Thanx for feedback. I was hoping to hear that the bike functions well stock. BMW: Nope...don't think so. I had a buddy who had the shaft drive fail on the road. He said DON'T EVER BUY A BMW. Also the brakes are servo-assist which adds more complexity (more stuff to break). That's not the kind of tech I was referring to. Plus very limited dealership support in case service needed.

Also not into hot-rodding on the street. I did want adequate power to enable safe passing on the road and enough weight to not be buffetted when riding anywhere near 18-wheel tractor-trailer rigs. I would be riding the bike in all kinds of weather and a lot at night as well. My run would be 230 miles twice a week from Corpus Christi to Houston and back.

 

The WG is fine for what you want, and it sure does not start at 20k stock, unless your dealer is one of the markup bandits. For 20k you would have the 95in motor and more.

 

Commuting could be done with virtually any bike on the planet. It all comes down to what you yourself would consider acceptable or unacceptable. Will you be standing in stop-and-go for a great deal of time? Then you may want to consider water cooled. Not that a TC88 cant't take the heat, but it will go into heat management on hot days. Will you be comparing the engine performance to a multi cylinder sport bike? DON'T.! There is simply no comparison. Apples to oranges. Multis pull higher revs. High revs=horsepower. A Harley engine makes perfectly adaquate power in my opinon. Riders who consider them underpowered have a variety of options available to increase power. Think of the TC88 as a Cummins diesel, and a sport bike as a Lamborgini V-12. I happen to like the HD engine. The power it produces fits in with my stye of riding. Technology? I prefer keeping things simple. That is one of the charms about Harley. It its a bike from the past that you can still get today. There is no question about the fact that it still appeals to a great many riders. Why else would the big four Japaneese companies be immitating them? Come on, lets be honest. People still want motorcycles that look and sound like motorcycles. The entire "Cruiser" catagory is hugely successful. The big four just forgot to thank HD for the template. If you prefer quiet, the stock mufflers are quiet. Six speed gear box? I for one could care less. But they are coming. Treatment by dealers? As a whole, HD dealers are no better or worse than any metric dealer. It simply comes down to human nature. Sometimes you just run into a jerk, and sometimes that jerk owns the dealership. Go find another one. You really sound like you want a Street Glide. You ought to. It is a great bike. Put a SG next to any metric cruiser and you know what I think? The metric looks like a ridiculous exageration. Designed by Dr Seuss. I half expect to see the Cat in The Hat jump on and ride off on it. A ride on a Harley is a ride to be savored. Like smoking a good cigar. I would suggest you rent a few HD's. Then you can make a choice with your eyes wide open. I'm betting you will ride a SG home after that.

 

Lots of good answers here.

I'd say you'd be fine with a stock tc88. You're not gonna win races, but it still has enough cruising power and hill climbing torque to get you out of sticky situations.

When people ask if my bike is fast, i say "fast enough".

Wally

 

Yeah speed and power is an interesting thing. Alot of guys would give their left n** to have a car that will hit 0 - 60 in less than 6 seconds. Give these same guys a bike that will hit 0 - 60 in 4-5 seconds and the first thing they want to do is run to Screaming Eagle to get more speed! I don't understand it but that's probably because I'm a dinosaur.

 

WELL Put Mac57!

You have some great answers here - yes the bike is clearly adequate for what you want to do.

Right now my Road King is bone stock - I want to change a few things just for personal preference. To me this bike cries fora set of 50's looking fishtail pipes. Well since I am getting the pipes, I might as well get the stage one tune and a new air cleaner.

There is no logical reason to modify this beautiful brand new bike other than I just want to.

Get one and enjoy!

 

I currently commute about 2000 miles or more every month. Most of that is on my Stock Lowrider with fwd controls.

The stock TC88 will have no problems whatsoever. It will out accelerate most every car out there and handle well. Unless you are looking for a different sound or performance level you would be fine with the stock bike.

Go for it.

JT

 

My bike just previous to my Harley was a 1979 Suzuki GS 750L. Now I don't know how fast it was from 0-60, but it was quick...as a motorcycle should be. I expected my harley, with it engine twice as big, to feel similarly quick....But it was a dog by comparison! Thats why I put all the money into the motor that I have. I'm not out to win any drag races or dyno shoot outs, but I want any bike I have to be "exhilerating" to ride. I didn't feel that way about the 88" motor at all.

Now I've got buddies who have 88" motors in a softail standard and a dyna wide glide....both with stage one breather/pipe combos done. Now they are fine. I would have left a bike like that alone, after a stage one. The added weight of the glide and the wind resistance do to the larger frontal area, drag down that motor too much IMO.

From what I've heard of the 2006 heads being superior in flow to the previous versions, I think most (and myself) would be happy with a simple 95" kit with breather and pipes. In my opinion, the touring class should have had 95" motors spec'd on them from the beginning of the twin cam era.

 

ex motocross racer(till age55) from your post I really don't think you want to buy a hd at this time
you are not ready my opion is you are a rub get your metric and ride the hell out of it
it will break it will need repairs it will need tires it will use gas and when you go to sell it
you won't get the 10% required for a down on a harley I have ridden lots of different bikes in my 65 years
and have found one thing to be true you either love hd or hate them this is only my second harley first one was in early 60
a 49 pan I have ridden and raced all the years in between .. either buy a harley or forget it but it sound like you have
made up your mind jap crap is better and by the way it is a lifestyle and lound is good

 

Heh that's priceless grumpy...me being a rub!?!

There will be no jap cruiser found in my garage. I will most assuredly own a Street Glide. My first time I ever rode on a Harley (that I can remember) was when my dad was killing himself working 40 a week at International Harvester in Lubbock and taking a full load in engineering school at the same time. He had two harleys and he would put me on the tank and take me for rides when I was still a baby...so I guess it's really in my blood eh?

Nothing wrong with HOG or any of that. I am more of a loner and would rather ride that way...just the way I am. Anyway I am going to rent a bagger earliest opportunity can probably guess what will happen. BTW I think I am absolutely the very last person I would have ever considered a RUB. Blows my mind actually...worked hard for everything I ever had, surf big waves, fish, do art, I don't know abot the RUB thing at all :-D I do know it's all about the ride for me...