Hey BigJ! I remember you from the Dyna forums when I had my FXD.

Telll ya what...I bought my RG on a Tues in Nov. Took a trip to Mex two days later on Thurs. Came home Sun. I felt so good, I mowed the yards and washed the bike and my truck that afternoon. On my FXD, I would have been beat to hell and looking for the couch. I say go for it. Later in life when you can then get two bikes...you will go back and get a Dyna for the stable. That's what I wish I could do.

Anyway, sorry, got off topic there.

I just got home an hour ago from a 440 mile 'day' ride today down south and I feel great. The 96 and 6spd do make a lot of difference. My '07 RG was a bike the dealer took out of their rental fleet and put on the floor to move the '08 bikes into their fleet. I picked it up with about 7k on it for a few thousand $off sticker. I had checked their fleet earlier and told them that when they were looking to do this, please give me a call. I could not beleive that they actualy called. So to answer your question, I would probably go for the newer bike, biger motor, better trans, etc.

That said, if you go with a '07 be prepared to install IDS. If you go with an '08 be prepared to wait on things like fuel management components/maps, aftermarket handlebars, and such. I do hear the brakes are an awsome upgrade on them though.

Also, don't close your eyes completely to the older bikes. There is something to be said about a paid off vehicle. My truck is paid and I'll probalby run it into the ground. I'm planning on keeping this current RG a long time. Also, like said, you may run accross a good deal with some motor work already done. Then you just slap a Baker 6spd (and maybe an HQ BB) on there and you are all set.

G'luck and welcome to the dark side!

 

I was just at one of the local dealers today goofin off and noticed that the used market's got some great deals happenin! My suggestion would be to buy what you can afford and avoid further debt for a year or two in age. I mentioned to my buddy while gazing how that if I were in the market today I'd be buyin used. 14k'l buy alot 'O bike if ya take yer time...

 

Take an '04 - '06 Road Glide and up-grade that Putt with a '95 Stage 2 & Baker 6-speed and you'll run rings around the Stock\Stage 1 - '07s & '08s...

Now having said that - There is NOTHIN' BETTER IN LIFE THEN GETTIN' A NEW PUTT!!!

 

WELL SAID!!!

 

If I was planning to do some real motor work I would look for a lightly used RG.
Negotiate a deal and use all that savings to build it the way you want it.
If you buy brand new and then start to build you may not have that extra cash to get the job done right.
I bought new but I'm not planning anything major right away.
I love the RG and and will be keeping it.
When it comes time for arebuild then I'llmake some upgrades to keep up with what's out there.
I don't ever see going back to any other ride.
I may own more than one bike someday but one of them will always be a Road Glide.

 

Ya.....don't buy one of these ugly a$$ bikes.[sm=signs003.gif]

 

You've got the right idea. As a matter of fact you can do better than that. I have my 06 listed for 14,600 on craigslist and now on ebay. It has 4500 miles.

The best part about buying slightly used is that initial depreciation has already been taken care of for you. You could pick up a bike like mine, drive it for a year and if you didn't like the Road Glide thing, sell it for nearly what you paid. If you buy a new one and decide you don't like it... well you already know what the used market is like.

 

I have a question for you road glide riders. Whats the difference between the fairing on a 2000 thru 2003 to a 2004 and up?

 

Not that much from a functional standpoint. I had a 99 and currently have an 05. The new config is more attractive and the new windscreen seems to give a little more wind protection. Apparently the actual change is a different mounting angle with the nose angled lower on the later models.

 

what year did they start the new Config on the fairing?