Riders should be aware of truck blind spots, the possibility that drivers are on stimulants and that trucks may be unroadworthy, says a university expert.
Dr. Christopher Walker, a regulation and policy expert from UNSW Arts & Social Sciences, says Australia needs to put pressure on the trucking industry to improve safety standards.
He is also calling for truckies and all other road users to learn to share the road and be aware of the sight limitations of trucks and the vulnerability of riders.
Trucks are responsible for the deaths of more than 200 people a year in Australia and 4500 a year in the US.
Professor Bill Russell, deputy director of Melbourne University’s Australasian Centre for the Governance and Management of Urban Transport, has said Australians would be safer if more freight was moved by rail.
His research showed that moving 10% more freight by rail would save 25 lives in Australia every year, and 100 serious injuries such as quadriplegia or brain damage.
In 2019, 53 Aussie truck drivers died on the job, with 34% being linked to fatigue.
Dr. Walker says it is not uncommon for drivers to haul loads and work beyond the 12-hour daily limit and an 80 or 100 hour plus working week is not uncommon. The legal limit is 72 hours over a seven-day period.
“I’ve interviewed truck drivers, and they’ve said to me, ‘I’d get my pay in one hand, and my pills in the other,” he says.
Motorbike Writer has published several articles about sharing the road with trucks and the dangers of their large blind spots which can easily lose the presence of a small motorcycle.
Dr. Walker says riders need to be aware of the dangers of trucks, but also says all road users, not just truckies, should be given education on sharing the road with motorcycles.
“All truck drivers are also car drivers and so their interaction with motorcycles on our roads can occur when they are operating a range of light and heavy vehicles,” he says.
“It would be important to highlight what particular concerns trucks present for motorcyclists but this should be part of an education package that is targeted at all road users and licence holders.
“This way all road users that share the road with motorcyclists have a better understanding of the challenges and risks they present for motorcyclists.”
Dr. Walker also says small trucking companies cut corners on costs and industry regulation is lacking with owner-operators only needing a truck licence, a truck and an ABN to start a trucking company in Australia.
“They don’t have to prove they’re financially viable or that they don’t have a compromised driving record,” he says, unlike in the UK where the industry is regulated through licensing in a process that is similar to the taxi industry in Australia.
I remember the first time I realised just how important a trusted teammate can be on two wheels. It probably comes as no great surprise that Phil Read, seven times World Champion and without a doubt the most underestimated rider in the history of Grand Prix racing, sparked the interest. There is absolutely no doubt Phil was not your ideal teammate as both Bill Ivy and Giacomo Agostini found out.
Motorcycle theft data for the 2019-20 financial year reveals that the state of Victoria suffered the worst number of thefts overall with 2056 stolen motorcycles reported.
Victoria records most motorcycle thefts in Australia
Victoria took the dubious mantle from NSW where motorcycle theft experienced an 11.6 per decline (1909) in comparison to the 2018-19 FY. In contrast, thefts were up by a marginal 0.9 per cent in Victoria.
WA worst by far on per capita basis
However, Western Australia (1914) continues to suffer by far the worst rate of theft on a per capita basis. Despite a significant 9.8 per cent drop in reported motorcycle theft compared to the previous reporting period, more motorcycles were stolen in WA than were reported stolen in NSW, even though the WA population is only one-third that of NSW. The Local Government Areas of Cockburn, Stirling and Rockingham are the worst hot-spots for motorcycle theft in Western Australia.
Brisbane a major hot-spot
Motorcycle theft in Queensland (1956) is up 4.9 per cent and on a per capita basis, The Sunshine State has a much higher rate of motorcycle theft than Victoria, NSW, the ACT or the Northern Territory. The City of Brisbane LGA is the hot-spot with 599 thefts, a marked 28.5 per cent increase and more than twice as many thefts as reported on the Gold Coast, which ranked second in the national LGA hot-spots.
Tassie records significant jump in motorcycle theft
Tasmania (216) reported the biggest jump in reported thefts with a 27.1 per cent increase.
