Harley Davidson had a good year in 2008. They opened a new museum dedicated to the history of their brand, their owners club (H.O.G.) reached a landmark 25th Silver Anniversary and they themselves celebrated 105 years of building a cult American Motorcycle.
Now Harley Davidson are fairly adept at holding commemorative festivals and 2008's was certainly no exception. They took over the Milwaukee lakefront for four whole days of parties, run-outs and displays with H.O.G. holding their own bash at Miller Park. On top of this they arranged no fewer than 105 runs from separate Dealerships across the states, all ending at the event and released no less than 14 separate limited edition style modifications to their range.
The 105th Anniversary models all featured exclusive two-tone paint schemes in copper and black with copper vinyl inserts tastefully inlaid into the saddles and copper shield decoration on the tanks and air cleaners. Some of the top models also featured something new. Something which made me stop and think when I heard it. Harley Davidson factory fitted Brembo disk brakes with advanced ABS! For a minute I even thought I was going to faint.
These aren't just any old bike ABS systems either. Because of their age-old tradition of style and image before any other consideration - a tradition which has served them extremely well by all accounts - fitting and amending an already existing setup wasn't even on the agenda. Instead the crafty engineers at HD designed a unit from the ground up and hid it almost entirely within the wheels!
One of the bikes to receive this treatment was the top of the range CVO Ultra Classic Electra Glide. Already a bike with more features than a headline festival, including a built in navigation system, Harmon-Kardon stereo system, Cruise Control and even heated seats, the Anniversary edition is truly an incredible touring bike to behold.
The best thing of all though is the engine. It's what makes Harley Davidson's so iconic in the first place and the Twin Cam 110 (1803cc) motor they use in this machine keeps all the character of noise and shake we have come to expect. Extensive rubber mounting ensures the shake stays with the engine though, keeping the rider and passenger free of stress able to enjoy the ride and just listen to that glorious noise.
So who would ride a bike like this? Maybe the same kind or person who would ride a Honda Goldwing? No, I doubt it. This bike might fit into the same category as the ubiquitous 'wing' but it has infinitely more style. After all, it's a Harley Davidson and they know a thing or two about image don't you think? Oh, and did I mention that the brakes work on this one?
About the Author:
John Vincent is Father to twin boys and husband to the internet - or so his wife says. Read more of his rants at used motorbikes in the midlands and The Moped Spot.
Get all the information and photos:: http://coringa.info/sports/a-twenty-first-century-first-a-harley-davidson-with-brakes
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