Harley-Davidson 2013 - Motorcycle.com

Why such an exhaustive trip for a press intro featuring nothing more than a warmed-over Street Bob? Because Harley’s anniversary emphasis is as much about riding as it is about the bikes we rode upon. But just because Harley’s 2013 line-up doesn’t include a new model (it does in CVO form, see the Softail Breakout here), let’s not dismiss the importance of the revised Bob, the limited-edition anniversary models, or the Hard Candy customs.

2013 Street Bob

At $12,999 the Street Bob, in Vivid Black, is the most affordable Big Twin in Harley’s 2013 model lineup. What makes the Street Bob so reasonable is its stripped-down, no-frills construction – the perfect platform for customization which Harley recognized and therefore expanded its factory custom options in the company’s H-D1 Factory Customization program. Increased choices among paint options, wheels, foot controls, seats, handlebars and black or chrome 103 engines have been added to the Street Bob’s selections.

Building your own Street Bob at the H-D Bike Builder website saves time and money while creating a more personalized motorcycle. Harley brought a variety of Street Bob renditions along on our tour of the Pacific Northwest, and it took no time for me to realize that I not only preferred the optional forward controls over the stock mid-mount ones, I shunned any further rides on Street Bobs with mid-mounts after my first outing on one, as it’s too confining for a person of six-foot stature. I much preferred the combination of forward controls and drag bars, both of which are available as factory installed options for a $360 increase in MSRP.

If you, like us, were enamored with the Hard Candy Big Red Flake paint that made its debut on the Seventy-Two model earlier this year, you’re in luck because Harley has taken the popularity of the color scheme and expanded it into a complete custom metal-flake paint option.

Joining the Big Red Flake color are the Hard Candy Lucky Green Flake and Hard Candy Coloma Gold Flake. According to H-D, “at least one Hard Candy Custom color will be offered on these models: Blackline, Forty-Eight, Seventy-Two, Softail Deluxe and Street Bob.”

Hard Candy options continue with 12 two-tone Hard Candy Custom Flake Core Series paint sets and fuel tanks from the Harley-Davidson Genuine Motor Accessories Color Shop. These paint sets are available for Dyna, Softail, Sportster, and Touring models. TheGold Dust and Liquid Sun with Pagan Gold on the CVO Softail Breakout is also a Hard Candy Custom selection.

Authorized Tours

Our entourage entered Canada ignominiously. Even with the sway of H-D corporate on our side, it seems Canadian officials take issue with large groups of bikers crossing the border at a remote checkpoint while riding unregistered motorcycles. It was an otherwise small hiccup in our five-day journey of the Pacific Northwest, and an experience no paying customer will endure.

Worldwide, Harley-Davidson offers more than 200 Authorized Tours. Having now tasted the experience, I can justify the value in the cost. In addition to the convenience of riding a menagerie of pre-planned twisty, scenic roads, you’ll travel through communities with original names like Twisp, bed down in resorts such as Sun Mountain Lodge and Sun Dance Guest Ranch, and don’t forget the activities like horseback riding and the random roadside attractions such as Granny Sue’s Handmade Quality Quilts (not an authorized stop, but there was a road sign).

During our Tour the scenery morphed from the lush greenery of the west-facing Cascades to the high-desert scrub brush on the east side of the same mountain range. Elevations and temperatures fluctuated with the gradient of our direction of travel while we passed by mountain lakes with the same frequency one does castles in the French countryside. Food varied from the Fat Ass Burger (cheese, bacon, etc. between a halved glazed donut) to steaks of grilled perfection. And for those who partake, a cold beverage (Canadian Margarita – a combination of salt and sugar on the rim of the glass – anyone?) was readily available upon arrival at our destination.

Sturgis and Daytona Bike Week are great events, but if you’ve been there, done that, maybe 2013 is your year to explore a foreign geography. H-D Authorized Tours are structured as guided, semi-guided or self-guided formats and include a variety of types from indulgent Luxury and Once in a Lifetime tours to briefer and more affordable Short Breaks tours.

In the spirit of Harley’s get out and ride message for the company’s 110th anniversary, you owe it to yourself to unshackle the tedium of vocational responsibilities and breathe the fresh air of motorcycling freedom. Check out what Harley’s Authorized Tours has to offer here, and read on to find out about special 110th anniversary events.

International celebrations begin in Austria on September 30, then throughout the year there’ll be ongoing celebrations at local levels as well as global events such as the 110 Riders, One Jacket and the Two Rides Worlds Apart as well as the custom 110 logo project and a TV spot featuring photos and videos from Harley-Davidson customers.

The year-long activities culminate into two separate events: one in Rome, with a blessing of the bikes by none other than the Pope during the weekend of June 13-16 and H-D’s house party in Milwaukee, August 29 - September 1. For more information on all the goings-on check out Harley’s global event calendar.

2013 Anniversary Models

Twenty-thirteen anniversary model Harley-Davidsons are recognizable from their Vintage Bronze/Anniversary Vintage Black paint schemes as well as their solid bronze fuel tank badges. The black nickel-plated/distressed badges feature a gold-tone bar and shield cloisonné. Anniversary models carry another badge displaying the numerical identification of its limited production, and included in the anniversary model MSRP are all available factory-installed options.

Related Reading
2013 Harley-Davidson CVO Breakout Review
2013 Harley-Davidson CVO Overview
New Screamin’ Eagle Drag Racing Championship Series for 2013
2012 Harley-Davidson Seventy-Two Review
Harley-Davidson Motorcycle History
All Things Harley-Davidson