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.
thing is I'm 26 and I'm afraid I'm going to miss the "look" of the softail....Im really torn.
I went through this same thing when I traded my softail. What I finally did was go for the road king so I could strip off the shield back luggage rest and make it look like a fatboy on steroids. The only problem IMO with the fairing bikes is you do not have that option. The RK can being a tourer with all the goodies including speakers and be turned into a old school look in minutes.
When the GF and I go away on weekend getaways, the bike is set up as a geezer glide to get to the hotel \cabin. Once we get there everything is stripped off and the bike looks like a boulevard cruiser and the have fun cruising with the wind in our hair.
My father in law actually has a 04 road king with the 88ci and 5spd. I have only road it one time to some stock car races in ohio and honestly dont care if i ever get back on it, no offence to road king owners but that bike is weak as water...guess im used to 96ci, 6spd and FI....
My father in law actually has a 04 road king with the 88ci and 5spd. I have only road it one time to some stock car races in ohio and honestly dont care if i ever get back on it, no offence to road king owners but that bike is weak as water...guess im used to 96ci, 6spd and FI....
Road King is the same as a Street Glide with the exception of a lowered suspension and plastic parts. The touring bikes are basically the same animals as far as frame and power, its just cosmetics. My RK has a 96ci, 6spd with FI. cruise control and security.
I'll take the ride of a touring bike over the looks of a softail anyday. Have a Deuce sitting back in the corner of the garage and please dont ask how many miles a year I put on it.
I'll take the ride of a touring bike over the looks of a softail anyday. Have a Deuce sitting back in the corner of the garage and please dont ask how many miles a year I put on it.
That is the real issue! nothing beats the ride of a touring bike no matter what version you buy. What it comes down to is the cosmetics. As I said, the bikes are basically all the same with frames and motors, what is the "look" you are after? I like the softtail "look" with the ride of a touring bike, so the RK fits my needs, this is what you need to decide. Test drive them all (and not an 04, but the new ones) and then decide. My problem with the SG (beside the fairing) is that I scraped a lot on corners because of the lowered suspension and shorter shocks, it depends on how you ride. The EG, RK, and RG to me were a better ride to me because of this.
I have a deal worked out right now to trade my 07 softail custom for a 2011 vivid black street glide. Should i do it???? And is the power pack really worth the extra money????
I just traded in my 08 Custom for a road king. Even though I've only been able to put a 100 miles on it since I picked it up because of work and the weather... I couldn't be happier. The comfort of the ride out-weighs all of the positives that come with the Custom. I'm sure you're thinking about the same things that I thought about in regards to getting rid of the Custom..... but believe me you won't be disappointed in moving up to a touring model.
I'm a few (many) years older than you, but I would say do it. I have a softail and a SG, but if I could only keep one, it would be the street glide. It doesn't look as cool or as bad as my fatboy, but it is more comfortable and handles better......in town and on the road.
and honestly dont care if i ever get back on it, no offence to road king owners but that bike is weak as water...guess im used to 96ci, 6spd and FI....
As was mentioned, if you don't like the road king, you probably won't like the SG either. Same basic design. The power pack will help for sure. But honestly, I don't feel a dime's worth of difference between an 88" and a 96".
The glides are some-what harder and much more expensive to customize than a softail that's for sure..A lot of plastic..fairing side-panels, rear panels, etc.
Never the less, they ride so much better, or at least the new-er ones do.
I bought an 09 SG, and wanted to keep my 99 Fxstc that I had right at $20 K in, and did for a while but after riding the 09 I knew that I would hardly ever/rather seldom ride the 99, so it was sold to another who could appreciate it for what it was.
As was mentioned, if you don't like the road king, you probably won't like the SG either. Same basic design. The power pack will help for sure. But honestly, I don't feel a dime's worth of difference between an 88" and a 96".
Shakey
So if what your saying is the case then i wont feel a difference between the 96 and the 103 power pack...?
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.