2017 Harley-Davidson Touring models in the driving report

2017 Harley-Davidson Touring models in the driving report

Captain america

A myth is rarely turned inside out. Harley’s Big Twin is an icon and a living legend at the same time. Now there is a new V2, for the first time with four-valve heads, the "Milwaukee-Eight 107". What can he do? Same as always, but with more punch.

D.he eight is number nine: The new "Milwaukee-Eight 107" engine is only Harley’s ninth V2 engine with the style-defining 45 degree cylinder angle since 1909! And the first with four-valve heads in this long tradition. The construction principle (both connecting rods on a common crank pin) is also shared by the new one with its ancestors: the first V2 from 1909, controlled by poppet valves, the F-Head from 1911, the Flathead from 1929, the Knucklehead from 1936, the Panhead from 1948, the 1966 Shovelhead , the 1984 Evolution and the 1999 Twin Cam.

2017 Harley-Davidson Touring models in the driving report

Captain america

Harley-Davidson again has a completely redesigned Big Twin. He is the nucleus of the company, the heart of Harley beats in him. In 2017 all touring models will receive the new drive. It is available in three configurations: The "Milwaukee-Eight 107" (107 cubic inches, 1745 cm³) is air / oil-cooled as standard. It powers the Road King, Road King Classic, Street Glide Special, Road Glide Special and the Trike Freewheeler. In contrast, in the “Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 107”, cooling water washes around the zone of the outlet valves. The coolers are located in the leg shields of the Harley-Davidson Road Glide Ultra, Electra Glide Ultra Limited, Electra Glide Ultra Limited Low and the Trike Tri Glide Ultra. It gets even thicker with the partially water-cooled "Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 114" (114 cubic inches, 1868 cm³) for the Harley-Davidson CVO Limited and CVO Street Glide.

Consumption lower by eleven percent

All theory if you are driving a Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited through the extreme northwest of the USA. Minutes ago we were standing in Port Angeles on the Pacific Ocean, watching the ferry to Vancouver Island in Canada leave. The air tasted salty. And now we screw ourselves towards heaven. You’re sitting on an American myth, with a powerful engine pulsing under you, with a three-quarters liter displacement as a twin-cooled Milwaukee-Eight 107. While idling, it shook itself a little, rattled its rubber mountings. The resting heart rate is even cooler, more relaxed than before, the idle speed dropped from 900 to 850 revolutions. Potaatoo-potaatoo-potaatoo. The new balancer shaft keeps the big block in check while it’s moving. The V2 pulsates smoothly. Noticeable, but never annoying. Gently, but not softened, the new Big Twin massages your soul and runs more smoothly. Only a single camshaft is lighter and generates less friction and noise than the two on the twin cam engine. The diverse concert of mechanical noises should dampen redesigned engine housing covers, lighter (albeit twice as many) valves and many new engine innards, see below.

Everything so that the bassy exhaust sound comes across more unadulterated. He thunders and hammers nicely, but not obtrusively. Sound and feeling. Now there’s no more exhaust flap, the sonority of US and European models should hardly differ. The new engine clearly complies with the Euro 4 standard. According to the company, its “combustion should be more efficient, fuel consumption eleven percent lower and torque 15 Newton meters higher”. Hhhm, have Harleys ever opened up through numbers and measurements?

V2 noticeably stronger

Hey, you are driving the most famous model of the most famous motorcycle manufacturer on the planet. An Electra Glide is a myth, a rolling stronghold. Not a vehicle, but a companion. Your Bat-Wing fairing has had the same contours since 1969, it was only gently redesigned once in 2013. A protective shield in the surf of time. Keep the spirit, cultivate the legacy. This is exactly what Harley-Davidson is all about: being new, okay. But please look as old as possible.

Mechanical look: The shape of the ducts for the bumpers (what else?) Has been identical since 1936, for 80 years! Of course, she also keeps the new powerhouse.

How does the V2 feel? Noticeably stronger, with more inner strength! It’s here, the long promised feeling of finally concentrated power. It feels like fourth gear is there, but it’s already fifth – as a glance at the small gear indicator reveals. The truck on two wheels pulls powerfully, jumps forward like a bull in the arena. Also in the sixth from 2000 rounds. That’s 50 miles an hour, 80 kilometers an hour. With a switching speed of 3000 you are fast on the road, at 5500 it is finally over.

413 kilograms live weight

It’s a fine engine, now even more confident. The landscape on the legendary Pacific Coast Highway 101 rushes by. And that at 413 kilograms of live weight. Despite the servo function, the new slipper clutch behind the slimmer housing is not yet a pussy clutch. But not forearm-killing either. Precisely. As in everything here.

If a gear has to be changed: The identical gearbox with the casual rocker switch shifts exactly, precisely and above all very smoothly. Even the fat KLONK when engaging first gear (as if a sledgehammer falls on the floor) is a thing of the past: As it says in the press release: “The countershaft of the transmission uses a scissor gear in continuous engagement for first gear. ”Well then.

Seat, struts, fork, tires

You’ll never want to get off the deep, comfortable leather saddle with pronounced lumbar support. The new Showa struts respond cleanly (now with a handwheel instead of an air pump). What they let through on very rough unevenness is absorbed by the seat. Undamped swaying like before is definitely a thing of the past.

The new cartridge fork fishes out a lot. From now on it even offers considerable resistance to the use of the unchanged composite brake with four-piston calipers. The tilting moment is kept within limits. The fat 130 mm front tire only follows ruts in the curve. The Brummer remains completely unimpressed by the payload – even in the most usable and most beautiful top case in the motorcycle world, complete with practical railing. The huge motorcycle fits perfectly into this large country and needs space in front of the front wheel. The blue whale swings fluffy through the flowing curves. Drives very pleasantly, the electric glider, more casual than ever.

