heritage vs roadking
Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: europe
heritage vs roadking
So the title says it all.
I would like to buy a heritage, love the look and seating position on the bike.
One problem leanangle.
No i dont wanna adjust my ridestyle, bikes needs to be able to be ridden in normal conditions.
Im in europe, roads bend over here and have lots of potholes.
Dealer suggests higher wall tyres creating a 1 cm lift + suspension adjustment creating an other cm lift, bike ends up 2 cm (0,8 inch) higher of the ground.
=> 3° extra leanangle.
To raise the rearpart they use a progressive suspension threaded part and standard rear suspension.
The threaded part I see on the website of Progressive susp. is a lowering part or can it be used to lift as well?
Other possibility they offer is airshocks, would cost me 2800 dollar
.
Europe is expensive.
Or should I just buy a Roadking, though i prefer the heritage?
The heritage was a kind of love at first sight thing
I know i'm weak.
"Harley" stop making such good looking bikes, you gonna take my money.
I would like to buy a heritage, love the look and seating position on the bike.
One problem leanangle.
No i dont wanna adjust my ridestyle, bikes needs to be able to be ridden in normal conditions.
Im in europe, roads bend over here and have lots of potholes.
Dealer suggests higher wall tyres creating a 1 cm lift + suspension adjustment creating an other cm lift, bike ends up 2 cm (0,8 inch) higher of the ground.
=> 3° extra leanangle.
To raise the rearpart they use a progressive suspension threaded part and standard rear suspension.
The threaded part I see on the website of Progressive susp. is a lowering part or can it be used to lift as well?
Other possibility they offer is airshocks, would cost me 2800 dollar
.Europe is expensive.
Or should I just buy a Roadking, though i prefer the heritage?
The heritage was a kind of love at first sight thing
I know i'm weak.
"Harley" stop making such good looking bikes, you gonna take my money.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 3,427
Likes: 164
From: Home
Looks don't mean anything when you are sitting behind the handlebars on the road.
Ride your current bike to the dealer. Test ride both the Heritage and the Roadking back to back. Get back on your own bike ride away and you will know which one is right for you.
Ride your current bike to the dealer. Test ride both the Heritage and the Roadking back to back. Get back on your own bike ride away and you will know which one is right for you.
Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: europe
None of the above available for testride.
Current bike is sold, hence need new one.
Had a 2014 Indian chief classic, had some issues (not gonna go in to them, dont wanna give a bad name, could have been just my bike).
Good leanangles, good suspension but rather slow steering.
So its Harley or Guzzi.
Have ridden the Guzzi cali, very nice bike, kinda sad the fenders are in plastic.
I know dont see that when you ride it, Guzzi ask 500 more and make them metal.
Anyone raised their softail (cheap, simple and reliable)?
Bike is a lot of money as it is stock and 3000 more than the guzzi Cali. touring.
Current bike is sold, hence need new one.
Had a 2014 Indian chief classic, had some issues (not gonna go in to them, dont wanna give a bad name, could have been just my bike).
Good leanangles, good suspension but rather slow steering.
So its Harley or Guzzi.
Have ridden the Guzzi cali, very nice bike, kinda sad the fenders are in plastic.
I know dont see that when you ride it, Guzzi ask 500 more and make them metal.
Anyone raised their softail (cheap, simple and reliable)?
Bike is a lot of money as it is stock and 3000 more than the guzzi Cali. touring.
Elite HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 4,177
Likes: 62
From: Michigan
You might want to ask this on the touring forum so they can bash softails on their own forum instead of coming to this one to do it like is usually the case when someone start a thread comparing the heritage which is a softail to a road king which is a tourer. I suggest you get the road king
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 4,624
Likes: 189
From: Newcastle, Ca.
Several things can be done to improve lean angle and improve ride quality at the same time.
Progressive 422's are made for stock height and lowering bike.. However, to raise the bike, grind off part of the adjusting nut to raise rear of bike. Longer shock = higher rear. You want to take off ~1/8" which gives you about ~3/8" increased height. This will also change rake/trail slightly. Making the bike turn a little easier.
Race tech front suspension springs per your weight. Stock fork springs are very soft and compress too easily in turns and when braking. I strongly recommend installing Ricors or Race Tech Gold Valves at this time.
Install half moon floor boards and install them forward, offset of normal mounting, on mounting brackets. This only requires longer ss bolts and nuts.
