I am looking for some advice or opinions. I have a 2017 Slim S which I have generally enjoyed. It has been fun to ride around town and day trips. However last weekend I did over 800 miles. It beat me to death. I have tried a variety of windshields and even a set of fangs. I was good around town but once I got out on the highway at 70 mph it felt like I lost a wheel weight ot two so I am back to a naked bike at least in the summer. I am also unhappy with all the engine noise. I cured most of the upper end noise with Rockouts and Johnson HyLift lifters. However the bottom end noise is just plain obnoxious. I think because of primary chain and balancer chain noise.

Anyway I have been considering a Moto Guzzi but my Indy says they are cool bikes but not for a daily driver, reliability issues and lack of a decent dealer network . So I am back looking at Harleys. I was considering an Electriglide Standard but it is just too heavy and big for my old worn out body. The salesman suggested a Heritage Classic. The new M8 models have a redesigned frame, suspension, engine among other things. It also has a windshield and hard bags. I have test ridden a couple of other models, a Lowrider and a SportGlide. Both had good and bad points. I will be going back in a couple of days to ride the Heritage.

Anyone own one and what do you think. Does the windshield work? Buffeting etc. Should I do this or just stick with my Slim. The Slim is cool, I get a lot of comments wherever I go but I can live with out the attention. The Heritage will just be another bike but that is not why we ride. I want to be more comfortable out on the highway.

Any and all comments welcomed except for the smart assed ones.
kk

 

I have a 16 Heritage, and from what I understand, they are really just Softails with more bells and whistles. Bag, windshield, etc. I bought mine used, with just 300 miles on it, but the prior owner had done a Stage 1 on it. So my pipes are louder than stock, certainly. I've become a rider late in life, just having had it 3 years now and I'm ... 46, yeah. I think. Some dirt bike racing in my 20's, but really no riding. So I've never had a "quiet" bike. To me a motorcycle sounds like a motorcycle. While you can certainly buy a new bike, and get the newest engine, I would stay away from exhaust upgrades. I have yet to see a replacement exhaust system make a bike quieter.

As to speed, I've gone (only) as fast as 95. I'm just not interested in being a speed demon, hence why I bought a "cruiser" and not a crotch rocket. I find that my windshield works fine, though, yes, you're going to get some buffeting, I don't think there's any way around that. I installed some speakers, and pretty much beyond 70mph they are worthless. And at that point, too, if I'm highway driving, I'm probably gonna wear earplugs anyway just to protect my ears a bit. (Half helmet, ya see. Let's protect the ears, yeah, but not the face... derp.)

My wife, on the other hand, has a 13 1200 Sportster. Also with an exhaust upgrade. I despise that bike. At 70, I feel like I'm going to fall off. I actually duck down behind the windshield. It's horrible. I prefer the balanced nature of the larger bike by far. I have yet to ride an Electraglide or the likes of one that large, but when I went to the HD shop, that's what I had in mind to buy. We just saw the look of the Heritage, and fell in love with it instantly. I bought it on the spot, didn't even test ride is since I didn't have my MC license yet! (What an idiot.) I got lucky and loved the bike immensely. Though driving it home that day was a bit scary! Just 20 miles, but all highway. (And they decided to shut down I-35 to one lane that day for construction, in 100+ degree weather. Start, stop, start, stop....on a very large bike, for me. Ooof.)

So, I think the large bikes are going to have far less buffeting, unless you're 7 feet tall. I'm sure others could chime in. Posting a (not direct, cross-posted copy of your) message in the big bike forum categories might provide some comparisons from others who have switched to or from the bike bikes and the Softails / Heritage types.

 

I should have posted this in the 2018+ Softail section. Going there I saw that there is a lengthy thread about the Heritages. I will go through that thread so no need to post on this one. Thanks.
kk