’Twas the day earlier than Christmas in Southern California, and the solar was shining. A 2022 Harley-Davidson Heritage Traditional 114 was sitting in my storage, and it was begging for a journey.
It had been a chilly and stormy December, limiting my driving choices. I had a touring overview of this dual-purpose Softail in thoughts, however there have been a few issues. The journey by the mountains was frigid, and my California Central Valley vacation spot had highs within the low 40s. The expected low-70s excessive in Los Angeles with a cloudless sky was sufficient to alter my plans—a metropolis journey check, it shall be.
The 2022 Harley-Davidson Heritage Traditional 114 I used to be aboard is a head-turner. The long-lasting design of the Heritage Traditional—windshield, triple headlights, leather-based saddlebags, valanced fenders, and fats tires—all the time will get constructive consideration. Add within the Redline Crimson/Vivid Black two-tone paint scheme, and also you’ll hear plenty of “Good bike” feedback each time somebody has an opportunity to supply an opinion.
I mapped out a route in my head, and set out eastward from northern-most San Fernando Valley on historic Foothill Boulevard. Though touring succesful, the Heritage Traditional is constructed on the Softail cruiser platform. That doesn’t preclude it from touring, because the Low Rider ST can attest. Nonetheless, it’s a chassis constructed with a avenue focus, moderately than being freeway oriented.
The Milwaukee-Eight 114 rumbled together with authority. The 728-pound bike is pushed alongside by 119 ft-lbs @ 3000 rpm, which you’ll be able to really feel in all the most effective methods; the rumble is as pleasure-inducing as its grunt. There’s loads of energy at any pace in any gear—simply twist the throttle, and it’ll muscle its option to no matter velocity you take note of.
One of many good issues a few Christmas Eve journey, which I’ve achieved quite a few occasions, is the dearth of visitors. Congestion on Southern California streets continues to get extra oppressive, with no let-up in sight. There are few days while you get the mix of sunshine visitors and good climate, so 12-24-22 was particular.
Foothill Blvd. served as a great shakedown. There are a few quick segments—crossing Huge Tujunga Creek is considered one of them—and I let the 114 stretch its legs a bit. East of that, there’s Tujunga, which is the land that point forgot. Foothill Blvd. spills into extra up to date La Crescenta and, lastly, tony La Cañada Flintridge, the place I’ve to maintain my eye out for housewives texting of their Land Rovers.
Simply inside Pasadena, Foothill Blvd. involves an abrupt, although non permanent, finish at Hahamongna Watershed Park. I pull into La Cañada Excessive College to admire its mid-century splendor and take a couple of photographs. Designed by the famend agency of Smith, Powell and Morgridge in 1962, it labored completely as a contemporary backdrop for the economic Heritage Traditional. In fact, whereas taking pictures the bike, I used to be fielding questions on it.
Remounting, I labored my method towards California State Route 19—a mix of Rosemead and Lakewood Boulevards that takes me south to Lengthy Seashore. The 2022 Harley-Davidson Heritage Traditional 114 makes brief work of the Pasadena visitors. With the Rose Parade coming, I checked out the development of the grandstands on Colorado Boulevard. Previous City Pasadena was fairly crowded with last-minute Christmas customers and pre-holiday revelers.
The Heritage Traditional served as a momentary distraction as I cruised by the fashionable strip. The V-twin sound from the staggered exhausts will get the eye, with the paint job and design incomes that extra appreciative scrutiny.
The visitors lightens up as I strategy Rosemead Blvd. for the journey south. It’s crowded on Rosemead Blvd. by the San Gabriel Valley, till it opens up south of the San Bernardino Freeway and heads into industrial South El Monte. I exit by the Whittier Narrows Recreation Space, the place the 114 winds the Heritage Traditional as much as over 80 mph. Nobody was round, so why not—the highway is constructed to expressway requirements.
A high-speed sweeper gave me no cause to decelerate, and I didn’t—I by no means appeared down on the tank-mounted speedometer and had no thought how briskly I used to be going till I obtained house and reviewed my Relive video. When it got here time to decelerate, the ten.5:1 engine compression braking aided the lone 300mm disc on the 16-inch entrance wheel.
Again into suburbia, I cross by Pico Rivera and into Downey, the place Rosemead Blvd. turns into Lakewood Boulevard. I’m greeted by the historic McDonald’s at Florence Avenue. This isn’t simply any McDonald’s. It’s the oldest working Mickey D’s—it turns 70 in August.