A few install forward controls.
Upgrading the suspension on softails changes the ride quality and handling a lot. When following touring bikes on long rides and watching their suspension work on bumpy roads, they have nothing on softails. Accept for an additional 50 kg's.
Progressive 422's are made for stock height and lowering bike.. However, to raise the bike, grind off part of the adjusting nut to raise rear of bike. Longer shock = higher rear. You want to take off ~1/8" which gives you about ~3/8" increased height. This will also change rake/trail slightly. Making the bike turn a little easier.
Race tech front suspension springs per your weight. Stock fork springs are very soft and compress too easily in turns and when braking. I strongly recommend installing Ricors or Race Tech Gold Valves at this time.
Install half moon floor boards and install them forward, offset of normal mounting, on mounting brackets. This only requires longer ss bolts and nuts.
A few install forward controls.
Upgrading the suspension on softails changes the ride quality and handling a lot. When following touring bikes on long rides and watching their suspension work on bumpy roads, they have nothing on softails. Accept for an additional 50 kg's.
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 1,257
Likes: 2
From: Gastonia, NC
I own a Heritage and have spent time on both. Don't have a problem with clearance but I ride single. On twisty mountain roads I'd sooner be on the Heritage. On long open highway rides I think the King would work a little better. Both nice bikes.
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Club Member
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 145,895
Likes: 821
From: 40 miles Northeast of Indy..
personally I think the hoop-a-la on the lean angle is over talked, true the Heritage has a little less lean allowance, but in my 52K of riding our Heritage I've only touched the boards 3- maybe 4 times.
Also remember even if you touch the floor boards they will just fold upwards a little and its easy to push them back down with your feet if your bolts are not really tight.
I rode the dragon 2 yrs ago and kept up with the pac and never touched them once on that ride.
IMO unless your a really aggressive rider, it won't be much of a problem for the average rider.
Also remember even if you touch the floor boards they will just fold upwards a little and its easy to push them back down with your feet if your bolts are not really tight.
I rode the dragon 2 yrs ago and kept up with the pac and never touched them once on that ride.
IMO unless your a really aggressive rider, it won't be much of a problem for the average rider.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2013
Posts: 3,427
Likes: 164
From: Home
personally I think the hoop-a-la on the lean angle is over talked, true the Heritage has a little less lean allowance, but in my 52K of riding our Heritage I've only touched the boards 3- maybe 4 times.
Also remember even if you touch the floor boards they will just fold upwards a little and its easy to push them back down with your feet if your bolts are not really tight.
I rode the dragon 2 yrs ago and kept up with the pac and never touched them once on that ride.
IMO unless your a really aggressive rider, it won't be much of a problem for the average rider.
Also remember even if you touch the floor boards they will just fold upwards a little and its easy to push them back down with your feet if your bolts are not really tight.
I rode the dragon 2 yrs ago and kept up with the pac and never touched them once on that ride.
IMO unless your a really aggressive rider, it won't be much of a problem for the average rider.
I don't drop knees or scrape pegs when going around corners on a sport bike however, if I take the same lines at the same speeds on my Harley, I am asking for a wreck. Does that make me an aggressive rider because I am an average sport bike rider?
Thread Starter
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1st Gear
Joined: Jun 2015
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: europe
Thx for the info guys.
Kumaride i thought you had to shorten the suspension as it is a pull-system, my bad.
Dealer would use original shock + adjustment part from progressive suspension to highten rear.
Is this possible?
If I read your post should i rather have to adres front fork instead of rearshock?
Or just do rear and save some money and adress front suspension for my christmas?
To put it simple what is the cheapest way, other floorboards + mounting or just go for suspension.
I would like to do it all, just spread over a couple of years.
It's always money
Im just a normal rider + passenger, but every test i read they complain about lack of groundclearance.
Kumaride i thought you had to shorten the suspension as it is a pull-system, my bad.
Dealer would use original shock + adjustment part from progressive suspension to highten rear.
Is this possible?
If I read your post should i rather have to adres front fork instead of rearshock?
Or just do rear and save some money and adress front suspension for my christmas?
To put it simple what is the cheapest way, other floorboards + mounting or just go for suspension.
I would like to do it all, just spread over a couple of years.
It's always money
Im just a normal rider + passenger, but every test i read they complain about lack of groundclearance.