Need some soft tail / touring advice...
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: New Orleans, LA
Need some soft tail / touring advice...
As I've posted in the touring section asking for help, I have always been infatuated with and have owned several Fatboys, including my current Lo. My problem is that my wife and I are starting to go on longer trips, and the Fatboy is starting to seem smaller and smaller. We spent some miles on a friends Road King and it was awesome, it felt like we had room to spare. I know by dimensions the bikes are basically identical, but it felt bigger, and more stable on the long run. I'm thinking about making the trade, but I've got a feeling I will regret it. Do any of you have any opinions on switching to a touring model, or making a Fatboy more road friendly? I test rode a Street Glide yesterday, and a Road King today, both were incredible, but when I got home and looked at my Lo...it was like thinking about giving up a kidney.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 116
Likes: 0
From: Chubbuck ID
I've got a big mustang vintage touring wide 2up on my 05fatboy. I'll be adding a tall windshield also.
I have done 240 miles in a morning and loved every minute of it. A bigger windshield would be a plus, I get buffeting from my current windshield. Kuryakyn (sp.) has a killer looking new windshield I am looking into. Also a set of the mark 3 highway pegs too.
I love the looks of the road king classics but not when many talk about the sit on top feel.
Hope that helps,
Kirk
I have done 240 miles in a morning and loved every minute of it. A bigger windshield would be a plus, I get buffeting from my current windshield. Kuryakyn (sp.) has a killer looking new windshield I am looking into. Also a set of the mark 3 highway pegs too.
I love the looks of the road king classics but not when many talk about the sit on top feel.
Hope that helps,
Kirk
Thread Starter
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Cruiser
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 129
Likes: 0
From: New Orleans, LA
Thanks, man...and yeah, I did notice the "sit on top feel" more so on the Road King than the SG. It was definately an adjustment. The SG sat a little lower, but I'm still not crazy about the solid fairing in front. I will look into the parts you mentioned, especially the Kury windshield, I was just on their site looking at the new black grips.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 4,624
Likes: 189
From: Newcastle, Ca.
Everyone has different opinions in what makes a bike more 2up friendly and better for longer trips. After riding it for a couple years, 50% 2up, here are the changes I found that work for me.
- Dumped a 2n2 pipe for a 2n1
- Ride with a shield
- The bike was lowered an inch like yours. Put it back to stock height, adjusted rear shocks and heavier weight fork oil
- detach bags
- CC Sport Tour seat
- Moved floorboards 1 1/2" forward
Of course, getting another bike is another option. Maybe test ride a Heritage also?
- Dumped a 2n2 pipe for a 2n1
- Ride with a shield
- The bike was lowered an inch like yours. Put it back to stock height, adjusted rear shocks and heavier weight fork oil
- detach bags
- CC Sport Tour seat
- Moved floorboards 1 1/2" forward
Of course, getting another bike is another option. Maybe test ride a Heritage also?
Road Master
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 1,203
Likes: 1
From: Texas
I just got the 14" touring model seat for my better half and that made a huge difference in the long trips. Get a detachable(wind shield, sissy bar with the large pad, and after market shocks or air ride). and you can take the touring crap off when you want to it the town at night. That is what is working for me.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 1,052
Likes: 12
Get everything detachable. I just did 4200 miles on my Fatboy and loved it. I have a detachable windshield, Saddle bags, and backrest with luggage rack. I even had a windshield bag and lower wind deflectors. When I got home from the trip, all that stuff came off and I'm riding my Fatboy too and from work. It's like having 2 different bikes. I didn't ride 2up on that trip, but do 3-4 hundred mile days with the wife all the time.
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,105
Likes: 1
From: Dago
i own a couple of bikes. If i had to choose/keep one bike, it would be my roadking. I put a brawler solo seat- my girl likes the roadglide or my deluxe w/suction seat. The brawler seat put me "into" the bike not "on top" of the bike
Then it took me awhile to find the bars i liked and added legends air-ride after my accident. i can cruise around town or do the 300 plus mile trips on my roadking no problem
Its like any bike just have to make it yours....
Then it took me awhile to find the bars i liked and added legends air-ride after my accident. i can cruise around town or do the 300 plus mile trips on my roadking no problem
Its like any bike just have to make it yours....
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Road Master
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 970
Likes: 19
From: Philippines
Poochie,
I'm a Softail man all the way but I ride solo and love the customization ability of the Softails. Having said that, if I decided to log serious miles with a passenger, a Touring model would definitely be the right choice. No amount of tweaking will turn a Softail into a Touring model. Bottom line, it's your decision regardless of what opinions are posted on this site.
You may want to rent a RK from your local HD dealer for a weekend and do an overnight ride before making a decision.
I'm a Softail man all the way but I ride solo and love the customization ability of the Softails. Having said that, if I decided to log serious miles with a passenger, a Touring model would definitely be the right choice. No amount of tweaking will turn a Softail into a Touring model. Bottom line, it's your decision regardless of what opinions are posted on this site.
You may want to rent a RK from your local HD dealer for a weekend and do an overnight ride before making a decision.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,899
Likes: 3,412
From: OH
My brother has a fat boy and is short in the inseam. The touring bikes just didn't fit him so like the others mentioned I put detachable everything on it for him. Harley has some pretty nice large bags for the fatboy. Get a luggage rack that you can strap a tour pack on and a windshield and you should be good.
I am not sure what you and your wife weigh together and how much gear you stow when you go but my biggest bitch with the soft tails is the suspension. IMO you need to stiffen things up to tour 2-up and loaded down if your total weight is average to above.
If you are thinking about going to a touring bike I would stick to the road king. I have a glide and while it is nice this is my first bike w/o a detachable shield. I like stripping them down for normal riding. I like the clean air rushing around me and the visibility of seeing the front fender. The glide to me dosen't have that traditional motorcycle feel not being out in the air. Don't get me wrong I like my bike but if I had it to do all over again I would be on a king.
I have my brothers Fat Boy here that I ride around from time to time. IMO the touring bikes vs the soft tail are different animals. The fatty is way more nimble and lighter. The touring bikes are bigger heavier and just more suited to doing just that. His bike is stock stage I and my bike has cams etc. It feels like his bike will run with mine because it is lighter. Ultimately it is your choice. If it were me like I stated above I would equip yours with all the detachable crap first. If you out grow it in the next few years, move up then.
I am not sure what you and your wife weigh together and how much gear you stow when you go but my biggest bitch with the soft tails is the suspension. IMO you need to stiffen things up to tour 2-up and loaded down if your total weight is average to above.
If you are thinking about going to a touring bike I would stick to the road king. I have a glide and while it is nice this is my first bike w/o a detachable shield. I like stripping them down for normal riding. I like the clean air rushing around me and the visibility of seeing the front fender. The glide to me dosen't have that traditional motorcycle feel not being out in the air. Don't get me wrong I like my bike but if I had it to do all over again I would be on a king.
I have my brothers Fat Boy here that I ride around from time to time. IMO the touring bikes vs the soft tail are different animals. The fatty is way more nimble and lighter. The touring bikes are bigger heavier and just more suited to doing just that. His bike is stock stage I and my bike has cams etc. It feels like his bike will run with mine because it is lighter. Ultimately it is your choice. If it were me like I stated above I would equip yours with all the detachable crap first. If you out grow it in the next few years, move up then.
Last edited by todd-67; Aug 19, 2010 at 06:43 AM.