Road Glide Fittment Question

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Jun 18, 2009 | 07:05 AM

ddwyer

Thread Starter

Tourer

Joined: Feb 2007

Posts: 484

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From: Oviedo, FL

Road Glide Fittment Question

My wife has the 09 Screamin' Eagle Road Glide, and is really not liking the bike. This is good and bad news. The good news is that if she keeps hating it, I'm going to take it from her. The bad news - is that she doesn't feel comfortable to ride, and its a real chore to get her out. We're making a long trip this weekend from Florida to Pennslyvania and back, which I'm hoping will get her to change her mind. She used to ride a Street Glide, and loved that bike. She just doesn't feel like she can handle the Road Glide as well.

I know there are some differences in handling characteristics with the shark nose, but I don't really feel that its that big of a difference when I ride. My wife is 5'8", and she says she feels like she's always reaching to turn the bike at low speeds, and doesn't feel like she's in control. I've already tried tweaking the handle bar position for her, and now I'm thinking about changing her seat to something that pushes her closer to the tank. However, maybe the handle bars need to be swapped - not sure.

She loves the look of the bike, but I'm having a hard time trying to diagnose why she doesn't feel like she's in control.

Any suggestions?

Jun 18, 2009 | 07:23 AM

tlr

Cruiser

Joined: Nov 2007

Posts: 138

Likes: 2

i have ridden both and I can see why she would be more comfortable. The bars and the fairing are closer to the rider. I am 5 9" and the bars are good for me, but barely so. There are many bar and seat options. Wild 1 makes some very nice bars that have much more pullback and there are lots of seats options that would sit her closer and a bit higher

Jun 18, 2009 | 08:33 AM

05Fatty

Road Master

Joined: Nov 2005

Posts: 1,058

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From: Minneapolis, MN

I have ridden and owned both. Very true statement about the SG fairing being closer, that is probably the biggest difference. All in all it sounds like a seat that moves her forward and some different bars should do the trick. In reality the steering should feel lighter (it does for me) than the SG since the fairing is not attached to the trees.

Jun 18, 2009 | 08:41 AM

EasternSP

Seasoned HDF Member

Joined: Jun 2006

Posts: 30,881

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From: King George, VA

Has she attended one of the advanced rider training courses? Also, you might take a look at the Ride Like a Pro series of DVDs.

Jun 18, 2009 | 08:42 AM

BM83

Tourer

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 258

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From: north central missouri

A seat rebuild may do the trick and still keep the SE seat cover. May be worth a call to mean city cycles.

Jun 18, 2009 | 08:59 AM

bullseye

Road Captain

Joined: Apr 2006

Posts: 574

Likes: 1

From: Tennessee

One other suggestion would be the Heritage handle bars. They are just different enough to make a difference and you don't have to change any of the cables.

Jun 18, 2009 | 09:10 AM

Harleypingman

Extreme HDF Member

Joined: Apr 2006

Posts: 10,449

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From: Roswell, GA

Well, you can measure her position on the SE RG and an SG and see what, if any, differences there are and address them. If she's mostly unhappy with slow speed operation on the RG, she's probably not comfortable with the visuals (the fairing doesn't move as it does on the SG), or the feel through the handlebars/bike balance.

I ride RG's every month leading demo day rides at my local HD store and am never really comfortable (compared to my EG) at really slow speeds on the RG. I'm sure I would quickly acclimate to the RG if it was my every day bike, but it would take some time to get used to the fixed fairing visually, and the different handlebar feel/bike balance.