Road Glide......Batwings make ya feel claustrophobic
Best touring model for a tall guy
Road Warrior
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 1,552
Likes: 81
From: Largo, FL
Definitely go ride them and see which one is a better starting point for you. I'm only 5-10 and could use a bit more leg room. My floorboards could be a couple inches forward. I added highway pegs and they helped a lot. I can at least stretch out a bit now.
Between handle bars, floorboards, extended foot controls, and seats, you'll be able to get any touring bike to fit you.
Between handle bars, floorboards, extended foot controls, and seats, you'll be able to get any touring bike to fit you.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 2,022
Likes: 60
From: Greer, South Carolina
All Touring bikes basically start out as a Road King. Then they add fairing, lower fairing and tour-pak and a sound system. So get what you like according to how you travel. If you do a lot of 2-up travel, then an Electra Glide or Road Glide Ultra may work best for you. I travel solo and like the open feeling of no fairing and no big box hanging off the back end, so I have a Road King. Not that a Road King can't be a good 2-up bike, just saying the Electra Glide or Road Glide Ultra would probably be more comfortable for the lady. And as someone already said, test ride all of them. Good luck in your search.
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 1,391
Likes: 351
From: MO
I just bought a 2014 Road King and traded in an '11 Street Glide. It may seem odd, but the SG seemed more spacious. The SG had Wild Ones 575 bars, which spaced my hands farther apart than the stock bars on the RK. The windshield on the batwing must be further from the driver vs the shield on the RK. But I think the thing that made the SG seem more spacious the most was having the instruments in the fairing rather than down on the tank. I don't what trick that plays on the mind, but it worked on me.
As noted, ride them all and see what you think. I don't care about a stereo, so I appreciate the better handling of the RK without all the extra weight in front, up high.
As noted, ride them all and see what you think. I don't care about a stereo, so I appreciate the better handling of the RK without all the extra weight in front, up high.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 9,586
Likes: 7,969
From: Long Island, New York
The basic setup is the same for all of them, as said before they all start out as Road Kings. I have ridden all of them and I find the Road Glide to "feel" more spacious. The fairing is far away. Also when getting on the bike, with a bat wing or RK I always feel like I am going to bump my head on the windshield. For my $$$$ I would look at the RG.
But then you will still need to mess with seats, bars and boards. But that is going to be the same on all of them. Good luck.
But then you will still need to mess with seats, bars and boards. But that is going to be the same on all of them. Good luck.
Ultimate HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 7,439
Likes: 884
From: 'Noke, VA
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I don't care for the looks of them. But the Victory Cross Country Tour is a lot roomier then an Ultra. I test rode one and liked the handling and room. I really felt cramped when I got back on my 12 Limited. Just couldn't get over the look. Ended up trading my 12 Limited for a 14 Limited.
