Softails were designed for a cool look, with the hidden shock absorbers for that rigid look. Rider stretches out with forward mounted controls.

These hidden shocks do not regularly ride as smooth as vertical shocks. The rider position puts less weight on the legs, and more on the butt. The stretched out position also forces a more curved back.

The engine is mounted solid to the frame. Vibrations are transmitted directly to the frame, and from there to the rider. Counterbalancers are added to this engine to reduce the vibrations, but they also add weight, and absorbe some HP.

While the Softail is a pretty smooth ride, these design issues all add up to taking their toll on the rider over longer distances.

Advantages are a bit sharper throttle response, cool look, lower riding position and a bit less expense.

Touring bikes are designed from the git to provide a better long distance experience. The fairings are bigger and carry more instrumentation. They have cush drive drive trains to remove the engine driveline pulses. The engine is rubber mount which causes it to shake like crazy at idle, but smooth out like silk on the road.

Touring bikes have adjustable air shocks that can compensate for rider weight as well as riding double or carrying luggage. Their frames are stronger and have capability for fairings with radios and communication equipment. They are made to carry larger saddle bags and tourpak's to allow the rider to carry additional supplies for longer distance rides. They offer ABS braking and cruise control, both handy for hours of higher speed running.

Touring bikes are usually equipped with Harley's largest stock and optional engines, and currently come stock with oil cooler for longer engine life.

The touring position is designed for the rider to sit straight up, with the legs positioned to take some weight off your butt. The floorboards have vibration absorption built in, and allow the rider to shift positions slightly to find the most comfortable position.

Both these bikes usually are geared differently as the Softails are used more around town, and the touring bike romping up and down the hilly highways.

Both offer great riding experiences, but while Softails are still pretty good for occasional long distance rides, the touring bikes are certaintly the most comfortable.

 

I will add my opinion since I have had them both a '00 faboy tc88 and now a '07 RK custom TC96. I disagree with the people that said you can make a fatboy into a touring bike.

I am short so I really like the way you sit in a softail frame and it is a very comfortable riding position. but like mentioned before the softail TC B engine will start vibrating at higher speeds and that will make you feel like you just a 700lb high speed vibrator after 150 miles on the interstate. when you stop to get gas every hair on your arm will feel like it is giving you a little electrical charge. The road king vibrates like hell when you idle but as soon as you twist on the throttle it is smooth in fact when you are cruising it like sitting at a red light on the softail.
I had a mustang wide seat, windshield and different bars so I set my fatboy up to ride and I did some decent rides and I can tell you I can do it but I will feel better doing it on my road king custom with a stock seat.

The other thing that is weird and maybe it was just the bikes but I rode a 2011 SG 103 and a 2012 heritage 103 both completely stock (the SG with my wife 125lbs and the heritage with my daughter 70lbs) and the SG felt alot stronger than the heritage to the point where I was very disappointed with the B engine. I had not got my road king yet and the SG was the 1st touring bike I had rode but the heritage felt like a pig compared to the SG. It makes me wonder if your fatboy is tuned very well and the road king you rode is not tuned very well. I know there is a weight difference but the B engine loses some power for the counterbalancing.

edit: I completely agree with what uncle paul said.

 

The biggest problem with the softails is the lean angle. Look at harleys specs on lean angle between the softail and the touring bikes. I've got a touring bike and I've got three cousins that ride Harleys. Two of them touring and one softail. The softail just can't hang with us in the twisties. He's always scraping chrome when we're just cruizin.

 

Its all about riding geometry.....my softail rode no worse than my bagger....

 

Don't forget the better brakes on the tourers either, which you will need once your bike is loaded up.

 

Wish I would of gotten a touring bike..........

 

I just got rid of my 04 Fatboy for a 03 Electra Glide Standard. For the cost of all the things I needed to do to put Harley hard bags and a radio fairing on it I was able to get this for less and leave money for other upgrades. Now the wait for spring to put on some real miles.

 

Lets just put it this way.... I had a 10' fatboy lo and put 32K on it in a yeah and 10 months including round trip to Sturgis. About a month after I got home I traded in the fatboy for a 12' streetglide. There where many reasons for this but I dont see myself going back to long trips on a softail anytime soon after having a touring bike under me. just my $.02

 

Anyone who says a softail is anywhere near as comfortable as a touring bike is a bit delusional.

When I picked up this '13 SG I was actually debating on getting a '12 FBL with the 103. Rode both back to back a few times. There was simply no comparison. The SG was more comfortable in every way possible. Yeh, the FBL LOOKED great, but damn it was uncomfortable as all getout.

You could *try* to make a softail into a touring, but you'd just be throwing money away. You won't get the true comfort of the touring line with anything but a touring model.

If you want a faster/zippier feeling bike for short distance/around town/high profile rides, go with the softail. If you want all day comfort for longer rides you'll kick yourself if you go with anything but a touring bike.

Good luck whichever way you decide to go.

 

Since I currently own one of each I can tell you this with some certainty. The Touring line is set up for comfort and stability on long rides. They look good, but ride amazing. Long days on the road do not exhaust you. We regularly will do a two up 500-600 mile day and be just fine at the end of the day. There is no way we could do that on the Softail. I love my Night Train because it is light and easy in town, looks good and is much more fun in commuting traffic than the Ultra, but I would not head to the coast on it.