Giving Harley a Second Look....

I just spent 10 hours in the saddle over the last two days. That's it. I needs a bigger bike. Or a 25 year old ass. But none are interested!
Love to hear some comments on the Road Glide. It "looks" to be the best "mileage eater" they build. I still don't think I'm old enough for a 'Wing. And, in Canada, for me at least, they've priced themselves out of the game. At least I've found a couple of U.S. H-D dealers willing to play ball.

The Road Glide is a great bike. If you can swing a deal on an 09 there are some great deals being offered as the 2010s are on the way. In Canada the Harley dealers are offering up to $2500.00 in discounts on in stock bikes. The 09s had some very signifigant improvements including new frame , new exhaust , new wheels and tires. It is possible to get them with ABS which I have on mine and am quite impressed with. The options are in a huge catalouge . I have owned 8 Electra Glides but the Road Glides I have rented really impressed me. The Harley rentals have the top box which is huge.

Harley has great dealers that are readily available with a good warranty and an extended service plan for up to 7 years and unlimited mileage. In addition Harley Owners Group runs great events and has an excellent Fly and Ride program.

One of the most common comments about the road glide is the excellent handling for such a large bike. I am sure you will like the power and torque of the new 96 inch 6 speed. In the real world these bikes are giving 400 kms per tank or 250 miles. I would strongley recommend that you avoid the spoke wheels which cost more and add to maintainance issues with regular trueing required. Most Harleys come with a stock security system as well as cruise control. All new ones are fuel injected and after 08 have throttle by wire . Lots of good technolgy that seems to make big improvements.

As I said earlier the 09s have substantial improvements and are pretty well a signifigant year in the touring lineup. If you pull the trigger on one it will be years before anyone can wipe the grin off your face.

I suggest that you check the Harley site and look for demo rides. The bike will feel different with the frame mounted fairing . I personnally like the bike and am sure you will like the handling. There are many good things to like about this bike.

Coming from a HD Service Director who has a Harley and a 'wing in the garage:

Just like I would tell you to buy a Harley on the merits of the bike and not on the merits of whether or not you "fit" the "Harley image", so I would say the same about the wing.

Both of them are awesome bikes, built on different design philosophies to provide very comfortable yet very different riding experiences. Both are top quality, both are excellent choices.

Go ride some bikes and buy the one that works best for YOU.

Oh, and fuck image. Ride what makes you happy.

Oh, I have NO problem "fucking the image"
I've owned two H-Ds. An '02 FXD and a '05 1200C....haven't yet bought a toilet seat with "Harley Davidson" printed anywhere on it....I do have a couple of "T" shirts however. I know the 'wings are great bikes, but up here, they're just stupid $$$$$!!

+ 1 on what Milton said.

I would only add the suggestion that you ride both '09 and '10 models. There is a change in the transmission 5th gear which may make a difference to you.

The new platform handles really nicely and you can definitely chew up the miles on these bikes. Even the stock seats are fairly good. A Road Glide with a quick detachable King Tour Pak would be the hot set-up.

If you buy an '09, make sure it has a D408 front tire instead of a D407 and be aware there is an ECM update due out in mid-October to fix "pinging" issues some folks are having.

The stock compensator springs are a little "weak" on the '09's, but I fixed mine for about $200.00 and 4 hours of work. I don't know if they updated the '10's or not (Gregg?).

And BTW, these bikes run fine with the stock muffs, air cleaner and ECM, contrary to "popular opinion".

My two cents.

You don't have the toilet seat!?!? :ddog

Post a pic of yours please. I'm not sure mine is installed correctly.

thanks!

Could you summarize those two different riding experiences?

Thanks

My last HD was a Softail Standard and it was "cool" but not too practical for touring without bags. I was tempted once or twice to get a Electra Glide but in my late 30s I thought I was not old enough for an old man's bike. In 06 they came out with the Street Glide and I thought it was bad ass looking bagger so for my 40th B-Day I got an old man's bike.

Now 3.5 years later, the hell with cool factor I want function and as long as I own an HD it will be a touring bike with full faring and hard bags. I put a Corbin solo seat with backrest and a detachable tour pack on it and can ride all day. This past weekend we (me on my SG, wife on her 06 HD Deluxe, and buddy on an 07 R1200GSA) took off from South Carolina and made a mid altantic east coast ride up through the eastern shore of Virgina, Delaware and Maryland. We were back roads for 2 days and spent 10.5 and 11.5 hours in the saddle on Sat and Sun with no complaints. I've found the stock HD seats to be less than desirable but there are so many aftermarket options you certainly can find something to suit your needs.

