I’ve been waiting to take a 2007 Screamin’ Eagle Road King for a ride for several months. The first few that came into the dealership sold so quickly, I never got a chance to take a spin. Finally, one became available to ride and it wasn’t too cold outside for a test, a great confluence of events. I won’t describe the bike in detail, everyone knows that the Screamin’ Eagle series from The Motor Company is a fully accessorized and specially painted version of the standard model. The performance bonus is a larger engine than stock, this year it is a 110” motor compared to the standard bike’s 96-incher. Usually a wider rear tire is also included in the package. This year’s FLHRSE3 has a 170mm tire rather than the stock bike’s 140mm and it looks great.

What I really wanted to know was this: How did the new 110” motor work? Would it overwhelm the rubber-mount system and vibrate? Would it be so restricted that you really couldn’t feel the displacement increase? The answers are a resounding NO on both counts. You would have to ride the smaller and larger motors back to back to discern any difference in vibration. The bike’s mirrors were clear at idle and it felt like any other Road King or dresser, only more so. The big engine definitely has some extra torque, pushing the chrome machine away from stop signs and lights with real authority. A friend with a Screamin’ Eagle Ultra related a great story about the top end speed on these new 110” bikes (It was way too cold for me to test this personally). He was following two friends on their Goldwings who always enjoyed showing off their horsepower advantage, when the trio took a mountain pass shortcut up a long steep hill. As usual, just as the Wingnuts started up the long climb, they hammered it, hoping to leave the SE Ultra behind. When they got to the top and pulled in at the rest area, they were shocked to see him right there with them, smiling broadly. “What kind of Harley is that?” they wanted to know. This new 110” motor has some beans.

The Screamin’ Eagle Road King showed no negative “big engine” traits. It started easily, ran well at idle, and didn’t shudder upon deceleration. It’s like finding out your Hemi gets 22 mpg and that driveability issues weren’t an issue. It’s a real turnkey monster with a two-year, unlimited mileage warranty to boot. This motor with slip-ons and a re-map should be a real barn stormer. Another surprise this year has been the near-universal acceptance of the paintjobs offered. Sometimes these Screamin’ Eagles get so wild they become “love ‘em or hate ‘em” affairs. But this year, all three versions (red, blue, and black) are stunning. Especially the black one.

Were there any nits to pick? A few. The bikes have been lowered to give them a custom appearance. With my bad back, I’d retrofit the taller stock shocks and front end giving not only a better ride, but more cornering clearance too. Most people will like the rider’s backrest, but it pushed me a little far forward (I’m over sixfeet). Finally, it would be nice to install the VRod’s Brembo brakes on these faster bikes; the bigger engines bring the braking needs more into focus.

My overall impression is that this is the single most enjoyable bike Harley- Davidson has ever made. And one of the best looking.

- Mark Barnett
Photos courtesy of Harley- Davidson Photography and Imaging