Road King... I hope you outlast the bike.

 

Get a Road King, and put a side car on it, when your much older.

 

Nothing against trikes, but I love 2 wheels and I’d try landing gear first.

one other thought is hit the gym and work on upper body and legs, I do and it helps.

 

I am 70 in a couple of months. Happy with a Lowrider. Don’t want anything smaller. My issue is hips. Have forward controls on my Lowrider. Make it comfortable riding. Had a BMW K1200GT I sold because the controls were more or less mids. Killed my hips. So comfort is important. Reason I went with the Lowrider. If I changed it would be to a Fat Boy or RK

 

My pops went to a trike at 73... still riding now at 81. Just sayin’
His buddy had an Indian with landing gear... had me turn it around for him on a gravel lot. Those dang things were in the way and beat up my calves as I duck walked it back... He didn’t like them either. Just sayin’
Good Luck

pc

 

Back in 2017 I traded in my 2014 Hayabusa on the new 2018 Heritage 114 as my 80th birthday present to myself. I wanted a bike to enjoy riding from WA to visit a friend in Nebraska and did so in May 2018. The bike is one of the best all round bikes I've ever owned. It's good on the road and a pleasure to ride in town. Let me say this, you're not old until you quit riding.

 

I have an Ultra and a Sportster, and I'm a retired senior citizen. As far as comfort, the Sportster isn't that uncomfortable for shorter rides. I've had both on the tail of the dragon, both by myself and with a passenger. The Sportster is more manueverable when not moving but when moving they're not a big difference. After riding the Ultra getting on the Sporty feels almost like getting on a dirt bike lol. In fact when I rode up a bad mountain road in Tn to get to a lookout point. I'm glad I was on the Sportster instead of the Ultra that day. I should've been on an adventure bike instead but I didn't know that before I went up it. I had to go up the road slowly and carefully. One of the people already up there asked if I was crazy, because the road at that time was usually only done by people with 4WD trucks, dirt bikes, or ATV's.

The lighter bike has a smaller engine but it isn't dealing with the extra weight either, so street performance is generally adequate for either. I've been on group rides on my Sportster where the group was riding very fast and I still kept up with them. So fast that I wouldn't recommend doing that anymore on any motorcycle on the Interstate, unless you like living dangerously. Obviously the Ultra is more comfortable for longer rides. You said you are still in reasonably good shape, but you didn't say how much miles you plan on riding, where you might be riding, will it be LD trips or just around town, maybe some of both, etc. The thing about being 70 is you might be in good shape now but who knows what the future holds? I once knew a guy who had to trade his mc for a different one after a hip replacement.

If it was me and I could only get one bike, I'd probably go with something like a Road King for general all around use, or an Ultra or Road Glide for primarily LD touring. If I was never going to do any LD riding just about any size or style motorcycle will do.

 

Bike C) Comfortable but light - Dyna (lovin' mine, but still have the FLHTK too)

 

I'll be 68 this month.
I have a Heritage Softail Springer, an CVO Ultra, and a Tri-Glide.
I bought the Tri-Glide because I was having issues with my LH knee and the frequent lifting of the Ultra up off of the jiffy stand was taking it's toll on my knee and I also wouldn't feel comfortable trying to ride two-up with my wife.

Perhaps the OP needs TWO bikes?

 

Ride quality wise my Dyna FXDC was better than my new RG and just as comfortable. Only lacked the creature comforts and protection that the big bike has.