Have never ridden a RG, but the guys on the HD sites claim they are the best handling bike in the touring lineup but some have had issues with wind buffetting, again nothing that can't be solved with an aftermarket shield.

The Wing gets a ton of praise as well but regardless of price, it's just to high tech for me. There must be 20 switches on those things. Gotta wait till I'm truly and old man before moving in that direction.

Part # for the Harley toilet seat please.

No idea, but I suspect the '09 compensator springs are the same as my '08. I'm told they can make a little noise/rattle at times, but I've never heard anything and I have stock exhaust on my bike.

As I said both are wonderful. The Honda is very smooth and quiet, excellent wind management, lots of power, very well balanced with a low center of gravity. I own it because it is built for a person my size (5'8" 160 Lbs, 30" inseam) keeps my feet closer to me, and doesn't have as much reach to the bars. I am partially permanently disabled and can't do distance touring with my legs extended out on floorboards, so the Honda setup fits me best. The biggest negatives are the gas mileage (mid - high 30's) and the clunky transmission. Aside from that is it a smooth, polished, refined, somewhat appliance-like ride. But still entertaining enough, and absolutely all day comfortable. My longest day on it so far has been 600 miles and I wasn't even tired.

The Road Glide is much more visceral and entertaining. The bike feels much more alive underneath you. It is definitely lighter than the Wing but doesn't carry as much weight as low as the wing does, so it feels close to the same in terms of low speed balance and weight. The transmission shifts much more solidly and the engine has all of the right rumbles, though it doesn't make nearly the power that the 6 cyl in the wing does. There is definitely more wind on this bike, you sit farther from the fairing, and it is built for someone bigger/taller than me. People closer to 6 feet tall and taller will probably find it to be much more comfortable than the wing due to the longer reach to the bars and footboards out in front, rather than the closer footpegs of the wing.

Both bikes handle well and stop well. The Wing has linked brakes, which could be a positive or a negative depending on riding environment and road conditions. I'm very happy with my Gold Wing ownership experience at this point, but I'm also glad I have a Harley in the garage. No one does Harley like Harley, though many try. In the end it really comes down to which one fits you better and provides the riding experience you want the most. And the only way to figure that out is to ride them. Or own one of each like me

Bueller:

Are there any substantial differences btwn the V-Rod Night Rod (which is knee weakeningly beautiful) and the V-Rod Muscle? Or are the differences just cosmetic?

Not that I am aware of, but interestingly their website shows 85 ft lbs of torque @7000 rpm for the night rod, and 86 ft llbs of torque at 6500 for the Muscle. I know they have used some different displacements and tunings over the years for minor performance differences, but I can't answer your question with 100% accuracy. I'll try to find out today.

After riding mostly standards and race replicas I can say that I am really enjoying my '07 Road Glide. It handles just fine and you can ride spirited or slow depending on your mood. I wish it was the '09 frame that I am hearing so much about but I'm happy enough. The wind buffeting is my only complaint and I haven't started experimenting with the shields to remedy it yet, although a short shield and a helmet seem to be the best for road trips as you get clean air straight to the face rather than slaps to both sides of the helmet that the stock shield allows.

I've ridden the 09 Street Glide, and was impressed with the handling for the size and weight of the bike. Brakes were pretty good too, and ABS is optional. The heat off the engine is substantial at lights, regardless of the throttle back thing that kills a cylinder or whatever.

Only thing that kept me from buying was the wind protection for a tall rider. The turbulence was unreal at freeway speeds....much more so than any BMW. Hard to know if the Road Glide would be better or worse. The screen is a lot farther in front of the rider than on the batwing bikes. I can see it going either way. As much as I like the styling of batwing bikes, I might be tempted to go with a Road King instead. Then if I didn't want the shield, I could take it off easily.

Another thing. I will be buying the bike in the States. Canadian price on the Road Glide is just shy of 24K. That's for the '09. There is a new '09 within a three hour ride from here (the Canadian dealer is 2+ hours anyway) for just 17K even! Even factoring in our 9% dollar difference, that's a six thousand dollar gap! For the 6K, I can take it the extra hour down the road if I have any warranty issues.
While I'm at it, a Gold Wing up here starts at 28K, and I can get one Sate side for 16K and change. Guess where I'll be buying a Wing, if I go that way.

FWIW, you can pick up windshields for the Batwing fairing from 4" to 16" in 2" increments from various sources. Fastaire.com sells shields that are as good as stock for under $40 in shades from clear to blacked out.

Putting on a taller shield will almost totally eliminate the turbulence.

My '08 Road Glide is one of the best bikes I have ever owned. Very comfortable all-day ride, and handling is great in accordance with what it is designed for. The '09/'10 models have significant and important upgrades over previous years and would be a good choice.