Last night I test drove my first Harley, 2007 Road King Custom with a 96" and a 6 speed. The ride was awesome. The bike was planted stable. I loved everything except it felt under powered. Coming from riding a Hayabusa and Gixxer1k. I think I'm going to have to spend more money and get a larger motor. Am I the only one that feels the 96" is underpowered?

 

Well there are lots of opinions about the 96" motor but comparing it to both of those bikes is like saying the Vega wasnt as fast as the Vette... Its gonna be slower, feel underpowered and more but it was built for touring not speed IMO.

 

Kind of like going from the vette to a caddy. The caddy is a lot more comfortable for long rides, and has plenty of room and power to do anything you want to do with it, but no matter what you do, it will never be a vette.

 

Coming from a Hyabusa and GSXir, you'd feel underpowered on
most anything you rode !!!!
All depends on what you want out of your ride....

I rode a Valkyrie for 9 years before buying my '08 R/G....
Stock Valk was @ 94hp / 94tq ....

I no longer need rolling burnouts and 2nd gear wheelies....
I'm slowing down and enjoying the scenery from point A to point B....
"taking the long way home"

 

You can really wake up the 96

Put cams and a good dyno tune and it will be a different bike without breaking the bank

But a busa? Dude, it's time to rethink what you want in a bike

 

If you are going to try and make a Harley run like the Busa you are gonna be disappointed no matter how big a motor you get. Totally different, the both have two wheels and that's about where the comparison stops. I had crotch rockets for years myself and bought a Harley when it was time to slow down. Ironically, I never got hurt real bad on a bike until I bought a Harley.

 

I rode a FJR1300 for several years and was highly unimpressed with the 103 ci. on my FLHTK. But cruising down the road, laid back with tunes playing soon made me forget burning down the road with blue lights behind me.

 

Unless you plan to drag race - 96" will do speed limit(s) in all states. No need to hang w/the rice rockets anymore...

 

Riding a HD is not about how fast you can get there. It's more about chilling out and enjoying the sights along the way.

Plus have you ever been to a HD rally or show? HD people know how to party!

T

 

Lots of bikers here mod their motors for performance, he**, you can buy a Boss Hoss if horsepower is a concern, but, if the ride was "awesome" why screw around with it? Coming from a Busa everything would seem underpowered. My stock 09 RK will let you cruise down the highway, doing 80, 2 up in 6th, effortlessly. Keep the Busa for rocketing and get the King for cruising. Just my