Street Glide vs. Electra Glide Classic

[alii1959]

I bought an '04 Road King Classic in May. I have nearly 6k miles on it since. Daily commuter. Have done some touring and day trips. Great mile eater....especially without the windshield. I use the windshield in cooler weather. I have done 400+ mile days and felt good at the end. I have spent hours in the saddle without any real discomfort. While mine doesn't have the updated frame she still hustles quite nicely. This big girl can really dance if you aren't afraid to sharpen a couple of floor boards.

I never thought I would be on a Harley...but here I am and I am enjoying the crap out of this bike. Coming off of a sport bike I was afraid it wouldn't be able to motivate enough to excite me. If you allow yourself to change the way you ride and recognize the limitations of the design you can really surprise some people. If treated properly the brakes can be two fingered, the handling is nice, and the comfort amazing. The aftermarket is unreal. Anything you ever dreamt of doing just costs money!

I would never have believed that such a large motorcycle could be so much fun.

[EricD10563]

Originally Posted by skysailor

While we're at it. The Road King? Comments? Tourability vs. the other two?
Lyle

Just traded in my 09 Road King with 62k miles for the Electra Glide Ultra Limited, the RK was a great bike and I had zero complaints when touring. I loved the looks of the RK, it's versatility being able to take the windshield off or on, I had a Tour-Pak and other goodies it was what I though the most comfortable bike I ever owned. Well the EG is more comfortable and offers better protection from the elements (no wind buffeting), radio, cb, intercom, trunk; it's also heavier and not as versatile. The RK might be the best tourer that HD makes, but you'll have to put money into it to get the comfort of the EG. With the RK you can add a Batwing fairing, radio, Tour-Pak and make it all quick release and you have a great around town bike. I wouldn't have traded mine in but after 62k miles I wanted trade it in while it still had some value.

From this:


To this


Most of the difference in weight is up high and you can feel the difference. If I had to ride on dirt or gravel roads often I'd prefer the Road King,. also noticed that headwinds and crosswinds are more noticeable on the EG, none of these characteristics are a problem just pointing out what I feel are different between the two.

[sarhog]

I'll echo many of the previous comments. I had a an ElectraGlide Standard, which I sold to buy an 06 ElectraGlide Classic. After riding it a couple years, I bought the "detachable" kit for the trunk, a 6" windshield, and a StreetGlide seat and center tank panel off EBay. Then I could convert from Classic to "pseudo-StreetGlide in just a few minutes.
Good luck.

[BCC]

Its kinda neat seeing how many guys here that ride, ride Harley. After all the years I poo-pooed the whole lifestyle thing, I'm really getting into the bikes.

I still gear up, though

[PMC]

Originally Posted by BCC

Its kinda neat seeing how many guys here that ride, ride Harley. After all the years I poo-pooed the whole lifestyle thing, I'm really getting into the bikes.

I still gear up, though

Ditto
The guys I tour with have gotten used to my Aerostich and actually get a little peeved that I just hang out while they're doing the raingear dance under an overpass when it starts to rain. I just smile

Great bikes, I've done some big days on mine and wouldn't want to do them back to back to back on anything else.

Really bummed I don't have a big trip planned this next summer... really need to do something about that.

[Cakeeater]

Originally Posted by skysailor

Okay, I may cross over to the dark side. I've owned a couple of H-D's, and really liked them. Want to do a little more touring, and I'm old enough for some comfort.
These bikes are pretty close in price.
My usual mission (other than to Starbucks) would include 5-600 kilometre days. Usually, I'm lightly loaded (the bike, not the rider) and one up.
Or, should I just save 8K and throw a windshield and bags on a Super Glide Custom?
Lyle

I'd vote for the electra glide. All about suspension travel on the back. Even on the 'standard' HD touring bikes the rear suspension is prob. the weakest link. Slamming it another inch seems silly. I've got a Road Glide Ultra and love it...and I would not want to lose any rear wheel travel.

So if you swap out longer shocks, the street glide would work fine. But I'd do the E Glide.

As to 600 k. days??? Those are pretty short. :) You might want to bump up to 1000 k days, or 1600 k days.

