The lack of a converter is a bonus to me.

All great feedback thank you to everyone. Ill admit Im a little anxious when Im looking at something exciting. Not wanting to wait until spring to buy one because part of the enjoyment is looking at it and fiddling around with it!

 

My '09 FLHT is my first Harley, bought with 13k or 14kmiles on it. Bike is kept outside and now has 44k miles: some maintenance items:
voltage regulator
Wheel bearings
Compensator
Starter
knock sensor
clutch cables
Engine mounts
Battery
​​​​Compensator
clutch and clutch spring (installed Woods 48H)
MAP sensor
tires
​​​​​​​and added some goop to prevent pin fretting.

Currently my main drive bearing is going out in the Cruise Drive transmission... This isn't as common of a problem as the IPB but it's not unheard of and seems to strike around 40k miles. I switched from Synthetic gear oil to Dino oil without limited slip additive at least 25k miles ago. (Have a Jim's rebuild kit with trapdoor and a Baker Smooth Shift kit waiting to go in as the more permanent fix.)

 

The thread title; Down side to an 09 Road king?

The answer: Rubber

Always rubber side down!

 

I bought my 09 road king in early 2015 and rode it 25k miles, most of that in 2015. 2 issues I had a dealer fix are a new front wheel bearing and a inner? primary bearing. Each cost a few hundred dollars, maybe.
Ok, that was the good, now some - just be aware. I have another issue with the electrical connecter on the rear of the throttle body that puts the bike into limp mode. The fault code leads to a common problem with that connecter and suggestions for repair. I read them sitting under a bridge in Oklahoma (shade at 105 degrees) and solved the issue for the day by spitting into the connecter and plugging it in a few times, wash rinse repeat. I then made a heat shield for the cable out of a half dozen foil gum wrappers and a couple if zip ties. This worked for 8k miles until I was on the highway in Memphis at midnight on a Saturday after the Rendezvous. I just used the spit and plug and everything has been fine for another 11 months. I should probably look up a permenant fix, but I spit pretty good. I'm looking at adding another one , maybe with hard bags.

I looked up the issue - not just a road king issue. Google Harley tech bulletin TT418_1

 

I wanted to upgrade to the new frame when I found my '09 in '11. It will likely be my last bike (I'm near 70). But if I was looking today it would be at least a '14.

 

Welcome from across the border.

Nothing wrong with an 09 for now. You could always trade to a new one once the beta testing is done.

 

I looked up the 14's and some of them are not far from 2017 prices, asking and getting are two different things of course but I was surprised at the high resale prices. The more I learn the more I'm torn! Steep learning curve for sure and I'm learning a lot. Didn't know what a compensator was until this thread made me look it up. Im coming from a gsxr1100 I had a number of years ago but always wanted a harley and now is the time!

Again a big thanks to the input here!

 

I would ask to see maintenance records - all the things mentioned were probably addressed in the last 7 or 8 years. Buy the bike if it checks out like you expect. Joe

 

Down side,,,, I still don't own mine!! Great bike wish I still had it!!!

 

I had an '11 RK that I wish I still had. Had no more issues than I'd expect from any bike.