I've got a Superglide for general riding and a BMW 1150RT for touring. Thinking about selling them both and getting one of the HD baggers with fairing.(Street Glide, Electra Glide or Road Glide)

A few questions:

Does the fairing eliminate helmet buffeting?? I have tried everything to get rid of it with the Super glide but the only thing that works is taking off the windshield, but then it's hang on for dear life over 60 mph.

Can you stand up on the floorboards? I'm an old guy and get stiff. On the Beemer , I can stand on the pegs every so often to stretch out and it really helps.

Can you really hear that radio at highway speeds of is it a waste of money??

Also would be interested in any thoughts on the merits/disadvantages of the above models. I plan to rent one for a day before I decide

Thanks Guys

 

YOU CAN DEFINITELY HEAR THE STEREO. NO REAL BUFFETING FROM THE FAIRING ALTHOUGH IT DOES TEND TO BE A LITTLE UNSTABLE ABOVE 85MPH.YOU CAN STAND UP ON THE FLOORBOARDS.GET AN ULTRA WITH ALL THE TOYS.

 

I second Mack. However, you might like the RoadGlide better. I've owned maybe 6 BMW's along with the same number of HD. I'd say the closest thing I had to your RT was my R100RT and my K1100LT.......both frame-mounted fairing bikes as the RoadGlide. Ride 'em all and decide for yourself......all have merits and differences. RoadGlide handles better in the twisties (no weight on front forks) and parking lot manuevers. Ultra comes with CB, lowers, tourpak....and a higher center of gravity. StreetGlide is lowered, rides a little firmer, ElectraGlide Standard is the base unit.....made for adding a lot of stuff to.
Don't get in a hurry! Study. Look at the pictures posted on this forum and do some searches......ask questions. You'll like the Heavyweight, Fat tired bikes better than the Dyna for touring.
Good hunting!

 

Hey Jim , here's a few thoughts.
Just bought an Electra Glide Standard , last bike was a Buell Lightning XB12S.
I am 5ft 9inch and with a stock windshield (12inch),I get helmet buffeting if I ride alone, none with my wife on the back.
Must be that the wife completes the airflow and the buffeting moves to behind her when she is onboard.
I got the standard because it's one of the best deals (value)IMHO in the entire line , and because it has none of the extras that I didn't want anyway.
I like the fact that it is lighter than the other electra glides and I can add what I want later,and the power to weight ratio is a little better for 2 up riding.
I would have bought a Road Glide if they offered a stripped model like mine, I believe it would handle better than the Electra Glide and the price may have been easier to sell my bride on.
I'm sure you could hear the radio on this bike (if it had one) the road noise and bike noise is very nice with the stock pipes at nearly any speed I have gone..
My wife and I can talk back and forth (with full face helmets) up to 60 mph, I havent tried at faster speeds.
I also got the carb version (I'm an auto mechanic) so I could tune it as I want easily.
Depends on what you want and need in a bike, they're all pretty nice and they're all Harleys.
Test drive them all and keep us posted on your progress.
...Mick

 

Not sure how tall you are. I am 6'1" and the Road Glide gives me the most leg room. First bike I have ever been on that I don't need to put forward extensions on. The Street Glide has a great look and ride BUT not the leg room I was needing. Just my input.

Like mentioned earlier. Ride as many as you can, before you buy. You'll like some things about one bike and some other things about another. Get the one that gives you most of what you're looking for.

I spent time looking at lots of bikes in the gallery area on this site and HD site. Sat on and test drove 3 of them before I bought.

Good luck

 

I have an 03 Road Glide that I added a Laminar Lip onto the shield (aftermarket 10" shield) and that the airflow is great now. The lip seems to break up the air prior to getting to me so that there is not any buffeting, I still have some wind but its dispersed enough as to not have much effect.

For touring "ride" I think nothing beats the Road Glide. I had an Ultra and prefer the stableness of the Road Glide at higher speeds. It also seems to be much more resistant to wind than my Ultra was. When on the Ultra I heard all of the hype about Road Glide and had to check it out-glad I did.

For touring "amenities" the ultra is a good value particularly if you ride a lot of two up since it comes with the tour pak, rear speakers and communication. I have added the tour pak, but not rear speakers. The communication add-on if using Harley stuff adds up fast when getting all of the components.

Good luck with your decision.

 

Depends. With the stock windshield the wind just barely came in contact with the top of my helmet. With the lower (5") windshield, there is more buffeting.

I've never tried to stand up on the boards. If you weigh as much as me, you might want to avoid that, but probably be fine regardless. Plus, instead of standing, you can put some highway pegs on the engine guard. I move my legs back and forth quite often and it stretches my legs and gets the circulation going.

I can hear my radio up to about 85mph with no problems. Now, with a helmet (since it sounds like you wear one), that might be different, so headphones might be in order.

 

Even if you're an old guy, a Streetglide will make ya feel young. Does it well....in COOL style!

 

Here is my nod for the Ultra...

I got mine back in May, I now have 3000 miles on her and I have loved every one of them.

I am 6' 2", have the standard windshield and no buffeting problems.

I can stand up on the boards, but I prefer to set the cruise control and stretch out on my highway pegs.

Stereo sounds great at speed, but better through a J&M headset.

To be honest; in the strictest since your RT will blow the doors off the Ultra from a straight knee dragging touring perspective. Howeve, the Ultra is way more comfortable. Besides I like seeing the scenery more than just the yellow line.

I have experienced none of the "batwing" instability issues some riders have. Mine is as smooth as butter all the way up to 110mph.

If you want to put in a 500 or 1000 mile day, I can think of no better way to do it than on an Ultra

 

If you're fairly tall, the buffeting will be determined by how tall your windshield is.

I changed windshields 3 times and still not sure if I like it yet. I can still ride with a ball cap on without it blowing off.

Ultra Classic, the only way to ride.