Street Glide owners - Need your input
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 692
Likes: 63
From: Ontario, Canada
The shocks are a must on the SG weather you ride alone, or two up. If you want lowers I'd get an ultra and strip it down. By the time you buy lowers, shocks, seat and tour pak for the SG it will cost more. If you don't mind the chrome trim on the front fender of the Ultra.
I have a SG and a tour pak, I personally like to the look of it much better than the Ultra. No trim on the fender, tail lights and the wheels look much nicer.
I have a SG and a tour pak, I personally like to the look of it much better than the Ultra. No trim on the fender, tail lights and the wheels look much nicer.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 44,896
Likes: 29,874
From: PNW
We went from an Ultra to Street Glide and it's every bit as comfortable. In fact, the way I have it set up, it's better.
Imo, there are things that need to be done to both the SGS and the Ultra to make them travel worthy - better shocks, better seat, and better windshield.
Once you consider that, the only difference is the tourpack and lowers. I got my tourpack complete for just under a grand. And I use soft lowers, which I prefer over the fixed lowers.
It really comes down to your wants. Do you prefer a bike that you can be used daily in it's stripped down form, and then add luggage and a seat to make it long haul worthy? Do you prefer the look of the Street Glide? If so, get the Street Glide.
Will you just leave the tourpack on and like having lowers and all the creature comforts of a touring bike for daily use? Do you want to just buy it and ride it on long tours as is? Get the Ultra.
For me I like the versatility and look of our setup. I assure you, it's every bit as touring capable and comfortable as our Ultra was. The cost was less than an Ultra even with the tourpack, considering I would have made the above mentioned changes regardless. But, it's not so much less that it should be a consideration. It really comes down to preference. But anyone who tells you a Street Glide can't be as comfortable as an Ultra is just plain wrong. It's the same bike with a few different options.
Last edited by nevada72; Oct 20, 2017 at 10:13 AM.
I am selling my 2008 Ultra and looking at a getting a Street Glide, 2015 - 17. The stipulation from my wife is that we can still do our annual 2 week road trip and she wants to be comfortable! My thoughts are to purchase an extra touring seat ( thick and comfy) and a detachable tour pak that I put on when we travel and leave in the garage the rest of the year. I have 2 friends that swear, with a different touring seat and the tour pak attached she will not be nearly as comfortable as she is on my Ultra and will complain to the point I will regret buying a Street Glide and not another Ultra. Anyone that has any opinions or experiences touring 2 up on a Street Glide, I would love to hear your thoughts on this !
It makes it much easier for the passenger to climb on & off the bike, especially if there is a drivers backrest!
Maybe this could be an option for you to provide your wife with more comfort when you are riding 2 up with a tour-pak.
Here is a LINK to our Tour-Pak Relocation kits.
Depending on the year of the bike, our kit will work with detachable tour-paks, as well.
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Cristy
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Cristy
FREE SHIPPING - ORDERS OF $100 OR MORE - LOWER 48 STATES
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Text: 662-420-4891
Email: Support@DKCustomProducts.com
Thread Starter
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Intermediate
Joined: Oct 2015
Posts: 27
Likes: 1
From: Calgary, Alberta
My tour pak is detachable as well....its been in my garage all summer until we run to Sturgis for 10 days then it's back on the wall. I run my Ultra with no tour pak, and just the backrest all summer, which is why a nimble but versatile SG is now on my radar. It's the look I love but just require my Ultra for 2 weeks out of the year! That's where all your opinions are so valuable.....but I definitely see a 50/50 on the stripped down Ultra vs the built up SG....decisions, decisions!!
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,521
Likes: 185
From: Ft Myers FL
You can make a SG look like an Ultra OR an Ultra look like a SG.....but to me it was the CLUGGIE Water cooled engine...(.having ridden actual water cooled Bikes with real radiators.)....the biggest hinderance was that sometimes I like to ride without my lowers and no way you can do that on an Ultra....those suckers are stuck on forever....
Grand HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 4,585
Likes: 673
From: Rolla
You can make a SG look like an Ultra OR an Ultra look like a SG.....but to me it was the CLUGGIE Water cooled engine...(.having ridden actual water cooled Bikes with real radiators.)....the biggest hinderance was that sometimes I like to ride without my lowers and no way you can do that on an Ultra....those suckers are stuck on forever....
Ultra Classic = Same air cooled engine as the Street Glide
Ultra Limited = Twin Cooled (non removable lowers that have radiators)
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 1,521
Likes: 185
From: Ft Myers FL
Well then I will fault the HD sales rep who kept telling me the '17 ultras were water cooled...and he knew i was not into the cooling crap.....i stand corrected...
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Tourer
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 337
Likes: 58
From: South Africa
Great thread!
I find myself in exactly the same predicament.
So far, I am figuring that, since I will be buying a 2nd hand bike anyhow, buying a bike & taking stuff off has got to be cheaper than buying a bike & putting stuff on...
Novice
Joined: May 2015
Posts: 22
Likes: 5
From: kansas
The Ultra is NOT water cooled. The limited is, but not the Ultra.