The New Harley Davidson WIDE GLIDE 2012/ REVIEW

Wide Glide 2011 FXDWG: A Nimble Beast. Simple, Yet Elegant

Harley Davidson is testing a new program through their website.  It is a way to request test rides at your local dealership without leaving the comfort of your home.  I found this method of applying for a test ride easy and comfortable.  I’d recommend it to everyone.

My original ride choice was the Fat Boy Lo, but my dealer [Smith Brothers Harley Davidson of Johnson City] didn’t have one available to test ride. I then opted to ride the Wide Glide.  When I looked at this bike on the showroom floor, I was transported back to the days of the FX and the FXE Super Glide. 

The Wide Glide I was looking at in 2011 was reminiscent of the old AMF days, except for the super elegant appearance that our old AMF machines never possessed.  Oh, well that and the fact the engine today is 103 cubic inches (compared to 74” of AMF years), twin cam designed, uh- the huge 4.7 gallon fuel tank vs the 3.0 gallon tank.  OK I give up.  I know the differences are too numerous to count here, but if you look at it from all angles, you soon realize HD has tried to keep the lines reminiscent and true to the Glide of old.   I don’t know how that sits with the younger guys and dolls, but with me it’s what sets off sighs of happiness. 

The 2011 Wide Glide comes in 4 color themes: VIVID BLACK (my choice for a ride), Two Tone Big Blue Pearl with flames, two tone vivid black with flames, and two toned “ember red sunglow” with flames.  I’ve never seen a photo of the red, but I would like to.  I’ll bet it will be a popular color among the ladies. 

Now for the test ride: this bike’s seat sits at 25.5 inches: a perfect height for the folk who have a deficiency with their inseam like me [I stand at 5”4”].  The seat is quite comfortable for the notorious stock Harley Seat, but it’s designed with the leggy guy or gal in mind.  Its deep seat places the rider in a very comfortable butt hugging seat pan which places your weight perfectly in the center of gravity for this bike.  Unfortunately for us who are short on stature, this placement is a tad too far away for the safe operation of the rear brake.  The forward controls that come standard force me to scoot my posterior (ass) further up the neck of the seat, leaving little to no support for the butt cheeks and that sliding ass sensation while braking is kinda un-nerving at times.  If I were ever placed in a position when the rear brake needs to be used hard, I’d be in trouble. 

This shouldn’t cause you to NOT consider owning the FXDWG. There are very simple fixes either by changing the seat out for one that places you better or by making adjustments to the length of the brake pedal.  You just have to be ready to think out think the problem.  (I like adjusting the length of the brake, thus allowing my weight to stay centered.)

I took the bike along a river/lake route which affords the rider to get into the leans of the road, tossing the bike hard left or right and always enjoying the ride.  The 6 speed transmission however, never rose above 4^th gear during this portion of the ride. I needed to put her on the highway in order to feel that thrill of SIX GEARS!  The big 21 inch laced front wheel stayed well grounded through every maneuver I asked of the bike.  I even took the bike to a parking lot (empty) so I could do some hard breaking techniques with it.  The skinny front wheel with the Wide Glide front end handled admirably.  I loved it.  I’m a rider who hasn’t owned anything newer than a 1993, so bear with me when I gush about the “innovations” of the new and improved Harley Davidson.

How nice to ride a bike whose front suspension don’t nose dive.  (OK, so I’m talking from the perspective of a Sportster rider whose front end is very tired.)  I rode this motorcycle through the sharp “S” curves around the lake, 1 very good hair pin, and some roads that left a lot to be desired in the pot hole avoidance department.   This bike is nimble.  Its performance was nothing short of exciting with its   instant response at the throttle and her pleasurable lean angle: she seemed to almost bend around the 90 degree hairpin (well not like a sport bike, but for a big bike it’s impressive!)

On the highway, the 2012 Wide Glide didn’t suck ass either.  Her 103 inches and the fuel injected twin cam response to my pull of the throttle put her into 6^th gear quickly as I came off the ramp and onto the busy commercial truck laden lanes of I-26.  I easily pulled ahead of the traffic and hummed along the highway, avoiding the huge voids [potholes] in the cement left over from the previous ravages of winter.  The suspension didn’t disappoint, and the tracking and trail of the bike felt good too. 

This Wide Glide didn’t disappoint me.  I reluctantly returned to Smith Brothers Harley Davidson in Johnson City, Tennessee after a test ride that put me and the bike through our paces, afforded me a smile and a feeling of wonderment at the innovations Harley has provided over the years, and the feeling of great satisfaction of having ridden a factory production machine that allowed me to feel pretty damn good about its appearance and its performance.   I’d buy it.

