Harley-Davidson Ultra Limited 2020 ride report

The Harley-Davidson Tourer With its legendary Batwing fairing, the 2020 model combines tradition with modern technology.

Even if someone without great motorcycle ambitions stands in front of the Harley-Davidson Ultra Limited , he usually only needs one attempt to guess that he is facing a Harley-Davidson stands.

The Willie G. The Batwing fairing, designed in 1969, is timeless and has become a trademark of the company. It has been modified slightly over the years, but even the proven wind tunnel (Splitstream Vent) introduced in 2014 has not detracted from its recognizability. In 2020, Harley-Davidson more on technical security features that perform their work behind the scenes.

The seating position is the difference between the Road Glide Limited and the Ultra Limited.

I am currently the Road Glide Limited 2020 driven, the question always arises as to which one is better. It's impossible to answer that question, because both drive superbly. The real difference is particularly noticeable when you switch from one to the other. It's the seating position that makes them so different, apart from the design.

While on the Road Glide Limited sitting back a little, waiting for the Ultra Limited An upright seating position for the rider, who sits much closer to the command center than on the elongated Road Glide luxury touring bike.

RDRS is the name of the new Harley-Davidson technology package

The 2020 Touring models are equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system and the Reflex Defensive Rider System (RDRS). This technology package of assistance systems adjusts the acceleration and deceleration forces to the available tire grip, both when riding straight ahead and when cornering. The assistance systems are electronically controlled and based on state-of-the-art chassis, brake, and drive control technology.

When it's raining, or there's gravel or sand on the road, traction control is your bodyguard.

They prove to be very helpful in difficult road conditions and dangerous situations. Traction control in particular is a real safety bonus in difficult road conditions.

I tested the handling characteristics on a road with loose gravel in standard mode. At times, it spins briefly, but it really conveys a very good sense of safety. We mustn't forget that the engine provides 163 Nm of torque, which wants to push forward.

In any case, this technology works very well, and it's very reassuring to have it on board, especially when traveling on unfamiliar routes, because that's what the Tourer was built for. Long tours are its forte, as I discovered with my buddy Hermann in September. At first, we didn't want to go, but then we suddenly got the itch. We dropped everything and the next morning the road was ours. You can read the report of our tour to Lake Faaker Seehereread up on.

The suitcases offer plenty of storage space.

And that's where its generous space comes in handy, especially the large trunk, which I really like. I always end up bringing way too much with me, but „As we all know, it's better to have than to need.“!

Most of the time I ride without a passenger, but the trend is increasingly for partners to ride along. However, more and more often on their own Harley.

Executive chair for the CoPilot

The Harley-Davidson Ultra Limited offers a lot for the passenger. An extremely large seat and footboards, which are often underestimated but make riding very comfortable for the passenger, especially on long tours.

The heated seat can be ordered from the Harley-Davidson accessories range. It heats both the rider and passenger and can be adjusted to two different settings. You really appreciate this luxury when you're on a long tour in bad weather. I missed having seat heating on a tour in Norway when it got significantly wetter and colder at the polar frontier. It's one of those things: if you ride a lot and have enjoyed the comfort of seat heating, you'll always order it again.

Communication technology

Harley-Davidson calls it an infotainment system, but unfortunately, it's not really clear from the Harley-Davidson website how comprehensive this system actually is. Statistics show that it is mainly older people with both feet firmly on the ground who ride the really big touring bikes. Most of them will have to spend a little more time studying the manual to find out what the infotainment system can do.

Apple Carplay, headset, and the Whim module

Apple Carplay has found its way into the Boom! Box GTS. Apple Car Play is activated via an additional Whim module, which you should order directly when placing your order. It could be a must-have, especially for younger people, if you want to sell it again at some point.

Apple Carplay connects the Carplay apps from your iPhone to the Boom! Box. A separate menu opens, allowing you to access your music, maps, WhatsApp, or other applications that are enabled for Apple Carplay by Apple. The app Calimoto, For example, there is software for motorcyclists that can be used to record the route you have traveled, or you can follow recommended routes from other bikers in the community. At the time of my test, the software was not yet activated, but Calimoto informed me that it would be available soon.

