Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Ultra Limited; Kawasaki Vulcan Voyager; Star Royal Star Venture; and Victory Vision Tour - The Lap of Luxury

Settling into the Vision's 26.5 inch seat, all our riders instantly felt at home, with controls falling easily to hand and roomy, adjustable floorboards allowing maximum range of position.

The Victory's frame-mounted fairing has an impressive wingspan, and it offers the best weather protection here along with easy-to-read instrumentation. We encountered multiple storms, and everyone praised the electrically adjustable windshield, which goes to full protection with the push of a button (with some buffeting at highway speeds). Two adjustable winglets on either side of the fairing (smaller upper units are standard; lowers are optional), proved helpful at redirecting airflow, but three of four didn't make it to the end of the trip, breaking or falling off by riders' hamhanded-ness or forces of nature.

Climb aboard the Voyager and you feel smaller, probably because the windshield is taller (and not adjustable), and you sit more 'on' the Kawasaki. Supporting that shield is a batwing-ish fairing, though it's frame-mounted. The tall screen along with that fairing reflects some engine noise, but it also affords good protection from the elements.

Kawasaki's muscle car styling works best with the large headlight which is flanked by 35-watt driving lights. The cockpit's retro-modern vibe, on the other hand, just doesn't seem as integrated, though it holds plenty of function. The fuel, speedo, tach and coolant dials are analog while a high tech LCD crashes the party in the center of it all, with gear position, tripmeters, and fuel consumption displays. Plastic frames and housings don't exactly scream "high end", either.

The Voyager isn't short on creature comforts, coming equipped with cruise control and a 40-watt audio system with a three band radio (AM/FM/weather) that can be fitted with an XM tuner or CB radio.

Additional plug-ins allow for an iPod, intercom and/or rear speakers, but they're available only as upgrades. The left grip directs audio, while the right handles cruise control, though some of us found the button placement crowded and somewhat confusing.

Although the Venture's seat height isn't the tallest (it's second), it's wide across the middle and getting this bike off the side stand fully loaded was a handful, especially for shorter riders. There's room to spare from the cushy seat to the floorboards, and the tiller-like bar is comparatively low and distant, which meant taller riders were more likely to appreciate the breezy riding position.

A smallish fairing houses the Star's attractive retro dashboard, even though the Venture shows its age here; with no tachometer, trip meters provide the only readout. It's the only bike without supplemental wind deflectors, and even the tallest rider could barely see over the tall windshield, though it's second to the Kawasaki on that count.

As for touring amenities, it's a Flashback to the 90's. We found a cassette player in the dash, but thankfully there's an easy-to-use auxiliary plug right next to it (MP3 players can be hooked in). The lowers offer no airflow adjustability and can't be moved, and the fairing offers just so-so weather protection (if it rained, you'd get pretty wet).

Harley's depth of experience with touring rigs meant the Ultra Limited fit practically everyone, with a compact cockpit splaying the rider out in classic E-Glide mode. The Limited improves on the formula with a more supportive seat which, although tall, allows a range of movement. The narrow handlebar and floorboard setup is roomier than the Gold Wing's, but tighter than the rest.

A somewhat tall, nonadjustable windshield sprouts from the fairing, but the fairing lowers offer storage and manage heat well; they're also removable (at parking lot speeds, you will still broil).

H-D's Limited sports a supportive seat that has a nice relief for your (otherwise) aching tailbone. Kawasaki's Voyager has a low, plush saddle that's narrowish across the middle, which made our shorter riders happy. Victory's Vision has a pair of deep, supportive pockets that offer all-day comfort, and lots of room to move. Star's Venture has one of those seats that locks you in a position you can't get out of, luckily that position fit most of us, while its roomy passenger perch had the best handrails.