I feel the carbed EVO is the best motor from HD.

On new models I like the 6 gallon gas tank. I don't feel the twin cam big twin was necessary. 80CI EVO was excellent. Wasn't broke why fix it? Who cares what Honda is doing. Don't like the 17" front wheel on the FL's. 5 speed is more then adequare and I suppose the 6 speed should extend the life of the motor. Don't like EFI over carb at all. You're not fixing EFI on the side of the road. Like the stock oil cooler.

All this motorcycle talks gots me jonesing for a ride..........

I remember reading somewhere that the evo was enineered by porche or they had some sort of hand in it

I'll pull it if / when it gets worse OR before a coast to coast should it show any signs of non-reliability.

I'll never mess with the current bike - but there are plenty of parts bikes out there - might be fun to have a 150 hp and a 15k red line on a bike that is so comfortable and balanced and easy to ride.

The good thing about new is you know you'll have x amount of miles and years of reliability and you'll grow old together. The bad thing about hanging with older iron is once things start going to sh*t it just seems to continue to chip away at being unreliable. Not a problem if staying reasonably close to home. Nothing beats factory specs for reliability and MPG. Not a problem if its a fixable on the road model and year.

The new technology in my opinion makes roadside repairs more difficult. I guess the bottom line is hope there is cell tower power nearby. But dang...some places in the good old USA are just severely isolated and scarcity of service areas, never mind a good shop nearby.

I'd like to say that our society is still majoritively benovolent and helpful. Haven't had any recent issues or incident to see if thats true. Back in 1977 I did hitch hike with my bike and GF from the Ozarks in Missouri where we broke down to Ft Riley,KS and damn if we didn't get picked up in a truck and brought all the way to Ft Riley,KS. I think we'd all like to hope that is still the case today?

That might be for cars because of all the different systems that you don't see until they break I would trust my bike anywhere. I am staying close to home this year though, my trip in April will only be 3.500+ miles and only about 1650 from home, in September my trip to the blue ridge parkway will only be 1,000 miles from home but the entire trip will probably be 2,500+. Both trips are short 11 days and the brp trip 9 days. on the two trips will make 3 drag races where there will be Top Fuel Harleys racing
Deerslayer

Your bike probably has a carb and so I would trust your bike too. EFI craps out and leaves you on the side of the road you're not fixing that there or then.

I have a 2000 flhtcuI, known as a ultra classic, most of what can happen to injection is in the harness and I got an extra one so according to Murphys law now it won't go bad. The ecm I doubt would go bad. I even have a power commander in the mix, I trust the system not to fail without a notice. I make sure my wire harness is in the proper mounting points and check it whenever the seat is off or the tank is off. One thing that worries me is the fuel pump, I have been thinking of replacing it since 125,000 miles, that was 65,000 ago. thinking of doing it now but my dyno man says, WHY? I say well you just had a 2010 bike on the dyno and the pump was bad, his answer was not the same pump.. I had an old timer say to me back in 2000, "what are you going to do when your injection breaks down on the road ?" my answer was are you going to fix your carb like we use to back in the day, can't even take it off on the side of the road, like we use to. Next you will be complaning about the electronic ingnition, I don't worry, I guess I read to many MAD magazines. Love my injection but I would rather be blown. I trust my bike anywhere and I ride hard all the time weather I am in Ca. or my home town, it is only 3,000 miles away.
I don't really have any fears when I am on my bike, I am in total control and have faith in my knowledge of the road and know my abilties. One accident in 44 years of serious riding, most on a chopper I built and I would take that anywhere any time, just on deer and I have missed many deer. one bear, one bobcat running into my bike frame, almost one hawk, big racoon i took out between Lead and Sturgis
Just like anyone else with that many miles.
Deerslayer

You have rode many more miles than me, no doubt.

In my opinion, using and maintaining any bike is the key to longevity. Knowing what is likely to go wrong is the key to planning for failures, but nothing is guarenteed. I think the folks that have the most problems are the one's that rarely ride thier bikes. My preference is less electronics. It has been my experience that well maintained mechanical equipment will outlast electronic equipment everytime. With that said, with the application we are refering to does it matter, probably not. The money you will save in gas using the EFI you can buy several replacements, but it will not be as reliable as a good ole carberator. Just my opinion

for a street bike I would take EFI everytime, I have one carbureted bike it is my race bike, on that I use a S&S super D with 3 thunder jets, love my super D, love my EFI. The EFI works great on Bear Tooth Highway, at Stovepipe Wells, and at the top of Pikes Peak. That would be rough with a carb, I use to adjust my tillison and my super b going up mountains, but it was the little Mt Washington. Enjoy your carbs, I have for many years
Deerslayer

Yeah a carb is just a block of aluminum with holes drilled in it. Carry a couple of extra jets a viola! Problem solved. Never had a carb leave me stranded.

EFI is a nightmare of a consortium of sensors,relays,pressure tank,fuel pump and the list goes on and on. Most of which is in the gas tank,lol. As alluded to by deer slayer its great in higher elevations. When you start climbing up the elevation you can feel a tad sluggish but better that having to stop and rejet.

If you got a carbed big twin bike, it runs good I'm jealous.

Another thought...I wonder if these new technology bikes will go the distance like the older earlier models with kick and distributors etc... based on KS shared thought about mechanical rules over electronic. I wonder this because in 2008 whn i went to have my 2001 Ultra cam'd they almost couldn't locate the download deal for it. Luckily they found one in a dealership in South Dakota or Michigan, out that way somewhere.

Does that mean Harley is gonna be like the metric bikes and after a few years of production cease to manufacture needed hardware?