In the late spring or early summer, I'll be traveling Route 66 from the start to finish, then up the PCH to San Francisco, then back to CHicago. Would I be better served by a Road King or an ElectraGlide?

 

How tall are you?

I ask because I’m 6’3” and tall in the torso. To get handlebars that fit me comfortably the grips are at, or above the batwing fairing.

To that end I like the Road King better.

Realize that the Road King standard, and I believe the Electra Glide standard, are both gone from new production, unless you buy used.

If you are tall and buying new? I’d seriously consider finding a dealer that will order a police Road King, or police Electra Glide for you.

 

They are both great bikes with the same bones but on a trip like that I'd prefer to be sitting behind the batwing fairing. Enjoy the ride.

 

6 foot even. I am looking for used, so there’s that.

 

I think you are not so tall that you can’t make anything work for you that’s on a touring frame. Maybe different handle bars or seat to fine tune it, but for traveling, I’d go with a batwing.

 

If you are comparing apples to apples, meaning comparing the same year Electra Glide to Road King, they will have the same Touring frame, same riding position, same engine family.... You won't be able to tell the difference between a Road King and an Electra Glide if both are outfitted the same. It's not like the ride & seating position differences between a Touring Frame, Softail Frame, and Dyna Frame....

The differences between them in OEM trims are the "Amenities"...

The Road King is basically a stripped down Electra Glide. So it is lighter, and probably feels more nimble... It also has less room for luggage, no radio, smaller windshield with less wind protection, no lowers, etc

The Electra Glide is basically a "loaded" (amount varies w/model) Road King. It will have a bat wing fairing which provides more wind (rain/cold) protection than the Road Glide windshield. Most Electra Glide Models have a Radio/GPS in the fairing. They can come with lower fairings for more wind (rain /cold) protection. They are also available with a tour pack behind the passenger seat which allows for a considerable increase in luggage carrying capabilities. Obviously, it will be heavier a bike with all the "amenities", which affects performance and handling (for older/smaller riders).

You can add just about anything to a Road King, that fits on an Electra Glide.

You can remove almost all the "amenities" from an Electra Glide to make it more like a Road King.

Be realistic what you will need and want for your specific use. Then buy the one that more closely fits that bill.

Be aware, it is usually cheaper to remove stuff from an Electra Glide than it is to add stuff to a Road King.

Good luck with your decision and enjoy your trip...!!

 

Street glide with a slightly taller windshield. I own a Electraglide classic and a RK. I tour with the classic and no tourpack.. The glide is nice because the fairing covers the hands some.. New street glides are nice because they have GPS. GPS is nice when getting through urban areas.

 

For me I like the gauges just under the windshield and the radio. Either way I use my Garmin GPS on the bars. Other than that it's a wash as long as both have cruise control.

 

You say you're going on a big road trip, but are you going to keep the bike afterwards or is it just for this occasion?
If it's only for this big trip, I would say the Electra for its carrying capacity, its comfort for riding two up, its protection and its GPS, but if it's to keep it afterwards, it's more a question of aesthetic preference and philosophy.
Personally I prefer the Road King for its versatility, its simplicity, I don't care about the radio and the on-board GPS and I like having the free view in front of me to fully enjoy the landscape and the road...

 

For a trip of that length, I would go with anything that had either a batwing or shark nose.....something to keep in mind if you get an Ultra Road Glide or Ultra Classic, you can always make the trunk a "detachable" with a fairly simple modification.......I've done this with my ultra years ago in order to make it a bit more like a street glide for around town use. Conversely, you can also add a detachable to a street glide as well......many options to think about and your general ride conditions (length of trip, environment, storage, etc.)

Although I've never owned a road glide ultra, I did ride one for a lot of miles around Tahoe and Sacramento, and the fixed frame fairing makes the ride much more enjoyable, especially in windy conditions......just my .02