I'm looking for some advice based on experience of people who moved from a sport touring bike to a bagger or full dresser. I'm not looking for anything about the brand you chose to move too, but the style of bike and riding that comes with it. I'm currently riding a bmw 1200rt, and considering a bagger or dresser. I'm wondering how you felt about not having the lighter more agile bike with decent comfort for the long haul, going to much higher comfort level, but not having the responsiveness and cornering of a sport tourer.

 

I owned (or rode) both at the same time, a '09 FLHP and a 1998 R1100RTP/CHP runout. The BMW handled, cornered and braked like no tomorrow but the transmission was clunky and agricultural. The protection from the fairing and heated grips was excellent and allowed all weather and all season riding. The Master Yoda seating is far superior to the more upright (back pain) seating on the Road King. I could ride longer on the BMW without a rest stop. The BMW was ugly once undressed of all the plastic. Valve adjustments were easy with the jugs hanging off the sides.
The FL is beautiful to look at. The transmission, clutch and engine are bulletproof, Not as much cornering clearance with the FL and I wore the floorboards down to a knife edge from all the parts dragging.
Then comes the feelings between BMW and HD owners. BMW owners think HD riders are knuckle dragging Neanderthals.
HD owners think BMW riders are snobbish prima donnas who religiously wear ATGATT and drink latte's.
The general non-riding public give thumbs up to a HD, don't give a second look to a BMW.
Ideally you want both bikes, a bagger for local riding and the RT for cross-country touring.

 

Having owned and regrettably sold both a Concours 1000 as well as a Concours 14 but having always had Harleys - mostly baggers, I can tell you that I miss the sport touring rides but don't miss sport touring so much. As I get older I appreciate the risks more and looking back at the rides I did, including some runs with the sport bike crowd, I get most of my sporty kicks on my 1250 Bandit - which is more than sporty enough for me.

When I go touring, I want a big comfortable bagger beneath me. If I had more time for more long distance touring, I'd get a strippped down/basic Gold Wing, but i like Harleys and having had multiples over the years of all three Glides, I think my '18 Road Glide is the best mileage eater I've ever owned. It had enough power for me (one up) even with the stock 107, falls in gracefully compared to the older 16" front wheel models and, well, it's a Harley and I like that.

Bottom line: 20 years ago I would not have felt this way but anymore I like touring for touring and don't feel deprived if it's not sport (enough) touring.

 

FYI, most the people that I ride with and take trips with are on Harleys and Indians. And I hate coffee in all it' forms, from simple grocery store brands to fancy coffee shop coffee, lattes, capacinos etc..... I don't even like saying the word "latte". And never concerned with the non riding public's opinions. From what I just looked up since I'm not familiar with the FLHP model, was the cop bike, so though made for long days in a seat, not really a touring bike per say. I'm looking for more of the electraglide, roadglide riders.

 

I don't have any brand ideas yet, but if I'm going to go with a full dresser, the newer Goldwing is not out of the picture, but neither is an Indian or an HD. I just don't want to drop 26k to 30k and regret every moment I'm on it. I'm wondering if the comfort level will surpass my enjoyment of a bike that flick effortlessly on twisty mountain roads. I'm not huge speed demon or risk taker either.

 

It's pretty much as you imagine. Compared to a sport tourer, you have to start your corners earlier; the bike isn't as nimble; the brakes aren't as good, but they're not horrible, either. Straight-line stability on a bagger is amazing. Surprisingly, the bags on the full dressers don't seem to carry as much as the BMW bags. Except for the Tour-Pak. That thing is cavernous. You sit lower on the bagger than the sport tourer.

The great advantage compared to the BMW is that a Harley can be fixed in almost every place in the country.

The R1200RT is an amazing bike. In what possible way is it letting you down?

 

I was being facetious and stereotyping BMW riders. The Road King is a bagger and is a great touring bike, I didn't know you were referring to Road Glide and batwing glides..

 

My RT has never let me down. But it's a 2005 and I'm ready for an upgrade. The new R1250RT has peaked my interest also, along with he road glide, gold wing, and road master, K1600 in the mix also.

 

Maybe the little voice in your head is telling you that you don't want an 800+ pound motorcycle.

 

I road a 2009 Ultra Classic for almost 90k miles and last June I moved to a 2015 BMW K1600GTL. I know it's not a sport-tourer like the RT but it's close. My HD had some things I just loved, but after putting about 8500 on this GTL I couldn't see going back to a bagger unless there are some serious power and chassis changes.