Just back from a 800 mile trip through northern Michigan on a recently-acquired '04 RKC. Bike is beautiful and sounds great (I thought) with SEIIs. I have owned several bikes but this is my first Harley. I thought it was time to join the club and I jumped in with both feet. Chromed and black Road King, Harley leathers, shirts, boots, everything. Love it all. My last bike was a 2001 Honda Goldwing. It was quiet and strong and able to do 800 mile days without problems. It's not a Harley and Harleys aren't Hondas. I know, I know. After riding the Harley around town for two weeks and loving it I am VERY disappointed in it's touring characteristics. Is it me? I thought the pipes were punishing. They sound great for the FIRST 30 minutes then I wish there was a silence button. I was a professional drummer for 7 years so I am no stranger to loud sounds. After 2+ hours I want to get away from the noise and I don't think these are loud pipes compared to many others I have heard. I still have the stock pipes and am going to put them back on the bike to see how they sound on the highway.

Also.....Perhaps I need a new/different windscreen. The top of mine is exactly in my line of sight. I have gotten opinions about cutting it down and have considered a HIGHER one (the 2" extended one). I believe the rule of thumb is to have the top about nose level. I am 6' tall and am surprised the stock screen is where it is. Anyway. When trying to adjust myself to find the most confortable position during the trip "down" seemed best though I don't want to be looking through a Lexan windscreen all day. When I raised my head up the buffeting worsened. Most of the trip was either shaking my helmet so badly that it blurred my vision or I was ducked down behind the screen (an only-sometimes comfortable position). I have a full-faced helmet and like it because I can ride with goggles with the visor up, or with/without goggles with the visor down, or no goggles/visor down...or midway, etc.. And it's nice when it's raining or cold. Is it the wrong helmet? Wrong helmet/windscreen combination? I can't even BUY a 1/2 or 3/4 helmet to try because I have a big head (7-7/8) and even the XXLs in Harley helmets do not fit comfortably. The full-faced HJC I have suits me perfectly and worked great on the Goldwing. I keep the windscreen OFF while riding around Detroit (besides Harley doesn't make a bulletproff one) and prefer that most of the time. I think a Road King looks awesome with just the bags and no windscreen.

The big question: Do I trade my Road King for a Goldwing?! Is the Harley experience about toughing it out and being a badass and dealing with the noise and the buffeting just to turn up looking and sounding awesome? I feel like I've been recruited into the Marines without being told about the fighting and killing. The guy that sold me the bike told me that he "likes" to wear earplugs on long rides? Really?! Someone please help. I have been off my bike for several hours now (rode for eight hours today) and I feel dizzy and my ears are still ringing slightly. I'm not a wuss. I fly jets for a living. I can benchpress 300 pounds and I weight 180. Am I just not a Harley guy? I want to be. I love the riders and the events and the fraternity and the lifestyle. I'm afraid I'm falling out of love with the MOTORCYCLE though. I got the Road King to NOT have a full-dress bike but full-on touring is what I like to do. Detroit to Washington DC... Dallas... Phoenix... Miami. The Goldwing was great around town. I use to use it like a car. Groceries, gym, friend's house, date with wife, kid to school sometimes. I could also load it up and ride two-up halfway across the country and only stop because I needed gas. Can I do that on a Harley? Should I get an Ultra instead? Then I am back to a dresser. And can someone say that a loaded Ultra Classic is a comparable touring bike to the Goldwing? Actually it wo

 

The Road King isn't a dresser. The windshield isn't a fairing. If buffeting/vision is a problem, the windshield can be cut to custom fit you - it's no big deal. Frankly, I ride mine without the windshield. I prefer the wind in my face.

The SE pipes are on the quiet end of the performance pipe scale. If they are too loud for you, put the stockers back on.

I ride a Road King Classic and it is pure joy for me. I also have a 1200 C Sportster and I enjoy that experience as well.

As far as you staying with Harley all I can say is if it ain't for you, it' ain't for you. Buy and ride whatever bike you enjoy.

 

As mentioned above, put the stockers back on. Read on and you'll find another thread that says lots of people don't like the noise. I've got Samson Rolled Thunder on mine and the exhaust note is less sharp than some others. Actually I'm heading for northern Michigan in about an hour. I've got a 3/4 helmet, that helps as well. What seat is on the bike? You'll also find a thread about cutting the Lexan to fit you.

