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I had a beautiful carbed 95 Road King. A friend owns it now. Still has the stock exhaust last time I saw it.
Ill take my current 2024 FLHP 6 speed M8 over the 95 5 speed. I run stock exhausts these says, or only slightly modified, versus the drag pipes I ran on a new 85 evo, so I dont get too worked up about how they sound anymore.
I had a beautiful carbed 95 Road King. A friend owns it now. Still has the stock exhaust last time I saw it.
Ill take my current 2024 FLHP 6 speed M8 over the 95 5 speed. I run stock exhausts these says, or only slightly modified, versus the drag pipes I ran on a new 85 evo, so I dont get too worked up about how they sound anymore.
They all sound different and you can make any of them as loud as you want if you are into that. Personally, I dont mind the sound of the eight-valve motor. All that air going in and the valves sound awesome!
The good year, this is a good question that I am currently facing.
My first love with Harley was a 95 carb Road King which I unfortunately didn't keep long enough and after 11 years I returned to the Road King on a 103 Rushmore with which I traveled 35k miles, then after two years on the Softails handlebars again, I realized the obvious: it's the Road King that I prefer and today I'm riding a 2024 RKS.
Which one I prefer or which one I would prefer, it's hard to say.
For me, what I like in the Road King is its simplicity, its authenticity and its iconic look, power and torque are not my main criteria as well as all the technology that I have today on the RKS, rain mode, RDRS, hill assist, coupled braking.
But I must say that this RKS 114 is very pleasant, the sensations are a little closer to the 103 Rushmore in terms of engine with more torque and more power. But I'm more of a calm and contemplative rider and like you I wonder if I need all that.
Despite all the pleasure of the M8 I find that it lacks a little character, this ability to ride at low revs and this swaying sound. So I'm wondering too and I wonder if I wouldn't take an older model and I think that an 88 TC with carburetor from 99 to 2002 would please me, there were nice colors and you can find them cheaply and the price difference would be welcome after all.
But I'll have to try one again to find out, I'm really undecided at the moment.
But if for you it is the sound and the behavior of the engine which is the most important and if you are sure, it is an EVO that you need.
Last edited by Big Al 59; Jan 6, 2025 at 02:40 AM.
Frame wise, would say 2009 up, Hence touring frame bikes did not get the front and back tire on the same line until 2006, but frame update on the 2009 is that much better.
abs wise, would say one that did not come with to start with, since if you don't power bleed the brakes every two years or less (and have the scan tool to cycle the abs pump), just a matter of time before the abs unit rusts up.
And as for motor, carbed Evo since easy to wrench on and about as simple at it gets with hydraulic lifters. The twin cam motor when to chain drive cams with plastic belt tenner pads, and in regards to M8, yes makes way more power, but your dealing with water pumps and such isntead.
Note, on the power thing, touring frame bike over 135mph is white knuckle territory, so extra power will get you to that point faster, but still not something that you want to go over instead.
As for most iconic HD of all times, does not get better then this,
99-02 is timken bearing, also aroiund 2003-200-5 they went to cheaper crankshaft.
99-2006 you have the cam chain tensioners. But you can update. 20 year old bike you should probably replace gaskets and seals at some point anyways
1999 had the inner rear cam bearing issues that should get replaced. This was an issue into 2000. This should be addressed.
2008 is 6 gallon tank.
2009 new frame. I am not crazy about the new frame but many are
2014-2016 has the better saddle bag latches, which is a massive difference.
2002 is first year of delphi fuel injection and last year of timken bearing.
Now for 50 pages of everyone posting their Road King proselytizing their year as the best lol.
My 98
I only have like $6k in the entire bike now, I bought it with the stock 80” now it’s a 113” motor I bought on market place and rebuilt, Primo Revera Pro clutch w/variable pressure plate. Rebuilt 7 weight to 10 weight rear shocks, progressive heavy duty new seals front. New rear tire. Converted to 4 piston late model brakes, 2000i ignition, new exhaust and new tail lights with all new fluids and repacked barrings all for that money including the initial purchase. I’ve only had it a year and have put 20k miles on it.
The ever so controversial BULL. I was on the fence, but love it now. It’s polorizing and I often find groups of people standing around it debating it. It’s awesome.
Last edited by Rains2much; Jan 6, 2025 at 06:59 AM.
I have a 97 Evo RK that I Iove. Its been done-up with a Mikuni carb, Andrews cam, and Thunderheader exhaust. Its a reliable and fun bike and is my go-to road bike, but it is what it is.
It is inferior to my 2020 M8 107 softail for power and gas mileage. Both have been reliable bikes, and if I could put my 6-speed 107 M8 engine into my RK I would do it for the higher cruising speed and better fuel economy.
My M8 has V&H slip-ones, and I think it sounds great, but it does not have the classic H-D lope of my Evo or my Shovelhead. I dont think you will get that sound out of the M8, but they can sound great. My friend has a 117 M8 with a Thunderheader and it sounds great. If you are hung-up on the sound of the motor, a TC or an M8 is not going to sound like an Evo or a Shovelhead, etc., but exhaust and cams will make them sound awesome.
I rode a 24 RG from L.A. to S.F. and back, and that bike was great, and objectively was the best bike Ive ridden. I was really interested in it after all the hype about the 2024 touring bikes. However, for my own subjective likes and aesthetics about motorcycles, as good as the new bikes are, they are too tech-laden for what I personally like in a motorcycle. As stupid as it sounds, I prefer my Evo RK for touring, as slow and under powered as it is, with no ride modes, no throttle-by-wire, no ABS, no traction control, no navigation, etc., etc. I have that bike sorted out to where I like it, I know it well and I can carry everything on it that I want on it for camping and touring. Its an old bike and Im an old fart, so we get along.
I have found that parts for Evos and older bikes are available, some stuff still from H-D and some from aftermarket. The dealerships wont touch it, though.
Objectively speaking, probably the newer the bike the better. The 6-speed M8s are pretty good bikes.
My 2017 is also my first Harley which I bought new. When I test rode varying models at the dealership it included a 2016 Road Glide and it was a no brainer that the M8 was miles ahead of the TC motor. But since I came from riding metric sport bikes for 40 years that may be why I preferred the smoother 107 engine. I ordered it without ABS or alarm to make it as "simple" a bike as I could. I have 27k on it now and I'm still blown away at how good this bike is and have no plans to modify it beyond the seat, windscreen and other comfort related stuff.The suspension seems adequate enough and with the cost of shocks and fork cartridges I have a hard time justifying a couple grand to improve it.
Whatever you do, don't get a 2001 model. They got crappy fuel injection, swingarms that crack and chain tensioners that fail and destroy the motor. Just kidding. I've been lucky with the FI, fixed/reinforced the swingarm and changed out cam tensioners. Also has 95" big bore kit. It's my favorite bike to ride 3 hour trips or less alone. If you want one to take on long trips or ride 2 up a lot, get a later twin cam or M8. But for tooling around, early twin cam is fine, EVO even cooler.
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