I'd vote for the stock 103...

 

+1... these things alone make a 2012 the better choice. Also, bigger back tire so would be more comfy.

 

I ride an '07 FLHR so I've never had experience with the newer frame but I would probably choose the newer bike for that reason as well as the 6 gal tank and all other improvements mentioned by others here.

 

Depends what you are going to do with it. If you plan to ride less than 2000 miles a year, I would probably go for the cool facter. I have a 1999 evo softail I ride around town for fun. It gets about 1500 miles a year at best. No way I would ride it from coast to coast because my 09 RKC is a much better bike for that purpose.

Beary

 

I think I am seeing a pattern here.

I haven't ridden the newer RK and only went to see the 03 that was for sale. I tell you when he cranked up that stroker it gave me goose bumps.

I have the 07 FXDB and wondering if how much difference there is between the 96 and the 103 on the butt dyno? I love the power in the Bob and wondering if the extra weight on the RK is going to detract from that.

I have dreams of doing some touring but that is all it is at this point. Still a couple of years from making it a reality.

 

If you are serious and financing the bike then my recommendation is a left over 2015 later this year. I thought I saw Road Kings at my dealer last year for 16K out the door. Factor in a low finance rate of 1.9% or lower and you may break even in the long run. New bike, new technology, better resale value and a warranty.

 

Hands down buy the 12 or newer with the stock 103. I have had the 96 and the 103 and the butt dyno tells me the 103 is a much stronger motor.

 

ABS, Cruise Control, but you had me at the 6 gallon tank and 6 speed. Frame rides better, but for most that in itself in not significant. CVO is nice and if you love the paint, well you have to love your bike. For just the riding experience, ie view from the handlebars, I'd pick the '12 without a second thought.

 

Seems like there are folks on both sides of the fence, and I'm not surprised by that.


Here's my 02 worth. I currently have a 2002 CVO Road King with some engine mods (103cid, increased compression and cams) and backed by a Baker 6 speed. I love it!


I came off a 2012 Ultra Limited and logged 23,000 miles on it before going back to an early bike. I never liked the Ultra Limited from day one. I thought it was lethargic, and it warped front brake rotors just looking at them. Three sets in just over 20,000 miles. I poured a lot of money at it, to get fuel economy up over 40mpg's and decent power from it, but I always thought it was somewhat of a "turd" compared to the three other early bikes I've owned.


Part of the reason I came to hate the 2012 Ultra was the fact that one of the guys we ride with had a near box-stock 2012 CVO Ultra, and he got nearly 10 MORE MPG"s than my bike was getting with twice the power!!! It was embarrassing at times to ride the same distance, get left in the dust a number of times, then buy MORE fuel when we stopped for fill-ups!


Prior to the Limited I had a 2003 Road King for 40,000 miles, and prior to that a stone stock 2001 Electra Glide Standard for over 25,000 miles.


To be real honest, I like the Road King platform better, and the older engines. The 2012 103 is "weak", especially right "out of the box". You've got to gut the factory CAT or get a decent set of down pipes, and really should replace the emission cams if you want to get anything out of that engine.


My 2002 CVO is a Rocket, and the 2003 Road King I had before the Ultra was a strong runner as well. The 5 speed is the only real thing to upgrade, IMHO. The rest of the deal is mostly bling, or simply just not much of an upgrade over the early bikes.

The only real problem with the pre-2007 twin cams are the cam chain tensioners. Some folks get 60,000 to 100,000 out of them, where others kill them under 30,000. Doesn't seem to be much consistency there, but other than that the engines are bulletproof, and not smogged down with poor flowing exhaust and retarded cam timing......FWIW......Cliff

 

2012 for sure...more updated