Harley Davidson FLTC 1340 Tour Glide Classic

Road Test Cycle Guide 1986

If you subscribe to conventional wisdom,  a successful heavyweight tourer has certain mechanical requirements: a liquid-cooled, multi-cylinder engine (four or six, take your pick) with at least one overhead camshaft, shaft drive, and a healthy dose of electronics in the form of cruise-control, fuel-injection, on-board computer or any combination thereof. Currently, every big-rig tourer from Japan conforms to that formula, and even BMW's full-dress K100RT fits that description.

Well, anyone steeped in conventional wisdom is liable to think he's been dragged through the looking glass into Wonderland after climbing aboard Harley-Davidson's FLTC. From the instant the starter clacks into engagement and the 1338cc vee-twin booms out its familiar song, it's obvious that convention be damned; the guys in Milwaukee couldn't care less about how the rest of the world does it. With its dual headlights, whitewall tires, heel-and-toe shifter and a brake pedal that looks like it belongs in a Dodge pickup, the FLTC guarantees nobody will mistake it for any other tourer. That line of thinking continues with a cursory inspection of the H-D's running gear, too. For example, although the rest of the world considers shaft drive to be de rigeur for a long-haul machine, Harley's top-of-the-line tourer transfers its power to the rear wheel via Gates Poly Chain. Since 1983, H-D has converted nearly all of its 80-cubic-inch fleet to belt drive, claiming the system is lighter, cleaner and easier to maintain than a chain, yet simpler and nearly as maintenance-free as a shaft. And in fact, the '86 Tour Glide weighs 26 pounds less than the chain-drive '84 model, and required no driveline maintenance even after more than 4000 miles.

Harley's belt drive also offers one unexpected benefit: reduced vibration. The FLTC is the third recent belt-drive Harley we've tested, and every one has had significantly less vibration than its chain-drive predecessor. Not all of the credit for that tranquility, of course, goes to the driveline; the combination of Heim-jointed stabilizers and automotive-style, soft-rubber engine mounts does a masterful job of controlling engine vibration. Though at idle the Harley shakes like a wet dog, as the engine nears 2000 rpm the vibration fades, returning only when the big vee-twin approaches its 5200-rpm redline.

Between those extremes, the motor provides power and instantaneous throttle response other touring riders will envy, even at engine speeds that would qualify as little more than fast-idle on other turn-key tourers. At 60 mph, the Tour Glide loafs along at a leisurely 2800 rpm, yet in a top-gear roll-on from that speed the H-D immediately pulls a two-bikelength lead over a Gold Wing Limited Edition, and keeps it until the Wing's higher top speed eventually drives the Honda ahead. More important, the Harley's idle-toredline powerband puts the next break in traffic just a twist of the wrist away, regardless of the gear.

Just as the Tour Glide excels with an out-of-the-ordinary motor, the Harley's unconventional chassis holds a few pleasant surprises of its own. Foremost among those is the 'Glide's unique steering geometry, which is designed to provide sufficient front wheel trail for excellent stability, and at the same time minimize the steering head angle to eliminate the heavy steering often associated with touring bikes. To achieve those goals, the Tour Glide starts with a set of reversed triple clamps that position the fork tubes behind the steering head. Moreover, the triple clamps actually angle the fork tubes an additional 3 degrees (to 29) to increase front wheel trail and provide the steering with an additional measure of self-centering effect. The result is a sportbike-steep 26 degree steering head angle, and a whopping 6.16 inches of trail.

While you might not agree with Harley's method, you can't argue the results. At low speed, the Harley makes most other full-dress tourers seem twitchy by comparison, and it only feels better with speed. Even two-up the FLTC refuses to wander; the bike tracks with unwavering sureness, all the way to its 107-mph top speed. Though that stability might lead you to expect the 'Glide to be as unwieldy as a dump truck, in town the bike cuts through traffic with surprising ease. While some of that nimbleness is due to the Harley's steering magic, a large share of the credit goes to the Dunlop Touring Elites, which replace the square-edged K101 tires on the '84 FLT. Between those two, the '86 model changes direction much more easily, with almost no loss in straightline stability.

