I've got a 2017 Road Glide Special. Ive done a few things to customize it for me. But nothing that can't be swapped. Last fall I bought a 2001 wide glide, and wow. Night and day. The WG feels like riding a bicycle compared to the RG. Which makes sense of course.

So it's got me thinking of how large the RG really is. Thinking of swapping it for a Road King. I realize they are the same frame and engine. But losing the fairing does shave a few lbs. I had a Road King before the Glide but I lit a fairing on it. Thinking of dropping back to a King with maybe a windshield.

Any thoughts? I know I'll get more wind without the fairing. But will a newer Rushmore king be more nimble than a RG? Or am I just kidding myself? Perhaps I should just sell the RG and ride the heck out of the WG!

Thx.

 

I went from a Street Glide to a Road King and it seemed to me that there was a lot of difference in the way the bike felt even though the weight isn't that much different. You're shedding the weight of the fairing and its mounts - I don't know how much the RG fairing and mounts weigh but losing the SG's fairing and mounts moved the bike's center of gravity lower, which made the bike feel lighter and more nimble to me. My RK came with the factory windshield but it was just a little breezier than I liked so a Memphis Shades setup replaced it. That fairing doesn't weigh any more than the windshield but gives my hands some coverage and that's enough. I kept the windshield just in case I ever want to swap back.

 

Road Glides weigh around 20 lbs more and that extra weight is all high in the fairing resulting in that heavy feeling.
Road Kings and Street Glides are almost the same weight with the RK being only a couple lbs less. Do you want the radio and GPS then the SG is your answer. Test ride a 24 or 25 SG and you'll be surprised at how light they feel. Between the weight reduction and reduction location the lightness of the new SGs is very noticeable.

 

My first Harley Davidson motorcycle was a 2003 FXDWG Wide Glide.

I still have it, and I still enjoy riding it for the reasons you mentioned.

My wife calls it, "My little Schwinn Scrambler."

Although I have two Road Glides that are totally built out, I couldn't even think of getting rid of it!

 

Yeah, i thought about the tunes. I recently for a Cardo, which sounds decent and gives me tunes on the WG. So the need for a stereo on the bigger bike isn't there any more. I do have stereo enhancements, and the amplifier, and bigger speakers in the fairing as well, so my road glide might be 30 to 40 pounds heavier in the fairing. I didn't really think about a street glide being a possible solution. I am not looking at new bikes, however. Im thinking something in the 2020-21 range, where they got most of the early M8 issues worked out. (My 17 doesn't have them. It's stage 3 and runs great).

 

My 2017 RGS is totally built out with a FM124 Stage IV motor and Legend Suspension front and rear.

My wife and I love it and actually didn't need to buy 2024 CVO RG ST, but we did.

As it turns out, my son's 2012 CVO Street Glide is developing some reliability issues after years of hard riding and it's good to have a backup bagger in the family.

At this point I can't imagine separating with any of them.

My advice would be to keep them both the Road Glide and the Wide Glide, enjoy them both for what they are and be content.

The choice is yours!

 

I have a 23 Road King, and it is a lot easier to move around than a road glide, even though they weigh about the same. The road glide was also harder to get up off the kick stand for me.

 

That WG looks like mine. Wish I never sold it
I think you need to ask yourself whether you want a bagger. If you do, the RK will for sure feel more nimble than a RG but I'm not sure it is worth the switch and, after all, you do have the WG so the best of both worlds?

 

My King is a bit older in a 2013, but when I was deciding between an SG and the King, I went for the King for its nimbleness and versatility. I have all of the detachables, including a plain-Jane (no audio) batwing for a full-on touring.

If you decide on getting back into the King, but miss your RG, then the folks at Wide Open Customs has a detachable RG fairing for you here. I say go for it and get the detachable RG fairing for a "test-of-both-worlds" scenario. Better yet, get a batwing and RG fairings for a 3-bikes-in-one!

 

I have both. A 2013 Road King and a 2023 Road Glide. The Road King feels easier to move around in the garage, parking spaces, and slow speed maneuvers. I find myself choosing the RK for everyday trips and the RG for traveling distances. I have to admit that I'm considering selling the RG, but it so much fun to ride. I also have a Heritage Springer and between the three, the RG sits in the garage.