Tweet
Had sold off my Superlow which was reviewed here - http://www.xbhp.com/talkies/superbik...ve-review.html
And now its time to start another comprehensive review of the upgrade I took - The Heritage Softail Classic (FLSTC).
This thread may be treated as a continuation of the aforementioned Superlow thread where lots of common things pertaining to Harley have been discussed and there is no point repeating them again here. All points pertaining to performance etc will be discussed gradually in this thread along with lots of more photographs.
It had been a bucket list item and finally it happened when I got a (nearly) new bike at a fantastic deal, which I would not like to disclose here as it involves empathy towards a fellow HOG.
Decision making
It was long pending to upgrade to a 'bigger' bike than the Superlow after having tasted the Harley. No way was I leaving it. Went around testing the Triumps and the Indians, even the recently launched mouth watering Ducati Diavel which is a superb tourer and now at a cracker deal price. But none tickled my bone than a true blooded Harley. My initial choice was Fat Boy, where most people stop to look beyond, maybe due to budget constraints and maybe because Fat Boy is indeed a good package. Then out of the blue I got information of this (nearly) brand new bike sitting at Capital harley since a year due to some unfortunate circumstances with its previous owner. It was completely stock, build was October 2013. Had 2800kms on the odo. It was priced at 18.25L on road Delhi and with some basic accessories comes to around 19L in Delhi. But I got a cracker deal which I am not at liberty to divulge. I test rode the bike and it was in brand new condition.
Immediately a search for a buyer for the Superlow was started and finally after some deliberation my first love was let go. Now path was paved for the Heritage to enter my life. It was bike for keeps, a bike I could pass on to my grand children, a bike with enormous potential to customise and personalise. It was nearly 1.5L costlier than the Fat Boy even though both belong to the Softail family. But the Heritage is fully loaded in stock condition. And finally it suited my personality much better than any other bike in the Harley fold.
Buying process
Was quite simple after that. Payments were made and bike was picked up 16-04-2015.
Positives and Features
- A Big step up from the Superlow would be a under statement
- Hugely comfortable and maneuverable even after its 340 kg weight
- The big foot-boards and forward controls are a treat to ride
- The king size windshield which is removable in seconds
- The pure leather Saddle Bags with so much studs to shame the Tiitanic, lolz
- The Sofa seat. It was even bigger and more comfortable than the Mustang Seat of a mates's Dyna which was the benchmark for me and much more comfortable than the Fat Boy's stock seats.
- The pillion is fully cared for. Now my wife has no excuses to join me more frequently on the comfortable pillion seat with a XL size back rest (sissy bar)
- The 7" headlight with standard Fog Lights. A head turner. Added a retro chrome trim to make it look even more humungous.
- Much comprehensive hand controls than the Superlow, with a separate hazard switch, Trip switch in easy reach on the left hand controls, Passing Light now inbuilt with the high beam switch.
- Much more data is viewable. besides the 2 trip meters and the time we now have distance to empty (Range) and Gear and RPM display. The top 6th gear is also displayed on the Speedometer. Many more warning lights including bulb failure/electrical fault, ABS (standard) besides the check engine and oil warning lights etc.
- Fuel Gauge is now standard. Made in Japan, retro type.
- Tyres are Tubeless even though they are mounted on chromed and spoked rims. Much more peace of mind on long journeys. Tyres are Dunlop and Made in USA. And best of they are wide WHITEWALL to complete the retro look. Even the agility is not compromised like in the Fat Boy due to thicker tyres because here the tyre width is more in line with Highway Touring and easy maneuverability even in a bike a size + over the Fat Boy.. The rear is 150/80 B16 and the front is a MT90B16.
- Abundance of chrome, enough to make you shade your eyes in bright sunlight, lolz.
- 131 mm of ground clearance compared to 100mm in My Superlow. No need to worry about bumps any more.
- 19.7L gas tank, enough for those fewer petrol stops.
- Air cooled Twin Cam 103 cubic inch 1690 cc air cooled engine with 130nm of torque and 6 speed cruise drive gear box. Could rarely hit the 6th in city traffic as it comes into picture after 85kmph speeds.
Negatives
- The heat. Unfortunately I was caught up in the worst rush hour traffic on leaving the Capital, Gurgaon showroom. So I decided to break journey at Noida. And it took me a good 2 hours to cover that paltry journey. After the initial 1 hour of bumper to bumper traffic the bike emanated some grilling heat good enough to make 'Tangri Kababs' of my legs. The engine was still not broken in properly. But just after 2 days in my hands the character of the bike has changed and I can easily undertake my daily short tennis runs in tennis gear.
- Attention Magnet. For a small city like Meerut it is just a hassle to take it out in rush. But then I didn't buy it for a poser. A highway mile cruncher it.