South Australia not doing too well either
Theft was up by 10 per cent in South Australia and SA had the second worst rate of theft per capita behind Western Australia, but WA’s rate of theft was much worse than SA.
NT on a positive trend
The Northern Territory recorded the largest drop in theft, down 23 per cent on the previous reporting period.
As no reliable indicator of motorcycles across the various states are available, we resorted to using population figures to compare the state by state results on a per capita basis.
When do most motorcycles get stolen?
By far the most common time for motorcycles to be stolen was on a Friday evening between the hours of 1600 and 2000. Sunday evening in the same time bracket was the second most opportune time for thieves. Two-thirds of thefts are from the home of the victim.
Which brands fare the worst in the figures?
Honda (1938) was the most stolen brand ahead of Yamaha (1574), Kawasaki (884), Suzuki (819) and KTM (598). Harley-Davidson was surprisingly down in ninth with only 186 reported thefts. BMW, Triumph and Ducati fared even better.
What engine sizes are the most targeted by thieves?
The most stolen capacity range was that of 251-500 cc (1301), followed by 101-150 cc (1113), 501-750 cc (877), 201-250 cc (867), 50 cc or less (802) and 751-1000 cc (415) while the 1000 cc plus segment recorded 282 thefts. These figures suggest that dirtbikes likely make up a significant amount of the recorded thefts, more than a third at least.
Is my motorcycle more likely to be stolen if it is fairly new? Yes…
Your motorcycle was most likely to be stolen if it was made in the decade of 2010-2020 with that bracket accounting for almost half of all motorcycles stolen. 2000-2010 models are just over a quarter of the volume of total thefts.
The overall tally
Over the reporting period 9,021 motorcycle thefts are included in this data for the 2019-20 FY. This was a decline of 2.7 per cent compared to the 2018-19 FY, which was the worst in recent history recorded by the National Motor Vehicle Theft Reduction Council. Over half of all motorcycles stolen are never recovered.
State or Territory
2018/19
2019/20
% change
Thefts
% of thefts
Thefts
% of thefts
ACT
104
1.1
110
1.2
5.8%
NSW
2,160
23.3
1,909
21.2
-11.6%
NT
100
1.1
77
0.9
-23.0%
QLD
1,864
20.1
1,956
21.7
4.9%
SA
711
7.7
783
8.7
10.1%
TAS
170
1.8
216
2.4
27.1%
VIC
2,037
22
2,056
22.8
0.9%
WA
2,121
22.9
1,914
21.2
-9.8%
AUS
9,267
100
9,021
100
-2.70%
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Horse Country in Dutchess County Excellent riding not far from the Big Apple.
Caffeinating at The 9W Market is a pre-ride must.
The good news about riding out from New York City is that it takes surprisingly little time to get to some nice roads. (The bad news is, at some point, you have to get back into the city, and the less said about that, the better.) On a recent August morning, I opted for a run-up to Dutchess County, which is about 80 miles north of New York City and home to rolling hills, horse farms and some really excellent motorcycle roads. The longest way I know to get there starts with detouring west to New Jersey in order to start the ride off properly with coffee and maybe a pastry at The 9W Market.
As I crossed over the George Washington Bridge, a peek to the south revealed the City of Dreams draped in fog, so I pulled off at the Rockefeller Lookout to soak in the view. The 9W Market is a just a mile or so off Exit 4 of the Palisades Interstate Parkway (PIP) and is always worth a stop for good food, good coffee and often a chance encounter with good friends.
The 9W Market is great any day of the week and hosts Bikes & Breakfast on the first Sunday of every month.
From The 9W Market you have the option of continuing north on slower two-lane State Route 9W to SR 202, or backtrack to the PIP. Though it can get congested, and those of us who have ridden it a thousand times might take it for granted, the PIP is a pretty ride. It’s two lanes each direction, winding through woodland, with plenty of gentle curves and some old stone bridges that reverberate exhaust pipes quite nicely. The miles fly by and soon enough I hit the Bear Mountain Bridge (aka Purple Heart Veterans Memorial Bridge).
