Harley’s success, especially in the past two decades, has been a result of continued incremental change overlaid upon that comfortable, recognizable base. Take the Electra Glide FLH, for example. It was first produced in 1966, and we’ve all grown to recognize its signature fork-mounted, bat-wing fairing. Today, if you were parked beside the road and saw this 2008 Electra Glide Ultra Classic rumble past you, followed immediately by a 1984 Electra Glide Classic, it would take a sharp eye to distinguish between the two. Once they pulled over, however, the differences would leap out at you in multiples.

In 1984, features such as Elastomer rubber engine mounting and fully enclosed chain final drive were recent innovations, and the 80-cubic-inch Evolution engine (the one that was to save Harley-Davidson from extinction) had just been introduced. In the intervening years the entire Harley line has gone to belt final drive and electronic fuel injection. The Electra Glide’s fairing has been improved and updated. There’s now a full sound system. The saddlebag lids are now attached and can no longer be lost, the brakes now have four-piston rather than single-piston calipers, and fairing lowers are standard on the Ultra. And in case you feared that the rate of change had slowed in recent years, for 2007 the E-Glide was given the new Cruise Drive six- speed transmission (which debuted on other models the previous year), and the Twin Cam 88-inch engine was upgraded to 96 cubic inches. This was accomplished by leaving the bore intact, but adding almost 10mm to the stroke. For 2008 fuel capacity has grown by one gallon, and various models (including the Ultra) are available with anti- lock brakes. It just goes to show that the rate of change has actually increased in recent years.

That 96-inch motor (1,584cc) offers a bore and stroke of 95.25 x 111.25mm, figures that indicate a torquey stroker rather than a revver. Sure, it’s still air-cooled and its valves are actuated by pushrods with hydraulic lifters that never need adjustment, but power has been tweaked in unex­pected ways. Two years ago when we tested the 2006 Ultra Classic its 88-inch Twin Cam motor produced 65 horsepower at 5,700 rpm on the Borla Performance dynamometer, and 67.4 lb-ft of torque at 3,800 rpm. Now, despite gaining 8 cubic inches of displacement, horsepower has actually fallen to 62.4 at 5,200 rpm, but torque is up to 77.8 lb-ft at 3,600 rpm. That’s a whopping 15 percent boost, and anyone who rides a Harley can confirm that torque is what it’s all about. Not only that, but the Ultra’s flat torque curve delivers more than 70 lb-ft from 2,000 on up to 4,400 rpm.

Hit the starter button, and after a loud whump from the starter damper the electronic sequential port fuel injection helps the engine fire up immediately…unless you were foolish enough to forget to pack the hands-free security fob that’s part of the optional Smart Security System. It’s a pas­sive key fob that must be within several feet of the bike or nothing will happen except the turn signals will simply flash at you angrily. When the fob is more than 8 feet away, the security system arms itself and disables the ignition. When the bike is disturbed, the signals flash; a siren alarm is optional. Should you lose the fob or leave it sitting in your garage when you ride off, you can arm or disarm the system by using the turn signal controls to enter a PIN number.

Even when cold the Glide can be ridden away immedi­ately without protest or hiccup. For the 2006 model year, peak clutch lever effort was reduced by 35 percent on Big Twins, and in ‘07 touring models got a new clutch cable that resulted in a further 7 percent reduction in effort. The six- speed shifts easily, quickly and with low effort with its heel­and-toe shifter. Gone are the days when one had to pause between shifts on a Harley to allow the parts to properly align.

The Ultra is a traveling machine, which is where it excels. Vibration from the single-crankpin V-twin was tamed long ago, isolated from the rider by rubber engine mounts. The seat is one of the best I’ve ever encountered in motorcy­cling, a firm base overlaid with soft padding. Typically, I start squirming around within the first 100 miles of a ride, trying to redistribute the pressure points. However, with the Ultra took a 400-mile weekend ride and it wasn’t until late in the second day that the squirming ritual began. The seat is nar­row at the front so the rider can get the feet down at a stop, and the 30.7-inch height is reasonable. Footboards are rubber mounted so that no vibration enters there; the left one is crowded a bit by the heel-and-toe shifter. The rider sits rather upright behind a full instrument panel that includes a large speedometer and tachometer, and four smaller circular gauges that keep track of fuel supply, charging rate, oil pressure and ambient air temperature. As for entertainment, the Ultra includes a Harman/Kardon 80-watt audio system with AM/FM radio, weatherband, CB, intercom, four speakers, and there’s a power outlet for electric clothing and such. A dizzying list of audio options includes XM Radio, Bluetooth, GPS and a CD changer.

A major factor in pleasant touring is wind protection, and while that classic fairing deflects the wind it also allows a significant amount of buffeting to the rider’s helmet. You won’t be able to hear much of that wonderful audio system at speed unless you utilize helmets with speaker headsets. The Ultra Classic comes standard with a pair of lowers, leg protectors that include a small storage bin under each snap- on cover that can hold a pair of winter gloves. Each lower also incorporates a curved plastic panel that stows inside. On a cold day the rider can squat in front of the bike and rotate these panels outward on their tracks to block the wind. On warmer days they can be rotated back behind the lowers to allow for more airflow, a good thing since the larger engine now puts out more heat, especially from the rear cylinder exhaust pipe on the right. Likewise, tinted wind deflectors at the edges of the fairing can be rotated inward on warm days to direct airflow to the rider’s body. Both of these comfort items are quite effective.