I want to buy a new Ultra this year, but they don't make them anymore. So if I stick with a Batwing, it's either a stripped Standard for $19,000 that needs $5k in additions to have 2up seating, a tour pack, lowers, and passing lights, or a $30k Limited, which has things I don't want like an infotainment center.
A Road King is much more like I want, and I like that it still has the pre-Rushmore directionals, and no vented fairing. One thing I really like about my Ultra was that it made riding in cold temps much more comfortable. If I dress right 37 degrees is comfortable. I'm wondering how much wind protection do you lose without a fairing and lowers?
Anybody that has owned both have an opinion on cold weather riding, or other comments about wind and temperature tolerance, in general?
I have an Ultra Classic, and a buddy of mine has a Road King as a second bike. Before I bought my UC I rode his RK several times. You get quite a bit more wind on you. It will be colder in the winter Matter of fact he was so used to his ultra limited that he put a set of lowers on his RK.
Which brings up a good point. You can buy the cheap Chinese knock off lowers for $60 on Amazon. You can buy a Memphis Shades Batwing fairing for about $500 with the mounts and windshield.
If you don't want the stereo of the Limited, buy a Road King, spend $600 on lowers and a Memphis Shades batwing. The MS fairing comes with quick disconnect mounts and it's a few screws to remove the lowers and you have a naked RK.
Another option is to put lowers and hand guards on the Road King in the winter and take them off in the summer.
You are still going to have to put a tour pack on the RK like you would on the Standard.
I did the math last year before I found my UC. I was debating between the Road King and the Standard. It was cheaper to buy the RK and put a Memphis Shades batwing on it than it was to buy a Standard and put a two up seat, passenger boards and saddle bag guards on it.
I have a removable batwing and lowers for my Dyna, They go on late October and come off in April. They make a big difference on 37F morning ride to work, otherwise I would never put them on. My weather is same as yours since I'm only 15-20 miles from Rome.
There are a lot of options with the Road King. I put the Memphis Shades batwing on mine several years back for cold weather and it's still attached.
Like VAFish suggested you could get some cheaper lowers for winter riding.
Last year I found a Teal 2020 FLHTK with 800 miles on it for $27k. The same bike now is $30k. If prices come down again I might get a Limited, but I don't really want an infotainment center. I don't want to be worrying about software when I'm riding, I get enough of that at home.
I don't like the way soft Lowers look, so I would want to add Harley Lowers if I need lowers. And I'm not talking about Winter riding. Here in Wisconsin it can be in the 30s in the morning in May and 72 by the afternoon, so I wouldn't be taking the lowers on and off.
The reason I'm asking about the Road King, is a bike like this seems like a much better value than a Limited. It has 17k miles.
Last year I found a Teal 2020 FLHTK with 800 miles on it for $27k. The same bike now is $30k. If prices come down again I might get a Limited, but I don't really want an infotainment center. I don't want to be worrying about software when I'm riding, I get enough of that at home.
I don't like the way soft Lowers look, so I would want to add Harley Lowers if I need lowers. And I'm not talking about Winter riding. Here in Wisconsin it can be in the 30s in the morning in May and 72 by the afternoon, so I wouldn't be taking the lowers on and off.
The reason I'm asking about the Road King, is a bike like this seems like a much better value than a Limited. It has 17k miles.
I'm not talking about putting soft lowers on the bike. You can get hard lowers for $61 on Amazon. Have to edit that price was for the older bikes, the newer lowers are $107.
These are the lowers my buddy put on his Road King. His RK was red and black just like the one in your picture, the black lowers looked good on it. Get a Black Mephis Shades batwing and you are set with that bike.
04-28-2021, 07:09 AM
How are Road Kings in the cold, versus an Ultra?
