Hello and welcome to the board from NY. I too ride a motorcycle, yours is a beauty! I also love riding in Canada and yes our neighbors to the north are so very welcoming. I have HD Roadking and we also tour distances.
You will get the hang of matching those seams and learning your consistant scant 1/4" seam allowance helps a lot. I pin quite a bit but definitely use glue with applique (what little of it I have done). You will get it. Stick with it, sounds like you are addicted already!