Hello all. So this past Saturday told my dealer I was ready to place an order for a PA. Since I have done so much business with them over the last 9 years, he was like done. Two hours later as I am about to get into the Smokies I get a call that a bike they had sold fell through and did I want want it? Seriously! Hell yes. So as of yesterday I am now the proud owner a PA. Of course I can't get any of the accessories, but I am riding!!!
New owner - had the PA Special for 2 weeks. Haven't been able to ride much due to business travel and other stuff, but went out last night for a ride and the bike died. It's only got 35 miles on the ODO. Turns over but will not start. As a previous owner of a 2015 Duc Mutlistrada S Touring, they include roadside when you buy a new bike, H-D does not and it was needed in this case. I had some generous soul with an empty trailer happen to stop and help me trailer it home. Now, how to get it to the dealer...not a happy man after spending $23K on a new bike. Guess I'll need to re-up my AAA!
Will post what the issues are with the bike once I have it checked out. Was being careful not to go over 5K RPM and only had it to 70 on the highway briefly. Really disappointed...
H-D gives you a free one year HOG membership with new bike purchases. It includes free towing. Check you paper work and watch the mail for more HOG membership info. Any decent dealer will pick up your non running bike for free.
Harley got SW Motech to make them, so the following is mostly directed to SWM, but if anyone from Harley should happen to see this....
They're huge. I realize that the Trax bags are one-size-fits-all, but damn these are a disappointment. The backrest pads for the top box require drilling through the case. Stick-ons would have been easier to mount, and wouldn't compromise the (relative) waterproofidness of the box. A right-side box with a cut-out for the pipe would be far preferable, as the current setup sticks way, way out. You could land a plane on top of these boxes. The grab handles on the lids are nice, but the locks are fiddly. The rack looks decent, but the mounting pucks don't look good, and - though they feel secure when you shake the boxes - it's just not an elegant way to mount them.
This is one area that BMW's got it all over Harley. And this is what building essentially the same bike for decades gets you. Everything about the BMW rack and boxes screams, "STURDY". SWM's one-bag-for-every-bike necessitates compromises. My side cases will gather dust on a shelf unless I'm 2-up on a road trip. For solo trips I'll use the top case for lockable storage, and a drybag on the backseat.
If I had a friend who was looking for a new touring bike, I'd tell him that he could spend $34,000 on a Road Glide Limited (which is a great motorcycle), or he could spend $24,000 on a Special with ARH, cast wheels, and the sport luggage, then use the extra 10 large to get quality gear (suit, helmet, boots, gloves) and go on a 2-week vacation on the bike.
Get your graveling itch scratched through the first set of tires, then replace them with Road 5s or something similar.
Harley got SW Motech to make them, so the following is mostly directed to SWM, but if anyone from Harley should happen to see this....
They're huge. I realize that the Trax bags are one-size-fits-all, but damn these are a disappointment. The backrest pads for the top box require drilling through the case. Stick-ons would have been easier to mount, and wouldn't compromise the (relative) waterproofidness of the box. A right-side box with a cut-out for the pipe would be far preferable, as the current setup sticks way, way out. You could land a plane on top of these boxes. The grab handles on the lids are nice, but the locks are fiddly. The rack looks decent, but the mounting pucks don't look good, and - though they feel secure when you shake the boxes - it's just not an elegant way to mount them.
This is one area that BMW's got it all over Harley. And this is what building essentially the same bike for decades gets you. Everything about the BMW rack and boxes screams, "STURDY". SWM's one-bag-for-every-bike necessitates compromises. My side cases will gather dust on a shelf unless I'm 2-up on a road trip. For solo trips I'll use the top case for lockable storage, and a drybag on the backseat.
If I had a friend who was looking for a new touring bike, I'd tell him that he could spend $34,000 on a Road Glide Limited (which is a great motorcycle), or he could spend $24,000 on a Special with ARH, cast wheels, and the sport luggage, then use the extra 10 large to get quality gear (suit, helmet, boots, gloves) and go on a 2-week vacation on the bike.
Get your graveling itch scratched through the first set of tires, then replace them with Road 5s or something similar.
And that’s why I got the Sport cases. Perfect size and function, no complaints at all here, I think Harley nailed it.
H-D gives you a free one year HOG membership with new bike purchases. It includes free towing. Check you paper work and watch the mail for more HOG membership info. Any decent dealer will pick up your non running bike for free.
Problem is, you will never get that tow. On Long Island, I call them for a tow. Said they would text me name of tow company and when they would be there shortly. Called an hour later, they said they were working on it. Called again after two hours still working on it. Called after 3 hours, still working on it. Local went home got some tow companies phone numbers, as I had no internet. Third call I found a tow, all of 20 minutes once I had numbers. When my tow showed up at the 4 hour point I called HOG again, said they were still working on it. I said don't waist your time, got my own tow.
My wife reminded me this happened to her on the Blue Ridge Parkway, five hours and HOG never got her a tow.
While you did not have good service contacting HOG thousands other have had a good experience. I may be wrong but I believe in a case like yours you can be reimbursed.
07-27-2021, 12:49 PM
New Onwner
