Quick question.....what is the...
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Tourer
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 268
Likes: 0
From: West Liberty, Oh
Yea, I plan on waiting til fall or winter to pick one up. I figured there would be a lot of people trading/selling theirs to get a new one. For right now just trying to learn much as I can about the touring bikes. I have ridden an older Ultra. Now need to ride some others to get a feel on how they handle and such. Leaning towards an 09 Road Glide and up.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 5,189
Likes: 787
From: Kansas City, Missouri
To me the 08's and down have a much cushier ride but the handling isn't as responsive. They can suffer from bagger wobble or getting a shake or shimmy in the middle or coming out of a curve. Its not as bad as on the old bat wing bikes. I understand a Brace solves most of the problem. The 09's and up ride stiffer and handle better. The bigger tires and stiffer frame help a bunch.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 20,616
Likes: 4,440
From: anacoco, la
the reason some will say that the 09 down has a cushier ride is that in 2010, they called it the rg custom and gave it the same short shocks as a street glide (12inch vs 13inch) you can reclaim that cushy ride just by switching out shocks.
true also, that if you got an 09, you can change out the fairing mounts and headlights to the 2010 up style. but you can find take off shocks for much less than you can find the fairing mounts and headlights.
Road Warrior
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 1,384
Likes: 3
From: California
Most here will tell you that the '09 and later bikes ride and handle better then pre-'09. I had a '02, '03 and an '06 before my current '10 and truthfully, my '06 was the best of all of them, '09 and newer chassis upgrades included.
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 310
Likes: 1
From: Arizona
Someone correct me if I'm wrong but I believe the 11' 12' and 13's only came in 103. So you are limited to 09' and 10' for the 96 motor.
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Grand HDF Member
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 4,999
Likes: 55
From: Bay Area
I have an 07 and love it, of course it is nowhere the same as a 96" with a 6 speed. Now its got a 124 hp. What I dont like about the new ones is the weak wheel bearings, IDS is a weak link and I dont care for the TBW. If you mainly do highway riding any 96 or 103 with a six speed will work for what you want to do, if you feel its too tall in the gearing go with a 30 or 31 tooth sprocket.
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