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.
It's just nice to have the extra's and not have to worry or plan which extra to put on next. I'm glad I went with the Ultra, and I have used all the extra's at one time or another. the lowers are great in the winter!
I picked the Classic, I did not care for the lights on the trunk, nor did I want the intercom, or the lower fairings. To me all the add ons on the Ultra I did not want or need. For me it would have been a waste of my money. If you don't need the extras on the Ultra like me just get the Classic I have absolutely no regrets.
I went thru the same thing in 05 and I bought the Classic but just traded her in for an 08 ultra last year. I didn't think I wanted the lowers but now that I have them I really do like em. The lowers and cruise control are what sold me on the Ultra plus I like the fender emblem better. LOL. :0) on the Ultra.
Either bike is good so you really can't go wrong.
They are both the best touring machines on the planet!
If you ride two up the Ultra is the way to go!
If you ride solo add another bag behind you and away you go!
I've had 1 Classic and 3 Ultras.---- Go with the Ultra. Most, again I say "MOST" buyers who don't, soon wish that they had. Just a lot more "bang" for the buck! Ya won't be sorry if ya do, and ya might be if ya don't.
I went with the classic, even though I do want an intercom, etc. ... this is a good option for those that are a bit handy at doing electrical work themselves ... if you want all the extras and are not handy about such things, then the Ultra is probably a good idea.
I moved the StarCom1 Advance system I had previously on a Victory and then Triumph, rather than go with the stock intercom, etc. If you don't want the rear speakers, lights, or hard lowers this is a very good option (I did not want any of them). A Classic with a StarCom (or similar system) gives you and intercom system and music to the head sets, allows you to input gps, etc. without being limited to the Harley specific systems. So I have the intercom, the HD stereo input into the headsets, mp3 player on the GPS, XM radio on the GPS, the GPS, cell phone hook up (that I rarely use) and the option to put in a two way radio if I ever decide to do so --- all at a fraction of the cost of the factory systems, and not tied to the factory made components for integration into the helmet headsets --- and I like the options of the Starcom as far as selecting how you want the system to work (e.g. choice to either mute music or not with the intercom). A much cheaper, and more flexible system than the Ultra for someone that can do their own work.
I got my Ultra because they did not have a Classic in Purple Haze. Just kidding. Got the Ultra because I got a good deal on it with a trade-in. Plus, I would not have been satisified knowing that I did not get a bike with all the bells and whistles. That's just me. Picky....but happy.
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.