I have decided to trade in my King on a 19 Softail for the lighter weight. I like the Sport Glide the best. I have been at dealers talking to everyone I can find that owns one. They all love them, but when I tell them I want a softer ride they ALL say the older Softails had a softer ride???. They look at the 18s as a more sporty ride but a little on the stiff side. The last thing my back needs is a stiff ride
I got ride of my air shocks on my King a long time ago for 13"444s, they are softer but not by much. 2 guys on 18s today said they have theres to the softest setting and its still a little stiff. They had the **** adjustment on the side of the bikes. Both was around 200 lbs or more. I'm 185 and now a bit concerned . I test road a Heritage 114 but I couldn't tell for sure on a 12 mile mostly good pavement roads. So you that have a 18 and had the older do you think the 18s ride stiffer.

 

18 model. Is definitely stiffer. Very much like a jap bike Stiff but very smooth. My 06 Softail Standard rides like a dream very plush

 

That's pretty much what everyone is telling me. I have trouble with stiff ride and smooth ride at the same time. I like a plush ride over small sharp bumps. I better re test drive on some bumpy roads. If they fell hard riding to me, I don't know what to buy. I want to stay Harley if at all possible.

 

I happen to do a lot of riding on rural backroads that are at times pretty rough. I try to memorize where the harshest bumps are, the ones that will lift you out of the saddle.
That being said, I give the 2018 Deluxe higher marks at mitigating these rough roads over previous softails.
I also think the 2018 suspension has a quicker response, better road feedback in my opinion.

 

Yes you guys are singing the same song I've been hearing . Another thing is the Sport Glide have the shorter shocks, so I don't know. I have driven the new Polaris bikes and they feel like they have more travel and the ride has a plush feel, but I don't like the look of any of them.
l just don't want to feel every little seem in the road, like I feel on my King. Maybe the 19s will be readjusted.

 

My 07 rides real smooth. I've ridden almost the entire US on it, so the ride is well tested. On the stiffness, is it the rear, front or both? The reason I ask is, when I had my forks rebuilt I let the tech put in a heavier fluid (screaming eagle?) and the bike road real stiff. I could feel every crack in the road and bumps were kind of jarring. Didn't like that, so I took it back and had the regular fluid put back in it and she's back to normal. Find out what fluid is in the forks and then see if it the same as the older bikes. If not, you could ask if a fluid swap will do the trick.

You might look into a rear shock swap too..

 

 

I wouldn't call it stiffer as in more harsh under all conditions. It is absolutely more connected to the road and you aren't riding a plush rolling recliner or something like Grandma's Oldsmobuick that completely isolates you.
It handles hard bumps way better. It stays nailed down in turns WAAAAY better. You can sense small bumps but they don't upset the bike and aren't really transmitted up your spine through the seat.
You can easily play with the preload on the rear shock and get it all mushy and isolated if that's your thing.
Unlike the 1st gen Softail you can actually adjust this one without much fuss. I used the spanner pliers that I got for my FZ1 and it only took a minute.

 

Exactly!

 

I think I need to test a 19 Sport Glide when they come out and make sure it's set to soft. I hope I like it. I did drive a 18 Heartage but I did not look to see how stiff it was set at. Road nice but it felt a little stiff compared to my buds 16 Slim..