Good luck,

Chris

 

I'm with you about the noise, so I stick with stock pipes and enjoy a bit more reasonable sound.

Concerning the price for an Ultra vs Goldwing, by the time you add all the things on a Wing that makes it comparable to an Ultra, the price is about the same.

But, like everyone here will tell you, if Harley ain't for you, ride what you like. It's a lot of money to pay for an image.

Bill

 

I rode a 2001 RK for 4 years. I never felt very comfortable on long trips. The main reason was you are sitting atop the frame. I ride alot of conjested freeways so I run load pipes and I just wear ear plugs. I just got a softail deluxe and found it more comfortable for the fact you sit down into the bike instead of on top. I have put bags on it and a windshield and it is as useful as the RK. I find that I can sit in the saddle alot longer and am not so tires after 300 miles. It is a personal preference, go to your local harley dealer and sit on several models and see what you feel comfortable on. My wife has a Honda shawdow and I have ridden a few times and it is a good machine. It just sounds like your on the wrong bike for what you expect.

 

This is not a totally unbiased opinion since I ride an Ultra, but if you want comfort comparable to your GW, you need to be riding an ElectraGlide or a RoadGlide. Even then, 800 mile days are pretty ambitious. I too am 6' tall and found the windshield height annoying at first, but I have gotten used to it. Even with it at full height, the occasional bug or stone manages to get through and smack me in the face. There are also add on wind deflectors for the forks that will help reduce the wind buffeting. The riders that I know that use them swear by them. Most here will tell you to rent a couple of different bikes and see if one of them is the right bike for you. In the end, only you can decide that.

My.02
Steve

 

Sell the Road King. Get yourself a nice used Goldwing, and a pretty Softail. Take the Goldwing on trips, ride around town on the Softail. Best of both worlds.

 

I just got home frome a 1600 mile road trip on my 05 RK. I have SE II's for exhaust. Loud? Naw - just sounds good. I wear a full face modular helmet and the noise level is moderate.

I put a pillow look HD seat on it and it is sure comfortable.

I am 6' tall and can look over the windshield with no problem. Jack Flap makes a vest to stop the wind buffeting coming under the windshield. Read his web page and see how to test your setup to determine where the buffeting is coming from. Just click on the sponsors link.

I have Kuryaken Switch Blade highway pegs. There are so many different positions to put my feet that I need a choreographer to keep track of them.

Do some research on this board, try the search function.

If you want to try another bike, so be it.

We like HD here and will be glad to share what works for us.

Welcome to the forum and keep on postin questions so we can help you enjoy your bike.

 

Hi Craig,

Fact is, a Harley is not for everyone, just like anything else. I had a buddy that spent thousands back in the 80's to get his GW to look like a Harley. Back in the 70's I tried to make a BMW work for me. You wrote. "Is the Harley experience about toughing it out and being a badass and dealing with the noise and the buffeting just to turn up looking and sounding awesome?" IMHO, those are all the wrong reasons for owning a Harley or any other bike. Most of us who have chosen HD find that really HD, chose us! It called to us in a way that only Harley riders really understand. It may be that you are one that will ever be happy with a HD. Nothin' wrong with that is there? Like Steve said so well, "but if you want comfort comparable to your GW, you need to be riding an ElectraGlide or a RoadGlide."

Best of luck to you, let us know how this all works out for you!

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hi, it sounds from your post that you have too many complaints to every be happy with a harley.Maybe you should just stick to cars, if the noise is to loud, the ride is rough and you are not happy then why ride? I have a 06 rk standard with thunderheader pipe and the sound isnt near loud enough for me, th SE pipes have a mellow sound in my opinion. But riding a Hog aint about being a badazz and dealing with it, they are very enjoyable bikes to ride. Before my Rk I had a 98 1200sportster that I laid down 30000mi a year commuting to work on. So a 180lb man should have no problem. They have a name for guys like you, "CANDYASS" go cry somewhere else, asnd quit trying to start problems with you little candy *** post. My 2cents.

chris herrin