I ride a Heritage and think it's Harley's best all-around bike. Great for around town or on day trips. It does ok on long trips too.

IF I could afford TWO bikes I"d have a touring bike too. But since I can only afford one, the Heritage is my ride!

Mal.

 

[double post]

 

a buddy of mine sold his 2000 Night Train to my dad when he bought a used 2002 Electra Glide Classic..he openly says he regrets selling the Train. When we were trying to find what was wrong with my FatBoy Lo last week, he took it for a short ride and came back and said "We have got to switch bikes on some of these rides, this rides so much nicer around here"..

as far as the 103" feeling more brisk.. the touring bikes have a different transmission in them than the softails do. I've noticed that when the Tourers let off the gas, they just slow down very quickly without brakes too..maybe that's what you were feeling? the different tranny?

 

I've demoed them all with the same conclusion. Still riding my Heritage. Though I will say, with the right mods and $$ those touring bikes can be made to be almost as comfortable as a soft-tail. I've demoed some of those too.

Starting out I might be tempted to get one and modify it but at this stage of the game I think the Heritage is fine. Don't feel like changing out bars, seats, etc on another bike.

And besides, I like the B engine. I've always wondered why the MoCo didn't put out a soft-tail touring bike. With a fairing, cruise, tubeless tires, and whatnot.

 

Hmm . . . That's it then.

 

The brakes on the two types of brakes are very different. The dual front rotors make the touring bikes slow down a lot better that even the much lighter Softails. I have both types of bikes. I love the comfort of the big bike for a 3-400 miles day, but the Softail is a much nicer all around bike for most riding.

 

It really is to each his own...I traded my '09 Ultra (it handled very well) for my 2010 Heritage and I haven't looked back. For me the Heritage rides nicer, feels much lighter and is just more fun to ride when my wife and I take a putt.
Chuck

 

Here was my solution to just this dilemma , Rather than put myself into debt on a bike I might not like as much I decided to just throw on a fairing and a tourpak for when we do really long rides , Just for kicking around town or if I feel like change I pop bothoff in minutes throw the old windshield back on and presto me old Heritage is back. I love the way mine handles and fits me The only thing I wish I had was another gear for the long hauls but I guess I could add that too. Guess you could say I figured out a way to have the best of both worlds for me anyway.

 

I have an 06 Deluxe with a SE 6 speed in it and I would not trade that for any of the other bikes, especially for a tour bike. I had a Heritage Classic before this Deluxe and I still prefer the Deluxe over the Heritage. To each their own, yep!!

 

I too, tested a RK back in 09 after all the raves about how much better they were and the new frames made them even better VS the ole Heritage..

Well,,, U see what I am still riding.. nough said.