This is just one example; streaming services such as Deezer can also feed music to the Boom! Box, or you can listen to a podcast while driving. Basically, the Boom! Box GTS can do many things without Apple Carplay if you connect your iPhone via USB and Lightning, but the connectivity in combination with the iPhone is already great.

I did notice one drawback during my test: Apple specifies that Apple CarPlay only works in combination with the headset. If this is not activated, CarPlay will not start. In addition, the engine must already be running before you connect your cell phone so that Apple CarPlay can connect to the iPhone. It depends on the software version; there are versions where a running engine was not necessary, but as a rule, it is not possible.

Current firmware Software for the Boom! Box is available for download.

You can find out more on the website of Harley-Davidson under the following Link, the latest software for the respective Boom! Box Download it yourself and install it according to the instructions, or visit your authorized dealer. It is recommended that you always keep your software up to date.

Boom! Box GTS Navigation Software update available for download

Harley-Davidson recommends updating the road maps annually, which is easy to do. Harley-Davidson provides a software tool for Windows and Mac PCs at the following link, which can be used to download the latest map.

For the extreme touring enthusiasts among us, it is particularly interesting that you can swap the navigation map software if you want to change continents, and of course it is possible to restore the original map when you return home. If you have some technical knowledge, Harley-Davidson offers you the option of doing this yourself.

Link to the Navigation Map Software website of Harley-Davidson

The Bluetooth helmet headset combination is ideal.

By default, the Tourers are designed for the conventional headset version with a cable, allowing the driver and passenger to connect to the vehicle via a plug. This makes it possible for the driver and passenger to communicate via headset, listen to music, or make phone calls. The advantage of the wired system is that you don't have to worry about charging any batteries and the voice connection is first-class.

Now the question arises: who needs this? Actually, it's enough to own a Harley and feel the wind in your hair. Enjoy nature and leisurely approach your destination. However, navigation is an important argument, and yes, I do listen to music from time to time on long journeys, especially on the highway. I get a call from home asking if everything is okay on the tour. It's all very easy, no additional devices that need to be charged, and overall it's a very good and useful feature.

It's just much more pleasant to be guided through a foreign city by a gentle voice in your ear when you want to reach your destination somewhere in the world.

Voice control is a contemporary feature.

You also need a headset to use voice control. Anyone familiar with Siri or Alexa will be amazed at how well it works.

Harley-Davidson's onboard voice control system has its own vocabulary for responding to commands. It works very well once you've mastered the commands. And, unsurprisingly, when Apple Carplay is activated, Siri takes commands from the captain as usual.

The Audio N02 Full-Face Bluetooth Helmet from Harley-Davidson

I myself have two of the Audio N02 full-face helmets, which are available in different colors. You can find a review of the Bluetooth helmets from Harley-Davidson at Link on the Harley site.

The helmet costs around €620, which may not sound cheap at first, but if you go out and buy a headset to go with it, things look very different. The Harley helmet is a single system with stereo sound. A very important aspect is that the headset is permanently installed, there are no cables hanging around, and you can't see anything except the buttons. It's also easy to use.

The only thing is that the visor on my helmet closes too easily, and I haven't yet figured out where to adjust it. I had the feeling that it was a little small, because I bought it one size larger than my Harley jet helmet, which I usually wear when I'm out and about.

I always take it with me on long trips now. When it's really hot and I'm planning a trip somewhere where I want to get the full experience, I ride with the half shell. You've got the case, so you don't need to think twice.

It's easy to explain why I own two of these helmets. I often take my daughter with me when we go for our evening ride. She connects her helmet to her cell phone and listens to her own music, and because both helmets are connected via Bluetooth, we can also talk to each other.

The Whim module adds an additional menu item to the settings.

As mentioned above, to connect the Ultra Limited to the helmet set, you need the Bluetooth Whim module, which adds an additional setting option in the Bom! Box configuration menu to configure both helmets. The helmets are registered on the Harley system via the menu, giving you access to all the various setting options.

The battery performance of the integrated headset

I have not regretted my decision to this day. Especially for long distances, it is simply more comfortable and safer with a full-face helmet. The battery lasts at least 6 hours when in use, after which I am at 25% battery power, but I have never run out of power in a single day.

Just don't forget to recharge it. If you want to use a battery pack, that's no problem, but the headset switches off during charging, at least that's what happened to me. However, that doesn't mean it couldn't change again at some point; it's a matter of software, which could make the world look different again with an update.

