The Road King's Future?

[Piston Broke]

Anyone have 'year by year' sales figures for the model. Are they dropping?

The R-King is a great benchmark motorcycle. The new bags are good. The only improvement I could think of is if it could be made to look equally good without them on it. A sort of reverse 'Convertible'.

Pick up an old Shovelhead style Batwing fairing and you've got an instant Street Glide too (listen to a radio via a helmet always seemed dumb for me, especially as I prefer to use earplugs for long distance).

I'm in the middle of welding a set of Shovelhead Batwing fairing brackets to a passing light bar so it's a one piece 'take-off/put-on' unit.

The E-Glide probably does look more balanced if you need a large Tour-Pak. If I was carrying that much "Potty mouth", I'd probably go for a single wheel trailer instead.

[JW113]

I don't mean to dis fairings, just saying they're not for me. Biggest reason, I don't need one where I live. "Bad weather" here is when it dips into the 50s. Bugs? Nope. For the long haul trips I bungee the sleeping bag to the bars, knocks the wind off the chest and no buffeting.

I recall all the issues people had with high speed wobbles and E-Glides. HD did a lot to the frame & stuff to reduce that, not sure they completely eliminated it though. I always attributed the problem to the fork mounted fairing, the added weight on the forks, and especially the tour pack. My Road King never had a problem with high speed wobble, and don't recall anybody else with RKs complaining about it either. A little wallowy sometimes in high speed sweepers if the road was not glass smooth, but what you expect for a rubber mounted swing arm? Never felt unstable or unsafe though.


-JW

[Eglider05]

I have done a few suspension mods over the years (Bagger Brace, shocks, fork springs) and have had this bike to 120 mph+ and it's always felt stable. My thing is as I get older I feel the extra weight just picking it up off the side stand, add the tour pak and my wife and I really feel it. I ran it for a few years without any radio and then last year I put in a great stereo, speakers, amp and seldom use it, doubt if I would even miss it. I did notice the extra weight the sound system added.

Rick

[jmorton10]

I have done a few suspension mods over the years (Bagger Brace, shocks, fork springs) and have had this bike to 120 mph+ and it's always felt stable. My thing is as I get older I feel the extra weight just picking it up off the side stand, add the tour pak and my wife and I really feel it. I ran it for a few years without any radio and then last year I put in a great stereo, speakers, amp and seldom use it, doubt if I would even miss it. I did notice the extra weight the sound system added.

I added the Bagger Brace, Progressive Monotubes & Ohlin #6 rear shocks to my 2007.  Since I am a towering 5'6" (with about a 29" inseam) I really needed to lower it to feel secure on it LOL.  Between the monotubes & the shocks the thing rides & handles super.

I also noticed the extra weight on my 2004 RK when I added a Dragonfly fairing and stereo AMPS/speakers.  I was in the stereo business for almost 10 years & we did competition grade car stereo installs etc. (we where the #1 Rockford Fosgate dealer in the nation one year).  I went all out on a stereo for that RK (which sounded phenomenal with 3 AMPS) & then hardly ever used it.  I was pretty shocked when I realized how freakin loud a bike stereo has to be to hear it at 60+ MPH.

When I slowed down from highway speeds, the stereo was at absolutely earsplitting/hearing impairing volume.  At that point, I simply started using a set of Ultimate Ears sound blocking earbuds & my phablet phone tuned to Sirius radio/Iheart radio or MP3's from my 200 gig mini CF card.  That sounds better anyway than a stereo fighting against wind/road noise etc.

~John

[Piston Broke]

I was pretty shocked when I realized how freakin loud a bike stereo has to be to hear it at 60+ MPH.

Letter of complaints from the neighbourhood coyotes as you cross the desert ... at least if they were forward facing "Ride of the Valkyrie" style they might frighten the deer and moose away. But that does not seem to work either.

I'm envious of the new handles/latches on the saddlebags but I still think they could have made more use of the spaces around the wheel to increase capacity lower down. I know it's a style thing for them to have pizza box skinny side bags and so they won't change it because it's "heritage" and they buyers like the same, year in year out, but I'd be ready for a reworking of the rear end to offer more storage space and make it look more unified.

Apart from better suspension perhaps, it's hard to know how it could be improved.

They don't do a "Low" model like the Electra Glides?

That'd be the obvious next one and pick up a few sales everywhere from the Far East to women riders too.

[PoorUB]

I'm curious how much weight the fairing, Kenwood radio, BT amp and speakers add to a Eglide. Any guesses?

What is the weight difference between a Road King and a Street Glide. That should give a fairly close answer.

[SixShooter14]

I'm curious how much weight the fairing, Kenwood radio, BT amp and speakers add to a Eglide. Any guesses?

What is the weight difference between a Road King and a Street Glide. That should give a fairly close answer.