I'll echo what others have said. I was shocked by how nicely the newer HD touring bikes eat up serious miles. I'm not obsessive about chewing up miles but I already got a 1,000 mile plus day under my belt in the first year, and I got up the next morning and rode another long day. Easy. Either is a great bike.

Cakeeater

[DynaSport]

Or maybe I'd get this.

http://www.harley-davidson.com/en_US...html#!overview

[Shastarider]

What is this talk about "old mans bike"?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FRIz0Y61rIk&feature=plcp

[DynaSport]

The EG Classic, as great a bike as it may be, with the chrome fender protector and bag guards looks like an old man bike to me, whether they have great low speed handling or not.

Just my opinion.

[twinrider]

Originally Posted by skysailor

While we're at it. The Road King? Comments? Tourability vs. the other two?
Lyle

The short suspension on the touring bikes already compromises cornering clearance and ride quality, I'd rule out the 1"-lower Street Glide on that criteria alone.

When I was buying, I was torn between the RK and the Electra Glide Classic because where I am they cost nearly the same and the EGC is great bang for the buck. But I went with my heart and got the RK. For touring, the only thing it lacks compared to the EGC is the tour-pak and stereo. The batwing is a toss-up. It gives a bit better wind protection for your arms and hands but you're stuck with it even on the hottest summer days. The RK's large stock windshield still gives very good protection and there are loads of aftermarket options for larger windshields, hand guards and detachable batwings with stereos (I use my android and a Sena SM-10).

I added a detachable tour-pak and fairing lowers to my RK, as well as HD's Sun-Ray seat, which is the heated version of the seat that comes on the Ultra. It makes a great two-up tourer. For solo touring, the saddlebags and a seat bag or sissybar bag would more than suffice if you are a light packer.

Town mode


Touring mode

[anotherguy]

Being a 30 year Harley tech and owner I've probably more Harley miles than most. Hell I've probably got more miles on other people's bikes than most IMO buy the Road King and dress it accordingly. The most versatile touring platform package of all.

[Dave in Wi]

Originally Posted by twinrider

When I was buying, I was torn between the RK and the Electra Glide Classic because where I am they cost nearly the same and the EGC is great bang for the buck. But I went with my heart and got the RK. For touring, the only thing it lacks compared to the EGC is the tour-pak and stereo. The batwing is a toss-up. It gives a bit better wind protection for your arms and hands but you're stuck with it even on the hottest summer days. The RK's large stock windshield still gives very good protection and there are loads of aftermarket options for larger windshields, hand guards and detachable batwings with stereos (I use my android and a Sena SM-10).

Touring mode

Do you wear a full face helmet, and do you get buffeting behind the RK shield?

[EricD10563]

Originally Posted by Dave in Wi

Do you wear a full face helmet, and do you get buffeting behind the RK shield?

I wear a FF and I got buffeting with the shield, even tried two different shields, the last one had a curve on the top which created less buffeting, both shields allowed me to look over it easily. The E-Glide I have no buffeting it's the stock shield but it's really hard for me to look over it and I might purchase a lower shield and maybe I will get buffeted and if I had a taller shield on the RK I might not have had any buffeting. Also I can hear the radio at 80+mph on the glide, but the RK with earbuds it could be hard to hear. I think some of the turbulence is coming from below on the RK compared to the Glide. I have lowers like Twinrider but didn't on the RK I wonder if that also makes a difference?

[DynaSport]

Lowers definitely make a difference. Even on the EG.

[ERD]

Disclaimer: My 09 ElectraGlide Classic and 08 StreetGlide

I own and operate a fleet to these:

ElectraGlides are the best value for the money. They cost about the same as a StreetGlide and have most everything needed for a touring without some of the (IMHO) useless options on the Ultra and the Limited.

With that said, I really prefer the StreetGlide. Maybe I'm a purist and dislike all the pinstriping, guards, and trim pieces. It also comes with different floor boards, shifter, and 18: front wheel. It handles better due to the lower center of gravity. I put ElectraGlide seats on the StreetGlide on long rides. I also have tour box (TourPak) on quick detach so I can have the luggage space when needed. The only drawback on the StreetGlide is the low ground clearance at corning limits and the low windshield.