That newfound agility really shows, too, should you decide to wick it up when the road starts to coil. While its backroad prowess can't match a Gold Wing's or Venture Royale's, the FLTC suffers in the comparison more from a shortage of cornering clearance more than it does from any gremlins in the chassis. For instance, the FLTC's steering is noticeably slower than that of the Honda or Yamaha, but the Harley's low center of gravity means it heels over more quickly and with far more ease than you'd expect from a 748-pound motorcycle. Once leaned into a corner, it locks on to an apex like a homing beacon, and changes its line only at the rider's request. Even if the brakes are applied, the H-D won't dart off-line in mid-turn.

Those brakes also present a fine balance between good feel and low effort. The Kelsey-Hayes dual discs at the front are considerably improved over past H-D brakes, providing good feedback even during hard stops. Like much of the FLTC, the brakes have been continually updated over the past few years, this year getting a new rear-brake caliper that's claimed to be both lighter and quieter. What hasn't changed, though, is the oversize pedal that makes precise modulation difficult.

Another seemingly minor change for '86 is something near and dear, in a manner of speaking, to any touring rider's heart: the seat. Though at first it seems impossibly soft for long-distance corn-fort, an all-day stint will convince you otherwise. In fact, the Harley's seat offers the best thing this side of Holiday Inns for coast-to-coast comfort on the Inter-states. And the rest of the FLTC's people-pleasing accommodations only add to that sense of comfort. The riding position is roomy, and—for a solo rider—there are three choices for footrests, with the footboards, front engine guard and passenger footrests. And despite the fairing's truncated dimensions (it lacks lowers), the Harley's frame-mount unit provides remarkably good wind protection for both rider and passenger. Although lower-body protection on the Classic is understandably in short supply, that's offset by a lack of buffeting, and the absence of the annoying "hand-in-the-back" draft common with other touring fairings.

What makes the Harley's long-term comfort even more surprising, though, is that it doesn't get much help from its suspension. The main problem at the rear is one common to most Harleys: With only 3.0 inches of travel, the FLTC simply lacks sufficient suspension travel to provide the Lincoln-class ride that's expected of most full-dress long-haulers. Nonetheless, at the lower end of their 0-10-psi range, the shocks offer a reasonably comfortable ride, though rough pavement quickly uses up their limited stroke. At the front, the fork responds to gentle, rolling undulations acceptably well, but sharp-edged bumps or concrete expansion joints are telegraphed straight to the rider, particularly with the fork set in the upper half of its 0-40-psi range. Below 20 psi, the fork's response is acceptably smooth, but not what you would call plush.

Moreover, the FLTC's front end also provides another illustration of Harley's decision to do things differently: The fork is equipped with an air-adjustable anti-dive system. Unlike other anti-dive setups, which increase compression damping to control nosedive during braking, Harley's system effectively increases the fork's spring rate by reducing the amount of air available to the fork. Under normal riding conditions, the Harley uses the air contained in both fork legs and the front engine guard as a spring medium. When the brakes are applied, a solenoid closes off the air line to the engine guard, and the decreased air volume effectively increases the spring rate. And while the H-D system is a complete departure from other anti-dive arrangements, it's similar in one respect: From a practical standpoint, it's not particularly effective, because the high pressure required to reduce dive significantly also makes the fork pogo annoyingly over bumps.

The Tour Glide bristles with still other unconventional ideas, too, and some of them are more successful. For instance, Harley has replaced the crude Motorola sound system it offered as an option in the past with an ASI unit designed specifically for motorcycles, and it incorporates several unique, worthwhile features. Like some other touring rigs' stereos, the system is equipped with an automatic volume adjuster for ambient noise, but it also has a convenient, simple, sliding volume-control next to the left handgrip. And next to the right handgrip, a single switch controls station search, selection for AM/FM or CB-monitor for channel 19, as well as tape eject and direction, making it far easier to manipulate the system than with other touring bikes' stereos. Admittedly, the system itself doesn't surpass existing state-of-the-art units—the sound quality comes up short, and the auto volume adjustment is erratic—but it's in the ballpark, and absolutely miles ahead of the Motorola.