The nose spoiler in the helmet: small spoiler, big impact

Apart from the easily adjustable visor, I am very satisfied with the helmet. It has an inner anti-fog film for the visor that can be inserted. Good, noticeable ventilation, which is regulated by two sliders.

The helmet has a small spoiler in front of the nose, which is brilliant, but also a reason why you should always try on the helmet before buying it to make sure it fits properly. The inner lining is easily removable and washable. The visor can also be quickly replaced with a tinted one.

When you look at everything together, you inevitably realize that a 2020 Harley-Davidson is absolutely state-of-the-art. The company has made incredible strides in the area of safety features and infotainment systems, and I didn't expect it to work so well overall. I'm even impressed by the hill start assist, which I've used everywhere, even though I never missed it before.

First-class touring characteristics

Anyone riding a Harley-Davidson from the large touring class for the first time will initially be daunted by its impressive 416 kg curb weight. But as soon as your boots find their place on the footboards, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to ride.

The most important thing is to drive, drive, and drive some more!

I can only recommend to anyone who feels a little unsure that you need to put some miles on it, so you can identify situations where you need to be careful and develop a feel for handling it. From my experience, I can say that it's always the simplest, most stupid situations, like slippery ground at the gas station or turning too sharply when maneuvering. If it does tip over in such a case, it is pretty well protected by the standard crash bars.

You can definitely drive it sportily through the curves; they're good at that. The high-torque 114 cui engine has enough reserves to pull powerfully out of the curve. At 100 km/h, the engine revs at around 2000 rpm in sixth gear, which makes for totally relaxed cruising. It accelerates well from this speed range and has more power at low revs than the more agile 107 engine. If you want to go faster, you can quickly shift down a gear.

I traveled about 10,000 kilometers with her on the Ultra Limited during the summer, which is how the photos in the gallery came about. As usual, I took the photos myself. The island of Sylt, the Grossglockner High Alpine Road, Lake Faaker See, and Fehmarn were some of my destinations.

The light of the Ultra Limited

The Limited Ultra has a Daymaker LED headlight and two LED fog lights. During my trips, I turned on the fog lights in poor visibility conditions and found that they provided very high light output without causing glare; otherwise, oncoming traffic would have made their presence known with a chorus of headlight flashes.

When I drove back from the island of Sylt late in the evening, I was naturally completely enveloped in fog, and what can I say, I was grateful not only to have heated grips, but also powerful fog lights, otherwise I would have been in a bad way in the North Sea fog. The LED Daymaker has a special lighting concept; instead of the usual light cone, it produces a thick beam of light supported by two ellipses. It takes some getting used to, but it works.

The new features of the 2020 model

Harley-Davidson has the 2020s Ultra Limited Model series equipped with numerous new features. At the forefront is the new RDRS (Reflex Defensive Rider System),

This technology package of assistance systems adjusts the acceleration and deceleration forces to the available tire grip, both when driving straight ahead and when cornering.

The assistance systems are electronically controlled and based on state-of-the-art chassis, brake, and drive control technology. They prove helpful in difficult road conditions and dangerous situations.

ABS and electronic brake force distribution were already standard features in the touring models, but the new RDRS system now also includes cornering anti-lock braking system (C-ABS), cornering-optimized electronic brake force distribution (C-ELB), cornering traction control (C-TCS), drive slip control (DSCS), vehicle hold control (VHC), and tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) are now also included.

Starting with the 2020 model year, the new Boom! Box GTS infotainment system is installed in the Ultra Limited with a 16.5 cm color touchscreen. In addition, there is a high-quality audio system, Bluetooth connectivity, voice recognition, navigation system, intercom, and control joysticks on the handlebar controls for information and entertainment on board.

[amazon box=“B082YBK265"]

Connection for a Harley-Davidson battery charger. A 22.7-liter fuel tank and a reinforced alternator, which really comes into its own with additional electronic devices and heated grips and seats.

For the Ultra Limited, a new black finish is available in 2020.
available. The numerous dark surfaces create a stylish and subtle look.
Based on the „Chrome Option“ and the „Black Option,“ customers can choose between six different paint colors or color combinations. Another new feature is that the Ultra Limited is now equipped with larger 18-inch wheels at the front and rear.

