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Ultra after sportster

3K views 22 replies 17 participants last post by  Notorious 
#1 ·
After riding a sportster for a couple of years, i now just managed to get hold of an Electra Glide ultra ltd Anniversary edition. The bike arrives next month, really looking forward to getting it. My wife and i would to start touring, so really needed a bigger bike. The sportster was great, going to work, and day rides with the club.

Now, i had to make a quick decision on the bike, before someone else ordered it, as there are not many anniversary ones left, so i have never ridden one before. I took out a Road King from the dealer for a day, to see what my wife thinks, so thats the biggest bike i have ridden.

Now i would like to improve my motoring skills on a heavier bike, I don't live in the states and the courses for advanced motoring are few and far between. Can anyone recommend any online media thats worth getting. DVD's are hard to get from the states, so i really could do with online content i could download, it doesn't have to be free, i am more than willing to pay.

Thanks

Andy




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#2 ·
YouTube should have all you need. Motorman Palladino is all over the web. I ride a sportster, but I had the opportunity to ride 13 H-D models, including the Electra Glide Ultra Ltd. If you were ok on the Road King, you should have no trouble on the Ultra. It is well balanced. I only had to get used to the shifter. The toe shifter was closer into the bike and I kept forgetting there was a heel shifter. Easy enough to get used to in a couple hours of riding. Have fun.
 
#3 ·
I don't know that there is a significant unique skill set associated with riding bigger bike.

The tour-pak and fairing may make the Ultra ever so slightly more top-heavy than the Road King, but for the most part, they are the same bike. If you were comfortable on the 'King, you're going to be fine on the Ultra.

Any time you switch bikes, it will feel a little awkward at first. I'be been riding all my life, and the Electra Glide felt pretty weird for a day or two.

The only things about the Ultra that I can think of that will be a little awkward at first would be:

1. The general weight. It's freaking heavy!! And slightly top-heavy at that. It's no big deal at speed, (it helps, IMO) but it takes some getting used to when working it in and out of parking spaces. And, if you are firm on the front brake at very slow speeds, you will probably dump it. I'm a fairly stout guy, and it takes some SERIOUS man-handling to keep it upright if it starts over.

2. The fairing. The batwing acts a bit as a "sail" at times. When you pass a large truck or even get a hard crosswind, the wind pushes the the fairing which obviously pushes the handlebars. It isn't overwhelming, but it can be a little intimidating until you understand what is going on.

If you are otherwise a competent rider, you'll be fine on it in no time.

I picked mine up, fueled it and hit the road. I rode it 200 miles the first day I had it. After a couple of days, it just felt like "my" bike.
 
#17 ·
^^^ This...
Just remember too the extra weight makes it a bit harder to whoa down, so until you are comfortable two up and loaded be sure of your outs and distances.
That front brake tip may just be the best advise so far.

BTW my sportster looked pretty pissed when I climbed on the Ultra this morning.

Enjoy...
 
#5 ·
Thanks for the replies,

I will check out more youtube to see what they have to offer. It was only really interested in the slow stuff, I just wanted a few more tips on. I suppose practice and practice.....

I'm sure once I get it, and put some miles on it, there will be no issue. I was fine on the Road King, took about 20-30 mins before I felt comfortable enough to relax and enjoy the ride, but the heel shift was weird. Plus the weight when stationary was a bit of a shock after the sportster and I had a passenger..

Not ridden with a fairing yet, so thanks for tip on the sail effect. Have a long haul trip planned next year in the States. Will hire an ultra then, so this year will be good practice.

Thanks again

Andy

:biking:
 
#6 ·
Chas pretty well nailed it. You may find it a bit squirrely the first time you ride 2 up, but you'll overcome that pretty fast....I'd practice a bit just to get your confidence and competence up. Good luck, you'll love that Ultra.
 
#7 ·
Dude, don't even sweat it and overthink it too much.

I rode a Sportster 1200 for 2 years, then went up to the Softail Heritage and then the Electra Glide. Both big were huge compared to the Sporster but both were very surprisingly maneuverable and feel way lighter than their 800+ pounds.

If you are a decent rider and don't do dumb things, it's not hard to get on the big bikes and be doing donuts in minutes. When I first got on my Electra, I thought... oh my God... what did I do... this thing is huge! Then I started her up, and went a few feet, got the feel for it, and instantly started doing tight donuts on my street. It's an incredible bike and you will be pleasantly surprised.
 
#9 ·
I have a 2003 Ultra Classic Electra Glide., and I rode a Yamaha Royal Star Venture which was very top heavy. I owned that bike for 4 years and with the my wife on it, made me uncomfortable at low speeds, well even riding myself it was a little unerving. I would try to compare it sitting on a fence. I never dropped it but always had that in the back of my mind. I test rode the ultra and between both bikes there was no comparison. The ultra appeared to have a lower center ogf gravity vs the venture. The venture was a good touring and I never had any issues with it, but the difference in handling was unbelievable. Sorry to get off topic, but seat time will hone your skills and the comfort level will come to you, no matter what bike you ride.
 
#12 ·
The weight is balanced very well on the bike and you won't believe it is north of 860 pounds wet and loaded and over a thousand with you and even more with a passenger.

