Talk me outa buying a Road King
#51
09-25-2016 | 11:34 AM
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 493
Likes: 92
From: NJ
sorry, couldn't resist
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Max Headflow (09-25-2016)
#52
09-25-2016 | 01:25 PM
Thread Starter
|
Road Warrior
Joined: Apr 2015
Posts: 1,536
Likes: 778
From: Manitoba
#53
09-25-2016 | 01:28 PM
1st Gear
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 5
Likes: 1
From: Manitoba, Canada
I currently have two Harley's, a 2013 Iron 883 (my first), and a 2002 Road King Classic. Here are my thoughts on switching from the Sportster to a Road King.
I bought the Iron because I absolutely love the look of the bike, and I've always wanted a Sportster. To me, it's just a raw machine, meant to be ridden. I'm a bigger guy at 6'3" (plus a bit of excess mass), and my wife is 5'10". Two-up, the Sportster is just fine for power on our prairie highways (I'm in Manitoba as well). But, it's a really snug fit for the two of us for a full days riding.
Which is why I bought the Road King as a second ride. My wife and daughter are both far more comfortable on the back of the Road King than on the Sportster, my wife now has a bike of her own to ride, having taken over riding duty on the Iron, and I'm actually surprised how much more comfortable the Road King is for me to ride solo.
If you haven't ridden one before, the Road King will surprise you for how nimble it truly is. It is a big bike, but the weight is carried fairly low on it. You can also go from a full on touring setup to a classic cruiser in just minutes.
Being in Manitoba, I can tell you first hand that the insurance difference between the Road King and the Sportster is almost nil. It won't cost you much more for insurance to switch.
Now, reasons not to upgrade.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with a Sportster. it's a fine motorcycle, and I still enjoy getting a ride in on it when I can. You can swap the seat, foot pegs, and add saddlebags and a windshield; pretty much the same as a Road King, just in a smaller frame.
Your Sportster may be paid off, and you may have to finance a new bike. If your Sportster is newer and financed, trading it in will likely involve rolling the difference between the trade-in value and what you still owe on it into the financing on the new bike. With our already VERY high cost of insurance here in Manitoba, that makes it really expensive to ride.
Edit:
I can't seem to send a PM right now, but I was going to recommend checking out both Manitoba dealerships, Harley-Davidson Winnipeg and Gaslight HD in Morden, before buying, should you choose to buy a new bike.
I bought the Iron because I absolutely love the look of the bike, and I've always wanted a Sportster. To me, it's just a raw machine, meant to be ridden. I'm a bigger guy at 6'3" (plus a bit of excess mass), and my wife is 5'10". Two-up, the Sportster is just fine for power on our prairie highways (I'm in Manitoba as well). But, it's a really snug fit for the two of us for a full days riding.
Which is why I bought the Road King as a second ride. My wife and daughter are both far more comfortable on the back of the Road King than on the Sportster, my wife now has a bike of her own to ride, having taken over riding duty on the Iron, and I'm actually surprised how much more comfortable the Road King is for me to ride solo.
If you haven't ridden one before, the Road King will surprise you for how nimble it truly is. It is a big bike, but the weight is carried fairly low on it. You can also go from a full on touring setup to a classic cruiser in just minutes.
Being in Manitoba, I can tell you first hand that the insurance difference between the Road King and the Sportster is almost nil. It won't cost you much more for insurance to switch.
Now, reasons not to upgrade.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with a Sportster. it's a fine motorcycle, and I still enjoy getting a ride in on it when I can. You can swap the seat, foot pegs, and add saddlebags and a windshield; pretty much the same as a Road King, just in a smaller frame.
Your Sportster may be paid off, and you may have to finance a new bike. If your Sportster is newer and financed, trading it in will likely involve rolling the difference between the trade-in value and what you still owe on it into the financing on the new bike. With our already VERY high cost of insurance here in Manitoba, that makes it really expensive to ride.
Edit:
I can't seem to send a PM right now, but I was going to recommend checking out both Manitoba dealerships, Harley-Davidson Winnipeg and Gaslight HD in Morden, before buying, should you choose to buy a new bike.
Last edited by IronDel; 09-25-2016 at 01:33 PM. Reason: Unable to PM.
#55
09-25-2016 | 02:02 PM
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 594
Likes: 10
From: Seminole County, FL
nothing better that the sun on my face, the rain at my back, the bugs in my teeth and the wind in my hair. All the music you need is a well tuned set of pipes and the song of the tires on the road.
Hang onto the apes for all their worth and enjoy the burn from hanging on, it will keep you young!
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micmoren (09-27-2016)
#57
09-25-2016 | 02:37 PM
Road Warrior
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 1,252
Likes: 140
Too many negatives to owning a RK (Classic in my case)
You will want to ride it day and night...
When you are not ridding it, you find yourself dreaming about riding it... Heck, when you are riding it you dream about riding it.
You'll spend too much time (and money) searching for and buying chrome and other accesiries for it, which once installed, will cause you to want to stare at it for hours...
its really not worth it, too much fun and joy! Don't buy it, you'll regret it.
You will want to ride it day and night...
When you are not ridding it, you find yourself dreaming about riding it... Heck, when you are riding it you dream about riding it.
You'll spend too much time (and money) searching for and buying chrome and other accesiries for it, which once installed, will cause you to want to stare at it for hours...
its really not worth it, too much fun and joy! Don't buy it, you'll regret it.
Jeeper, How did you get into my head?
randy
#58
09-25-2016 | 02:38 PM
Club Member
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 65,086
Likes: 49,156
From: Niles Canyon Ca.
