2011 Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson Edition By ALAN GELL Automotive Journalist Recently, a new pickup was furnished for me to test drive for a week.  It was a Ford F-150, which are known as the best-selling pickup trucks in the U.S.   But this was not just an ordinary pickup.  This was the 2011 Harley-Davidson edition. If you are a serious collector of special edition pickup trucks or you are a serious collector of anything that says Harley-Davidson, then this is the truck for you.  Ford partnered with the Harley-Davidson folks several years ago and this special edition has been just that – special.  Sales have been very good for Ford.

  For 2011, the truck has some new looks, more power, and an even fancier cabin area than previous models.  Our test model was a four door SuperCrew 4x4 that had all the bling on it to call it a luxury pickup.  Although the capability is there, this is one of those pickup trucks that are more for showing off and not for everyday use.  The exterior paint job is sparkly and is called Tuxedo Black Metallic.  There was more exterior badging than I could count including some highly reflective decals.  Even the 22-inch wheels were attractive and informed you that this was related to Harley-Davidson.

The interior is basically a regular F-150 with everything on it.  That is sort of like a motorcycle owner that wants to outfit their bike with everything available.  The rich black leather upholstery is standard, as could be expected.  The seats have large, but beautiful Harley-Davidson cloisonné badges.  The large center console armrest has a huge Harley-Davidson emblem as well.  Standard equipment for the 2011 models is a bike-load of items including a 4.2 inch LCD screen, navigation system, heated rear seats, ambient lighting, adjustable pedals, and a remote start.

The Harley-Davidson pickup is powered by a 6.2 liter V-8 engine that is the same engine Ford puts in their SVT Raptor edition.  It provides 411 horsepower and 434 lb-ft of torque.  The exhaust system has been modified to provide an extra “rumble” sound that sounds closer to a Harley-Davidson motorcycle than a luxury pickup.  I really liked the side step-rails that automatically extend when you open a door or retract neatly when you close a door.  For height-challenged folks, step-rails are terrific additions to any large pickup truck.

This is a fun pickup to drive, but my wife and I took it on some short road trips and found ourselves needing to keep the gas tank filled up regularly.  It is a large tank, so stops were not every other exit, but when we did stop for gas, it required emptying the wallet.  It is EPA rated at just 12-mpg city and 16 mpg highway.  It was difficult to attempt to drive in any style of economy modes. 

Pricing is not for the faint of heart.  The base MSRP on my test model was listed at $51,140.  With a couple of small options and the delivery charges added, the bottom sticker price was $52,740.

During the week, I was asked, “Do you enjoy driving that big truck?”  The answer was a definite “yes”.  For a luxury pickup, it is a good match, as long as gasoline prices hold steady and do not zoom into the stratosphere.  The combination of the best selling pickup truck with the best selling motorcycle has some definite advantages, at least for Ford. 

The Harley-Davidson edition of the F-150 is a special pickup truck for those who want a luxury ride or for those who like Harley-Davidson products.  Either way, check it out yourself at a Ford dealership.