I'm 160 and I can handle the bike just fine. With a passenger, depending on how big she is, it might make it feel hinky though because the passenger changes the balance of weight up top a lot more than anything else. I took off the tail trunk for now so that helps a bit.
 
#13 ·
I too just went from a sporty to a touring. I've been riding for many years, but never any bike nearly as heavy as my Street Glide. It was intimidating at first...then I thought, all those other guys (and many women) ride these things, why not me?

I ordered the "Ride Like a Pro" book and video from Ride Like A Pro. They have been extremely helpful. I know you live in Norway and that videos are hard to get from the states. However, the book is very helpful and Jerry "Motorman" Pallidino has a bunch of rider tips videos on YouTube you can check out.

Most important thing to watch is that front brake. Try to never use it at slow speeds unless your front wheel is pointing strait ahead...and even then go easy.

Congratulations on the new bike. Ride safe.
 
#14 ·
Another that went from a Sportster to an Ultra, the Sportster was my 7th bike and there was no real transition to it.The Ultra is my 8th and there is one big difference for me, the floorboards. On my first 7 bikes I just pushed down with the front of my right foot and I was on the brakes, with the Ultra and floorboards my right foot may not be near the brakes. The first few rides on the Ultra I used the front brake more than usual, yes I know the front brake is the majority of the stopping power, I just had to use it a lot more than I usually do. So now with the Ultra I make a conscience effort to move my right foot to the brake when I am coming into town, seeing a person coming to my intersection, a dog in the ditch, etc. So now it is natural for me to move from the floorboard to the brake, but it was a bit interesting the first few time out.
 
#15 ·
I have a Ducati 1098S as well as a racebike when I was also riding the big EGC. There were many times when I put my feet down behind me like on a sportbike and then hit the ground because I forgot the controls and footboard are way forward on my EGC.

The footboard shifting is also a very different thing with the heel and toe shifting and a few times I miss shifts on the sport bike trying to use my heel to stomp an upshift.

My Sporty gave me very little problems in that regard since mine had forward controls.
 
#18 ·
I also road a Sportster a couple of years, then went to a Dyna class Fat Bob, and now have a Road Glide. As has been said, you won't be bothered by the extra weight except when stopping and maybe at very low speeds in tight turns like in parking lots. And a little practice will build your confidence in that area quickly. Still, the amount of weight should keep you on your toes just before you come to a complete stop--do your best to keep the front wheel straight and the bike completely upright and only use the front brake lightly while also using the rear brake OR better still stay off the front brake altogether.

In my first ride home from the dealer I fell in love with the floorboards. And my original mindset was that I was going to remove the heel shifter but it didn't take long to get used to that also and it will stay.

Enjoy your ride!
 
#19 ·
If you were ok with the Road King then dont sweat it. Dont waste your time with videos, that will do nothing for you. If you know how to ride, it should not matter what bike you get. Unless you are super vertically challenged and have very short legs then you should have no problem at all. The weight diffrence is something you will automatically get used to as you ride, after a couple hours it will be like second nature. I just bought my EGC and rode without even thinking about how much the bike weighs, all the mechanics are exactly the same. Just buy it and enjoy if thats the one you want.
 
#20 ·
I bought a sportster 48 new last year.
I traded for a new Street Glide this year.

The SG has an incredible ride to it compared to the sportster.

The cross wind on the fairing, it's been windy here in Ohio this spring, I don't know what they are talking about as far as the bat wing fairing making it unstable, doesn't feel unstable to me, and if the wind gusts overly strong, you feel it all over, but I have yet to experience what everyone is refering to.

I have never riden a road glide so I can not comment.

The heal up shift and toe down shift took me some time to remember.

The Rear brake seems to require more toe force than the sportster did.

The rear passenger moving around still makes me a little uncomfortable as the bike moves some. I have not riden two up much though.

definately ride it by yourself for a couple hundo miles on varying roads and traffic conditions to just get the feel for it in different environments.

I have a bad ankel joint, I wear tight good quality lace up boots strapped on tight.

also when you come to a stop, be careful about trying to stop with the front wheel at a position other than straight ahead, it's almost got me a couple of times. I could do it on the sprtster no problem, only rear brake at the end of a slow controlled stop, to scary on the big bike.

they say you can turn the wheel slightly the direction of the turn for in city riding at stops, I have not found a comfortable way to stop or take off that way, better to get the bike moving before low speed turning.
 
#22 ·
Thank you all for your replies, I am really looking forward to the bike arriving in 2 weeks (hopefully). Some great tips, will try and stay solo for a while until I get the feel, but that might be hard. Good advice with the back break while at slow speeds, the sportster is very forgiving, and probably have some technically bad riding habits. However, I have never had an accident and never dropped her so must be something right.

Andy
 
#23 ·
The main reason aside from weight is that the front brakes on these bikes actually work pretty well compared to the Sporty or even the Softails, because... there are TWO of them upfront so you really do get that much more stopping power. With the Sporty and Softail, you apply the front brakes and the bike will eventually get to stopping sometime down the road, you have to plan for it. The touring bikes will stop way more responsively than the others and you will have to adjust for that.
 
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