Thinking about buying a RK Classic...
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 2,052
Likes: 6
From: North London, UK
I have a Road King Classic and am delighted with it. It's "all day comfortable" for both me and my woman (with a Sundowner), it carries a ton of stuff, has buckets of grunt (103" + Stage 1) and looks beautiful. I ride it every day to work and back in and out of central London.
The bags make no difference to the ride, but do hide the rear suspension - which was not designed to be looked it.
My only ****les are that the bags seem to attract dust and the spoked wheels are a bugger to clean, although Meguiars make a big wheel brush that does a really good job it.
Low speed handling is excellent for such a large bike, but it pays to be confident in your ability to stay in the friction zone.
The 'King is an excellent bike. I really couldn't be happier with it. An old man's bike? Absolutely not. It's a person with excellent taste in motorcycles bike.
The bags make no difference to the ride, but do hide the rear suspension - which was not designed to be looked it.
My only ****les are that the bags seem to attract dust and the spoked wheels are a bugger to clean, although Meguiars make a big wheel brush that does a really good job it.
Low speed handling is excellent for such a large bike, but it pays to be confident in your ability to stay in the friction zone.
The 'King is an excellent bike. I really couldn't be happier with it. An old man's bike? Absolutely not. It's a person with excellent taste in motorcycles bike.
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 362
Likes: 76
From: Minnesota
See, I think the RK/C is the only one of the tourings that doesn't look like an old man's bike since it doesn't have the fairing, big ol' seats, and tour pack on the rear.
Cruiser
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: Ann Arbor, MI
Let's be real. How many of you RK owners are 22? How many of you are young enough to even remember when you were 22?
Tourer
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 439
Likes: 1
From: Orange Co, California
Let's be real. How many of you RK owners are 22? How many of you are young enough to even remember when you were 22? As a happy 56 year old RKC owner I can't think of a bike I'd like any more...AT MY AGE! Yes it's an old man's bike. Buy something cool looking, like one of the "dark customs", while you're still young enough to ride it comfortably. You've got plenty of time to ride an "old man's bike" later.
Intermediate
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: Duluth, MN
I recently went to an HD dealer to sit on some bikes...well or try to as I just had knee surgery and couldn't get my leg around most of the bikes.
I went with a family friend who has been riding since he was 18 so he has over 35 years on an HD. He said that every style of bike will fit the different (obviously).
So I sat on: A Dyna Wide Glide, Softtail classic, Fatboy, and a Road King.
I didn't like the way my arms were while holding onto the bars of the showroom Softtails but found a good fit in the Dyna and RK. (I'm extremely picky, as I should be since I have to ride it)
He also recommended that since I'm a bigger guy (6'1, 235) that I need a bigger bike and that I look "out of place" on the smaller Dyna and that having a bike that fits you is extremely important for not only looks but comfort and safety.
This will be my first street bike. I've had many dirt bikes but can finally afford a "real" bike.
However, as much as I LOVED the RK and how I felt on it and how it'd fit my planned riding needs, could it be a little too much for a rookie rider?
Any advice, ideas, help on the RK would be much appreciated.
I went with a family friend who has been riding since he was 18 so he has over 35 years on an HD. He said that every style of bike will fit the different (obviously).
So I sat on: A Dyna Wide Glide, Softtail classic, Fatboy, and a Road King.
I didn't like the way my arms were while holding onto the bars of the showroom Softtails but found a good fit in the Dyna and RK. (I'm extremely picky, as I should be since I have to ride it)
He also recommended that since I'm a bigger guy (6'1, 235) that I need a bigger bike and that I look "out of place" on the smaller Dyna and that having a bike that fits you is extremely important for not only looks but comfort and safety.
This will be my first street bike. I've had many dirt bikes but can finally afford a "real" bike.
However, as much as I LOVED the RK and how I felt on it and how it'd fit my planned riding needs, could it be a little too much for a rookie rider?
Any advice, ideas, help on the RK would be much appreciated.
Club Member
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 4,526
Likes: 15,412
From: West of Texas
I got it from C&C custom seats. The base price for a black leatherseat with detachable back rest and no stitching was about $550. My seat is brown leather with maroon flame inserts(same on the backrest)and Malaga is the stitch color. My cost was $888. This seat sits about 1.5 inches lower and I really like the way it looks on the bike. It feels real good for about 200 miles, after that my butt feels like it's made of nothing but bone and have to put a pad on. Next time I take a long trip I plan on having a Road Zeppelin seat or maybe the stock seat.
They have a lot of seats to choose from, solo and two up.Here is a link to the page with the touring bike seats.
http://www.sideroadcycles.com/americ...ing_Seats.html
They have a lot of seats to choose from, solo and two up.Here is a link to the page with the touring bike seats.
http://www.sideroadcycles.com/americ...ing_Seats.html
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 9,384
Likes: 1,776
From: Central Texas
You got that right Nele22 you have a young mans bike. I am 52 and I hope mine says midle aged crazy as crazy can be
Last edited by 6 gun; Aug 31, 2011 at 06:26 PM.
Intermediate
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
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Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 362
Likes: 76
From: Minnesota
What are some things I should look for when "haggling" a dealership?
I've been chatting via email with a sales rep. I met when I looked at bikes last Saturday and he said he'd cover freight and set up ($780) and knock $250 off the price ($1,030 total savings) and the bike would cost $19,249. That's a 2011 with the 103.
However, my family friend I went with said that he got freight/set-up AND tax/title/license covered.
So do I take what the one dealer told me and tell the other dealership that they're willing to do that for me and hope they cover more costs?
Do I fib at all and maybe bring the $250 up to $350 or $450?
I've been chatting via email with a sales rep. I met when I looked at bikes last Saturday and he said he'd cover freight and set up ($780) and knock $250 off the price ($1,030 total savings) and the bike would cost $19,249. That's a 2011 with the 103.
However, my family friend I went with said that he got freight/set-up AND tax/title/license covered.
So do I take what the one dealer told me and tell the other dealership that they're willing to do that for me and hope they cover more costs?
Do I fib at all and maybe bring the $250 up to $350 or $450?