Keys - all Hogs come with proximity keys that don't need to be kept in the ignition (and will fall out as they are a loosish fit in the ignition-lock barrel); so just need to be on your person when you're riding. The salesman should have made sure that test riders kept the keys in a pocket somewhere...
Just arrived back from Vegas, hired a Heritage Softail for a day and rode up to Valley of Fire. Ace bike, awsome ride, beautiful scenary. Quick blat up I15 and into the national park: 35mph limit, twisty and undulating, 3rd gear rolling on and off the power; clear skies and 25oC 
Riding a Hog stateside really gets you to see the appeal. Its an old cliche but the endless arrow straight roads, 4 lane city streets, etc mean that cornering ability is vaugely useless and just makes for an uncomfortable time on sportsbikes. Instead, a big torquey engine and a decent seat make for riding smiles.
Would I own one in the UK? Maybe. I much prefer riding around at my own pace, checking out the view, doing my own thing to hitting bends at speed and worrying about gatsos, etc. But, Harley's are expensive, and the whole value retention thing only applies to immaculate examples.
So, I'd only really go for a Streetbob, Sportster, or sub-10K softail (I loved the touring Heritage, but its 14K and at walking pace is undeniably heavy - great balance over 8mph though). As you top 10K, things like the Victory Vegases and 8balls, and Honda's Fury (but don't tell anyone I'm liking a 'metric' 
), suddenly start looking like good rivals.
The test ride idea seems a good one, but me and the missus covered about 120 miles in one day and I was only just gelling with the whole Harley thing. If your curiosity is piqued, I'd say contact Riders Edge and do their whole day ride out thingy in Cheshire - not free but a good day in itself. (or fly to the US, rent a Hog and do it properly 
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Posted: 16/04/2009 at 00:46
