I've read several times that the fairing on the SG is mounted to the handle bars and the fairing on the RG is to the frame.
I have taken the fairing off and to me it is mounted by two bolts on either side that transfer the weight directly to the upper and lower fork tube holders. Nothing to do with the bars.
From what is seams, the RG fairing has a bracket that extends from the steering head. Not sure where the weight is transferred. It almost seams to cantilever the weight.
Also, according to the specs on the HD website, the RG is 39 lbs. heavier with all fluids. It has to be the fairing since both machines are otherwise the same.
My question is how could the RG have more road manners considering these observations.

 

Manners as in handling at highway speeds or? Not sure where your going with this actually? The RG fairing ties to the frame, so the front end does not have the weight to contend with, where as the batwing ties to the front end. Both ideologies that been proven.

 

The Roadie's fairing is mounted to the frame of the bike as God intended. The Batwing is mounted to the forks. So a Roadie steers like a Road King, and a Batwing bike steers like it's got 50 pounds of sail attached to it.

 

I think most people are trying to say you can feel more of the wind effects thru the SG bars rather than the fairing is attached to the bars. I have a SG now and I have had a RG in the past. I get asked all the time, I have said if I lived out west and rode mountains or desert I would take the RG for the better handling because it does handle better. For here on the East Coast climate I prefer the additional protection of the batwing. It is what it is.

 

I've never noticed a difference.

 

Pretty much hit the nail on the head there. I'm on a Roadie now, coming from a SG, and I live out west in the desert. I find the Roadie is easier to ride in the high winds that plague the area I live. Also, I find it handles with higher speeds better than the batwing.

 

Lol, i hate to agree with that, but to damn funny, and very hard to argue...

 

You are gonna get a thousand plus explanations... Not being an *** but best thing I can say is ride one and see for yourself. I had both, like both but went with another sgs for a few reasons of my own. On my Rg getting caught in rain sucked bad. I got beat up by wind and elements much more no matter what shield I tried. The Rg was a little better at high speeds and parking lot maneuvering but not enough to get rid of my street glide special.

 

I've owned both styles & overall like the RG frame mounted fairing better. I like the feeling of having a little more space in front of me, but some feel its too far away. I think the RG handles better at high speeds & its easier to handle at slow, parking lot speeds because you're not moving the weight of the fairing. But, I have to agree the Bat Wing does a better job of protection in the rain & if you live in a colder climate, it should protect your hands better too.

 

So the 39 lbs of extra weight on the RG which has to be the difference in the fairings, is handled by the frame mount style vs the fork tubes. This is why the ride on my friend's RG felt like there was no fairing at all. Just trying to justify switching to a RG down the line. Having owned a softtail prior, my biggest disappointment was the SG's ride quality.