Was up fellas (and ladies),

I have made the decision to trade in my '12 Street Glide for a '13 Road King Classic. The biggest factor being that I am unable to eliminate the buffeting from the Street Glide. While I have tried different wind screens and seats, I am still unable to get it to go away. On the freeway at 75-80 mph, my eyeballs feel like they are going to fly out of my noggin.

I am planning on putting some apes on the RKC, just like I had on the SG. And of course some cool black and chrome accents and a loud exhaust!

Anyone here ever go from a SG to a RK or RKC? Just curious of any comments out there. Thanks in advance.

 

Sorry you could not fix the buffeting and have given up. While I am sure you have tried all the options, the biggest buffeting culprit I have found is the style of helmet. I have a harley 1/2 helmet that caused terrible buffeting on two different bikes I owned this year. On either bike, if I change to either of two other helmets I own or go without a helmet, no buffeting. On the chance that you have not tried a different helmet, it's worth a shot before taking the hit on the trade.

 

Thanks for the thoughts on the helmet. I have tried a few different helmets. The worst was a full face helmet. Very uncomfortable on the SG. My Ducati is great and has no problems. The buffeting was not as bad on my 1/2 helmet, but still not great. I prefer to always ride with some helmet though, instead of no helmet.

 

Yes, I had a Street Glide and now have a Road King. I liked the Street Glide, but I love the Road King. I'm on my 3rd Road King. Love the way they handle with no fairing and no tour-pak. I like to take the windshield off for short rides. So don't think you're weird because you're riding a Street Glide and now want a Road King.

 

You're...unusual.

Hope this does it for you, because you are surely taking a bath to do it. But if you have a Duc, maybe money probably isn't such a concern.

Having owned a Street Glide, a Road King and now an Ultra, I really don't think you'll notice much "buffeting" difference.

Apes could have made most of turbulence you felt. I'd try other bars before I gave up a '12 for a '13. Failing that, skip the apes on the Road King and go for a thicker pullback bar (Chubby's 508?) if you just have to do something. Apes make you into a sail, and you can catch wind like you're riding without a shield.

 

We have a King, an Ultra and a classic. The RK and classic with the fork deflectors are very close on wind in the face. No real buffeting problems. The Ultra has the most wind in the face. The Ultra has the fork baffle also.

 

Of my RK RG EG, The RG was the best with wind/buffeting, then the RK and the worst is my current EG. With all the wind gizmos added most of the buffeting is gone, but it's still there. I'm gonna live with it but I'll never get another batwing.

 

hmm, I think if you stick with apes you are using your arms to cause turbulence and take the full wind into the chest.

good luck.



probably the first 2 laws of motorcycling

it'll be windy

sit on a motor, it'll be hot


oh and #3; you will fall off



mike

 

I have never had a Street Glide, but I have ridden several. The big difference between the Electra Glide and the Street Glide as far as buffeting goes are the little air deflectors on the side of the bat wing. With those you can move air into the dead zone just behind the windscreen and adjust out the buffeting, or at least minimize it a lot. If you put them on the Street Glide, you may get rid of your problem.

 

I have to agree on helmet being a main culprit of buffeting on my RK, in my experience. I went from a 1/2 DOT harley helmet to a less DOT 1/2 helmet, made a world of difference!