Built in 1924, the BMB predates the GWB by seven years. When it went up, it was the longest suspension bridge in the world…for just over a year and a half before a newer model took the title way.
In addition to having some of the most finicky EZ Pass readers in all of New York State, the Bear Mountain Bridge carries not just cars and motorcycles, but also the Appalachian Trail. Over the bridge, I made a left on State Route 9D, which rolls north through some lovely, historic towns along the Hudson River. If you can resist the temptation to keep going north up to Cold Spring or Beacon, hang a right on County Route 11, Snake Hill Road. If you’re lucky and there isn’t a car in front of you, you can enjoy a spirited ride through a golf course and up to U.S. Route 9, Albany Post Road. It’s a short stretch but it will put a smile on your face.
Canopus Lake in Clarence Fahnestock State Park.
Make a left on Albany Post Road and enjoy a more trafficked but still pretty ride — there are a couple of lazy S-curves that might have been designed by a rider — and drop down to the light at the intersection of State Route 301. Make a right there, fingers crossed you get to the turn before a car does. Route 301 is a rider’s road — lots of curves but nothing too technical so it’s an easy, fun ride, swinging around as you flash through a forested area and even parallel a pretty stream for a bit. 301 has two nice turns up a hill into Clarence Fahnestock State Park where the speed limit rises to 55 mph, and you may well be tempted to pull over alongside Canopus Lake just to enjoy the view.
The road roughens up for a mile after the lake, so put your weight down on the pegs, then you’ll hit the intersection of 301 and the Taconic State Parkway. Like the PIP, the Taconic is underappreciated. It’s two narrow lanes in each direction, with plenty of accidents but beautiful views and few straights, and if you ride smartly you can usually find a place in between clumps of cars where you can breathe a little easier.
The Millbrook Diner. Not sure what the ship’s figurehead is about but I’m digging it.
Just a few miles up the Taconic and you have your choice of roads that go east into Dutchess County—try State Routes 9, 82 or U.S Route 44. This day I opted for 82, which is a lovely little ride through farm country. Route 82 crosses SR 343 just outside of Millbrook, one corner taken up by an eerily decrepit cluster of buildings dating to 1890. Keep on 82 into Millbrook, one of the most affluent towns in the state, and grab lunch at one of the handful of restaurants that line the quaint main street. My favorite is the Millbrook Diner.
After lunch it’s time to do a loop. There are dozens of horse farms in the area and they make for extremely scenic riding. The roads are generally without a shoulder, and the combination of blind curves and the occasional slow-moving horse trailer (or actual horse) means its heads-up riding, which is to say absolutely terrific. Leaving Millbrook, I made a right on U.S Route 44, then a left on 83 at the Amenia Steakhouse. There are some jaw-dropping homes set back from the road and hundreds of acres of horse farms. There’s the occasional field of cows, of course, and if you’re lucky, you might see those sheep that look like cotton balls on sticks. Make a right on 44 into Amenia proper, then go right at the light to follow 44 up the hill to a lovely horseshoe curve and a scenic lookout.
There are plenty of roads to explore in the area, but if you’re ready to head home, 44 will take you back to the Taconic. Between the roads and the scenery, Millbrook is a compelling riding destination and, if you’re coming up from the city, you can make a nice 250-300 mile day of it — roughly the same number of smiles just about guaranteed.
Hard to imagine this view is just 80 (or 130) miles north of New York City.
Favorite Ride: Horse Country in Dutchess County Photo Gallery
According to a post today in NHK World-Japan News:
Leading Japanese machinery maker Kawasaki Heavy Industries says it will spin off its struggling motorcycle and engine businesses next year as part of a major restructuring.
The company announced on Monday that it plans to spin off its motorcycle manufacturing and sales division and Rolling Stock division, which manufactures both conventional and bullet trains.
Kawasaki says it hopes the move will speed up decision-making and improve its financial situation.
Motorcycle sales in Southeast Asia have dropped sharply due to the coronavirus pandemic. The company expects to see an operating loss of about 5 billion yen, or 47 million dollars, for the current business year.
Kawasaki says it is strengthening intra-industry cooperation to address compliance with environmental regulations and other issues.