Speedee, the unique McDonald’s mascot, nonetheless tops the nook signal with a single golden arch. The constructing is the unique walk-up design that’s flanked by golden arches. The 2022 Harely-Davidson Heritage Traditional 114 matches proper in right here, and a gentleman in a truck provides to take my image whereas noting my cool Trans-Am jacket from Cortech. I unwisely declined, so that you’re caught with a selfie.
I proceed south, having fun with the journey that the Heritage Traditional gives. It’s a soothing expertise, feeling the throb of the M8 114 whereas in a cushty, relaxed place. The grips are the place I would like them to be, and the floorboards are a reassuring platform. The seat caresses my rear like a catcher’s mitt. The luggage carried digital camera tools and base layers, simply in case I obtained caught out late and the temps dropped.
I made a fast cease at Outlet Tile in Bellflower, just because I really like the signal over the constructing. They know tips on how to make tile appear like enjoyable. Sufficient particulars of the mid-century constructing have survived to retain some character, together with the welcoming arched roof on the entrance.
Nonetheless southbound, Lakewood Blvd. takes me previous the Lengthy Seashore Airport, and I can throttle up once more. Not like close by LAX, this isn’t an airport that causes visitors jams.
Simply previous the San Diego Freeway, I hit the large visitors circle (American for “roundabout”), which indicators the top of California Route 18. I do a few laps to check the cornering clearance of the 2022 Harely-Davidson Heritage Traditional 114—it passes—after which it’s eastward (technically northbound) on California Route 1 (aka Pacific Coast Freeway).
Visitors returns on PCH by Lengthy Seashore, evaporating once more as I cross the Lengthy Seashore Freeway and into the Port of Lengthy Seashore Space. The ports are just about closed, so nobody is round. On a weekday, this similar stretch of highway is choked with semis pulling trailers crammed to the brim with bric-à-brac from China.
Once I pull off the primary highway for a photograph, the realm is eerily quiet. I’m anticipating a zombie assault at any second, however none comes.
Shortly after passing the Harbor Freeway, I make a proper on Normandie Ave. and begin heading in the direction of house. Terribly empty, a stretch of Normandie Ave. with few intersections gives one other protected throttle-up alternative. Once more, I’m not trying down on the speedo—I’m simply driving. I’ll take the fifth on the pace Relive revealed as I handed below a railroad crossing, however I did impress my dad, a Harley-Davidson proprietor within the Fifties. He permits that issues have modified fairly a bit within the interim.
Driving up Normandie Ave., I begin to notice it’s late afternoon, and I haven’t eaten since breakfast. Sometimes, when I’ve a selection between consuming and driving, saddle time will get the nod—hey, it’s my job.
Given it’s Christmas Eve, my eating choices are restricted, except I would like company quick meals. I work previous the San Diego, Century, and Santa Monica Freeways because the starvation pangs get extra pronounced. Understanding that Normandie Ave. will get somewhat difficult as you cross Wilshire Blvd., I flip left on Pico Blvd., one other colourful Los Angeles avenue.
Just about every little thing is closed as I strategy San Vincente Blvd., the place I plan to move northwest. Out of my peripheral imaginative and prescient, I see a burger joint on my proper that I had by no means observed. It’s set again from the road, so I’m not stunned it hadn’t caught my eye earlier than.
I pull into the parking zone of Tom’s 5 and take a couple of photographs. Perusing the menu, I go for my go-to patty soften. Only a few minutes after I order, some children go to the identical window and get turned away, “Sorry! Closed!” Thankfully, I obtained my order in simply in time. The children discover the 2022 Harley-Davidson Heritage Traditional 114, smile, and I hear precisely what I anticipate: “Good bike!”
A couple of minutes later, I’m summoned to choose up my meals. The patty soften and fries hit the spot, particularly after a seven-hour mid-day quick whereas driving by city. I word that my left hand isn’t in the slightest degree fatigued. Whereas it will get loads of work frequently, driving for so long as I did on metropolis streets is severe enterprise. I’ll give full credit score to the help perform that Harley-Davidson engineers gave to the clutch—thanks, guys.
Ending up supper, I wasn’t fairly achieved but. San Vicente deposited me on Sundown Blvd. on the Whisky A-Go-Go, a rock ’n’ roll venue I first visited in 1976. A proper flip off Sundown Blvd. on the iconic Beverly Hills Resort put me onto Benedict Canyon Drive, the place the attractive folks stay.
