An extremely inviting one-piece, comfort stitch seat immediately welcomes both rider and passenger. The seat has a great pocket and exceptional lumbar support right out of the box. It might be a tad confining for taller riders but gives really great back support and all-day comfort. Passenger accommodations get even better with the Tour-Pak mounted backrest and wrap-around armrests. Speakers and passenger audio controls gives the backseat rider a more enjoyable experience. Helping both the rider and pillion are the side mounted mid-frame air deflectors that aid in keeping engine heat at bay. Wind and element protection are top notch on the Limited with removable, vented lower fairings (attached to the engine guards), a tall windscreen, and adjustable fairing-mounted air deflectors. The deflectors can be rotated to either block the wind or direct it towards your body, depending on weather conditions. One item that we absolutely loved were the heated handgrips. During a few sub 50-degree evenings the heated grips were able to keep the chill away (even through leather gloves). It's amazing how having warm hands works to keep the body warm. A dial on the left grip can be turned for more or less heat.
In the Touring department the Limited doesn't disappoint with ample storage space throughout the bike. Injection-molded saddlebags and Tour-Pak are familiar units along with the addition of a Premium Tour-Pak luggage rack atop the box as well as a soft-luggage liner. In addition, each of the lower fairings has additional storage compartments. A nice feature is the addition of a 12-volt cigarette-lighter style power supply inside the Tour-Pak that can be used to charge electronic devices or run any other 12V accessories. A six-gallon fuel tank topped by a low-profile tank console gives the Limited lots of room between fuel stops. Returning is H-D's outstanding cruise control that works in conjunction with the Electronic Throttle Control to seamlessly control the speed.
As has become expected from later model Harleys, the trio of four-piston Brembo calipers with ABS is among the best on the market. The non-linked calipers have a nice feel, that are good for modulating with a finger or two, while grabbing a handful hauls down the big Glide without upsetting the handling. You might not need ABS on a daily basis, but it does a great job of stopping quickly in a hairy situation. ABS inspires confidence in the rain and on sand or gravel too as there's no worry of locking up a wheel. New Contrast Chrome 28-spoke cast aluminum wheels (17-inch front, 16 rear) with narrow whitewall dual-compound Dunlop tires (130mm front, 180 rear) come standard and are reported to extend tire life by 25 percent.
While the view of the inner fairing is familiar with all the requisite gauges and warning lights, the Limited is outfitted with titanium-faced gauges. Each of the gauges is illuminated by bright LEDs and feature larger font for easier viewing and reading. An 80-watt Harman/Kardon audio system with CD/CB/intercom, radio and MP3 hookup drives four speakers, two in the fairing and two in the Tour-Pak/backrest. Out on the road the audio performs pretty well, even wearing a full-face helmet. It's nice to be able to fade the front and rear speakers to get the sound the way you like it.