- Sissy Bar and Saddle Bags should have been of a quick detach kind so you could switch to the naked look in seconds. To make them so is nearly 25k extra.
- The stock horn is tinny. Added a chrome Cow Bell horn at a steep 7k.
- No engine guard as standard. Had to shell out a extra 19k for it. Went for the top of the line Moustache one with inbuilt highway pegs, though I doubt they would bee used after the ultra comfortable foot boards.
- Security Fob was not standard in the 2013 model. extra cost is nearly 25-30K. Came as a blessing in disguise because much better options at cheaper rates are available on the net. Some have complete GPS tracking, tyre pressure monitoring, proximity alert, LED FOB, FM transmitter etc. built in at the same cost - Scorpio | Motorcycle Alarms
- There is slight wind blast from the windshield on crossing 90 which stabilizes after 110.
- I hear some thud sounds from the front suspension. Maybe some loose parts. Need to get it checked.
- Stock pipes don't sound like a Harley, lolz. Another 70k down the drain for the long true twins.
Comfort and Ride
Like I mentioned is like riding a sofa on the road. Cannot even be compared with the Sportsters. Yesterday cruising at 140 was complete bliss compared to the harrowing time on the Sportsters. The smoothness of the 103B engine is a class above the 96B on the Dynas. It is tuned for the highways out and out. The 96's are more harsh. The bike is surprising easier to handle considering its bulk. Even at crawling speeds you don't need to put your foot down.
So here it is today -
The Classic retro look draping a thoroughly modern machine
Pure leather abounds studded with stainless...
The front with the abundance of chrome, a king size windshield, retro fog lamps with the Police indicators, 7" Headlight with the optional Retro Trim Ring (3k)
The wide rear with chromed indicator bar, the standard sissy bar (back rest) and of course who can miss those pure leather saddle bags which come as standard
Close up of the front...
The 103B Twin Cam 1690cc V-Twin engine, air cooled as always, with the horse shoe chromed oil reservoir tank
Another view, with the optional Bell horn (7K), Moustache Engine Guard (20K), the huge foot-boards and heel and toe gear shifter.
Comfort Galore...
The distinct identity mark, spoked but "Tubeless" tyres front and back with ABS and both discs as standard encased in chrome rims and the huge trademark front fender.
Cheers for now... More and detailed pictures to follow.
And now its time to start another comprehensive review of the upgrade I took - The Heritage Softail Classic (FLSTC).
This thread may be treated as a continuation of the aforementioned Superlow thread where lots of common things pertaining to Harley have been discussed and there is no point repeating them again here. All points pertaining to performance etc will be discussed gradually in this thread along with lots of more photographs.
It had been a bucket list item and finally it happened when I got a (nearly) new bike at a fantastic deal, which I would not like to disclose here as it involves empathy towards a fellow HOG.
Decision making
It was long pending to upgrade to a 'bigger' bike than the Superlow after having tasted the Harley. No way was I leaving it. Went around testing the Triumps and the Indians, even the recently launched mouth watering Ducati Diavel which is a superb tourer and now at a cracker deal price. But none tickled my bone than a true blooded Harley. My initial choice was Fat Boy, where most people stop to look beyond, maybe due to budget constraints and maybe because Fat Boy is indeed a good package. Then out of the blue I got information of this (nearly) brand new bike sitting at Capital harley since a year due to some unfortunate circumstances with its previous owner. It was completely stock, build was October 2013. Had 2800kms on the odo. It was priced at 18.25L on road Delhi and with some basic accessories comes to around 19L in Delhi. But I got a cracker deal which I am not at liberty to divulge. I test rode the bike and it was in brand new condition.
Immediately a search for a buyer for the Superlow was started and finally after some deliberation my first love was let go. Now path was paved for the Heritage to enter my life. It was bike for keeps, a bike I could pass on to my grand children, a bike with enormous potential to customise and personalise. It was nearly 1.5L costlier than the Fat Boy even though both belong to the Softail family. But the Heritage is fully loaded in stock condition. And finally it suited my personality much better than any other bike in the Harley fold.
Buying process
Was quite simple after that. Payments were made and bike was picked up 16-04-2015.
Positives and Features
- A Big step up from the Superlow would be a under statement
- Hugely comfortable and maneuverable even after its 340 kg weight
- The big foot-boards and forward controls are a treat to ride
- The king size windshield which is removable in seconds
- The pure leather Saddle Bags with so much studs to shame the Tiitanic, lolz
- The Sofa seat. It was even bigger and more comfortable than the Mustang Seat of a mates's Dyna which was the benchmark for me and much more comfortable than the Fat Boy's stock seats.