Kawasaki President Hashimoto Yasuhiko said at a news conference that he hopes the motorcycle business will continue to build the strong Kawasaki brand and revitalize the market through collaboration with other companies.
Being spun off isn’t necessarily a bad thing. A parent company will spin off part of its business if it expects that it will be lucrative to do so. The spin off will have a separate management structure and a new name, but it will usually retain the same assets, intellectual property, and human resources. The parent company will continue to provide financial and technological support in most cases.
Kawasaki’s motorcycle business is a tiny part of Kawasaki Heavy Industries, one of Japan’s three major heavy industrial manufacturers. KHI also makes bullet trains, heavy equipment, aerospace equipment, industrial robots, gas turbines, boilers, ships….
If you’re an avid sim-racer or just picked up your new copy of ‘TT Isle of Man Ride on the Edge 2‘ you may be in the market for a Kawasaki H2 branded gaming chair to add a few more virtual horsepower to your gaming experience.
Who knows, perhaps you have your gaming set up located in your luxurious home garage next to your $55,000 USD H2 race bike. This probably isn’t the case, but if your heart bleeds green and your racing gear happens to match why not tickle your inner enthusiast with a green Ninja H2 gaming chair to satisfy your inner love for all things Kawi.
Kawasaki partnered up with esteemed Japanese luxury furniture maker, Contieaks, to bring consumers an H2 inspired gaming chair to satisfy your gaming room needs. Personally, I have a full sim-racing set up in my home office and if Ford offered a blue Ford Racing gaming chair, I’d be all over it. So I understand the allure for you Kawasaki fanboys that just added this chair to your Christmas list.
As with most gaming chairs, it features 75mm height adjustability, can recline 160°, and has 3d printed armrests to keep you comfortable during a sweaty virtual hot-lap around the Isle of Man.
The chair will be available in Japan at Kawasaki Plaza and they will be accepting orders beginning yesterday, November 1st, and will close sales November 30th, 2020 with deliveries coming in late February of 2021.
What’s cooler than a classic motorcycle modified in modern times to accommodate a race-oriented look and style? The same thing, but with the modifications actually being done during the period of the initial sale.
This bike was modified way back in the ’70s when it was new and was fully restored in 2001 by its current owner after buying it from a collection in 1991.
The engine is a 750cc parallel-twin that was taken from a ’69 TR6R and married to a five-speed gearbox. What makes this a racebike? The Trackmaster frame, racing fairings, and all the performance add-ons a 1970’s racer could dream of.
The engine has been modified with Mikuni carburetors, a full racing exhaust system, an alloy fuel tank for added weight reduction, clip-on handlebars and rear sets, original Grimeca triple-disc brakes, and a Ceriani fork with Works shock to top it all off.
You won’t be able to ride this motorcycle on public roadways in its current shape, as its been fully kitted for the racetrack and features a headlight, signal, and taillight delete to keep it track-spec.
The total mileage is unknown, but the bike comes with an Oregon bill of sale and I would assume it has a clean title otherwise it would be specified in the bringatrailer.com ad.
This may be one of the most beautiful period-correct replica racebikes I have ever seen, and it could be yours if you act fast and win the auction found on bringatrailer.com. I’m going to go out on a limb and assume that this motorcycle will fetch quite a pretty penny, as bids currently sit at $7000 USD with 4 days remaining on the auction as I type this article.
A Formal Partnership With Westlake Financial Services to Offer Dealer Financing Options
I’m just going to come out and say it… For me, Energica is close to being the MV Agusta of the EV motorcycle world. Their designs are insanely beautiful and also pretty darn expensive, but until EV motorcycle tech comes standard from most OEM manufacturers, it’s up to smaller companies like Zero and Energica to blaze the trail that leads these torque-monsters into our home garages.
How can Energica make it easier for someone like me – without $25,000 – to get an Ego into my garage? Dealer financing.
Not only is this going to make it easier for potential buyers to bring one home, but the deal also offers a break for dealerships which will help them brunt the burden of keeping current stock on hand during all of these troubling times with Covid-19 stunting many in-store sales at their current 11 US dealers.
