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I went with the classic for several reasons...
1. I like the laced wheels and they're not that hard to keep clean.
2. I like the cruise control
3. I did not like the WWW tires so I went with black wall.
4. I liked the tank badge better than the label badge that was on the standards at the time.
5. I like the retro look as compared to the standard.
I went with the standard because I liked the hard bags better. I swapped out to laced wheels with wide whitewalls because I had an overall vision of going for the early Electra Glide look.
Both bikes look great and there are infinite possiblities with both. You can't go wrong.
Thank You all for your input. Think I am going to have to have the dealer put both side by side and see which one does it for me. Fun choice to be making!
Personally I love the Classic styling, and mine (2002) is fantastic, that said I have considered buying (in fact I'm looking) hard bags for road trips. The advantages of hard bags are they're easier to clean, hold more, and are easier to open and close. More importantly they can be locked, which stock classic bags cant. That said I think the classic bags have the following advantages, they can be over stuffed and still close, they take abuse better, and they're easy enough to clean up. The reason you see them on ebay though is that they are easier to steal, not having a lock, all someone has to do is open them up, pull the pins and bingo 300 bucks minimum on ebay. Mine have my address glued to the bottom so that if someone steals them, the new buyer can contact me if they are honest enough to do so. If everybody did that, the thefts would stop!
Chics like leather more than fiberglass,,,,,,,,,
You can put more "stuff" in the leather bags when you bought too much at the grocery store
Cruise control......you really do want it
Put a Standard next to a Classic........you will choose a Classic
Personally I like the hard bags of the standard but you also have to think of future plans if you are wanting the classic look with no major plans as far as paint then the classic hands down but if your thinking about customizing your paint you have to consider the standard because of the options of carrying your paint scheme on through the bags but all in all go with your gut because what makes the bike world so great is everyones own interpretation of cool!
As many have said, I was also faced with the same choice.
I went with the classic, simply because they had it in stock
HOWEVER, if there's ONE thing that would make me get a standard....it's the tubeless tires.
Ask me why I feel this way
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