A left activate Mulholland drive offered me with a little bit of high quality twisty time. Although Mulholland Drive was tough in spots after the rains, the beneficiant suspension journey—5.1 inches within the entrance and 4.4 out again—and the high-profile rubber hold exhausting jolts at bay.
Stability is enhanced by 30 levels of rake and the fats footprint of the Dunlop Harley-Davidson Collection D401 tires. There’s additionally sufficient cornering clearance to benefit from the sensation of leaning. The brakes are ample, particularly when utilizing the rear brake, and non-obtrusive ABS is customary. Understand that whereas I’m going at an entertaining pace, due to the encouragement of the Milwaukee-Eight 114, I’m not pushing any envelopes and the Softail chassis handles all of it with aplomb.
I take Mulholland Drive west till it hits dust Mulholland—a public highway closed to the general public. The impressively steep Encino Hills Drive lets me check the engine compression braking, and it does the job of protecting my pace in verify all the way in which right down to Hayvenhurst Avenue.
When Hayvenhurst Avenue Ts into Burbank Blvd., I make one other left. This swooping stretch of Burbank Blvd. alongside the sting of the Sepulveda Basin Recreation Space is notoriously tough. Constructed within the flood basin behind Sepulveda Dam, it always suffers from earth motion beneath it, but it’s a quick divided freeway. The Heritage Traditional 114 retains its composure below fireplace but once more.
A proper activate Balboa Avenue takes me from the southern fringe of the San Fernando Valley to the northern level, the place I began. As soon as house, Relive provides me credit score for 117 miles in 5 hours and 16 minutes, not a single mile on the freeway.
Though it has baggage and a windshield, the 2022 Harley-Davidson Heritage Traditional 114 holds its personal as an all-day city traveler. The seat remained comfy your entire journey, and my left hand was no worse for put on. I’ll have to carry off on a touring journey on the Heritage Traditional till the limitless winter leaves Southern California. Or, perhaps I’ll simply go on a springtime city journey—this time with out the simply eliminated windshield. Heck, why not each?
Pictures by Don Williams
2022 Harley-Davidson Heritage Traditional 114 Specs
ENGINE
- Sort: Milwaukee-Eight 114 V-twin
- Displacement: 114ci
- Bore x stroke: 4.016” x 4.5”
- Most energy: 94 horsepower @ 4750 rpm
- Most torque: 119 ft-lbs @ 3000 rpm
- Compression ratio: 10.5:1
- Valvetrain: Single-cam w/ pushrods; 4 vpc
- Exhaust: 2-into-2; catalyst in muffler
- Cooling: Air and oil
- Lubrication: Dry sump
- Transmission: 6-speed
- Clutch: Internet multi-plate w/ help perform
- Major drive: Chain
- Last drive: Belt
CHASSIS
- Body: Tubular delicate metal w/ rectangular part spine
- Entrance suspension; journey: Non-adjustable Showa Twin Bending Valve 49mm fork; 5.1 inches
- Rear suspension; journey: Spring-preload adjustable shock; 4.4 inches
- Wheels: 9-spoke forged aluminum (wire-spoke elective; $400)
- Entrance and rear wheels: 16 x 3.00
- Tires: Dunlop Harley-Davidson Collection D401
- Entrance tire: 130/90 x 16
- Rear tire: 150/80 x 16
- Entrance brakes: 300mm disc w/ mounted 4-piston caliper
- Rear brake: 292mm disc w/ floating 2-piston caliper
- ABS: Normal
DIMENSIONS and CAPACITIES
- Wheelbase: 64.2 inches
- Rake: 30 levels
- Path: 5.5 inches
- Seat peak: 26.8 inches
- Gas capability: 5 gallons
- Estimated gas consumption: 47 mpg
- Curb weight: 728 kilos
COLORS
- Vivid Black
- White Sand Pearl
- Midnight Crimson
- Reef Blue/Vivid Black
- Redline Crimson/Vivid Black
2022 Harley-Davidson Heritage Traditional 114 Costs
- Vivid Black: $20,799 MSRP
- One colour: $21,249
- Two-tone: $21,574
- Vivid Black w/ Black End: $21,649
- One-color w/ Black End: $22,099
- Two-tone w/ Black End: $22,424
Add a $750 Surcharge to all fashions
