The Bikes, and the Ride
Upon arrival in Orangeville, we were greeted by a lineup of seven 2009 Harley-Davidsons and one Buell motorcycle: Two Rocker Cs, a Softail Custom, a Fat Boy, a Night Train, a V-Rod, a Sportster 1200 Low and a Ulysses XB12XT—a wide spectrum of what Harley has to offer. After a nice dinner and a good night’s rest, I met up with six other journalists and our ride leader, Ron Pohl, Best Western’s VP of Operations, who happens to be a devoted motorcyclist and Road Glide owner. We put the keys in a helmet and chose our mounts at random.
I started Day One on the Night Train. Over the course of the next two days, I’d do my time on each of the seven Harleys, just enough miles to get a general impression. The Buell – well, the Buell was another story.
About 30 miles into the ride, the journalist on the Buell XB12XT went into a swerve from which he could not recover. The bike went off onto the gravel right shoulder, skirted the edge of a ditch, and went onto a small side road. The bike then pitched the rider, who skidded across the tarmac ahead of the front wheel. Bike and rider came to a rest.
The rest of our riding group pulled over quickly, and we ran to our fellow journalist’s aid. He was flailing on the pavement, trying to get to his feet. We encouraged him to lay down, to stop trying to stand. Someone turned off the Buell’s ignition, and stood the bike back up on its sidestand.
The journalist didn’t appear to have sustained any major injuries, just a few scrapes and abrasions. Our chase vehicle, a minivan with our gear and two Best Western PR folks, had already called 911, and within two minutes, Orangeville FD was on the scene with a paramedic’s unit, a hook and ladder and 13 firemen. The police were not far behind, with a pair of cruisers and four officers. Impressive response.
The journalist was assessed for injuries, then loaded on a backboard and taken to the hospital. We got word later that he was released from the hospital and none the worse for wear. He was very lucky, and so was everyone around him. He could easily have swerved into another bike in our formation, or caused someone else to crash. I don’t want to speculate on the cause of his crash – let’s just say that I don’t think it was the bike’s fault, nor the road’s – but the journalist was definitely not properly geared up for the incident. He wore a novelty beanie helmet, a denim jacket and pants, and no gloves. His injuries were entirely superficial – an incredible fluke of luck. Thank heavens. The Buell’s injuries were also minor – a scuffed saddle bag, a broken brake lever and a few scratches. Were it not for the brake lever, it would have been good to go for the rest of the trip. With the lack of a lever and a rider, the Buell had to stay behind. Regretfully, I didn’t get a chance to swing a leg over the Ulysses– probably the most appropriate bike in our assortment for the ride ahead.
After giving statements to the police for an hour or so, we resumed our journey. In speaking with my colleagues later, I found that we were all shaken by the incident, and each made personal vows to ride safely, and to pay close attention to each other for the rest of the trip.
Back to the bikes.
I’m 6’2”, and large-boned, as they say. Even so, the Night Train provided a bit more stretch to the bars than I found comfortable for an extended ride. I felt locked in by the riding position, and I was glad to turn over the keys after our lunch stop.
My next ride was the Softail Custom, one of the cushiest cruisers on the trip. My quick review says that the dished out seat would be the first thing to go on my Custom. More front-to-rear room to maneuver would come close to providing all-day comfort. The sixth gear is a welcome addition to the whole Big Twin lineup, ideal for cruising a smooth road in serenity without robbing the bike of passing power.
Day Two I drew the short straw, and started the ride on the Sportster 1200 Low. Don’t get me wrong– I’ve got nothing against Sportsters. As a matter of fact, I own a 1993 Sportster Deluxe that I love dearly. But the Low version of the Sportster was not designed for a big guy like me to ride around the block, let alone to ride across Ontario. After burning one tank full of gas, I cried for mercy, and traded back for a Big Twin.
I landed on one a Rocker C. An undeniably beautiful bike, the Rocker C would not be my first or second choice for a long ride, nor do I think it was built for that purpose. The Rocker C is a bar-hopper, pure and simple. I did discover, however, that the bike offers alternate riding positions that make staying comfortable a little bit easier. On a long steady cruise, you can use the passenger pegs as rearsets for the rider, completely changing your riding position without compromising handling. Of course, you no longer have rear braking or gearing control without repositioning your legs– so the position isn’t recommended. In a desperate situation, though, after half a day on a Sportster Low, it was any port in a storm.
Day Three was cushy. I scored the V-Rod for the initial ride out of Montreal into the heart of the province of Quebec. After two long days on cruisers, the more aggressive riding position of the V-Rod felt just fine. The switch from the Big Twin torque to the V-Rod horsepower was fun to explore, as Day Three offered to most deserted country byways of the trip. The V-Rod was so comfortable that I found myself wishing for a touring version of the hot rod bike. With a slightly more relaxed riding position, some wind protection and a bit of clever storage, the V-Rod would be a great cross country ride.
A mid-ride swap landed me on the Fat Boy, a pleasant way to wrap up the journey and conquer Quebec City. It’s hard not to look cool on a Fat Boy– I need all the help I can get. I discovered that the Fat Boy is also plenty comfortable on a long ride. The full floorboards with heel-toe shifter offer a variety of foot and leg positions. Just those little shifts can really help stave off the cramps, and add many miles to a pain-free riding day. Crosswinds to play havoc with those solid disc wheels, but the Fat Boy’s beefy, wide front end provides enough stability to overcome the big breezes.