H-D has improved the FLTC's luggage, too, though the changes are relatively minor. The '86 model now uses separate latches and locks to secure the lids on the travel trunk and saddlebags, rather than the troublesome keylock pushbuttons found on the older models. In addition, the '86 Tour Glide no longer mounts the rear turnsignals on the saddlebags, which eliminates the wiring inside the bags and simplifies removing them to service the rear wheel. And while the added convenience is appreciated, greater capacity would be treasured even more, particularly since about one-third of the right bag's volume is taken up to make room for the battery. The Tour Glide can handle solo travel with no problem, 7 but a week-long,/two-up tour stresses the Harley's carrying capacity to its limits. You'll need to come up with some way to carry your gear, too, because soft liners are optional. And when you consider the Harley's near $10,000 price, that shortage seems ludricrous.

Still, over the past couple of years, Harley-Davidson has worked its distinctive form of magic on its top-of-the-line touring bike, and transformed the Tour Glide from a near-miss into a genuine contender for top honors in the Grand Touring Class. H-D's also managed to pull off this transformation with unconventional solutions that compromise neither the bike's look nor its character; the FLTC matches most of its contemporaries in sheer touring competence, and still does so without liquid-cooling, shaft, drive or many of the accoutrements dictated by touring purists. So in a class in which the leading participants are difficult to separate without a micrometer, the FLTC offers touring riders a genuine alternative. And that unique quality is something none of the others can offer, at any price.

NITS:

•           Pop rivets on fairing pocket doors can pull loose.

•           Toolkit is not up to class standards.

•           Handlebar switches are awkWardly placed.

•           Air adjustments are accessible.

•           Oil level is easy to check.

•           Throttle lock is convenient.

•           Floorboards are three-position adjustable.

•           Travel trunk opens to the side, and can be opened without disturbing passenger.

•           Sidestand locks in position, bike can't roll off.

•           Passenger floorboards are adjustable. 

RIDE REVIEW

I still hear the phrase "for a Harley" now and then, as in "it's pretty good, for a Harley." That qualification reflects the tired old stereotype of Harley-Davidsons being a breed apart, somehow undeserving of comparison to other brands of bikes. But lately the men from Milwaukee have been dismantling that image, by building motorcycles that can not only stand toe-to-toe with Japanese bikes, but spit in their eyes, as well.

The FLTC is one such motorcycle. In terms of comfort, capacity and convenience it represents a quantum leap over H-D touring bikes of as little as two years ago, and measures up to the finest contemporary touring machines from Japan. The Classic is not just pretty good "for a Harley," it's pretty good for a world-class touring bike—which is precisely what it is.—Jerry Smith 

See here, Harley, this can't happen. You don't piece together a tourer using parts that look like they were penned during Eisenhower's administration and come up with a bike this good. And you don't go around making God-knowshow-old concepts work as well as some high-tech designs. Finally, you simply cannot make the bike function so well with bodywork that looks as utterly traditional as the FLTC's.

Alas, Harley, you've proven me wrong, because the Classic is everything it can't possibly be. It's smooth, comfortable, as stable as a Republican's platform, and suprisingly modern. What's more, the '86 model is far and away a better bike than the '84—with little more than simple, effective updates. So, I don't care that you've made hash of my arguments, because when I'm riding the TC, nothing else seems to matter.—Marc Cook 

Miller, Cook and Smith have done admirable jobs describing the FLTC's long-haul capabilities. Yet all the well deserved praise they've heaped on it for its comfort and smoothness doesn't do justice to what impresses me most about this motorcycle. And at the risk of sounding trite, I'd sum the bike up in a single word: fun. Indeed, riding the FLTC is more fun than a bathtub full of otters. For me, this motorcycle makes every ride—no matter how far—an event, a happening on wheels that's akin to having your own parade.

In fact, I get a kick out of riding the FLTC, the likes of which I haven't experienced in a long time. It's like a hell-raising friend that sidles up to you with a conspiratorial wink and says, "Hey, dude, let's party!" That's an invitation few motorcycles can make, and one that I find impossible to refuse.—Charles Everitt

Source Cycle Guide 1986