What I'm trying to find out is will I be unhappy with a touring bike previous to 09? I've come off sportier bikes prior to my Deuce, and ride the **** out of it in the mountains.

I've heard the older framed bikes feel squirly at speeds in the twisties, so what i'm wanting to know is if it is that bad? Can it be fixed via aftermarket? Also what is the ground clearance like on the touring bikes?

I'm leaning towards the Road King, and have ridden several of them but have not been able to take one through the mountains.

I found a good deal on a 07 RK and i'm considering it.

I appreciate your input.

 

I have an 01 Road King and have no problem eating up the twisties. Granted the 09 and up have better frame designs but I would be more concerned with high speed curves on the interstates as I do tend to get some wobble in corners. May just be an adjustment I need to make but that is my take, which ain't worth a hill of beans....

 

20000 miles on a 07 King. No issues. I have ridden mine through the Canadian Rockies on at least 6 occasions. My riding buddies call me an aggressive rider. I honestly think it is a little bit overstated. With that said apparently the Missing Link etc., cure the frame flex referred to by some in high speed sweepers. I have felt the frame flex on a 98 King which had the same frame as an 07 so who knows. Rev

 

There will always been improvements in bikes as years go by. Its up to you to decide the
price vs the model year.... If you have the money... go with the Latest.... IF not, get what you can afford and be happy..... Thousands of satisfied biker with older Harleys....
me being one....................hdman

 

I traded up from a 03 Deuce to a 09 Ultra Classic. It has been my experience the UC is as easy to handle in the curves as the Deuce and in some cases better. As far as the frame difference between models prior to 09 I think there is a marked improvement both in ride and safety between the two. Obviously, there are thousands of riders who have had not any problem whatsoever with the older frames but the ones who have experience the dreaded wobble had a far difference outlook on the older frames. I think the older frames need constant attention for any adjustments and worn parts that may cause the wobble issue. So, the older frames, in my opinion, are fine provided one pays attention worn parts, tire pressure and regular maintenance ( which should be done with every other bike anyway). But for me, the newer 09 frame makes good sense both from safety standpoint as well as resale value. I mean think about it, in five years from now the 09 framed bikes will be more desirable than a 08 frame. Anyway, that's my take.

 

All the Touring models have rubber-mounted engines, including the very latest. What that actually means is the swingarm is mounted off the rear of the transmission case, so the rear wheel, engine/trans are rubber mounted. This is to isolate engine vibration from the rider and the rest of the bike. Rubber gives! The latest bikes have a better system, but their mounts will still give when riding hard.

All Buells have three stabilizer links, to support the mounts and keep the engine etc in line and those bikes handle extremely well. Unfortunately, although Erik Buell designed his system while employed by Harley, they never fitted all three, hence the 'missing link' Revblk mentioned. There are more 'solutions' out there than you can easily count, to improve handling, but IMHO True-Track have the best solution. They provide the missing rear stabilizer Harley have never fitted.

You can also fit Ohlins shocks and, before too long, Ohlins cartridge inserts, but cannot make a silk purse out of a sow's ear, so don't think in terms of chasing your sportbiker shadow!

 

Wait for it.....here they come.....

 

I'm on a 97' Road King, used for touring all the time, and no problems noted. Bought a 2005 Road Glide which is a very nice tourer as well.

 

It's really not a big deal. Harley "improved" the touring frame to facilitate bolting on a threewheeler rear section. It had nothing to do with fixing a handling problem. Some earlier tourers swing arms wiggle some don't. '02 and later had a better swing arm mounting system and a bigger axle. It's easy to fix one that wiggles. The tires were also changed on the '09 and later bikes and that also contributes to better handling. These bikes aren't road racers anyway. I have an '07 and have fun in the canyons in the Rocky Mountains on that bike. Personally, I think the advantages of the new frame are offset by that goofy electronic throttle. Cables give you instant throttle response, the wire feels like mush. The bikes with the new frame also feel fatter and I feel like I'm sitting bow legged on them.

Again my opinion, 2002 was the best year of a tourning bike ever made. They had the frame improvements of a stiffer swing arm, bigger axles and the motor had Timken tapered bearings in the low end. The '02 still needs to have the cam drive upgraded. Harley has steadily been cheapening these bikes since the '03 models came out. They are all still fun to ride and pretty trouble free compared to the bikes of thirty years ago, when that old frame was introduced.

 

Get a progressive swing-arm stabilizer and be done with it.