Demo rode a '15 road glide yesterday.
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 358
Likes: 1
Demo rode a '15 road glide yesterday.
Was up at the thunder in the Rockies rally in Colorado and figured why not give one a whirl.
My first impression was it's really weird to have this huge box draped over the front of the bike that doesn't move with the handlebars. But that's just because I've never ridden a fixed fairing bike before.
Once we got going, I really liked the way the airflow comes through it. Not too much, not too little and it felt less turbulent than on my '14 limited.
It also felt shorter than my current ride. I suppose that could be because I don't have my stock seat on anymore but the RG just seemed cramped.
Long story short, the airflow was great but that's about the only real praise I can give it. Plus, having never liked the look of the shark nose fairing, I just couldn't handle having to look at one in my garage every day.
But at least I can say I gave one a try.
My first impression was it's really weird to have this huge box draped over the front of the bike that doesn't move with the handlebars. But that's just because I've never ridden a fixed fairing bike before.
Once we got going, I really liked the way the airflow comes through it. Not too much, not too little and it felt less turbulent than on my '14 limited.
It also felt shorter than my current ride. I suppose that could be because I don't have my stock seat on anymore but the RG just seemed cramped.
Long story short, the airflow was great but that's about the only real praise I can give it. Plus, having never liked the look of the shark nose fairing, I just couldn't handle having to look at one in my garage every day.
But at least I can say I gave one a try.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,921
Likes: 199
From: Skunk Hollow, TX
lol ........... I've had three of the last gen RG and now that I've had the chance to get on a '15, all I can say is ........ I don't like it. Something about the design of the cockpit puts me off.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 317
Likes: 1
From: Columbus
I kinda agree with you Mikey. The previous gen dash layout looked slightly more appealing. I think its all this rounding and smoothing they did to the fairing that carried over to the inner fairing. I will say yet again, it does look better in person than online. But still not quite as pretty as the older ones to me
Last edited by Cummins_Bred; Sep 3, 2014 at 07:13 AM.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,921
Likes: 199
From: Skunk Hollow, TX
I kinda agree with you Mikey. The previous gen dash layout looked slightly more appealing. I think its all this rounding and smoothing they did to the fairing that carried over to the inner fairing. I will say yet again, it does look better in person than online. But still not quite as pretty as the older ones to me
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 317
Likes: 1
From: Columbus
It's that ugly hump in the middle of the dash for the boom box plus the scoop over the top of it that cuts into ones view of the road directly in front of the bike. The last thing I or any other rider needs is frontal obstruction built into their bike by the manufacture.
Tourer
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 317
Likes: 1
From: Columbus
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,973
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From: East Coast
For me, it fit, i like the position of the handlebars, back a couple of inches more than my SGS.
I think i am sitting a little lower on the RG, not much maybe the same.
But i still like the SGS, hope to ride one in October, demo week.
I think i am sitting a little lower on the RG, not much maybe the same.
But i still like the SGS, hope to ride one in October, demo week.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,921
Likes: 199
From: Skunk Hollow, TX
Yup! and the new inner fairing has a much less aggressive looking transition from the front vertical section to the more horizontal rearward half by the cubby lids. And if I'm not mistaken, the whole fairing sits higher or is taller than the old one and it throws off the long low flow on the bike from a profile view. I do like this bike, but idk if I like it enough to stop me from buying a street glide. Gonna have to ride both sequentially and see which one my inner rider enjoys the most. If only there was a good way to do that... Oh wait, there is a demo day at southside Harley this weekend featuring the new '15 models!
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,921
Likes: 199
From: Skunk Hollow, TX
Buy the reduced reach bars. They bring the controls several inches closer to the rider w/o the need for any cable changes. I have them on my '14 SG.