Thank you. I would like to stick around. I enjoy many of the off-topic threads and it's interesting to hear opinions from your side of the pond on issues that effect both of us. Increasingly I feel more commonality with ordinary Americans than I do with my own fractured country.
And I'm not down of the Harley brand. I love em. I wouldn't own the Rocket if I hadn't been a Harley owner previously.
I've bought a shed load of lotto tickets this week. If my numbers come up there'll be a stage 4 RKS ordered, in black, before the cheque clears, and probably a green card application going in so I can get the bloody parts without involving Boeing and import taxes....

 

I very much doubt if I'll ever go that far, though I will fit a decat exhaust and have it custom mapped to restore a 1:1 throttle and make it the bike Triumph would have built if the politicians would have let them, just as I was planning to do with my Harley.
I sold a KTM 1290 Superduke to buy the LRS and I still own a proddy race-tuned Ducati 1098 Streetfighter and a KTM 1190, so I definitely have the speed demon gene as well. I've never been attracted to track riding - though I'd like to track the Ducati, if ever tightening UK noise restrictions hadn't placed it out of bounds - but I am a fast road rider and I love ragging my tyres and turning them blue. But it's getting increasingly hard to do that on UK roads and I bought the Harley to provide a contrast to that tendency and add another dimension to my biking life that was missing. I wanted a bike that would let me enjoy where I was riding as much as what I was riding. The Harley did that in spades. It was just my back issue that killed the dream.
For me, the only close alternative to a properly sorted Harley was a Rocket 3 GT. It's a stage 4 big inch Harley out of the crate in a slightly different flavour, but about 8 grand cheaper and without the low seat softail ergos that my ruined body can't deal with. But I still want some Milwaukee iron in the garage. When I've got the Rocket fettled and replenished the finances a 1200 Sportster project bike is next on the list.

 

A used Road King police bike could be made into what you want, with the right ergo's, but they're probably nonexistent over there.
If I was serious about buying a new Harley right now, a police Road King is what I would look for.

 

No one buys a new motorcycles, and then thinks what can I do to make myself think it was a mistake. Sure

 

Someone else told me that - at the dealership, funnily enough. But I've never seen on over here.

 

Never a fan of low seat and forward controls.
When sitting in one, they immediately feel very comfortable.
The problem, for me, is that is "The Position"....Period.
Quickly becomes restrictive and confining.
You cannot even stand for a second to fart, or air-out the bottom end.

 

For me, back hips and knee issues resolved while riding this 2019 FLHTP with the police seat. I am 3 inches taller in the saddle, and have a comfortable position for 500+ miles days again.

 

Remember how they made a "Low" version of some touring models for a few years? I always wished they'd make a "High" version for us taller folk. But they were probably afraid of losing the signature Harley "slammed" look.

 

I think you and I have similar tastes. I have a KTM SMCR690 and a V4SP streetfighter. I totally understand the physical issues. I downgraded from a street glide to my FatBoy. I am so much lower to the ground and I can put both feet down at a light easily which is hard with my busted ankles.

I just have a tendency to like to screw around with my bikes and make them faster.

 

I did one last year, pretty cool bike

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/detai...ph-rocket.html

OP, grats on the new ride