Welome to the Cadiliac of bikes, the ULTRA.

 

Congrats on the new ride. Great way to get used to it as well. Welcome to the touring section.

 

I slung a leg over a BMW once and hated it instantly. Thing was so top heavy I couldn't believe it. That was with only 1/4 tank of gas too.

 

Congrats on the Ultra and welcome to best forum on the net. These Ultra's are big but they handle like a luxury automobile. The more you ride it the more you will appreciate it, especially if you do a lot of 2 up riding. Unlike the BMW, you can find more accessories to personalize your scoot anyway you want... all it takes is money. Other than the electrically adjustable windshield and better wind protection on your legs, the only other thing you may miss is whipping through the twisties without concern of ever scrapping your pegs. Keep the shiny side up and enjoy the ride!

 

08 Ultra here and loving it
May want to try a Clearview Recurve windshield or other brand for the wind

 

Good unbiased write up there. Harley is doing things right. Congrats on your new scoot.

 

I had an 05 R1200RT that my wife didn't like at all too much buffeting for the pax. She has always liked the ride of my previous RK and the current Custom (with a tour pak). But, she REALLY likes the newer K1300GT. It's smoother, better braking, better suspension, better element protection..and not to mention over twice the HP of a stock Ultra, etc. I now only ride the Custom by myself.

 

I agree with you on the electric windshield. My brother has a 07 BMW and I love that feature. I can rid myself of buffeting with the touch of a button. Other than that; nothing compares with my Ultra. Congratulations on the new bike!

 

I know exactly what you are talking about, and you pretty much nailed it. I owned a 2004 R1150RT, then a 2006 R1200GSA, and now a 2009 Ultra. The Ultra is the best long distance bike, the BMW's handled better at the 85%+ speeds. But, the reality is that I ride at 50-70% speeds 99% of the time! So far the Ultra is the best I've had, but I do understand the appeal. If I had the money, a 10-12 car garage would not be large enough for the bike collection I would have...

 

My BMW and Glide are parked alongside each other! I have owned both brands since the 70s. BMW has this strange idea of where the centre of gravity of a bike should be, which explains why all their bikes are top heavy, although they handle well.

In June my wife and I joined a group of mixed BMW riders on a 2,500mile tour of Europe, from our home in the UK, travelling on my old FLHS. It is far from stock in many ways, but despite its age we were the least blown around in cross winds. Three cheers for a low c of g!

One amusing incident was on the hottest day at around 95 degrees, when the rider of the K1300GT noticed a warning light come on. It was his wife switching on her heated seat! Can't do that on my 'old lady'....