V2 crackles like a campfire for hours

Okay, over 30,000 euros in a stylish two-tone paint job are expensive. But everything is already on board: GPS with a large color display, powerful audio system (four times 25 watts), immobilizer and cruise control. The touring sisters are completely individual characters. The Road Glide, a cool buck, remains more precise and more precise in curves: its fairing is fixed to the frame. The Road King rolls and swings most of the "handiest".

Wonderful for everyone: Even the new V2, even partially water-cooled, crackles for hours after being parked, like a campfire at which the cowboy ponders the day. The proven twin-cam engines with 1690 cc will continue to be built for the time being, and will fuel the other two Big Twin series, Softail and Dyna, Cruiser and Chopper in 2017. In 2017, Harley-Davidson is offering a total of 30 series machines, two trikes and three exclusive CVO special models. Captain America, Batman and Co. are more vital than ever.

What’s new on Milwaukee-Eight 107?

engine:

  • completely new construction
  • Displacement increase from 1690 to 1745 cm3 thanks to a larger bore (from 98.4 to 100 mm)
  • Powerplus (up to 91 hp and 153 Newton meters)
  • four valves / two spark plugs per cylinder
  • Camshaft only one below
  • Balance shaft, larger amount of engine oil
  • Fuel consumption according to the manufacturer is eleven percent lower, V2 now complies with Euro 4
  • Throttle valve diameter increased (from 46 to 55 mm diameter)
  • Knock sensors (cylinder-selective control)
  • Injectors repositioned
  • hydraulically assisted servo clutch with anti-hopping function
  • Stronger alternator (625 watts)
  • Idle speed reduced to 850 rpm
  • Air filter with a new, slimmer housing
  • rear manifold led differently; repositioned catalytic converter to better protect pillion passengers from waste heat
  • Engine housing cover designed to be flatter
  • Electric starter stronger (1.6 instead of 1.2 kW)

landing gear:

  • new spring elements from Showa
  • Cartridge fork with "Dual Bending Valve" technology
  • Left and right suspension struts with different springs; Rotary knob instead of air support to adjust the spring base should offer 15 to 30 percent more adjustment range

In the depths of V2 technology

Harley-Davidson – Brad Chaney

Milwaukee-Eight 107: More displacement and power than ever (1745 cm3, 91 PS, 153 Nm).

As a newly designed V2 with four valves per cylinder and 1745 cm3 (107 cubic inch) displacement, the new Milwaukee Eight 107 engine makes its debut in the Touring series and in two trikes. It develops up to 91 hp and up to 153 Newton meters of maximum torque. Only one lower, chain-driven camshaft with hydraulic chain tensioner drives a total of eight valves via two pairs of push rods and forked rocker arms on four rocker arm shafts. Two spark plugs per cylinder and repositioned injection nozzles (injection directly into the intake port) ensure more efficient combustion. For the first time, two knock sensors allow more precise control of the ignition timing for each cylinder. Adapted to the gas throughput that is 50 percent higher, according to Harley, the throttle valve diameter grew from 46 to 55 millimeters.

Many components such as crank pine trees and crankshaft bearings have been designed to be larger and more robust. A balance shaft in front of the front cylinder is new. The increase in displacement compared to the Twin Cam 103 is based solely on the enlargement of the bore from 98.4 to 100 millimeters. The stroke of 111.1 millimeters is identical to its predecessor. In the limited CVO models, the Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 114 (114 cubic inches, 1868 cm³) even pushes 102 hp and up to 166 Nm. Bore times stroke are 102.0 x 114.3 millimeters here.

The larger, differently wound alternator provides a maximum of 625 watts. Harley’s hydraulic valve clearance compensation and “precision cooling” in the outlet area were already established: if engine oil is used as the medium, the outlet channel is flushed around; with partial water cooling, coolant flows around the valve seat. The air / oil-cooled version now also always compresses 10.0: 1.

Data Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Ltd.

engine: Air-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 45-degree V-engine, an underneath, chain-driven camshaft, four valves per cylinder, hydraulic valve lifters, bumpers, rocker arms, dry sump lubrication, injection, 2 x Ø 55 mm, regulated catalytic converter, alternator 625 W, battery 12 V / 28 Ah, hydraulically operated multi-disc oil bath clutch, six-speed gearbox, toothed belt, secondary ratio 2.125.

Bore x stroke 100.0 x 111.1 mm, displacement 1745 cm³, compression ratio 10.0: 1, rated output 67.0 kW (91 PS) at 5450 / min, max. Torque 153 Nm at 3250 / min

landing gear: Double loop frame made of steel, telescopic fork, Ø 49 mm, triangular swing arm made of steel, two spring struts, adjustable spring base, double disc brake at the front, Ø 300 mm, four-piston fixed caliper, disc brake at the rear, Ø 300 mm, four-piston fixed caliper, composite brake, ABS.

Cast aluminum wheels 3.00 x 17; 5.00 x 16, draw 130/80 B 17; 180/65 B 16

Dimensions + weights: Wheelbase 1625 mm, steering head angle 64.0 degrees, caster 170 mm, suspension travel f / r 117/76 mm, seat height 740 mm, empty weight 413 kg, permissible total weight 617 kg, tank capacity / reserve 22.7 / 3.8 liters.

Warranty two years, colors black, gray, silver / black, blue, red, blue / silver, gold / black, price from 29,795 euros, additional costs 490 euros

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