hi folks -- i'm a newbie to the forum and to riding, so bear with me in case my incessant questions become annoying.

i have the opportunity to purchase a 2004 Road King Custom for a great price, and i'm strongly considering taking it. i like the old-school tough look of the bike -- it reminds me of the old bikes from the 50s.

i've been looking around the internet for some information and have run across some reviews and posts in other forums that complain about a couple of things that concern me.

the two main complaints that i've read are:
1) the bike is sometimes rough-riding on bumpy roads because it has been lowered & 2) the bike is uncomfortable and hard to steer because of the beach bar handle-bars.

does anyone who rides or has ridden a Custom find these to be true?

like i said - i really dig how the bike looks, but i don't want to buy it if it is hard to handle or if my wife will get all banged around while riding on less than perfect roads (which most are around here).

thanks in advance for any help!!

-G

 

Wrangle a ride on that bad boy and decide for yourself if it suits you.

Better shocks and different handlebars are easy fixes. Few people don't have some kind of issue with something when they buy a bike. That's why there's an aftermarket.

 

The Road King Custom is only .4" lower than the other 2 Road King models.This means it will have a couple of degrees less lean angle. Overall it should handle a bit better due to the lower center of gravity. I would say the individual owner is the person to judge which handlebar setup is best.
Tom

 

I'm far from an expert since I just bought a 05 Road King Custom in December and our wonderful Ohio weather only let me ride it about 50 miles. It is now sitting on the lift with the cover on it waiting patiently for spring.

I can tell you that in those 50 miles, it is alot more comfortable ride than my 01 Dyna Low Rider was.

As stated, try to test ride it and make sure you are comfy! Enjoy!

 

I strongly suggest a test ride, only one can decide how you like the bike. I test rode one and didnt find any issues with the ride, however i personally didn't like the beachbars made it feel like riding a wheelbarrow, but that is just me. Test ride one and decide for yourself.

 

The shocks are 12" vs the 13" on standard roadkings so yes you will feel the bumps a bit more. I ride 2 up most the time and am considering upgrading the shocks for better performance.

The beach bars for me are very comfortable and very easy to steer. this will be specifc to each rider as we are all built differently.....

In the end most everyoneschanges something on their bike sooner or later. Both of these are pretty easy mods if you feel then need to change.

Rent one or just head down to a dealer and sit on one for a while.....

good luck!

 

I have an 06 Custom. I am 6'5 or 6 and it fits me good. It handles good and never noticed a rough ride. I added a windshield, passing lamps and moved the turn signals to under the passing lamps. I also added Rinehart Eagle Beak slip on mufflers. I am very pleased with the bike.

 

I am fairly new to -- I have an 06 and enjoy the ride alot. Just be sure the air is right in the shocks for your riding (single vs double). I am 6"1 and have no problems with the handlebars. Everyone is different -- ride one and see what you like.

 

No problem at all. You will find that many of us like giving incessant answers. There's a veritable plethora of knowledge here, and that's no joke.

The suspension is the same as the SG, I think, with the low-profile rear shocks, which translates into less suspension travel. Yes, it is a bit firm in the rear, but it is a minor vice in a sea of virtue. What would be uncomfortable to one might not be to another. Can't comment on the beach bars as I haven't ridden this model. Can you test ride this bike?

 

I have an'05 RK Custom and love the ride. Shocks are an easy fix-just put some Progressives or other high end shocks on there. I didn't care for the stock hd air shocks.