Now that the 103" motor has been out for a while, it seems that the bikes showcased with the "upgrade" don't really need them. The exception to the rule might be their trikes, which got an early bad rap for being underpowered.

But I'd still like MoCo to give me a straight answer (besides the ego of the owner) on why a touring rider on a geezer-glide needs ever more inches. The early V-twins that are our roots had 61 inches, the same displacement as some Sportsters. For decades cops carried around a tremendous amount of gear, all day and at every possible speed with 74 inches. Go watch those 'cop rodeos' on YouTube, and those officers do things with Electra Glides that none of us can do.

My guess is that the 6-speed transmissions 'pull' better with more inches. However, the sixth gear was to offer lower revs on the highway--less vibration and better fuel economy. So now they build a bigger motor. If that engine produces more power, then it needs more fuel.

Another ego-trip engine that does nothing in reality.

What you are saying here has a lot of validity if the world was flat! The problem is that there are hills all over the place and my personal expierience is that a evo loaded down with a passenger and gear and windshield will not take a hill very easy. When you have a mini van of kids pass you on a hill and you are flat out there is a problem.

I am with you more cubes result in more gas being used but if I am going to ride I want to be in front of the 18 wheelers, trailers and just all around bad drivers. I am not a big fan of buying a bike and then spending thousands of $$$$ to make it run right.

If this new bike can run up a hill and accelerate then this is what I am looking for. In my opinion they are starting to do things right. Now if it were water cooled and had overhead cams and produced more power with less displacement then that would be fine too. I am sure that is what the future holds for harley.

The air cooled engine is great very low maintenance and that is the way I like it. I just want to ride and not wrench.

Unless there's been a lot of erosion during my lifetime, the hills are pretty much the same now as before. Even in South Dakota. We just down-shifted.

The better idea would be to offer the 120R motor with flat-top pistons, some form of 203 or 204 cam, and a proper download for regular pump gas. The problem is that while it's the motor we all need, nobody wants 'vanilla.'

A motor of that type would pull a married couple weighing 300 pounds each on a trike. It's always been a matter of torque, not raw BHP. But you can't buy a doo-rag and pretend to be SOA on a reliable real-world motor.

Just watch, in 2019 MoCo will bring out a stars n' stripes Electra Glide, the 50th Anniversary Easy Rider Glider. We now buy bikes for stance, not substance. That was confirmed to me when I went smaller, not bigger.

I have a 2012 SG, 3000mi, ride in flat country around the west coast of FL. I like the bike just fine and the 103 is a great engine, but the noise coming from the 6th gear is my bitch.
Turbohart

Just bought a 2012 Ultra about 10-12 days ago. As a consequence of work and the weather up here raining all the time I only got about 200+ miles and I am still acquaiting myself with it. My over all feelings are I'm thus far very pleased.

The motor is very responsive. I don't feel any of the heat but I am headng to Laconia Thursday and we will see how that goes. And with the asistance of the tranny, at 75mph in 6th gear you're at about 25-2600RPM's..not to shabby. I have to warn future eglide owners to check out the kick stand before you purchase one and see if you're comfortable with it. Remember they went from a 16-17 inch wheel and tweaked the front end a bit too. But I think they stayed with the same kickstand? On my 2001 Ultra the kickstand would move past pependicular to the frame at least 1"-1 1/4" to maybe even 1 1/2". On my 2012 the kickstand moves to just a smidge past perpendicular. I don't like that.

Very interested in seeing what you think about the bike after you had it for a while. Sound good, should get great gas mileage on the highway!

Congrads on the new ride!! Hope she treats you well.
Let us know how the trip goes, say hi to Lake Winnipesaukee for me.

We rode and rode and rode from 7am to 9pm. It was a pretty sunny day about 85-88 degrees. Once even near Laconia the traffic was stop go stop go stop go. I felt no more then usual heat from the motor. I'm thinking since it came stock w/ an oil cooler that helps.

And call me a pussy but I prefer the quiet stock mufflers. Go figure. In my early 20's I was hardcore drag pipes w/ flames shooting out shouting look at me! At 56 years old and having survived all that thru the years I now want to go from point A to point B anonomously and unnoticed as possible.

Nice to know that you're happy with that motor!! & it can do it quietly...
I like less noise while riding also but I've got first hand experience that loud pipes save lives... mine.
I have the ear plugs that you squish between your fingers to compress then once in the ear they expand and contour to make a seal... now every thing is quiet!!... including the ol' lady!!

Very valid point indeed. I average one close call every couple of days ridsing thru town on the way to work. Not even intersections just people flying out of stores into traffic nearly t boning me.

Also I think loud pipes alert the deer lurking along the road at nite.

Its almost a quiet versus safety issue. On one hand I prefer quite but on the other hand the loud pipes definatley do let people know you're near even if they cannot see you.

I may ride the perfectly good and new stock pipes the first 2-3 years and swap out to the V&H high out put headers and slip ons and use the SE racing super tuner to dial it in.