Great thread Terry! I left work yesterday after reading your comment on the other Road Glide thread and thought: Hey, when I get to work tomorrow, I'm gonna start a 'Give Us Your Opinion On Road Glides' thread.

At my local dealership last summer, I had the sales manager and his top salesman both trying to convince me that their preferred fairing was the better choice. Even though both of these gentlemen had been riding for 30+ years they had come to different conclusions: Manager, 'The batwing is the only way to go'; Salesman, 'The sharknose is the only way to go'. The fact that two such experienced riders can have an opposite stand on this just goes to show you that it all boils down to personal preference.

I currently have an '06 Street Glide but I am certain that when it comes to trade or sell, the RG will be a serious consideration. I test drove one last year and I could not believe how stable it was on the Interstate...and parking lot maneuvers were a breeze! I am looking forward to the comments that this thread generates and would especially like to read how the folks feel about the difference in wind protection between the RG's fairing and the batwings.

 

Terry,

I will be coming on your side of the family also. I rode my buddy RG and I really enjoy the way the bike handles. The wife gave me the OK to get the new 07 RG when they arrive at the HD dealership. The only thing this will be her bike so she get to pick out the color. I beg the HD Gods please do not make a Pink Bike in 07[sm=boohoo.gif]

 

The owner of one of the two dealers I frequent has an 06 Roadglide with one of the "Jims" 120 ci motors in it. He is a firm RG person. Last year he had an 05 RG with a 117 ci 2038 cc motor in it. He let me take it out on the interstate and I burried the speedo way past 120 mph. He had a wind deflector like mine on it so I was laying on the tank and holding on to my sunglasses with my left hand. That's right, I was going at least 130 mph riding with only my right hand. The bike was like a bullet with no wobble at all. It was cutting through the air like a jet. The most stable ride I've ever had. I've had my glide over 120 several times with the same results. Don't worry guys, I don't ride like this all the time but when you get on a big inch motor you just gotta let it out of the pasture. The last thing I heard from my dealer when I was pulling out of the lot on his 30+ thousand bike was "Ride It Like You Stole It."

 

I've had two... a 1982 RoadGlide & a 2000 SERG. The SERG was one of my
all time favorite Harley's. The orange & black is the only way to go.

Taken at Norwalk Raceway Park a few years ago.. Notice the Cop Seat!!

 

I guess I'm wierd, because I chose the RG for the looks, I just thought it looked awesome with the shark nose fairing, and dual headlights. But I'm not a traditionalist, I just liked the looks. I just put some mini apes on my bike, with a solo seat, and now the bike really fits me perfect, and it looks cool too!

 

I'm glad this thread got started. I would vote for a Road Glide sub-forum under Touring Models. Since I ordered my 06 RG last October I've been perusing the forum hunting down any topic related to RG. I bought my first bike two years ago -- a Sportster XL1200C and absolutely love it. However, I'll be retiring this year and have been thinking about a cross country trip to Oregon to visit daughter and grandkids. My buddy at work who has far more years motorcycling than I got me to thinking more about function over form - particularly if I really want to do some touring.

I had not considered the RG a remote possibility for all of the same reasons that have been expressed here. I test drove all of the baggers at the York Open House last fall except for the RG. It wasn't until got home and test drove one at my local dealer that I got hooked. I took a long wide curve a pretty good speed and thought to myself - man this bike feels like it's on rails! That did it for me. And since then I have come to actually like the looks of it. I guess beauty really is in the eyes of the beholder. I'd like to see some RG pics from the RG owners here and what mods you've done.

BTW, the sales manger at my dealer (who owns a RG) commented about the fairing being different on the newer models - that it looked better. Is there a difference in the shape or how it's integrated from earlier years? I can't tell.

 

I posted this in the other RGlide thread so it is a duplicate.

I really like all the Glides but when it came time to pull out the check book I got serious and took some demo rides. I had ridden several Eglides over the years but never bought one. I kept riding my Sturgis and pretending it was a touring bike with add on windshield, saddlebags and seat. One good highway ride on the RoadGlide on a windy day was all it took. I always thought the faring was butt ugly with the dual headlights but I can't see that end when I'm in the seat. I really like the protection the faring provides and how all the guages are out far enough in front that I can read them without taking my eyes off the road for too long. The Eglides "dash" is just too much in my face for comfort. The ride is great and I have racked up a lot of miles since I bought the Rglide a year and a half ago. I get absolutely no wiggle in the bike from passing vehicles on the highway. All the Eglides I have ridden did a little dance when an 18 wheeler goes by in the opposite direction. Not scary but noticeable. I ride the Rglide all the time now, in fact I don't hardly ride the Sturgis anymore even on short rides around town.

During 2002 while I was in Sturgis for the Black Hills rally I talked to a lot of Rglide riders. Almost all of them had moved over from Eglides and wouldn't go back. I took note and decided to look hard at one when the time was right for me to get a real road bike. I was laid off from my job in early 2003 so a new bike that year was out of the question the old Sturgis kept me out on two wheels between job interviews. I took a job later that year that had me working in Iraq through 2004 and my 2nd day back home with a pocket full of money I went to the local dealer to by a RG. I was turned off to the silver engine and wheels and the racing stripe on the faring that draws your eyes to the butt ugly dual headlights. So I looked for a used 2003 and found a low mileage beauty that was loaded to the hilt with goodies. No regrets ever since. I love the bike and have even grown fond of the dual headlights. I sure like how well I can see the road ahead at night! When I finally do get another bike it will be another RG as long as the MoCo goes back to the black engine and dumps that faring stripe. ROADGLIDES RULE!

 

Harley changed the angle of the fairing in '04 or '05. I haven't heard that any other changes were made but maybe someone here could chime in if I'm wrong.

 

Solorider,

Your right, They changed it for the 04 models. It tapers back a little more than the earlier models unless you have an 04 and 03 sitting side by side you really don't notice it.

 

Al,

I love your bike. You just don't see many of the orange, black and white SE Roadglides. I love mine and can't see ever getting rid of it.