Like The Older Bike Better???

Hey Guys,

I have always had older bikes, Flatheads, Panheads, Shovelheads in both Big Twin and Sportster format. My first "New" bike didn't come until March 2012, a '90 FLTCU. The bike had only 20,000 miles on it when I got it. By the time December 2012 rolled around I had put 5,000 more miles on it. I love the way that bike feels, rides and sounds (I swapped the factory pipes and mufflers for the rush true dual pipes and mufflers) The bike rides and corners so much smoother then any other bike I've had. For being such a big girl she is really quick. When I get on her I can feel the front end coming up.

In December I stumbled across a 2005 FLHTC at a dealership. I don't know what on earth ever possessed me that day but for some reason I turned the ignition on. I have never ever done that before and I will NEVER NEVER EVER do that again!! When I turned the key on and saw 8,400 miles on the clock it was game over. It took me full days to realize it was game over and 4 days later I went back to the dealer and rode it home. I've got 9,400 miles on the clock now.

The thing is, if I was gonna go on any kind of long distance ride tomorrow, I would absolutely hands down take the '90 FLTCU over the '05 FLHTC. First of all the '90 sounds way better, both bikes are carbed, but they sure don't sound the same at all. Second is the gearing, the '90 has 10.93 1st, 7.45 2nd, 5.40 3rd, 4.16 4th and 3.37 5th. The '05 has 10.11 1st, 6.96 2nd, 4.95 3rd, 3.86 4th and 3.15 5th. Maybe if we had more long open roads here I might like the '05 gearing better...but we don't so the '90 gearing is a much better choice for around town. The '05 feels smaller (probably because the fairing is fork mounted vs frame mounted) The windshield on the '90 really protects me from wind, rain and bugs, the '05 windshield does not, at least not to the same degree. The biggest difference is in cornering. The '90 feels really nimble and I got no apprehension about leaning it hard into the turns. When my wife is not with me I quite often scrape the floorboards in a good turn. I have never scraped floorboards on the '05 and I'm afraid to even try. The bike feels like it would slide out, probably from the front first, It just doesn't feel right or comfortable in turns at all.

In defense of the '05, I'm still having some carb issues which do affect the sound. The paint and chrome are still cherry and the suspension is still new and supper smooth on rough surfaces (the '90 is not). I really like the looks of the '05 over the '90. I will be adding a set of lower non vented fairings to the '05 hopefully that will help improve the feel of the bike at least a little.

I'd like to hear from anyone else who has gone from the EVO tour bikes to the Twin cam tour bikes, on their experiences and perspective on the differences between these 2 types of bikes.

Aloha...Mike

I suspect the 8 yr.old tires may be dried out. With that low millage they're -probably the original skins. I've ridden new twinkies a lot and their handling amazes me. I own a '09 FLHX. I now have put 64+K mi. on it and it still handles great. 'Will lean her Way over and she is sure footed.

What you're feeling in the handling is the difference between the Tour Glide and Electra Glide(frame mount vs fork mount)weight of the fairing and wind force isn't felt in the handlebars on the Tour Glide as it is on the EG...
Evo's do sound different and better than TC's IMO,just like a Pan sounds different than a Shovel and a Shovel sounds different than an Evo...the lumpy idle is gone in the TC's...(single 4 lobe cam is history)
Too wide a gap between riding FLH Shovels(stripped down)Evo baggers(never owned one ,but ridden a few) and the TC baggers(Police Road King,so not a full blown Geezer Glide) to compare the generations...I hoped to have all 3 on the road last summer,but poo poo happens and it didn't work out....
I'm almost positive you could upgrade the rear suspension with the same shocks that are on your '05(have a look at both) and a front fork service on the Evo,that would really help the suspension feel,combined with a rear upgrade...

Geezer Glide??? :roflmao: I never heard that one before. :roflmao: I guess it fits though. I just might be a geezer. I sure pulled a geezer act. A royal geezer act.....This brain dead geezer forgot to check the front tire pressure.

Look people, I only have a few good functioning brain cells left over from my youth (product of the '70's) and when one of em finally did manage to send the signal to check the front tire pressure, I found I was running on about 14 psi. Cornering/handling is now remarkably improved thank you. Talk about feeling stupid!!!

The Electraglide still feels smaller though, I'm hoping the installation of the lower fairings and the right set of handle bars will help the bike feel a bit more like the Tour glide.

Aloha...Mike

14 lbs...LOL no wonder it wasn't handling well....ya done good keeping her up going through turns...