Time: 9:30 am

While on vacation, Vicki and I decided it would be really fun to see the desert in a whole new way… on a motorcycle! Well, I couldn't pack up the Vstar and ship it to Nevada, so we did the obvious thing… we rented a Harley.

The reason I wanted to rent the Harley was to test ride an Electra Glide for a later comparison to a Venture. I figured a good 15 hours on a bike would give me a reasonable idea as to how it TRULY handled.

Vicki and I made the arrangements with Eagle Rider Rentals in Las Vegas several months in advance. When I got to Eagle Riders, my bike was waiting for me all gassed up and ready to go. On the phone several months ago, I the rental clerk for an Electra Glide with electronic fuel injection, as shown on the website. He actually stated that they had one with the new Fathead 88 engine, and would bump me up to that. "Yippee!!" I thought. However, I was disappointed to find out that I would instead, be ridding a 1997 Ultra Glide with carbureted engine. I asked about the 88 and the guy said they didn't even have an 88 in stock. Not only did I NOT get the new 88 engine, I didn't even get the fuel injection I originally wanted either. Gee, I guess I should have asked?

Okay, well… ever the trooper, I decided that maybe it would be better to test ride the old style engine, and compare THAT ONE to the Fathead 88 later, in order to mark the advancements. At least now, I had a broader basis for comparison.

If ever you consider renting a bike, make sure your finances are in order! The Eagle Riders website had a good amount of information about what you will need, such as Class M license, all your insurance paperwork, AMA card for the 15% discount, and a Visa Card for the $1,000 deposit and daily rental fees. I got through quickly and without a hitch, but one poor guy's credit cards kept getting declined, stalling his process. Even with multiple cards, he couldn't cover the steep deposit requirement. He was VERY embarrassed and I felt bad for him. He was left with having to make phone calls to his credit card companies to try and straighten out the matter.

Additionally, be aware of the rental company's policy on damage. They do not go through your insurance, and they do not cover you for damages. If you drop the bike and damage the tank, it comes out of your deposit! If the damage is more, they charge it to your credit card, and then leave it to you to recover the damages through your own insurance agency. Our rental car worked on that same premise.

After being fitted for a helmet (bring a head-rag, those suckers are nasty), we went over the bike to mark damages. The windshield was scratched, the horn did not work, and the trunk would not lock. These were all noted on the chart, so I would not be inadvertently charged for the damage. Make sure this process is done and done correctly, or else you may be forced to cover damages not caught after the previous renter. Otherwise, the bike was in good repair, with approximately 35,000 miles on the odometer. I was briefed on the bikes functions such as alarm system, starting procedures, stereo, etc… and then I was off.

In actuality, I was on the bike and the bike was running, but it didn't want to go anywhere. The Ultra Glide was a cold natured beast and after 4 minutes of warming in 70 degree weather, it simply did not want to move. So I had to run it the first 5 miles with the choke about 1/3 of the way out in order to keep it running, which led me to realize why HD riders tend to blip the throttle at red lights!

Almost an hour later, we rode through a few small towns and ended up at the Hoover Dam, where we were able to park in a special spot inside the parking garage. The people were very biker friendly, actually coming up to take the money from me so I would not have to come to them. As for maneuverability, the HD was considerably harder to manage in the parking lot than what I was used to. The weight made it very difficult to back into spaces and turn, however, this was just the nature of the beast.

After taking in the history of the Hoover Dam and snapping some pics, we hopped back upon the bike and headed out for the desert, running along Lake Meade. Thanks to the help of some very light cloud cover, things were kept nice and cool.

The desert is a very dynamic place, unlike what I had initially imagined. The roads would be very straight for a bit, then run into a series of curves and hills. Off in the distance, you would see mountains towering over the flat land, devoid of all trees and grass. Unlike the lakeshores of the Eastern U.S., the shore of Lake Meade boasted no vegetation; it was simply rock and water. The only life along the lake was the occasional bird. The contrasts were stark and a bit unsettling but I found it to be eerily beautiful.

After coming out of the hill country, we moved into the "Valley of Fire", which was dark, desert rock and dirt that was surrounded by "fire red" boulders, hills, and mountains. The Indians historically came to this place to get the pigment for their earthenware.

The one thing you become aware of in the desert is gasoline… or more precisely, the lack, thereof. Nowhere was a gas station to be found. There were no towns to be had and barely a car ventured out along our path. At the only restaurant and gas station along the way, we fueled up (thank the gods!) and had one of the biggest and best chilidogs I've ever had. 4 other guys on rental Harleys pulled up and ordered around the time we began eating. We found out they were from New York and New Jersey, and rented their bikes from a different Rental shop. After exchanging a few pleasantries, we moved on.

n The rest of the trip seemed to go on forever. The desert is a big, dry place. Near dark, we pulled upon Interstate 15, a very fast paced and direct route back to Vegas. Once we got back into town, we headed straight for our hotel, the Luxor. As we were in the garage, locking up the Harley, another biker on a rental HD pulled up next to mine and we began to talk. He was wiping his face and talking about how much it stung. Funny I never noticed anything, even at 85 mph? It appears that without a proper windshield, the desert sand kicked up by the fast moving vehicles acted like a sand blaster and could really sting your face, arm, hands… whatever was exposed. Well, the Ultra Glide had one great shield system, even my fingers were protected while wearing fingerless gloves, and Vicki never felt a thing while riding pillon behind me.

Impressions:
Well, I guess it would only be fair to list my honest impressions of the Harley Davidson Ultra Glide, here.

Positives:
I liked the whole windshield system, it did a fantastic job! However, due to the height of the windshield, I had to look "through" it, leaving my view of the world a bit distorted. I would be hating life in the rain, too. Though I didn't really need or use the stereo, it worked well when I tried it and found the stations easily. On the road, the bike drove like a Cadillac. As heavy as it was, it was relatively light on it's feet and absorbed shocks and curves well. The exhaust note was pleasing to the ear, and thanks to the rubber- mounted handlebars, I felt no vibration in my fingers and arms.

Further, the trunk storage system is a dream come true, swallowing up the extra gear we brought along, "just in case". And as for looks, well the Ultra Glide had them in spades.

Negatives:
This bike is VERY cold blooded. After an hour ride to Hoover Dam and a 40-minute stop over, I still had to warm up the bike for another 5 minutes AND travel a few miles with the choke open, simply to keep the engine from dying. This is the main reason I wanted the fuel-injected bike. Did I mention this bike is HEAVY? I mean, really, really, really, HEAVY. There was no room for error while moving this bike around in a parking lot. One centimeter too far to the left or right and you will be lifting almost half of a ton of dead-weight off the ground. I found the handlebars and seat to be very comfortable, though I felt the foot placement was too far underneath me, causing my knees to ache later in the day. As for the engine and steering, I felt that everything was, well, loose. Not in a bad way, it just sounded and felt loose.

All in all, the bike performed flawlessly and at no time did I feel that I was going to be left stranded in the desert due to a malfunction. I was oddly comfortable with the bike, and took a very short time getting use to it. I am very surprised to admit it, but I really liked this bike, not a little, but a whole lot. I can see why hard-core HD riders like these bikes. I have thought long and hard about my next bike: Would it be the Yamaha Venture? A Royal Star Tourer? Maybe even an HD Ultra Glide 88 in 2000? If the improvements are as great as testers have been writing, I wouldn't rule the latter out.