Originally Posted by morooster

heard from others that the bat wing can fight you at high speeds. which sucks to hear so i should get the road glide, right? but why do my eyes keep wandering to the bat's wings?

i don't know. when i think of cross country harley baggering, it has to be the batwing.

Originally Posted by aharleyrider

When I was trying to make this same decision, I rented one of each for a day and rode as much as I could. I didn't notice a stark contrast in comfort or handling at the time, but it's not like I put the bike through rigorous, edge-case testing. If the bike in your sig is any indication, I imagine you'll be purchasing something newer/newish. It's worth renting a bike with either fairing to see which you prefer. You may even save some bucks if you try it out on rider share, rather than Eagle Rider. Either way, it's far cheaper to spend a few hundred to determine the right bike than it is to buy one and regret it.

I've been riding with a RG fairing for a few years now; I even rode around the country and am looking to do that again. I understand your sentiment - I find myself wanting to try the batwing. It's an iconic and attractive look. That being said, every time I sit on one - it feels cramped; the fairing is right there in your face. The handlebars are noticeably heavier since the fairing is fork-mounted. Whenever I think about having to do anything inside the fairing, or something with the bars, I shudder. It's more of a PITA on the batwings than the RGs.

I think the general breakdown goes:

SG

1. Better wind protection for hands (unless you install handlebars)
2. Slightly better wind protection for your upper body
3. Better rain protection
4. Cluster is far easier to see without taking your eyes off the road
5. Radio/NAV screen is much more within reach
6. Possibly better lighting if you add passing lamps/auxiliary lights

RG

1. The handlebars are very light, like a Road King - handling is light
2. Frame-mounted fairing means that wind/passing trucks effect the bike frame, not your handlebars
3. Feels far more open and less cramped since the fairing is far forward
4. Far more fairing storage
5. Slightly better mid/lower body wind protection
6. Easier to work on in terms of handlebars and inside the fairing
7. Larger speakers
8. Better lighting stock

It's interesting how regional fairing preference is, and I wish that I knew why. I'm in TX and the local dealers all say that the RG is far more popular here than the SG. Heck, there are several brand new 2023 SG ST that still haven't sold and have been sitting for at least a year. Right now is the perfect time to go snag deals on recent model years, because everyone wants the new design. I've seen dealers here in TX selling 2023 SGs with low mileage for $15k. That's basically a brand new bike for half the price; they would have been $20k or so before.

The real question, though, is what intake/pipes/tuner/cam are you going to throw into it 😏

Originally Posted by morooster

but why do my eyes keep wandering to the bat's wings?

i don't know. when i think of cross country harley baggering, it has to be the batwing.

Originally Posted by morooster

heard from others that the bat wing can fight you at high speeds. which sucks to hear so i should get the road glide, right? but why do my eyes keep wandering to the bat's wings?

i don't know. when i think of cross country harley baggering, it has to be the batwing.

Originally Posted by lee4

As a rider that planned on ripping off my batwing for a RK nacelle, I can only say sometimes other things matter more. I live in the PNW, and after moving here from the SW desert, I could never have predicted how important hand protection is.

Not only am I keeping the batwing, I don't think I'd bother with another touring fairing. I love old twin lamp RGs style, but i love warm hands in winter and rain even more.

Just my two.