I've had both, like the RG better. I don't count gas mileage, just fill it up when it needs gas.

 

Here's my opinion...if you want to look like the typical middle aged wanna be tough harley guy with the bandana and the frowned up face and the handlebar mustache that you see in all the magazines, and you just wanna "fit in" get a batwing. If you want to stand out in the crowd and create a love it or hate it relationship and have a little coolness about you and just look a bit different, get a shark nose. I personally was always turned off by Harleys because of the the reasons i mentioned in the beginning of my post but the moment they came out with the Road Glide in Black Denim with the 103 I was sold. Thats just my 2 cents.

 

I wish we were. I started my career on a '92 FXRP, but HD hasn't manufactured a police bike with a fixed fairing since the FXDP back around 8-10 years ago. I've heard there a few RG police bikes out there, but they're custom jobs. HD only offers the police package in the Road King or Electra Glide.

I ride an '08 FLHTP daily, and have trained extensively in the cone courses over the years, both on Road Kings and for the past 4 years on the EG. The RK will turn tighter than an EG because of limits on the steering imposed by the batwing fairing. But I like the overall balance and feel of the EG better, and run the courses faster and smoother on the EG, which is an all around better platform for a police bike.

I traded an '04 EG Ultra for a '12 RGU, and can say without hesitation that the Road Glide is a superior bike in virtually every catagory. The handling at speed on the highway is smooth and rock solid. Crosswinds and vehicle wakes are of no account any longer. The RG just leans into the crosswind and directional control/stability is phenomenal compared to the EG, ditto for vehicle wakes. I had a chance to ride my buddy's '09 EG back to back with my RGU on a ride recently, and kept thinking "I put up with THIS for all those years and miles?" when on his EG. He, on the other hand, said that when it comes time to buy a new bike the RGU will be on his short list. I'm not dissing the Electra Glide, mind you. I love the classic design, and ride one for work. But the RGU is a graduate level motorcycle, an evolution of the EG that has surpassed the parent in many ways.

The fixed fairing has other advantages I've seen mentioned in other posts. The steering is lighter and the weight and balance of the RG is different than that of the EG. The bike is correspondingly more agile, and feels downright nimble in back to back comparisons. The differences are far more pronounced than you would believe possible, being that the EG and RG are built on the same frame with identical mechanicals. The protection afforded by the sharknose fairing is superior in many respects, even with the stock windshield. I smoke while riding, and find that I have to brush ashes off the tank if I don't take the trouble to flick them out into the windstream. Never had that problem with the EG. There is some buffeting around the ears, and the passenger gets more wind since they sit further back from the windshield than on the EG, but that is easily cured with a windshield such as a Cee Bailey Cee Glide or a Windvest. I hear LRS is coming out with a new windshield specifically for the RGU, so I'm holding off on that upgrade 'til I see what they've got.

The batwing fairing is good, as evidenced by its long production history with HD. But the sharknose is in another league altogether. If you do any amount of touring, you owe it to yourself to experience the RGU.

 

Well there we have it folks... it's all settled now. If you want people to bow down at your awesome coolness and kiss the pavement your wheels roll over... then get a Road Glide. Who'd a thunk.

 

There are a few departments riding metric police bikes, but you can probably count 'em on one hand. I even heard that Honda makes a-GAG-Goldwing police bike, but there isn't a Wing out there manufactured in the past decade I couldn't smoke in the cone courses. My '12 RGU would be nipping at a 'Wings heels through the twisties too, even with the Honda's advantage in HP.

Jacobharley3 really nails it in the last two sentences of his post. I couldn't have put it any better.

 

I'm guessing you don't get West of the Mississippi much. Pretty much all your major western cities are all running metrics these days. Mostly ST's and Beemers. A few are running the new Kawasakis and even some Victorys. Although I will concede that Harley is still the predominate bike for many departments. I spoke with the National Rep when he was here for our latest "cone competitions" and he said HD still has over 75% of the PD market share.

 

azzblcakbird, you average 18 posts a month since joing HDF, and now you poke your periscope up in the touring forum. You do nothing but flame on the Gen HD chat forum, and now you come over and start sh-t on what was, prior to your arrival, a spirited and interesting discussion in the touring forum.

Go draw yourself a big cup of STFU and go back to haunting some other forum.

'Bye

 

azzblackbird, since you're not a LE motor officer, confine your posts to something you actually know something about (although I can't imagine what that could possibly be!).

You haven't gone for that cup of STFU yet? Well, hurry. You're badly in need of one.

 

Dude, don't get all butt hurt just because I call BS on some of the crap you spew. If you want to keep talking out of your ***, that's fine by me. BTW... I happen to own a "touring" bike, so this is my bookmarked page, just so you know.

Now get busy and start scanning and posting all that so-called evidence you have, about how wearing a 1/2 helmet is way safer than wearing a full face helmet.

 

Never said that. Stop trying to hijack the thread. Go away.