Yesterday afternoon going home from work I finally saw the difference first hand between a street glide and a road glide. I was driving home from work heading west into Rapid City in I90 and we just had a strong cold front come in. We had sustained winds of 30 mph with gusts to 60. I was doing 68 behind two bikes arriving for Sturgis. From behind I couldn't tell what kind of bikes they were. All I could see was the guy in back was getting blown all over his lane. Seriously to the point that he might have had a mechanical issue. The guy in front was moving around some too but not side to side in his lane like the guy in back. As I passed them I realized the guy in back was in a street glide, guy in front road glide. I totally attribute the difference in handling to the high wind pressure on the respective fairings. I know some guys will read this and cry BS and blame it on rider skill or various other things. But I know what I saw and it was a dramatic difference in handling in a strong headwind. Wish I had videoed it but I don't whip out my phone while driving. It was an amazing contrast to watch.

 

I was in my car BTW not riding.

 

having just rented a RGS and Ultra Low I would never touch a batwing again. the difference in wind management was night and day. while I understand to each his own, I was more than shocked. I always had thought the batwing was "the" better fairing

 

I have ridden Road Glides since 2005. It is the only bagger I have ridden extensively, so I cannot honestly comment on a difference between the batwing and fixed fairing. What I have noticed though is that the new fixed fairing design seems to handle side winds better than the pre-2015 design did. I don't know that it is all in the fairing, there might be some stability coming from the stiffer front forks also. I feel the 2015's and up do corner better than the older bikes did and that I do attribute to the stiffer front forks.

 

I pity the poor guy on the SG since the air turbulence wake coming off the RG is almost as bad as following an 18 wheeler.

 

I think most understand the wind difference, but most buy a bike based on its looks, and the Road Glide and Street glide are worlds apart based on looks.

To me, the SG has the more "classic" look.

 

I rented each one for a day before I could make up my mind.

I'd read all about which one was better in the winds, on the highway behind a truck, getting passed by a semi, etc. I really had to find out first hand before I spent 20K plus on either one. I rode both on the highway, in the rain, behind and beside trucks etc.

Overall the SG felt better to me. A friend of mine did a similar test and he bought a RG. I don't think either one of use would agree that you can make that kind of decision from watching both bikes from a car for a while.

 

Pretty obvious how I feel about the two.
Best/joe

 

I made the switch to RG in 2007, then 2011 RGU Then a 13 ,16 and 17 RGU's.
I have ridden batwings in that time. Never considered looking back. Of course if I had to I could ride one but just prefer the RGU. Wife agrees.

 

I agree. If your gonna buy you got have a seat of the pants evaluation. But with what I witnessed ,the difference in extreme wind handling was substantial.