It took the company the first 8 weeks of 2020 to match their 2019 sales, meaning the brand should be gearing up for trench-warfare level sales for 2021 if things go according to plan.
Energica is reportedly expecting major demand next year for these motorcycles projected by their successful pre-order numbers in January, but strong sales continued to solider onwards through February leading them to the impression of these motorcycles being a big deal in a (hopefully) post-COVID 2021.
An Italian-Designed Compact Flat Tracker for American Markets? Count me in
Engines Engineering has been developing amazing designs since 1979 when they first started offering design services to other Italian builders. With small-displacement motorcycles quickly gaining popularity on a worldwide stage, it only makes sense for a brand to finally bring a flat tracker inspired design to a smaller displacement motorcycle.
Taking the Benelli 302S, E&E has reverse-engineered it from the ground up and has drafted up the designs for a beautiful two-cylinder street tracker geared towards American riders.
The Benelli 302S platform that they have based this build off of features a 300cc twin-cylinder engine that products 37.5 horsepower and 19 lb-ft of torque.
This isn’t just a bolt-on kit either, the prototype takes the 302S chassis to a whole new level boasting a newly designed frame, ECU, muffler, wheels, and suspension components.
Typically many concept motorcycles rarely leave the drawing board to be translated to a real-world prototype, but luckily for E&E, they are already more than halfway through the process of bringing this model to production with their fully functional prototype.
When we first saw the initial Indian FTR 1200 concept, it ended up making a complete 180 in order to bring regulations and safety standards to the bike. It ended up in reality very loosely to what we saw in the initial prototype. E&E has taken a different approach though, and this prototype is already Euro 5 standard and holds USA’s DOT and CARB certifications for roadway use.
E&E claims that the prototype is already 70% of the way to mass production and will take less than 6 months to complete the final stages to fill the final 30%.
They plan to bring this motorcycle to shows across North America in 2021 to bring awareness and interest to the project in hopes it can take flight on our shores.
The Road Glide Limited replaces the Ultra and adds premium finishes, optional technology and 18-inch Slicer II wheels. Paint quality and fit and finish are stellar.
American V-twin motorcycles are big, boisterous, and have an unmistakable rowdy personality. Love ’em or hate ’em, they immediately assert their presence in the parking lot of any roadside haunt. The thrum of a massive, torque-rich engine and a booming exhaust note have almost become synonymous with Harley-Davidson — best exemplified in its touring machines.
Receiving a spit-shine from the Bar and Shield marque, the 2020 Harley-Davidson Road Glide Limited replaces the Ultra in H-D’s touring bike lineup and adds premium finishes, along with high-tech options, to an already bright feather in the brand’s cap.
The Tour-Pak trunk and saddlebags offer 133 liters of storage capacity. Two full-sized helmets will fit in the trunk, with plenty of space for wine country souvenirs. The one-touch latches are locked manually.
Subtle updates to the luxury long-hauler come in the form of a gloss-finished inner fairing, painted pinstriping, new badges on the 6.0-gallon fuel tank and fenders, as well as heated grips. A dizzying array of paint options are available this year, along with a Black Finish package ($1,900) that bestows an ebony touch to nearly every piece of hardware. New premium 18-inch Slicer II wheels are the soul mechanical changes, up from 17- and 16-inch wheels on the Ultra.
At its core, it’s still the same shark-nosed Road Glide with the bright LED Daymaker headlights, Boom! GTS infotainment, a massive top-case, premium Showa Dual Bending Valve suspension, linked braking by Brembo, a potent Twin-Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 114 powerplant, palatial seating and fit-and-finish fit for kings. This is a machine for the American V-twin touring faithful, dressed in full regalia.
New for this year is a gloss painted finish on the fairing’s interior, raising the bar for fit-and-finish. Sound clarity is pitch perfect from the Boom! Box GTS infotainment system.
