Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited and Indian Roadmaster in comparison

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Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited and Indian Roadmaster in comparison

Full-cabin sofa cruiser

People learn to sail on old ships, as the saying goes. The author learned what this can mean on Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited and Indian Roadmaster. What follows is the story of an affair with a large age difference. Completely unexpected, a little unnatural, but rather violent. Remorse? No way!

Of course, the two full-cabin sofa cruisers Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited and I.ndian Roadmaster. In fact, in many ways, they’re pretty young and modern. The Electra Glide Ultra Limited, Milwaukee’s flagship, has had partial water cooling since last season, has integral ABS and, with the “Boombox”, a state-of-the-art infotainment system that puts many mid-range coaches to shame.

Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited and Indian Roadmaster in comparison

Full-cabin sofa cruiser

Not retro, but historical

In front of us we have the two thickest and most luxurious ships of the oldest and most American motorcycle manufacturers in the world (okay, Indian was gone for a while), two irons of a very special format. They were built in 2015, stand on the shoulders of giants and carry their weighty legacy with American pride as a matter of course. Camshafts below, bumpers, two-valve technology, displacement that still comes from the hub, the most generous use of iron and chrome. In addition, forms somewhere between Baroque and Art Deco – the two are not retro, but historical. And that is precisely where their appeal lies for all those who are open to this form of two-wheeled customs. As with any form of nostalgia, there is a promise in the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited and Indian Roadmaster. "I’ll take you back to a time when everything was better," they mumble to you. “Let’s go together to a place where the roads are straight and disappear on the horizon, where gasoline flows in the streams and where the sun keeps going down. We stop at the Roadside Diner. They play Bob Seger on the radio, you have coffee with the truckers. And Mindy, the barmaid, calls you Honey. ”Or at least something like that. 

Well and good, everyone should be happy according to their own style. But what if, in the absence of grace, early birth one does not long for the better times? What if functionality, driving dynamics and value for money are used as a benchmark for a motorcycle? What if the promise of great freedom and the American way of life meets gray Monday mornings in Merkel’s republic and inner-city stop-and-go? Then suddenly there are a good 400 kilos of metal, propelled by a mere 80 hp, and that for almost 30,000 euros. Then the fully gas-irradiated test colleagues from the very fast corner would be right with their malicious grins, who eyed the somewhat clumsy first contact between the young editor and the two rather mature, and let’s say American-proportioned ladies. Because viewed very soberly, in the cold light of the underground car park, the Dream Machines look a little bit like two-wheeled denial of reality.

A Rocket III is handy against both of them

Nevertheless, we approach the matter with an open mind, which dictates journalistic ambition and respect for two monuments. Respect, that is the immediate reaction that Indian Roadmaster and Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited have when maneuvering. Against the two, a Triumph Rocket III is handy. Strength, balance and planning are required when maneuvering the colossi in the right wind direction. Once parked downhill in a really stupid cul-de-sac, and you need helpful passers-by or a towing service to get out of there. City traffic means more hard work. For the first time you are thinking about the space in the traffic area on a motorcycle. A line now needs to be found in parking garages that you would otherwise have rolled through in thought. Winding through at the traffic lights? No sir! The very thought is forbidden. In addition to the Indian, a Smart acts like a toy. After all, the encounter with the city car shows us the flag under which the large-volume bigger-is-better stalls sail. In the uniformed monotony of gray representative diesels and eternally black mommy-with-child SUVs, scooters and small cars, they look like a bloody T-bone steak in a bowl of raw vegetable salad, in German city centers as wonderfully out of place as a clown at a funeral. That alone deserves applause.

Still, at first there is no harmony. The Harley is restless at low speeds, the Indian’s clutch is so difficult as if it had been smeared with paste, and the road foreman grills your right leg like bread on a stick at a campfire. No love story begins at such an unsuitable meeting point. So end this urban madness as quickly as possible and get out to some place where something like prairie feeling arises. Where the roads are wide, the cars rare and the settlements few and far between. Out to the country, out to the Swabian Alb!

Harley-Davidson E-Glide cleaner, more straightforward

As soon as you get out here, where finely curved streets meander through the fields glowing gold in late summer, the kilometer-eater giants seduce you with their charm broadside. Here Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited and Indian Roadmaster prove that love is possible at second glance. It’s not Kansas or Kentucky, but you feel right at home between Geislingen and Albstadt. With pithy Kalonk, for which one would have reaped pitying smiles in the pedestrian zone, once rocked the correct gear, the five or six always fits, then telegraphs the command to half power to the engine room, the speed levels off on this side of the 2000 tours, the engines heaved. Basses massage the soul, Bruce Springsteen sings about his hometown on the radio. What the wadding chassis does not swallow in the form of bumps, the sofa cushions eat under the very bottom. Panorama windshields and leg shields effectively keep gusts and annoying small animals away from the captain and crew, adjustable wind deflectors precisely dose the right amount of fresh air. The engines effortlessly deliver that little bit of propulsion that is needed for this. One piece of the puzzle fits into another, and suddenly it is there, the much-invoked cruiser feeling. And it is there in a highly distilled form, refined over decades in oak barrels like – you know. 

The Indian Roadmaster and Harley-Davidson E-Glide, however similar they may be at first glance, on closer inspection are two machines with quite different characters, and that in turn has to do with their origins. Simply put, the Harley-Davidson Electra Glide is the original. FLHTK turns 50 this year and has never actually been away. If we are a little cruel, the Indian is the imitator here, even if it can refer to its historical role model. The Ultra Limited is like Mick Jagger, a hardened rocker who has been washed up and down and doesn’t have to prove anything to anyone anymore. Your 103 Cubic Inch Twin (1690 cubic centimeters) vibrates stronger (but never annoying), roars, thanks to all kinds of flap tricks, much more fervently and a bit obscene at full speed ahead. The design, which has matured over time as well as well-hung beef jerky, looks cleaner and more straightforward in comparison.

