble of patenting its engine sound, yet expects a customer to get used to a whining transmission that can be heard over the engine. I understand that the whining has been fixed in the ’08 model.

 

The ride is extremely comfortable for both the rider and passenger. The passenger “sofa” is extremely supportive and comfortable.

 

The built-in, voice-activated intercom makes for exceptionally relaxed rider/passenger communication, not to mention the ability to listen to one’s favorite music. Mode selection (CD, AM/FM radio, CB, Weather) can be made by the rider or passenger and each can control their own headset volume.

 

The adjustable air shocks make for a very smooth ride and can be set according to personal taste.

 

The instrumentation and switches are nicely laid out and functional with the exception of the ambient air temperature gauge. Its reading is erroneous due to the engine heat rising through the upper fairing. Substituting with an oil temperature gauge would be of greater use.

 

The upper and lower fairings and high windshield provide excellent protection from the wind, rain (while moving), cold temperatures and flying debris.

 

All-in-all, we are happy with our upgrade to the Ultra due to the ultimate look and feel, standard features and available options. These factors somewhat offset our disappointment with H-D for not taking responsibility and accountability for engineering issues it has created.

 

We understand there are often challenges associated with major engineering changes. We do however expect H-D to stand behind its enhancements and preserve the Company’s reputation by putting things right for its customers. H-D has not done so in our case. Although H-D produces a reasonable product, what sets it apart from other manufacturers is the culture and camaraderie of owning a “Harley” and the ability to “really” personalize it.

 

When it comes to engineering, features and value, H-D does not fair well against most other manufacturers.

 

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