2000 Harley/Davidson Wide Glide
The Lowdown
When I think "motorcycle" this is the picture that comes to mind. A classic in looks, sound and feel. Strip away the image and you have an overpriced and mediocre bike. Heavy with poor handling and uncomfortable for rides longer than an hour or two. But nothing, absolutely nothing, beats it for Sunday afternoon cruises around the lake.
The Details
I used to laugh at Harley riders (never to their face, of course.) The bikes were all all about image and nothing else. Harleys of the 70's AMF period were notorious for miserable manufacturing and build quality. Rumor had it that the factory would intentionally deliver defective bikes to dealers and expect them to fix the problems. I don't know if it was true or not but that should give you an idea of how bad things had become.
The old joke went like this: What does a Harley have in common with a dog? Answer: They both like to mark their spots and ride in the back of trucks. Like the British, Harley was struggling under the Japanese onslaught and their days appeared to be near an end.
Then in a turn fit for a story tale, and literally at the last hour, AMF agreed to a buyout by Harley's senior management team who still had faith in the company.
They released their Evolution motor, staking their corporate lives on its success, and it did not fail. They solved their quality problems too and are now to the point where their build and manufacturing quality is world-class. To ice the cake, Harley followed up the excellent Evolution engine with the even better Twin Cam 88. Harley Davidson's turnaround is legendary.
That finally got my attention. I was looking for a motorcycle to replace my dreadful Kawasaki Vulcan 800. I looked at the Vulcan 1500 as well as other Japanese cruisers but my attention kept coming back to the Harley. In the end I decided to get the real thing. And I wasn't disappointed.
Harleys are known for their rumble and vibration. Believe it or not, what makes a Harley a Harley is a design defect dating back to 1907. William Harley wanted to build a v-twin but rather than design one from scratch he grafted a second cylinder onto a single-cylinder engine. A single-cylinder engine has only one crankpin so where could he attach the second connecting rod? Why, to the same crankpin, of course. This is like a bicycle that has only one pedal. Only, imagine turning it at 5,000 rpm. A Harley engine is by nature unbalanced and tries to tear itself apart. Sometimes it succeeds and when it does stay in one piece it is only because the engine is so overbuilt that it can withstand the mechanical stress put on it by this design.
But that's what makes a Harley unique. The old Harleys, and even the modern Sportster, mount their engines directly on the frame giving the rider the benefit of absorbing the vibrations. I don't know how people can tolerate this torture device. Perhaps it's ok if you've already lost your teeth.
The Wide Glide places the engine on thick rubber mounts which has the pleasant effect of permitting most of the vibrations through at low rpm (where it isn't painful) and blocking them at high rpm. Harley also has a variation called the Twin Cam 88 B which includes a counter-balancer to achieve the same result. Both methods work well and you can have your old-world charm without the old-world torture.
The Wide Glide's long wheelbase gives it good stability in a straight line but its shallow rake and narrow front tire flop about in turns and on uneven surfaces. But then again you don't buy this bike for its handling.
The engine, despite its design, is impressive. It is generously over-built and tolerates modifications well. Leave it in stock form and it will remain nearly bullet-proof. Some people have encountered problems with premature cam wear but Harley has so far refused to replace them under warranty until the engine fails. That's a bit of a disappointment but in the grand scheme of things the engine has proven itself reliable.
This isn't a touring bike either. The forward controls place all of your weight on your spine so that after a few hours in the saddle you can ride over a dime and tell the year. The apehanger handlebars place your body in a parachute position that takes the brunt of the wind. It looks cool, and it's all about image with this bike, but it isn't comfortable for more than an hour or two.
Still, within its limits, this is an impressive motorcycle. There is nothing better for low-speed cruising through town or around the lake on a lazy Sunday. This bike oozes more character from a single screw than most Japanese bikes have in their whole body. I enjoyed my Wide Glide and though it's since been sold I might buy another Harley one day.