Indian Roadmaster honed, fresher

The Indian Roadmaster, on the other hand, has to do better as a New Kid. On the outside, she wears more make-up, and under the even more lush, playful sheet metal dress, she is the polished, fresher motorcycle. It rolls more smoothly, especially at low speeds, and springs even more softly. Her Thunderstroke V-Twin with mighty 111 cubic inches or 1811 metric cubic centimeters underlines the appearance as a noble red skin. He runs creamy and supple and pushes with his buffalo-back torque curve from the lowest speed basement even more befitting. Every little part of the Indian is designed down to the last detail. The seat made of real leather, lavishly sewn and provided with decorative buttons, the handlebar fittings solid and chrome-plated, the exhaust ends nestle perfectly against the case, even the hinges of the side cases are a small work of art. Which doesn‘t mean she’s putting the Harley in her pocket. It has a bit more lean angle, brakes much more confidently thanks to the electronic brake force distributor, comes out better at the top and, in addition to the excellent boombox entertainment navigation system, also has a radio on board that finds a transmitter. Not insignificant, after all, with both of them you always bring your own soundtrack with you, and it can consist of more than pop radio. 

The bottom line is that both bikes work exceptionally well for what they want to be. With both you could cross continents for two in great comfort if you wanted. On well-developed roads, in a very, very comfortable style. The decision for one or the other is a matter of taste. Cowboy or Indian, which one you belong to?

More important than pure functionality, however, is what really unites the two of them, and that is their ability to cast a spell over you in the right place and at the right time and to flood the small after-work trip with an extra dose of American spirit. Put your loved one on the pillion throne, there she can read a book or do a crossword puzzle or even take a nap. Take the right music with you, both have MP3 and Bluetooth, American songwriters like Dylan or the boss are recommended, Bob Marley also works. Just for heaven’s sake not Steppenwolf. Then you sail around nicely and experience the end of the eternal "The one in front, I’ll overtake him, then I’ll finally have a free path "and the beginning of" Let it go, I’m not in such a hurry, it’s nice here ".

To hell with freedom from lean angles and value for money

So now it happened. The Grandes Dames turned our heads. To hell with big city traffic and value for money, and to hell with freedom from banking and the harsh reality. Let the colleagues grin, the unsuspecting, when we relax and anchor on Monday morning for “I shot the Sheriff”. We know this is the most majestic form of locomotion on two wheels. From now on we’re brothers in spirit with all the truckers out there. From now on every day starts with steak, baked beans and a lucky. And tomorrow we will register for the square dance course. We learned to sail, and for that we will forever be grateful to Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited and Indian Roadmaster.

Why didn’t it turn out to be anything solid in the end? Maybe it was the moment when the Indian Roadmaster decided in front of a busy cafe to find a station after all. And he just had to chase "a little peace" over the airwaves. Or the thought that came up out of nowhere on Harley-Davidson: "Shit, I’m not buckled up." But it was probably just the desire to move quickly, which then came back. And the sofa cruisers don’t play along at all. And then the gaze fell again very quickly on the young things from the endurance test, those from Austria and Italy and Japan, which also have their charms, that one had almost forgotten. Maybe it is better that they were only there to visit. 

It was an unpredictable affair with a predictable ending. We had our moment and we enjoyed it. See ya! I’m sure you’ll see each other again at some point!

Equipment in detail

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Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited (front) and Indian Roadmaster – as similar as they may seem at first glance, on closer inspection they are two machines with quite different characters.

Harley-Davidson E-Glide Ultra Ltd.

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Harley-Davidson E-Glide Ultra Ltd. with touchscreen infotainment system.

The original, for 50 years: The Harley-Davidson E-Glide Ultra Limited offers couch comfort for two with luggage, good workmanship and the classic Milwaukee look. There is also an outrageously good touchscreen infotainment system, which requires some getting used to while driving using two mini joysticks on the handlebars.

Equipment in detail: 

On-board computer with travel time, remaining range, ambient temperature, gear indicator, fuel and time clock, four adjustable wind deflectors, case system (32 liters each) and top case (70 liters), cell phone storage compartment, luggage rack, heated grips (six levels), cruise control, audio system, USB connection, MP3, touchscreen, navigation system, battery indicator, two on-board sockets, immobilizer, additional headlights, hazard lights, ABS, anti-theft alarm system

Indian Roadmaster

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The Indian Roadmaster’s cockpit is as extensive as that of the Harley, only a navigation system is not included as standard.

The new one, with great ancestors: two of them cruise in great comfort on the Indian Roadmaster. The attention to detail that can be found in every nook and cranny of the motorcycle is unmatched, and the beautifully crafted real leather seat and chrome-plated controls illustrate this. The cockpit provides just as extensive information and sound as with Harley, only a navigation system is not on board as standard.

Equipment in detail: 

On-board computer with average consumption, average speed, driving time, remaining range, ambient temperature and gear indicator, gasoline and time clock, electrically adjustable windshield, four adjustable wind deflectors, adjustable clutch lever, case system (32.5 liters each) and top case (illuminated inside, 64.5 liters), Central locking, three storage compartments in cladding, luggage rack, heated grips (ten levels), heated seats (driver and passenger, two levels), cruise control, audio system, USB connection, MP3, Bluetooth, battery indicator, tire pressure control, two on-board sockets, immobilizer, hazard warning lights, ABS

Technical specifications

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Pictures: Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited and Indian Roadmaster in comparison

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