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Aug 26, 2019 | 04:11 PM

#31

VAFish

Grand HDF Member

Joined: Nov 2018

Posts: 4,607

Likes: 3,312

From: Virginia

Quote:

Originally Posted by HuntWhenever

I have no idea why the Sport Glide comes with the lower shock. The longer shock makes the bike ride so much sweeter.

The Sport Glide is such a disappointment to me. I was just expecting something more with that name. It's not a bad bike but I was really expecting something more like the old FXRT.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thingfish

You’re right there is more than one aspect to “smooth”.

the Heritage has the best suspension and rides the smoothest, the Touring models and Dyna’s run smoother due to the motor being rubber mounted. They all feel good to me, just different.

I did not feel any buzz or discomfort from the motor of any of the bikes I demo'd however the demo route only hit one little stretch where we got up to 60+ MPH for about a mile and a half so there wasn't much opportunity to feel a buzz. That Heritage Softail I rode just felt like it was floating on a cloud when we hit a bump or pothole.

Aug 26, 2019 | 04:19 PM

#32

VAFish

Grand HDF Member

Joined: Nov 2018

Posts: 4,607

Likes: 3,312

From: Virginia

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thingfish

Smooth is also relative.

When I had my 1997 Sportster I'd run 75-80 on the highway and thought "I don't know why people complain about Sportsters this thing is fine on the highway" Well yeah compared to the 250 Ninja I had ridden before the Sportster was better on the highway. That Ninja at 11,000 RPM on the highway had a high frequency buzz. Then I get my 2006 rubber mount 1200 Sportster and I think "wow this is so much smoother than the rigid mount Sportster", then I go to a dealer demo and hop on a 2019 Heritage...…. But the Road King Special didn't feel smother to me over the bumps than the Heritage, nor did the Road Glide. Of course another problem is I don't know how much preload any of those bikes were set for so maybe the Heritage was set soft and the other two touring bikes had the preload cranked up expecting couples to ride them.

Aug 26, 2019 | 05:31 PM

#33

Thingfish

Grand HDF Member

Joined: Jun 2010

Posts: 4,584

Likes: 918

From: coast to coast

I know what you mean about smooth being relative. It can also be different between two bikes that are the same model and year depending on assembly differences and break-in. It can be a hard target to pin down. Demo bikes also really don’t show you the motor properly.

Aug 26, 2019 | 05:39 PM

#34

HuntWhenever

Road Warrior

Joined: Nov 2018

Posts: 1,302

Likes: 865

From: SW Ohio

Quote:

Originally Posted by VAFish

... That Heritage Softail I rode just felt like it was floating on a cloud when we hit a bump or pothole.

That's how my Sport Glide feels with the Heritage shock.

Aug 28, 2019 | 02:25 PM

#35

aarondeere

Cruiser

Joined: Oct 2016

Posts: 168

Likes: 70

From: Md

I have a '18 heritage and got tired of always removing the seat to adjust the suspension when I rode solo and 2 up so went with the legend suspension with external adjustment like the fat bob. All I can say is it is really smooth now. I'm about 180lbs and its softer for solo rides but more "controlled" when 2 up. Overall really.happy and better than any touring bike but I havent ridden the new ones in a yr so need to try them again.