5:55am flight from OR Tambo to Cape Town with the prospect of riding Harleys’ new Road King Special in the fairest Cape of them all. Oh, yes please! Riding big Harleys always gives me a sense of occasion, especially when the bike in question is the naked bagger with the new 107 cubic inch, 8 valve, ‘Milwaukee Eight’, engine.
The original Road King debuted in 1994 and has been a consistently good seller ever since. Joe Watkins, Dealer Principal of Harley-Davidson, Tyger Valley, arranged for Charl Bester to familiarize me with the bike.
The Special I rode was painted black. I have always had a thing for black bikes. The old school headlight nacelle, shrouded front forks, tank, sidecovers and flared fenders, as well as the neat panniers, are all a deep, glossy, rich black. The twin pipes are matt black and even the semi-highrise handlebars are black chrome. Subtle chrome trim and badging, complete a really pretty picture.
With my kit stowed in the rain and dust proof panniers, I was ready to rumble. Switch the tank mounted rotary ignition knob to on and hit the starter on the right handlebar switchgear and the big V-twin instantly comes alive. Ease the heel and toe gear lever, mounted above the left footboard, into gear and it engages with a familiar Harley thunk. This is no cruiser wannabe – This is real American iron! Ease out the exquisitely shaped clutch lever and the Road King launches on a Tsunami of creamy torque.
This bike has oodles of power everywhere in the rev range. The big V-twin is eerily smooth. Open the throttle and the bike hurtles forward in a dignified, regal kind of way. There is absolutely no need to rev the motor. With a torque curve like Table Mountain, peaking at a mere 2900 rpm, the Road King carries its creamy thrust from gear to gear, till it lopes along effortlessly in 6th, treating inclines with kingly disdain. You hear a muted baritone burble from the pipes but feel no engine vibes – Nothing, nada, Zilch!!
Road King is such an apt name for this bike. You don’t just sit on it, you enthrone yourself. Your butt is cupped and cosseted in the comfy cosy seat and your feet rest on the perfectly angled footboards. Your hands grasp the bars in a wide and commanding fashion as you roll through your Kingdom.
The King rides on turbine style black Mags – a 180/18 rear with a 19” front. Once rolling, the long wheelbase and low centre of gravity contribute to an incredibly stable ride. I covered over 500 k’s on highways, byways and mountain passes and despite some spirited riding, did not feel the slightest hint of a wobble or weave.
The twin back shocks have limited travel of around 5.2 cm with 11 cm of fork travel, yet only on really knarly tar did the Showa suspension feel limited. On smooth tar the smooth motor and suspension create a surreal riding experience.
Harleys can frustrate on mountain passes. They feel really stable until at relatively easy lean angles, they start to drag hardware on the tar. This really dents cornering confidence. I was pleasantly surprised by the ‘S’. The footboards are significantly narrower than footpegs thereby giving you over 30’ of lean angle. I found myself really enjoying mountain passes as the wonderful motor punted us through the sweeps with no sparks coming off the undercarriage.
The speedo is tank mounted and flanked by a fuel gauge on the left and the filler cap on the right. In the bottom of the speedo is a rectangular window with a digital information display. Clock, Total mileage, two trip meters, a gear indicator and engine rpm are easily accessed via a toggle button on the left handlebar switch.
The motor is so smooth it is easy to leave it in 4th or 5th after gearing down for a bend or whatever. However, the gear and rpm display keep reminding you to go back to top gear. At a mere 3630 rpm, the Milwaukee Eight is cruising at 160 kph with absolutely no fuss or bother – apart from the windblast that is. Sustained high speed will have you developing biceps and stomach and neck muscles that make a super fifteen prop forward look puny. Alternatively, you can fit a factory aftermarket screen.
Cruising from Paarl through Stellenbosch, Franschoek, over mountains and down dales I just utterly and completely get the Harley thing. The Road King Special gets nods of approval and thumbs up from fellow motorists. This is something you just seldom, if ever, get on other bikes. Stopping for a cappuccino, I smile as people stop and stare at my magnificent ride. Selfies with the bike in the background are the order of the day. On a warm winters day under perfect blue skies in the fairest Cape of them all, I could not have asked for a more relaxing and stately steed. A tank capacity of over 22 litres and consumption of around 20 kpl, allows extended saddle time as you chase the horizon. There are few more enjoyable ways to roam our magnificent land.
A big word of thanks and appreciation to Aidan Johnson from Harley-Davidson and Joe and his team from Tyger Valley H-D, for the privilege of reviewing this fantastic bike.
For more information visit: www.harley-davidson.com
