Hello Everyone
Started riding in the spring of 2009. A friend convinced me to get my learners license, so I read a few books on the necessary technical skills to become proficient "counter steering" etc and he rented me a 2006 Road Glide in Palm Springs. We rode 2300 miles in 5 days and I was hooked - "gone over the to dark side" as my wife said when she looked into my eyes the day I returned home after that fateful week in the desert. The next week I bought a 2008 Road Glide, which was left over at a HD from the downturn in 2008 so I was able to pick it up for "cost" - little did I know at that time, that cost is simply a starting point

Over the next 2 years I rode just under 100,000 kms and spent ("invested") another $30k on performance upgrades and modifications (107 HP, 124 TQ, Rich's custom seat, Hog Pro wheels, detachable tour pak, painted inner fairing, etc). In 2010 I also bought a used (359 miles) 2008 Road King CVO from a nice chap in Baltimore that had been in an accident at work and couldn't ride any more - beautiful bike (but the wife was never comfortable on the back so the Road Glide was our main ride - we did thousands and thousands of miles of 2 up on that bike, riding changed our lives!). On the Road King CVO I simply installed a DandD 2:1 pipe, SE intake, and SE Race Tuner with proper dyno tuning of course and that thing was scary fast (not sure, it might have been born on the right day of the week or something but everyone was shocked at the power).
All that riding on my FLTR with my arms in the outstretched position caused a number of issues with my already bad back and I ended up getting both neck and back surgery and last year the Road Glide did not get it's usual mileage - which is too bad because she was made to tour and belongs on the open road but alas we only put on about 10k. I picked up a 2012 Moto Guzzi Stelvio adventure bike (awesome bike) and that ride was much easier on my body but not exactly a 2 up bike so there was less "2 Upping" going on as well. I started thinking that an Electra Glide might be the way to go as it provides a far different "closer" riding position than the Road Glide and having owned the 2008 CVO I was pretty much convinced to find a low mileage used FLHTCUSE (new frame so 2009+). The other day I got a call from my local HD dealer saying that they had a used 2011 FLHTCUSE6 just come in so I went down after work to take a look. Right next to the used bike were 2, yes 2, 2013 CUSE8's - one was the grey/black/blue accents anniversary colours and badges and the other was the typhoon maroon. Apparantly the person that ordered the anniversary bike was not that happy when he saw it in real life (too tame?) and the typhoon had been ordered and cancelled. The red bike simply caught my eye - it was stunning in the store so I had both of the 2013's taken out into the daylight to take another look. My first impression was confirmed and after working with the owner and sales manager on a fair price for my beloved FLTR Custom we did the deal. Two days later both the anniversary and the used CUSE6 were also sold so luckily I didn't waste any time making my decision as well.
Doing the detachable tour pak (found great info here!), new exhaust system, SE intake, and SE Race Tuner over the next few weeks while the weather is still sketchy and then going to renew our passion for 2-upping and head south to the desert where it all began just four years ago.
Happy to join this forum and keyboard hang with you all, cheers.