The big news this year is optional tech. For $995, any H-D touring bike (save for the Electra Glide Standard) can be equipped with H-D’s Reflex Defensive Rider System, which includes linked-braking cornering ABS, lean-sensitive traction control, hill-start control, tire pressure monitoring and an engine braking management system to reduce rear-wheel lock when decelerating. We’ll dive into its functionality later.
What the Road Glide Limited yearns for is exploring the highways and hidden gems of your state. So, I did just that on this Tour Test, taking the RGL on a two-wheeled pilgrimage through Central California amidst a record-breaking heat wave and wildfires. Both made planning a route with reasonable temperatures and smoke-free scenery for photos a challenge, but it was a mere inconvenience compared to the challenge portions of the Western U.S. face, battling unprecedented drought and wildfires. The loss of life and property has been staggering, and our hearts go out to those who have had their lives upended.
With the Tour-Pak and saddlebags filled to the brim, I set off in search of more temperate weather. The fog-blanketed beach cities of California’s coast were more than tempting.
Santa Paula, California, is an unassuming agriculture town nestled in the nook of the Santa Clara River Valley. It’s quaint, quiet, and has loads of quality places to nab a breakfast burrito. It’s also where you can pick up California State Route 150 and venture into the Transverse Ranges, home to numerous legendary motorcycling roads.
The Twin-cooled M8 powerplant has loads of torque and manages heat much better than its predecessor.
Action is relatively light on SR 150; it mostly saunters up the hills and allows me to take in the RGL’s lavish accommodations for the first time. At 5-feet, 10-inches, the Limited’s cockpit has everything I can ask for on a long ride. Its plush, supportive leather-bound seat is 27.2-inches high (laden), and the mini-ape handlebar provides all the leverage I could want while keeping me in a neutral position. Floorboards allow plenty of movement during droning freeway rides, although the brake pedal angle is a tad acute. Meanwhile, the triple Splitstream frame-mounted fairing with a tall touring windscreen offers excellent wind protection and airflow.
The Boom! Box GTS infotainment unit’s full-color TFT touchscreen has useful features like navigation, phone connectivity and vehicle data. Audio is clear, even when riding at freeway speeds, and the radio signal is downright impressive. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are supported. However, you’ll need to have your device connected to the USB port in the fairing cubby, and also be wired in directly with a helmet headset to use them.
New to the Limited platform are 6-level heated grips for those colder rides.
Branching off SR 150 is the legendary State Route 33, a road that any motorcyclist in California worth their salt has traversed. With more views and winding corners than you can shake a stick at, some might even be interested in calling it a day after taking it in. I’d recommend a quick break at one of the many overlooks on Pine Mountain.
Dropping into the flatlands, temperatures spike into the triple digits during the summer in the San Joaquin Valley, making the ride through oil towns such as Maricopa, Derby Acres (population 322!), and Taft a drag if it weren’t for the standard cruise control. Once in Taft, it’s time to top off the RGL because my next stop won’t be until Morro Bay, about 116-miles away and well within the bike’s 217.5-mile fuel range.
State Route 58 is a gem of a road with variety that’s rarely matched. Epic curves lead into long slogs through majestic wheat fields, and if the time of year and conditions are right, you might catch a California poppy super-bloom.
Roads like the 58 are where the Road Glide Limited shines. Our last 114 M8 engine produced a healthy 78 horsepower at 4,800 rpm and a stomping 104 lb-ft of torque at 2,900 rpm at the rear wheel on the Jett Tuning dyno. If you had doubts about the fully loaded RGL’s ability to get-up-and-go, put them to rest now, because she’ll compress you into the seat lickety-split. The 114ci M8 hums a nice, bassy tune with just enough visceral vibration coming through to let you know that it’s alive.
The 114’s chunky gearbox makes sturdy, positive shifts befitting of the RGL’s size. However, clutch pull is quite heavy, making clutch modulation during low-speed maneuvers tricky and taxing when in traffic. Luckily, all that luscious torque and well-spaced gear ratios will almost allow you to leave it in 6th gear, settling into a rhythm on a road like 58.
