When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
the locks will just slow a thief down - don't let the locks or lack thereof make up your mind. RK or RKC you can't go wrong - just be sure you get ABS and cruise on it!
and where you plan on going with it. When I had the RKC it was one hell of a looker. My only problem I had was if the bags were going to be there when I get back being they had the quick release system and really no way to lock them on. Yes they sell locks but if they want them they will take them and ruine the bags doing so. Get the RK and get the whitewalls put on there or even look at the SG
It's all about options. I can run without a windshield, with one, with a batwing or without, sissy bar, backrest, tourpak...I love being able to make the changes, but I'm beginning to see the dark side of the Ultra world. Just leave it all on and enjoy... Like riding, life's about choices. Good ones or bad, they all have their direct consequences. Good decisions, good consequences....Bad decisions, well you have the right to make em... Oh, go with the lockable hard saddlebags, you'll NEVER regret it. Use the leather ones for the run to the HD store for oil and filter...
+1 for the RKC, but either way I'm sure you'll be pleased. My leather bags are fairly good sized and hold more than hard bags do, and I don't find it difficult keeping them clean and looking good. I say that because I also had hard bags from an '03 EG and would swap them back and forth. The hard bags seem to get a lot of scratches, dings and chips in them, so don't let some of the comments here lead you to believe that they are a panacea. Yes they lock, but I personally haven't found that to be a significant issue in my area.
my leather bags hold my half hemet no problem...as far as looks...rkc is the nicer of the 2...who cares about locking bags anyways? i drove in moonsoon rains and the y never leaked either
Here is my 2 cents. Hard bags keep luggage safer. Cast wheels are lighter and tire changes are cheaper. A lowering kit will provide and ground difference between the two models.
Check my sig, my leather bags and tour-pak are for sale. However, they are not cheap. The tops were all redone in Italian Leather, and the insets are Genuine Buffalo, with sliver Conchos. Bags are really fine and quite differrent... I've already bought the hard bags and the hard tourpak, I like the looks much better on the leather, but I do a lot of riding back and forth to work and I need the rain protection and the locks. It comes with the hardware for the Tourpak detach installed. Anyone interested make me an offer I can't refuse.
I am in the process of researching and am planning to leave the metric world and get my first Harley soon.
I really like the looks of the RKC, especially with the leather bags, but also like the RC lockable, larger, and more weather proof bags for long hauls. I am considering getting the 09 RK, with cruise control and laced wheels, then picking up a set of RKC leather bags off ebay. That way I would have both sets of bags and according to the MSRP would still have less money in the bike.
I would value any comments or thoughts on that idea??
Thanks Kindly!
Sounds like you have given this a lot of thought. I agree wth your strategy, it sounds like a good plan. I will say this however if your main purpose in buying the RK versus the RK Classic is because of the locking bags, you should know there are locking kits available for the RK Classic saddlebags. Though they appear to be soft leather, they are in fact hard plastic bags with hinges which have leather skins. I ride an Ultra, but just like you I went through the same thought process when I was considering purchasing the same two bikes, before eventually deciding on the Ultra. I think I prefer the looks of the RK Classic, but enjoy the hard locking bags of the RK. On the other hand, if the locking kit for the RK Classic suits your needs, then that may be just the solution you are looking for.
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.