Pre or Post Rushmore
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 6,146
Likes: 471
From: along the Front Range in Colorado
.......... hail yes !
..... are the Rushmores better ? ... sure, but is there enough difference to justify the money differential .... only riding each of'm can tell you that.
...... i went to a Rushmore from an '05 & the upgrade was remarkable
..... given that this is yer 1st Touring rig, you may not even notice the finer points.
... ride'm, figure out how much you want to spend & then get the newest rig your $ will enable
..... are the Rushmores better ? ... sure, but is there enough difference to justify the money differential .... only riding each of'm can tell you that.
...... i went to a Rushmore from an '05 & the upgrade was remarkable
..... given that this is yer 1st Touring rig, you may not even notice the finer points.
... ride'm, figure out how much you want to spend & then get the newest rig your $ will enable
Road Master
Joined: Dec 2018
Posts: 997
Likes: 489
From: Louisville, KY
I had a 2013 Road Glide Custom. LOVED IT! But...., then the Rushmores came out. For a couple of years I kept thinking and re-thinking. I wanted the Boombox with GPS. I wanted the "one finger" saddlebag latches. I wanted the larger diameter forks and beefier steering head bearing. Etc., etc. And although I never had the need to remove the fairing on my '13 I think removing the fairing on the '16 RG Ultra I bought in 9/17 will be way easier. On my '13 the brake dive was pretty severe when you used mostly front brake and my indy guy installed the Progressive monotubes up front and that made all the difference in the world. I guess it is the larger diameter forks on my '16 but the brake dive is hardly noticeable so I won't be putting any monotubes in there.
Yeah, would be a no brainer for me. I would take a Rushmore over a pre-Rushmore even if I had to spend more for it. And I got into my '16 pretty easy. Sold my '13 with 29K miles on Craigslist for $14,500 and bought this '16 RGU with 9,997K miles AND SE Hi-Flow AC, V & H slipons, de-catted head pipe, V & H FP3 tuner, nice grips, extended brake pedal, better windshield, upgraded stereo, bag & tour pak liners, battery tender, saddlebag guard rail bags, and probably a few other things I can't think of at the moment, all for $19,500. Poor guy had just had his artificial shoulder replaced and his riding days were over. I'm really sorry for him but so very happy I was the one to get his like new bike.
GO FOR THE RUSHMORE!
Yeah, would be a no brainer for me. I would take a Rushmore over a pre-Rushmore even if I had to spend more for it. And I got into my '16 pretty easy. Sold my '13 with 29K miles on Craigslist for $14,500 and bought this '16 RGU with 9,997K miles AND SE Hi-Flow AC, V & H slipons, de-catted head pipe, V & H FP3 tuner, nice grips, extended brake pedal, better windshield, upgraded stereo, bag & tour pak liners, battery tender, saddlebag guard rail bags, and probably a few other things I can't think of at the moment, all for $19,500. Poor guy had just had his artificial shoulder replaced and his riding days were over. I'm really sorry for him but so very happy I was the one to get his like new bike.
GO FOR THE RUSHMORE!
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 3,520
Likes: 270
From: Wellsboro, PA
I had a 2011 Limited, and loved it. Great bike. Got hit by a car at slow speed in town, and I had put 60K miles on it, so I went with a 2016 Limited Ultra. Went with 16 because 17s were still pretty new, and I didn't want to be a guinea pig. HUGE difference. A nice improvement & upgrade from the 11. Nothing wrong with pre Rushmore, but Rushmore is just "different." A real nice "different." BUT, it's your money, not mine. Just some input here.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 2,046
Likes: 314
From: Denver CO
Get what you want. As stated, the Rushmore's have improvements. For me it was enough to push me on to a 2015, as opposed to the 2009 FLTR I was looking at.
Last edited by Kermie; Feb 21, 2019 at 12:48 AM.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 19,980
Likes: 6,107
From: Florida
I'd go pre-Rushmore. Just 1 more thing to go wrong, and the water cooling is not, IMHO, worth the extra complication. Just wait'll it starts pissing anti-freeze.
Air-cooled has worked for a long time.
Air-cooled has worked for a long time.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 22,999
Likes: 11,439
Rushmoore, long list of reason and no negative side other than you are going to pay a little more. Now if you are just buying a bar hopper and are not going to really ride it then a budget pre Rushmore might serve you well.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2011
Posts: 495
Likes: 69
From: naples fl.
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Elite HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2014
Posts: 4,214
Likes: 661
From: Prior Lake, MN
I live on the edge. I'm a biker. I don't need no warning stickers, and I know exactly where to put the gas cap when filling up, and I also know the right oil and filter.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 1,916
Likes: 19
From: Sunshine State
FWIW I had an '06, '08, '12 and now have a '15 ...much prefer the Rushmore, also find it a bit easier to mod the bars & forks on the '15 RGS than previous scoots.
Last edited by vickon; Feb 21, 2019 at 09:23 AM.