The 922-pound Road Glide takes some effort to lift off the sidestand and is cumbersome at low speeds, like many touring bikes of this size — plan your route carefully in tight spaces. Once you’re rolling, its low center of gravity and gentle handling perform well, and thanks to the Road Glide Limited’s frame-mounted fairing, steering is noticeably lighter than its Electra Glide brethren with fork mounted fairings. A bit of input on the mini-ape hanger bar and the RGL will tip in as quickly and as controlled as you’d like, holding a steady line.
Spacious and comfortable accommodations are long-haul ready.
The non-adjustable 49mm Showa Dual Bending Valve fork with 4.6-inches of travel does a commendable job of hiding road impurities. The spring preload adjustable rear shock with 3-inches of travel can struggle to deal with hard-edged potholes but does soak up rough roads well, in general.
I did notice that when the pace picks up, the RGL’s plush setup, abbreviated suspension travel and older dual-shock chassis design show their limitations. Over long, fast sweepers, wallowing can be felt that serves as a warning to cool your jets. It never truly gets out of shape, but it’s as if the Road Glide is tapping you on the shoulder, saying, “More Grand Tour, less Gran Tourismo, kid.”
Branching off 58 is the short, but very sweet SR 229 — colloquially known as “Rossi’s Driveway.” This single-lane, undulating road sweeps through loads of twisting, blind corners in a roughly 8-mile stretch of tarmac and seems like something only a motorcyclist could dream up — hence the reference to Italian MotoGP star, Valentino Rossi. It’s still fun to hustle the big RDL on a road seemingly built for Supermotos.
With the sun setting behind the hills, I connected to State Route 41, making my way to Morro Bay. Even at dusk, inland temperatures this time of year are high. As you drop down toward the coast, the reprieve comes with each mile, eventually leading to a cool, socked-in beach city.
Morro Bay’s natural harbor attracts all sorts of sea life, from sea lions and seals, to cuddly-looking sea otters, and countless birds.
Morro Bay is a kitschy spot with beautiful views and seafood along the boardwalk, which isn’t a bad place to stretch your legs after a good ride. It’s a surf town with a vibe to match; things happen at their own pace here, unless you’re working the bustling docks or fishing boats. There’s plenty of affordable lodging, as well as more ritzy accommodations and even camping options nearby.
In the morning, we headed south on U.S. 101 in search of winding roads, jumping on SR 166 to Tepusquet Road in the Santa Maria Valley. Much like Rossi’s Driveway, Tepusquet sachets through the mountain range, diving in and out of the valley, with plenty of action to perk you up in the morning. There is something fun about wrangling a bike of this size through narrow, single-lane roads.
A frame-mounted fairing helps reduce the amount of effort needed to steer, while also improving the Road Glide’s behavior in cross winds.
Brembo provides the braking hardware, with 300mm rotors all around. Feel at the lever is progressive and does require a generous pull if you need to stop in a hurry — like when wild turkeys run out in your path.
In those moments, H-D’s RDRS rider aid package goes from optional to mandatory. On compact, often dirty mountain roads, I’ll ride with more confidence when faced with corners filled with debris or obstacles.
Larger 18-inch Slicer II wheels are the soul mechanical changes from the Ultra to the Limited model.
Tepusquet Road spits you out into wine country, with grapevines as far as the eye can see, and onto Foxen Canyon Road. One can saunter along the Foxen Canyon Wine Trail or make the foliage blur along the respectably winding road. Asphalt here is something of a mixed bag due to all the agriculture vehicles, and again, highlights the need for a decent electronics package.
When I hit SR 154, I know that my ride is coming to a close. In a short time, I’ll be winding down the mountain in Santa Barbara, California, and reconnecting with U.S. 101 for the slog back into SoCal. The Road Glide Limited has been a fixture in American V-twin touring due to opulent rider and passenger comfort and massive storage capacity. In 2020, its chassis is beginning to show its age, but when it comes to luxury touring, the feature-loaded Road Glide Limited offers everything else one could want.
Morro Bay Rock is a 576-foot tall volcanic plug that sits at the harbor’s entrance and is one of the most iconic landmarks in the region, easily visible from the 101 freeway.
