2013 Road Glide Custom, Rockin the War Wagon on the Road to Sturgis

2013 Road Glide Custom, aka War Wagon

A new 2013 Road Glide Custom, some friends, eight days to burn, the Sturgis Rally, and a little Rocky Mountain detour, what’s not to love? Not much, I can tell you that. For those of you that have been keeping up on current events here at the Asylum, you know that my beloved Paint Shaker (aka 2006 FLHRCI, Road King Classic) and sick CVO Springer (2007 FLXTSSE) are no more, traded in to make way for a shiny, well not so much, as it’s black denim, new 2013 Road Glide Custom. Always wanted one of the shark nosed beasts, and given that the Motor Company had deemed it time to put the vaunted Glide on ice for a couple of years, I figured now was as good a time to score one.

Blacker than a Banker's Heart

The War Wagon is fairly trick; complete black-out treatment, Progressive Suspension front and rear (Monotube fork springs and 944’s out back), Klockwerks windscreen, Agitator wheels in black ice, braided brake lines, fully floating rotors up front, HD’s “DayMaker” LED lights with Custom Dynamics LED running/brake/turn lights, Vance and Hines True Dual headers with four inch round mufflers out back, and Screamin’ Eagle air cleaner and tuner. Le Pera seat is coming, and we’ll wait until the warranty is done before we start really working over the stock 103. All in all, it’s a pretty tidy rig. 

Lunch at Orlando's in Taos, yummy!

Our shakedown cruise began in the steaming cauldron of the Fort Worth Metroplex, when you think Texas in the summertime, think oven on self-clean mode and you get the idea. The sooner we could get to the high desert of New Mexico, the better. The three of us, Dan (my boss), Joaquin (e-com guru) and myself droned along the interstate just as quickly as John Law would allow. Staying overnight in Amarillo, we got a late start from work, have to pay the bills, right? Our goal at the end of the second day was Durango Colorado where we would meet up with renown bike builder/designer Jesse Rooke and a couple of his buddies. From there it was on through the Rockies for some great two lane tango.

I’ve gotta say the Glide is such the better bike than the old Paint Shaker, and it really pains me to admit it, but truth is truth. Obviously being a post ’09 FLH model, it benefits greatly from the new frame and swing arm. For the most part the hinge in the middle of the frame is gone. Sure at really high speeds in long sweepers, if you hit a bump you’ll experience a little shimmy-shake, but nothing too dramatic. And if you have the good sense to install Progressive bits on both ends, you’ll be amazed at how well the beast will handle. The brakes are outstanding, to the degree that I doubt I’ll throw on aftermarket calipers, they are that strong. I gotta say I love the frame mounted fairing, not just for the sinister profile, but the wind protection is outstanding, as is the stability. Having grown up riding sportbikes, I prefer the frame affixed units to anything mounted on handlebars.

From Durango to Sturgis was a blur, Jesse and Doug set a blistering pace over one mountain pass to another, whether  it a goat trail or a four lane road, we were hauling the mail. And trust me, the weather never cooperated with our “optimistic” route schedule. But that’s the adventure of the open road, right?

 One turn it’s a  herd of mountain goats, the next it’s a black and white, or maybe Jesse’s Street Glide saying, I’m not gonna start at during a thunderstorm at over 12,000 feet. Its always something, and that’s what’s so great. Over Loveland Pass, through Trail Ridge Park and the wilds of Wyoming our little wolfpack was never passed by a single vehicle of any type; car, truck, motorcycle…..nothing. That includes sportbikes of every stripe. We were making some pace, and having a blast.

The Biker's Choice Big Rig on Lasalle

Once in Sturgis, it was the usual scene; Main St., Black Hills HD, the drags, flat track, Deadwood. We took it all in, while dodging (mostly unsuccessfully) some of the worst weather I’ve ever ridden in. As a matter of fact, it rained some part of the day for six of the eight days we were on the road……that’s a lot for this Cali transplant!! But as they say, there’s no bad weather, only bad gear. I’m not sure I fully buy into that, but my Firstgear rain gear did keep me dry, and the Road Glide was steady as a stone as we punched through some pretty gnarly precep.

For three days we met with industry folks, looked at bikes, ate food, lots of food, and were more or less chill. We didn’t do a lot of local riding, but we did cut through Rushmore (how appropriate given the new 2014 HD’s huh?) and Custer Park on our way back to Tejas. Given time constraints we pretty much took a straight shot south, two lane when we could, interstate the rest of the way. And oh, yes, the rain continued to the last day, with the worst of it as a matter of fact in Kansas. By that time we were all done with the wet stuff.

