Long Tom Pass. Three words that mean heaven if you enjoy motorcycling. It’s a smooth ribbon of tarmac that meanders through the picturesque highlands of Mpumalanga. And we were heading its way. I suddenly felt a bit nervous; at the last fuel stop of the 2014 Harley launch event, I swapped the Electra Glide Ultra Limited for the Tri Glide Ultra Classic trike. I had never ridden a trike before and the famous pass is renowned for its endless corners…
Project Rushmore
Taking a step back, the 2014 Harley launch was special in the sense that the bikes bore the fruits of Harley’s largest customer-feedback campaign called Project Rushmore (you can read more it and watch a video, here). This has changed several small aspects on the machines in the touring range to make them more user-friendly.
The trike was part of the project and now features an LED headlamp unit, an uprated 1 690 cm3 (103-cubic inch) engine, aerodynamic scoop, linked brakes, latest infotainment system and probably one of the most comfortable seats out there to name a few.
The experience
Climbing on is fairly easy owing to the low seat height and the fact that the “bike” won’t fall over. A reverse gear is provided with the use of the electric starter motor, because backing up a beast that weighs 545 kg is no easy task. Select first gear, let out the clutch and off she goes in typical Harley style.
Riding in a straight line is not dissimilar to riding a normal bike, but you constantly need to remind yourself of the extra width of the machine when encountering traffic or narrow roads. There is some side-to-side jiggling as the rear wheels find different pieces of tarmac to transverse. The weight blunts the performance somewhat, but the trike will still easily tour at the national speed limit (and above, if needed).
Cornering
Then the sign for Long Tom Pass loomed ahead and I felt my heart rate increase. Riding at the back of the fast group, I was not prepared to fall back, even given the obvious design constraint of my machine. The first corner approached quickly and I used both brakes to scrub off enough speed in an act of self-preservation. Steering the bike can be compared to riding a quad – there is no counter-steering action and you simply use brute force to turn the front wheel in the intended direction. What followed was a strange sensation: sideways G-force on a bike! You have to hang on mid-corner and trust the grip of the front tyre. The initial turn-in is good but the feeling is quickly replaced by vagueness and understeer near the friction limit. Not even the differential between the rear wheels could make up for the difference in tyre footprint between the front and rear wheels.
Going downhill is worse as there is a slight lean to the outside of the corner and mental pictures of the bike rolling down the cliff are stuff of nightmares. In the bike’s defence, the centre of gravity is actually quite low and it would probably take ridiculous manoeuvres to make it tip over.
Summary
The bike, then, is not the ultimate mountain pass slayer but it has a trick up its sleeve – it attracted by far the most attention of all the shiny metal on display. People staring and grasping for their cell phones to get a picture was a common occurrence. If you want to own the ultimate crowed puller from the Harley stable, get yourself the Tri Glide, but beware: your neighbours might be very envious…
Fast Facts
Engine: V-twin, four-stroke, air-cooled
Displacement (cm3): 1 690
Power (kW/r/min): n/a
Torque (N.m/min): 138/3 750
Transmission: fsix-speed
Tyre sizes: f: D402F MT90 B16/ r: P205 15
Frame: tubular steel
Seat height (mm): 720
Fuel tank capacity (L): 22,7
Mass (kg): 545 dry weight
Warranty: 2 years
Service Intervals (km): 8 000
Price: R409 950 (starting price)