After 5 years of riding my Ultra I'm starting to think about my next bike. The two I'm considering is a Heritage Classic & a Roadking. I'm only going to have one bike so I need to try and make a smart decision. I rode a Heritage Classic at demo days last summer. Because of my age and size 5'7 165 lbs, age 60 the Heritage feels really good size wise. There are only three things I see as a negative. I'm not sure about the B engine, I know it has less cornering clearance and there is no cruise. Unfortunately the only Roadking available to ride at demo days was a CVO. With the changes Ive made to my 2010 Ultra I don't know if there is enough weight difference to justify a Roadking. I have removed my tourpack,saddlebag rails,bumper guards and passenger floorboards. I don't know how much of a weight reduction that was for my Ultra but it made a big difference in how the bike feels. I ride solo 100 percent of the time with occasional road trips. If any of you have owned both of these bikes I would sure appreciate your feedback. Thanks

 

I've owned both bikes and they are both good for the purpose they were designed for. The Road King is a tourer designed on the touring plantform. The heritage is a softail design on the softail plantform and made primarily for cruising. The Road King is for someone that wants a comfortable tourer but without the fairing and gizmos. Softails in general are just their own brand of motorcycle. If you like Harley's rubber mounted engine than I suggest getting a Dyna switchback as it has a better lean angle, rubber mounted engine, as is more comparable to the Road King and even the Ultra you have now. The counterbalanced engine on the softails are (metric motorcycle) smooth so of course they are not for everyone.

 

All I can say is I've ridden sportsters,dynas and electraglides
My fat boy has been the best bike . I can't see myself without a softail. The fat boy is basically a stripped down heritage.

 

I've owned a Heritage and a Road King. I'm back to a Softail now.

If you're riding 2 up most of the time, get the RK. If you're doing a lot of long rides, get the Road King.

 

C908, yes I started my Harley days on a 2005 RK Custom and road it for 3 years and loved it. I then traded for a 2007 Ultra and my wife loved it, and I did not. In 2010 I went to the dealer to trade back to a RK and was introduced to a Heritage. I road it around the block and went back and picked up my wife and took her out. Bought it on the spot. Bottom line: it is my favorite Harley I have ever owned, I am more comfortable on it and We ride 2 up 95% of the time. It runs cooler and we do 1-2 day trips all the time and 1 ten day trip a year. Plenty of room and comfort. It is a bike that I like better every time I ride it. I am 62 years old. By the way: There are a few things you can do with the Softails to allow improved clearance, and you have ride these bikes into curves with a different technique then the FL's. It is not a crotch rocket, but it will corner well when ridden correctly.

 

IMO, they are both nice bikes, but which one is better for you will depend on the kind of riding you plan to do. If you plan to do a lot of 300+ mile day rides or long multi day trips, the Road King may be better for you. Also, I think the Touring Models handle better in the twisties. If you do a lot of cruising and 200 miles a day or less is the norm, either model would work, but the Heritage (or any Softail) is easier to handle in town and at slower speeds. That's because the Softails have a lower center of gravity. Not so much the weight, but where the weight is located. Softails run smoother at lower speeds, the Touring Models as you already know, smooth out as you get moving. With what you've done with your Ultra, except for the fairing, you've pretty much have a Road King. I've owned several Touring Models and did a lot of cruising around Daytona with them. I've also done 5000 mile trips on my Softails. Either will work for any kind of riding, but I always go back to a Softie because in truth, I do more cruising than touring. If you can't decide, go for what you think looks better, lol. Also, just my opinion, but the only Dyna I owned seemed to vibrate at all speeds.

 

Short and sweet...no to both bikes and one, I'd never buy.

 

I put 50k on my 2005 Road King Custom before I sold it. Great bike!

I now have a 2012 Heritage. I have ridden Softails in the past where the buzzing of the B motor was irritating. But on the 2012, although it is there, it does not bother me.

For me, the drawbacks of a Heritage over a Road King are:

Less lean angle
No Cruise Control
Less room in the saddlebags
Spokes instead of mags

For me, the benefits of a Heritage over a Road King are:

Smoother ride/I like the suspension much better
Lower center of gravity AND seat (I have a bum right knee and foot)
I like the look better


A couple of years ago I chose the Heritage over a RK, and I would do the same again today.

The lean angle does not bother me.
If I want more room in the saddlebags I can put hardbags on the Heritage.
I do use the throttle lock at times, but have not been bothered by the lack of cruise control enough to even research if it is a possibility on the Heritage.
Spokes are a bit of a PITA, but more than overcome by how much better I like the ride (suspension).

I am a high mileage rider, and enjoy touring on the Heritage as much, or more, than on the Road King.

Here's a thread of a two-up trip on the Heritage with lots of pics-

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/road-...bike-tour.html

There are also a few vids on youtube of us touring on the Heritage, below is just one of them-



Have fun shopping!

 

I have owned both. I would not go back to a softail for long rides. If you are doing short rides its fine otherwise get the road king

 

I just went through the same dilemma. I rode both bikes, one after the other, on the same route, and I knew after the ride was over that the Heritage was the bike for me. HOWEVER, Just because the bike feels right to me does not mean that it will feel right to you. Ride both, and just like picking out a new dog, the right bike will follow you home.