All in all, I’ve got to say I’m loving me the War Wagon, it’s smooth, reasonably quick (we’ll work on that later) and stops better than any Harley I’ve ever owned. But I have to say, without a doubt, it’s the badass stance of the machine that puts it over the top. It’s got class and style in spades……..ace of spades, as in blacker than a bankers heart. This is the start of something good…….

Texas Tales.....Riding the Lone Star State

As most of you know I relocated to the Republic of Texas nearly two years ago, and while I’m moving steadily on a path to citizenship (figured it’ll take about a decade to get naturalized) it’s still an almost daily adjustment when it comes to acclimating to the day to day in the Lone Star State. This is doubly true when it comes to riding out among ‘em in a state where the unofficial motto is; ”….hey honey hold my beer and watch this”.

But before we get into last weekend’s two lane escapades; a major announcement.  We’re rolling a new sled, sinister black denim 2013 FLTRX, the last of its kind as a matter of fact, at least for now. No doubt the Motor Company will bring the Glide back at some future date; it sells to damn well to kill it off for good……shareholders wouldn’t stand for that, no way. The machine is really trick with lots of Chrome Asylum touches, which ironically include a total black-out treatment, and very little, if any actual chrome. Expect a complete review of the War Wagon, including the not so pleasant purchase experience at one of HD’s Platinum Bar and Shield “stealerships”, along with tons of pics in the near future. 

A tasty tease...........War Wagon, my new '13 FLTRX

Sadly the only way to score the Road Glide was to sell my beloved Paint Shaker (’06 FLHRCI) and the Springer (’07 FXSTSSE). Very bummed to see them go, but the fact is I don’t get much time to ride one bike, let alone two, and with the daughter at one of those over-priced palaces of “higher” learning, it was the right time to downsize. One thing I know is there are a couple of Texans out there that scored some choice tricked out Milwaukee iron……….best treat ‘em right gents!

So yea, that whole riding thing. Yo Texas, can we get some lane splitting (ah, “sharing”) down heh!? What’s the deal, you’ve got traffic jams that would make five o’clock in Beijing seem like a spin in the country, surface of the sun heat for six months of the year, and NASCAR wannabe morons in their pick-ups tailgating (sorry, my bad, “drafting”) about an inch and a half of my fender. We need an “out” people. If they can allow the great unwashed the privilege of lane splitting in the Peoples Republik of Kalifornia, let’s show them what a free state can do. It’s time.

 I’ve heard that legislation has been introduced a couple of times in Austin over the last few years, so what’s the hold up?………I say get ‘er done dammit!! Of course as one wise local cop told me, he said, “son (which shows you how damn ancient he was) I wouldn’t advise you doing any of that lane spitting stuff around here, you’re liable to get a knee full of fender or a face full of Skoal”. Wise words indeed, maybe Tejas isn’t quite ready after all.

The stereotype is that nearly everyone in Texas drives a pick-up truck, maybe not entirely accurate. What is true is that every twisted, demented, Shiner swilling, road raging cowboy freak in Texas drives a pick-up truck. There’s a difference. Here’s what the chamber of commerce won’t tell you, every other one of these bozos is towing some sort of grapes of wrath flatbed trailer (which by the way slows them down not a single mph) stacked to the moon with all manner of mowers, blowers, grills, couches, lawn chairs, coolers, ladders, duck blinds, kiddie pools, and the occasional recently deceased white tale. All of which means when Bubba/Pedro slams into one of Texas’ famous, and numerous pot holes (these babies are deep and steep, they can taco a motorcycle rim faster than you can say “Red State”) at beer thirty qualifying speeds, it’s gonna be raining yard sale……….right in front of you and your machine. You best be on your game, constant “object avoidance” skill building is a must.  Don’t say you haven’t been warned.

Lastly, enough with the artificially low speed limits on rural roads. I doubt Texas invented the speed trap, but I think it’s fair to say they’ve perfected it. It’s such a joke that when I was recently caught on radar doing 52 in a 30 (I was) the cop let me go. He was understanding about the natural tendency to twist the throttle a little harder on two lane twisties (a rare find indeed in God’s Country….ah, that of course would be Tejas, right!?), and all but admitted the speed limits were not “appropriate” for boondocks nature of the road. It’s kind of a drag having to constantly keep one eye on the speedo, and the other scanning for John Law when cruising through the countryside. No doubt I see a hefty ticket in my future…….I’m pretty sure I burned my get out of jail free card with Officer Rider (I swear, that was his name!).

That about wraps it for now, stay tuned for more, assuming I survive Death Race Texas………where it’s not just a ride, it’s blacktop ops survival school.