- The pillion is fully cared for. Now my wife has no excuses to join me more frequently on the comfortable pillion seat with a XL size back rest (sissy bar)
- The 7" headlight with standard Fog Lights. A head turner. Added a retro chrome trim to make it look even more humungous.
- Much comprehensive hand controls than the Superlow, with a separate hazard switch, Trip switch in easy reach on the left hand controls, Passing Light now inbuilt with the high beam switch.
- Much more data is viewable. besides the 2 trip meters and the time we now have distance to empty (Range) and Gear and RPM display. The top 6th gear is also displayed on the Speedometer. Many more warning lights including bulb failure/electrical fault, ABS (standard) besides the check engine and oil warning lights etc.
- Fuel Gauge is now standard. Made in Japan, retro type.
- Tyres are Tubeless even though they are mounted on chromed and spoked rims. Much more peace of mind on long journeys. Tyres are Dunlop and Made in USA. And best of they are wide WHITEWALL to complete the retro look. Even the agility is not compromised like in the Fat Boy due to thicker tyres because here the tyre width is more in line with Highway Touring and easy maneuverability even in a bike a size + over the Fat Boy.. The rear is 150/80 B16 and the front is a MT90B16.
- Abundance of chrome, enough to make you shade your eyes in bright sunlight, lolz.
- 131 mm of ground clearance compared to 100mm in My Superlow. No need to worry about bumps any more.
- 19.7L gas tank, enough for those fewer petrol stops.
- Air cooled Twin Cam 103 cubic inch 1690 cc air cooled engine with 130nm of torque and 6 speed cruise drive gear box. Could rarely hit the 6th in city traffic as it comes into picture after 85kmph speeds.
Negatives
- The heat. Unfortunately I was caught up in the worst rush hour traffic on leaving the Capital, Gurgaon showroom. So I decided to break journey at Noida. And it took me a good 2 hours to cover that paltry journey. After the initial 1 hour of bumper to bumper traffic the bike emanated some grilling heat good enough to make 'Tangri Kababs' of my legs. The engine was still not broken in properly. But just after 2 days in my hands the character of the bike has changed and I can easily undertake my daily short tennis runs in tennis gear.
- Attention Magnet. For a small city like Meerut it is just a hassle to take it out in rush. But then I didn't buy it for a poser. A highway mile cruncher it.
- Sissy Bar and Saddle Bags should have been of a quick detach kind so you could switch to the naked look in seconds. To make them so is nearly 25k extra.
- The stock horn is tinny. Added a chrome Cow Bell horn at a steep 7k.
- No engine guard as standard. Had to shell out a extra 19k for it. Went for the top of the line Moustache one with inbuilt highway pegs, though I doubt they would bee used after the ultra comfortable foot boards.
- Security Fob was not standard in the 2013 model. extra cost is nearly 25-30K. Came as a blessing in disguise because much better options at cheaper rates are available on the net. Some have complete GPS tracking, tyre pressure monitoring, proximity alert, LED FOB, FM transmitter etc. built in at the same cost - Scorpio | Motorcycle Alarms
- There is slight wind blast from the windshield on crossing 90 which stabilizes after 110.
- I hear some thud sounds from the front suspension. Maybe some loose parts. Need to get it checked.
- Stock pipes don't sound like a Harley, lolz. Another 70k down the drain for the long true twins.
Comfort and Ride
Like I mentioned is like riding a sofa on the road. Cannot even be compared with the Sportsters. Yesterday cruising at 140 was complete bliss compared to the harrowing time on the Sportsters. The smoothness of the 103B engine is a class above the 96B on the Dynas. It is tuned for the highways out and out. The 96's are more harsh. The bike is surprising easier to handle considering its bulk. Even at crawling speeds you don't need to put your foot down.
So here it is today -
The Classic retro look draping a thoroughly modern machine
Pure leather abounds studded with stainless...
The front with the abundance of chrome, a king size windshield, retro fog lamps with the Police indicators, 7" Headlight with the optional Retro Trim Ring (3k)
The wide rear with chromed indicator bar, the standard sissy bar (back rest) and of course who can miss those pure leather saddle bags which come as standard
Close up of the front...
The 103B Twin Cam 1690cc V-Twin engine, air cooled as always, with the horse shoe chromed oil reservoir tank
Another view, with the optional Bell horn (7K), Moustache Engine Guard (20K), the huge foot-boards and heel and toe gear shifter.
Comfort Galore...
The distinct identity mark, spoked but "Tubeless" tyres front and back with ABS and both discs as standard encased in chrome rims and the huge trademark front fender.
Cheers for now... More and detailed pictures to follow.
Attached Files
-
Thanks for the effort and time you put for penning it down. No words to describe this beauty. Enjoy 
Comment