Up to a point. When you start seriously grounding hard parts like the primary cover and frame, it can unload the wheels enough that you crash.
But I can say that my softail handles decently up until that point.

 

You wont have to worry about any of us wanting to ride near or with you!! lol

 

LMAO...love it.

 

I own both as well...2002 Road King Classic and a 2004 Heritage...and I'll take the Heritage ANY day over the Road King for most any kind of riding, long haul, 500 mile day highway runs or fun days of three hundred miles with 250 of them leaned over one way or the other all the way to the boards. The bagger just won't do what I want it to do, and at 6'1 and 250 It's not as comfortable even with the boards extended and different bars on it.

Not that I've been riding long...got to adding it up last night and over 35 years of riding Harley's I've logged about 630,000 miles spread out over almost everything Harley has ever made through 2009 (last NEW bike I bought).

I know that personal likes and dislikes and riding styles have a LOT to do with it, but the 2004 Heritage Softail that is my main bike is the one that my great grandkids will find under a tarp in the back of Grandpa Dudes barn

Now the NEW touring baggers with the stretched frame MIGHT change my mind....lol!

 

Thanks all for your thoughts (from me, the original poster)
I have been able to confirm from the Motor Company that the optional "Comfort Flex " Shocks available for the Deluxe are none other than the stock shocks from a Heritage Softail, so they would raise the whole chassis to exactly the same height. In addition, they informed me theat the better lean angle on the lower Deluxe is achieved by the wizzardry of skinnier floorboards and higher exhaust pipes-makes sense-, but the whole package on the stock Deluxe comes at the expense of loss of rear suspension travel which translates to more bottoming out.
So I conclude that the Deluxe, raised back up , would in fact have the same suspension characteristics as the Heritage, but would end up with slightly better lean angles (they couldn't confirm detail, but I am guessing 28 degrees or so, which is getting up to what a Switchback does and would be loads for my needs.
I am not looking for "performance" just adequate ride without drama. I don't speed and I don't race. I want enough ssupension travel to occasionally take my wife, and , I am thinking the Progressive 422
Remote Adjustable Preload would save some grovelling in the dirt underneath the bike and convert the Deluxe into a slick ride with or without passenger.
Riding a motorcycle ultimately is never really about practicality (unless of course you are confined to goat paths) : If it was we would all drive Smart cars instead. And choosing a Harley in particular is always a choice for aesthetics over strict function---which is just fine by me : A motorcycle is an extension of your personality.
To me the Deluxe is for all intents and purposes, the perfect blend of art and function (tweaked a little of course) . And Guitardude definitely has my attention: Somewhere (maybe on this forum) I read the tagline "A man with experience is never at the mercy of a man with an opinion' . Guitardude has got the experience and the direct comparable I needed to hear, so when I break the piggy bank I will go with the (Black )Deluxe with an added Flare Billboard windshield (a nod to function and handling) and some Osprey Indian Chief (Springer type) leather bags. Perfect art. Perfect sound . Adequate handling. Soul stirring.
Thanks all.

Just curious, Guitardude: Can you express in words what exactly it is that makes you choose your Heritage over your Road King.? Is it comfort, vibration and engine feedback, handling, the look, the lower seat height , or something else altogether. ? Thanks, Nigel.

 

 

At 57 its a shame the Heritage don't talk to Ya.

I am only 6 yrs older than U and I love the leather, spots and fringe!.
Reminds me of all the Harley's I seen and was around when I was younger and I still love that look.

I also rode a RK when that came out with the new frame back in 09..
I wanted to see if all the Hype about how much better they rode was true and I had cash in hand to buy one right then if I thought they were better than my 07 Heritage.

Bottom line is after a 1 hr ride, I wasn't impressed with the RK at all..
IMO the ride was about the same, I didn't think the RK was any better at all.
Also the Ergo of it (seat and Bars) plus the feeling of sitting on top of the RK just didn't feel good to me at all.

I reckon that's why most RK owners change out the seat and bars pretty quick.. so there more comfortable.. Funny part is most around here put Heritage bars on them.

As far a touching the floorboards.. Its mostly flat here in IND, and not many twisty's but I have only touched them 3, mabybe 4 time in the 39K I ridden her..

True, I don't ride aggressively as some others, but I don't think is as much as problem for everyone as some think.

I rode the Blue Ridge Skyline and ParkWay last summer that has a lot of twisty's and keeping up with my Son I rode them pretty fast for me. Still I never once touched them..

Heck at my age, I enjoy the view and ride more than how fast I can get somewhere..


.

 

Honestly, it's one of those things that is hard to explain...I feel "cramped" on the Road King and the Ultra Classic, but not on a street glide, go figure...

Like oct1949 said, the look of the Heritage speaks to me...but the ride, I feel I can "spread out" kick back and feel the bike. And it's not so much the Heritage as THIS Heritage.

It's one of those motorcycles that all of the metal and leather and rubber was MEANT to be a classy motorcycle. I've bought two newer ones, the last being a 2010, but didn't keep them long, they just weren't the same. It's kinda like a fine guitar, that every piece of wood used was meant to produce a clean, clear, sweet note that vibrates inside you, and the same model made the same day by the same luthier shoulda been a coffee table.

I'm not sure if that helped, but I hope everyone can at least relate to the connection!

 

Actually, I did look up " Picture of Heritage without Bags" and darned if it doesn't have the same appeal as the Deluxe: ie -it is just the bags I am reacting to that makes me like the Deluxe better (with my own bags imagined) So it is probably simpler to change the bags on the Heritage to a Springer type (or get used to the studs) that it is to buy bags, shield and new suspension for the deluxe, just to end up in the same place, and cheaper too. Thanks for the input. It actually is the same machine just with different shocks. And I don't need or want "low" Nigel

 

It's a nice bike but it still won't be a Deluxe. I opted to have quick connect everything on my Deluxe rather than buy something else and have it or to add that stuff to another bike. Just my .02 on the matter.