What don't you like about your RK that made you look at a Heritage?.

 

I'm 60 yrs old and have had 2 baggers with the stereo & cruise control and intercon, extra weight ect.. They were great on long trips but since we don't travel very far from the house any more (maybe a couple hundred miles at max) and I never did care for the cruise or stereo I picked the Road King and the police model was right up my alley for the price. The wife doesn't care for the sissy bar on the RK and says it pushes her up to straight where as the Hetitage Sissy bar lays back a bit and is taller which actually put more room in between us. 90% of my riding is to work by myself and a few short trips to whatever us old folks want to do. I really think I'd like to try the Heritage and I thank you for your comments both possitive & negitive.

 

Jimmers1817,
I have always liked my RK until I rode a friend of mines Heritage and then took the wife on a test ride to see how she would like it. The first thing I noticed was how smooth the engine was not just at idle but going down the road. The wife also commented that her feet don't vibrate off the floor boards like they do on the RK. I do love the way the RK handles, I have moved the floorboard forward 2" and out an inch so I seldom drag the boards. I can't say I dislike the RK just was courious how everyone else was likes their Heritage. I leave for Sturgis Wed and plan on selling the RK when I return. I guess maybe I 'd like to try somethig different. (we are only going to be at Sturgis for 2 days then stay the foillowing week after the crowd leaves to ride the Black Hills in case you are wondering why I'm not there now)

 

I take my Heritage touring often 2 up and around 65 pounds of cloths in the Harley Ultra Touring Bag. Its the biggest bag Harley has to put on a rack. I weigh 220 and she weighs 165. Tight the shocks on the Heritage as tight as you can with out taking them off. It will seem really stiff but after 1000 miles you will be fine. Put crash bars on with pegs, get a good set of grips with a rocker on them, change the old ladys seat out for a touring seat and back rest for her, and smile your ready to tour. I have my stock seat on mine but yea she needs better. I bought hers from Harley for 150 and the back rest for a little more.

Its all in what you want really. My 2006 Heritage tours just fine. No problems riding from central NC to Florida in a day.

Keep the shiney side up guys and enjoy.

 

Although there are things that can mitigate the vibration of the RK, that is what sent me from the RK to a ST. I do miss the RK at times when I ride two up for over 2 or 300 miles but I don't miss the numb wrists after that trip. I don't see it as trade up or trade down though. Just a different ride.

 

hey dandy1950....
ROAD KING ..... king of the road.... touring bike... earned its name

 

Hey Dandy, how about a trade?. I've been looking at trying something different myself. jk. I think I'm kind of spoiled for softails now. I've demoed all the tourers and none have given me cause to switch. Mostly a comfort/fit issue but also not sure I could get used to the shaka de shakes. I still demo them every chance I get just in case I may have missed something

Funny you should mention the RK backrest. Never took notice of them till today when I was at a ride event. Just didn't look right on the bike. Like you said it was too straight.

Never had any problem with bottoming out on 2up riding but no doubt you can carry a heavier payload on the RK than the Heritage. One thing I wish I had on the Heritage is cast wheels. Spokes look nice but since they're tubed you can't fix them on the road and you have the periodic spoke tighening to deal with.

Not a cruise control guy so don't miss that at all. Tunes are nice to have on long rides but I put a cb on my Heritage and it has a plug in for my ipod.

One thing that was mandatory was a new pillion. Stock pillion was good for about 50 miles. Went with the Mustang 14" one and it's like a couch cushion. Only goes on the bike when the wife's not riding her own, which is quite rare. I also have the Mustang 17.5" touring seat with backrest.

Hope you're happy with new Heritage but if not you can always go back to a new RK with the improved frame.

 

I really appreciate the comments and I have learned a bit about the Heritage such as shock adjustment, I didn't know there was any. I think I'm ready for a change. I can't see me and the wife ever traveling to far anymore but I can see my ole *** hitting the road for a bit after I retire. Thanks a bunch!

 

The Heritage is the King of slow speeds due to less vibration. The Road King will give a little better ride touring and possibly a lot better ride if you dont set the Heritage up correctly. The Heritage comes Factory for a 185 pound man. To ride 2 up with a load on the rack like I do you must tighten the shocks. If you tighten them to the point you have to use a spanning wrench you will have a very tight ride. Tighten then as much as you can on a lift with out a spanning wrench and go 2K miles or at least 1K before you judge it. It will take 1K miles for the tightening of the shocks to adjust and allow your bike to give any when hitting a bump. Right after say the first few hundred miles if you experience what I did once you tighten them ahhahaaaa ha ha when you hit a bump the front will absorb the shock and the back will bounce you up like a sprung bungie cord ahhaaaa ha ha. That was rather shocking for me. The dealership told me to put 1K before judging it. I did and after 2K it was perfect. After 1K it was much better.

 

I went from a Street Glide to a Heritage. Would not go back. I love the feel and handling of the Softail over the touring bike.