Prices and further information can be found on the website of Harley-Davidson

The conclusion

It starts at €29,825 in Vivid Black, plus delivery costs and a €546 installation fee. This makes it not much more expensive than the sportier Special models.

It offers a lot more, but is a few pounds heavier. The more you travel with it, the less you notice the extra weight. It's really fun and a true touring bike. Super light and lots of storage space. Ideal for traveling with your partner and absolutely state-of-the-art in terms of technology.

The engine is powerful and very economical. The ideal highway cruising speed is around 120 km/h to 140 km/h, so I was able to ride over 800 kilometers in a day without any problems and without feeling exhausted. Even inexperienced riders will be able to cover long distances on the Ultra Limited.

An ideal companion for enjoying nature and freedom. The new features make riding even safer and are a real bonus.

Technical data Ultra Limited Type FL3 Model (FLHTK) 2020

manufacturer's specifications

• V2 Milwaukee-Eight 114 engine, with 1868 cm3
• air-cooled V-twin and liquid-cooled exhaust area
• Power 66 kW (90 hp) at 5020 rpm
• Torque at 3000 rpm of 164 Nm
• Hydraulically assisted clutch
• Cruise Drive six-speed gearbox
• Two hydraulically adjustable rear shock absorbers with rotary controls
• Reflex Defensive Rider Systems (RDRS) anti-lock braking system, cornering anti-lock braking system, electronic brake force distribution, cornering-optimized electronic brake force distribution, traction control, cornering traction control, traction control, and vehicle hold assist.
• Tire pressure monitoring system
• Tour-Pak (top case) with 12-volt outlet, integrated backrest.
• Total luggage capacity of 132 liters
• Cruise control system
• Boom! Box GTS infotainment system
• Bluetooth connectivity, voice recognition, navigation system, intercom, audio system with 25 watts per channel, front and rear speakers.
• Self-activating immobilizer
• Suspension travel: Front 117 mm – Rear 76 mm
• Rim size: Front T18 x 3.5 7-double-spoke cast alloy wheel, black or partially polished. Rear T18x5 7-double-spoke cast alloy wheel, black or partially polished.
• Standard tires: Front Dunlop Harley-Davidson D408 F 130/70 B18 63H Rear: D407 T 180/55 B18 80H
• Tire pressure: front: 2.5 bar rear: 2.8 bar
• Dimensions and weights: Unladen weight incl. operating fluids: 416 kg – Permissible total weight: 617 kg Payload: 201 kg Tank capacity (reserve): 22.7 l (3.8 l) Seat height, without rider: 740 mm Wheelbase 1625 mm
• Colors: „Chrome Option“: Vivid Black, Midnight Blue; River Rock Gray & Vivid Black, Silver Pine & Spruce, Stiletto Red, Tahitian Teal „Black Option“: Vivid Black, River Rock Gray; Barracuda Silver Denim & Black Denim, Billiard Red & Vivid Black, Scorched Orange & Silver Flux, Zephyr Blue & Black Sunglo

Engine: Twin Cooled Milwaukee-Eight 114

Air- and liquid-cooled two-cylinder four-stroke 45-degree V-twin, transverse crankshaft, one gear-driven balance shaft, one lower camshaft driven by a toothed chain, four valves per cylinder operated by rocker arms (OHV), liquid-cooled exhaust section, hydraulic tappets, dry sump lubrication, fuel injection, intake manifold Ø 55 mm, Electronic Throttle Control (ETC), contactless transistor ignition, electric starter, 48 A three-phase alternator with 600 W at 2000 rpm and max. 625 W, maintenance-free 12 V/28 Ah battery, regulated catalytic converter

Service data:

Guarantee:	four years with unlimited mileage
Initial inspection:	after 1,000 miles
Service intervals:	Once a year or every 8,000 km
Engine oil change:	every 5,000 miles
with filter:	every 5,000 miles
Engine oil:	Harley-Davidson HD 360
Filling quantity:	Oil tank with filter: 4.7 l
Coolant capacity:	1.04 l
Spark plugs:	6R10
Air filter:	fiber optic filter element
Idle speed: 850	850 rpm
Fuel:	Super unleaded

Ultra Limited Photo Gallery