Beautiful day in the Virginia Countryside and I’m Riding It

Be sure to click on the photos for full effect!

February 9TH 2009. It was one of those wow days here in the NE corner of TN.
I woke up knowing it was going to be a nice warm day, so I was up early, finished my blog, checked my mail, got a few things completed around the house, and prepared for my next big ride for later that morning.

I wanted to complete the ride that was interrupted by my blond inheritance last week. So this week, I get all my affairs in order, all my things I wanted to bring with me was either on me, or in my purse…purse…check…every a go!
The bike cranks up easily in the 58 degree temps. No enriching of the carb was needed today, it was so natural, I even forgot about the choke, until I was well on my way down the road.

I stopped for fuel at the closest place from my house, walked into the mini mart, gave em four bucks, and came back for my change…I only dumped 1.2 gallons into the tank, and with gas at just around 2 bucks a gallon, I can get my change back…just like how it used to be at McDonalds…yeah, I’m old enough to remember that commercial.
Leaving out of the gas station, I head for the mountains. My excitement for the unknown adventure ahead was mounting, I am totally happy for the open road, the bike beneath me, and a strong engine that really likes to go.



Turning onto 19E north, I’m on my way…it feels really good. Continuing on 19E North will bring you into Bristol…I stopped and took this picture. I’ve always planned on taking this picture, so I’m quite proud of myself, I actually remembered to plan the stop for it. It’s on a busy four lane road, so you have to actually remember to stop, and try not to just dump the brakes and lean to the left…or you’ll get run over by the tailgater in back of you. This sign is just after the exit for the Bristol Drag strip. Not to be confused with the Bristol Racetrack…the drag strip is a tad earlier than the racetrack.



I stay on 19E all the way through Bristol, jumping on I-81 north for about a ¼ mile then getting off at 58W. Bristol is Bristol, I’ve been there and done that with Bristol, let’s move on.

Once on 58, I’m not on familiar road. It’s ALT. 58…not the real 58, so I’m disappointed with my choice of road. I ride through miles of outskirts of both Bristol and Abington. Finally, the road opens up…or rather closes in, the rock formations beside me are becoming mountains and the housing as well as businesses are growing sparse!



Now I’m starting to see the sights I come to VA. for. Check out these really cool old houses and barns!



I stopped and took pictures of as many interesting places as I felt I could do something with…and I really was enjoying myself. In the past, I never really stopped for things like this. I hated the tourist feeling, now I’m old enough to not really give a shit what I might look like to others. They don’t know me, they can make assumptions about me all they want, and they would be the ones who were wrong, not me! Check out this! Man I love these kinds of roads!



Here’s a barn I really like, I guess I will have to go back and reload the original picture from the camera card, I wasn’t sure if I would lose the original if I did this kind of adjustments to this barn, so now I will need to go back and get it.
This is an old shack, talk about grown over? The front porch and it’s overhang had collapsed from the vines and overgrowth that was on this house. I really like this picture!



By this time, I was on a county road called 700. It went on for about 15 miles, before I came to this road, one way took you back to Bristol, the other took you eventually to Kingsport. I choose to head towards Kingsport and see what I could see. Man, what a fricken fantastic choice! And here’s why! Check out these hillsides with small springs dripping their waters down the rocky limits of the jagged earth.



Next I came across this barn or equipment shed, built around a huge boulder…pretty cool huh?



It was shortly after this, I came across these scenes. God, Virginia is a beautiful state.




Not long after these photos were taken, I came across an old man on his riding lawnmower, pulling a log splitter down the roadside. I pulled up next to him, and asked if there was a way to get to TN from where we were. He looked at me as if I was plumb loco and said the fastest way was to turn around and head to Bristol. I told him I was out to explore, and was doing a kind of loop ride. My ride had started in Bristol, and I wanted to avoid going back there until I had a good loop and exploration going. The old man smiled at me, he understood: the passion of discovering places and things and taking the long road around. He gave me directions that only farmers, rural dwellers, and intrepid explorers would get. I love it, “go down to the little curve, turn right at Jon’s general store on the corner, and go to where the road splits again, turn left and follow that until you come to… In other words, no road signs, just roadside attractions… I am so at home here.



Don’t you just love this shack? It’s on the way to Carter’s Fold. I had no freaking idea I was in the Carter Family region of VA. I mean I knew they came from around this area, but it was a surprise to me to find their little homestead on this road.



Near Carter’s fold, I found this cool old passenger railcar. I want to do some work with this picture, and see what I can draw out of it for color and saturation limits!



Leaving the Fold, I come across the old Bristol Highway…It’s time to head home and get dinner started for Mom and Jeff. Along the way though…I still find time to stop and take more pictures of the beautiful scenery.