How about that? for 2016's

[Hossamania]

Funny, that chart says the RoadKing weighs more than the StreetGlide.

I can tell you that the front end is much heavier on my Ultra than it is on my RoadKing. Heavier steering on the Ultra.

[SixShooter14]

Funny, that chart says the RoadKing weighs more than the StreetGlide.

I can tell you that the front end is much heavier on my Ultra than it is on my RoadKing. Heavier steering on the Ultra.

I thought it was weird too...

check out the "compare bikes" on the HD site...kinda interesting.

[jmorton10]

It seems like that must be a misprint.

I can't see any way that an RK is heavier than a SG (& I have owned both)

~John

[Eglider05]

Funny, that chart says the RoadKing weighs more than the StreetGlide.

Doesn't make sense, it has to be a misprint.

[oldhippie]

I remember sitting on a then brand new 1994 Road King in Pomona valley Harley.   I told my wife Harley just came out with the perfect motorcycle.   


Harleypartscheap.com

I actually had started Collecting parts to build a road king type bike when Harley came out with the '94 RK. Wife put a down payment on one. Great bike!

[Jaystn62]

The difference in weight between the newer model RK and SG is in the rear. The RK has much more real metal compared to the SG. I was curious about this as well when I was comparing the two so I started asking around. But it's not a misprint.

[The Beave]

I think I  will keep my Road King forever, it is nimble , quick and great for those overniters.
One great bike for many different rides.]

[Hossamania]

The difference in weight between the newer model RK and SG is in the rear. The RK has much more real metal compared to the SG. I was curious about this as well when I was comparing the two so I started asking around. But it's not a misprint.

That's why the RoadKing steers lighter than the StreetGlide.

[SixShooter14]

The difference in weight between the newer model RK and SG is in the rear. The RK has much more real metal compared to the SG. I was curious about this as well when I was comparing the two so I started asking around. But it's not a misprint.

That's why the RoadKing steers lighter than the StreetGlide.

It's got a heavier @$$

Not having that fairing and Crap probably lowers the CG some too.

[boooby1744]

The difference in weight between the newer model RK and SG is in the rear. The RK has much more real metal compared to the SG. I was curious about this as well when I was comparing the two so I started asking around. But it's not a misprint.

Took off the floorbaords and replaced em with the plain fat rubber pegs,a little over 8 pounds less.

[Eglider05]

The difference in weight between the newer model RK and SG is in the rear. The RK has much more real metal compared to the SG.

Where in the rear?

[Ratfade]

I'm glad to hear all this good talk about the RK. I also think it has the look of what a motorcycle should be. I may just check one out this weekend.
BTW, for anyone that has a new(er) one, is the engine heat okay without doing any tuning mods? I've test ridden them, and they seemed fine, but I didn't ride for very long.

[Clayster]

The difference in weight between the newer model RK and SG is in the rear. The RK has much more real metal compared to the SG. I was curious about this as well when I was comparing the two so I started asking around. But it's not a misprint.

I doubt the more weight in the rear theory.  A check of part numbers on Ronnie's shows the swing arm, rear frame, main frame, fork brackets and fork assemblies to be the same between the 2.  The RK has a 10 spoke cast wheel while the SG has a 5 spoke cast wheel.  Don't know the weight difference.  The RK does have the metal headlight nacelle and passing lamps and removable windshield versus the SG fairing with gauges,stereo and speakers.  Don't know the weight differences there either. 

[roadking96]

Still really like my RoadKing. The classic Harley look. Handles great. Easily set up for bar hopping or long distance touring. When it came out, I was totally drawn to it, styled after the classic original FLH. The sales may not be quite as strong as the StreetGlide right now, but it is not going away. I like my Ultra, but it is not quite as versatile as the RK.
Maybe there weren't any at the dealer because they were all sold.

Exactly - I've never owned a bike with a fairing but I imagine it makes servicing and some repairs that much more of a job.  I like the simplicity- long .live the king

[lickidysplit]

somebody better splain the heavier in the ass thing. I just don't get it. Now I aint no rocket scientist but I know my glide has to be heavier in the front. That headlight bucket on my king is not as heavy as it looks, yeah I know some people thinks its a boat anchor

[Piston Broke]

May be they merely mean all the protector bars the Ultra has?

Otherwise, I don't see it.

(But those old Airstrike wheels weigh a ton ...).

[fleetmechanic]

The 2015 Police Sales brochure shows the running weight of the two models with the Fairing version being 4 lbs. heavier.
As one who rides both models all the time I think the difference is that the RK seems more nimble because of the open feel of the front end when turning, especially in tight spaces.

[boooby1744]

So has pegs and no front light bar and spots. The rear light bar is much smaller and a slightly lighter seat