JAGOTR,

Make sure you check with your dealer about the trade program Harley is offering regarding trading your sporster in on a Vtwin. They will allow you full MSRP on you sportster if your dealer is signed into the program. If not find one who is.

 

+1 Demo both scooters and see what you fall for.....Good luck bro...both are schweeeet sleds. Hers a toast for you new scoot....best, D

 

Get you a RKC, pop the windshield, buy a good quality solo seat, add some fishtails, and you've got yourself one badass looking ride. Sometimes I really miss mine. (But not when I'm riding 300 miles behind a wind-cutting fairing and chilling to the tunes on the CD player.)

 

Back in 2005 when shopping for my first bike, I asked the same question you're asking here. I was interested in either a Fatboy or Heritage at the time and a couple of guys here (who have since become good friends) suggested that I take a look at the Road King (which I wasn't looking at at the time).

I"m glad I took their suggestion, and now believe that if I had purchased either of my first choices that I would have eventually ended trading up to a Touring frame bike.

If I can offer another viewpoint, its that it appears that on numbers alone, more riders here on the forum trade their Softails, Dyna's, V-rods and Sportsters FOR Touring bikes than trading the other way around. Personally, both are wonderful bikes but I think there's something to be said about that trend.

Good luck.

 

Duh... this is why they make the Heritage and passengers. The rider is happy and the passenger is catchin' all the air and suckin' in the 'bugs'. Course I may be a little bit prejudice... sweety agrees, I'm prejudice...

 

Both good bikes, so I doubt you can make a bad decision when deciding between these two.

The Heritage uses the TC"B" motor - counter balanced and solid mount to the frame. The RK uses the TC"A" motor, no counter balancing but rubber mounted to the frame. You probably will see the motor shake more on the RK when at a stand still.

I had an 03 Heritage and basically rode the wheels off of it until I traded it for an 08 Electra Glide this last summer. I but somewhere north of 60 K on the Heritage and never had a lick of problems (I have another bike I ride as well). I rode her coast to coast several times, up and down the PCH.. she was (is) a great bike. If you go with the Heritage you won't be disappointed.

Oh, don't sweat the saggy bags.. I kind of liked the look. The bags are ample sized so you have plenty of room for your gear.

As far as my eGlide goes, I'm still getting to know her. I have around 16K on her now, having ridden her since late May of this year. Every comfortable.

Everyone is different, but I found the Heritage seat (stock) more comfortable than the stock seat on my eGlide. Not sure what the seat difference is between the eGlide and the RK you are considering. One thing of note, and I have discussed this on the touring forum... Something about the seat position has your thighs rubbing against the gas tank, over time (not much time either) you will get some abrasion on the tank from that. Also, maybe it's just my build, but my left leg goes to sleep on my eGlide on long rides. The seat pushes against the back of my left thigh and I think it cuts off the circulation. This was something I noticed after riding a long ways, not something I would have noticed on a demo ride.

As far as the passenger seat position goes.. my wife prefers to be a bit higher than me, that way she doesn't spend the day looking at the back of my head. She sat higher on the Heritage, and she liked that better, but says the seat on the eGlide is much more comfortable. Go figure, no pleasing women...

Anyway, good luck on your decision.

 

When I decided to buy an HD, I walked into the first dealer I found (just to look around) and after sitting on several bikes, I went home with the Heritage.

It just felt right. Didn't have to get a different seat, lower the bike or do anything else to it.

I've since found it good for 100 mile trips or 1200 mile trips. (with a backrest). I like the smooth running counter balanced engine as opposed to the vibration of the rubber mounted touring bikes.

The stock pass pillion on the Heritage is brutal and a touring pillion is definitely in order.

However, at this point were I to trade my bike in I would probably get either a Streetglide or an RK. I think the Streetglide is the best looking "fairing" bike HD makes. And it's low enough that I can flatfoot it w/o modification. And I could probably get used to the engine vibration. If I got an RK I'd put a lower seat on it and pull back touring bars. I sat on a friends that was set up like that and it fit me perfectly (5'8"). All things considered you get more for your money with the touring bikes.

Point I'm trying to make is don't discount the touring bikes just because they may not fit you as well as the Heritage. You can make them fit with just a few not too expensive mods. I think your girl will be more comfortable on any tourer than a Heritage.

Edit: As mentioned the soft bags on the Heritage will sag over time. Took mine just a year. Depending on what kit you go with the cost will be between $100 and $300. The hard bags on the tourers are also larger and more accessible. The Heritage bags open from the outside and have narrow tops on them.

 

I am on that. They are giving me full MSRP which is about $3,500 more than the NADA value.

 

There's a great post in the Touring section right now about 'getting it right'...take a trip over there and see what a lot of others who bought a Touring bike have to say.

 

Thanks for the input. I do plan to ride both bikes this week to get a feel. One other question. If I lower the RK does the have a big effect on the ride?