So I sold my 2006 FXDWG here recently and am now ready to buy a new 2009 touring bike. The choices for me in order of interest are:

-Road Glide
-Road King Classic
-Electra Glide Standard
-Street Glide

I have ridden '08 models of the RG, RK and SG but haven't gotten any seat time on the EGS yet. Since I have spent all my previous Harley time on Dynas and Softails I am a relative newbie to the world of the touring machines. Any pearls of wisdom about selecting the best overall bike? I plan to ride it first, work on it second and polish it third. I need a machine that I can put HEAVY miles on and still love it at the end of the day. Am I looking to the best machine in the Road Glide?

Thanks,
Curt in Idaho

 

You can't go wrong with any of those bikes. Try the EG to be sure, then compare the ride to the rest.... Do you need a radio? what look do you like best? Does one in particular call to you like an angel from heaven? lol (mine did)

Just get whatever feels right to you. my $.02

 

Well...LOVE your bike BTW! Good lookin' scoot to be sure and obviously on my short list. My thing is ergos and overall comfort. I'm 6'2" and have two bad football knees from college. I need a bike I can sit on for hours at a time and find multiple positions for my legs to stretch out. I don't do a lot of 2-up riding but when I ride distance I tend to take the kitchen sink so want flexibility to carry all my junk. The right wind protection would be nice. I want to find a bike that has little head buffeting at highway speeds (not too great with the standard Street Glide screen I found.)

Is the RKC screen quick detach? I like being able to pull the screen off for local rides and then have it on for distance touring. How good is the wind protection behind that screen anyway? It's not up to say the RG's standards right?

I actually have started really digging the stereos that a few of these bikes have. Didn't expect to, but once I had really gotten a day or more on the bikes I was enjoying the tunes quite a bit. When the right road connects to the right weather, connects to the right scenery and THEN also connects to the right song drifting out over you through those external speakers the whole picture really comes together!

Ahhh...decisions, decisions.

 

I love my 08 Road Glide. The 09s are supposed to be even better. If I had to do it over again I would still buy the Road Glide. I got mine with the detatchable Tour Pac and a detachable back rest. I can rig the bike out in what ever configuration I want when I need to. You can make a Road glide into a Bad *** or a Geezer Glide and back again whenever you want in just a few minutes. It's the best of all worlds for me.

 

Definetly give the EG a try. I rode a few bikes before I bought mine and ended up going with the Ultra although the SG was what I went in for. It is the ultimate in comfort and has all the toys. As far as the fairing, I think it is a personal choice as far as batwing or shark nose. I never did ride a RG because they did not have one when I went in but wish I could of. Either way you cannot go wrong with any of those bikes on your list. They will all perform flawlessly and give you miles and miles of great riding.

 

I will go for the Street Glide. I will not carry to many things!

 

If you're going to tour with your touring bike, you're going to want a batwing model. The added protection provided by the fairing really pays off as the miles pile up.

I chose the FLHT.

 

Don't buy a Street Glide. Too many of them on the roads as it is.

Seriously though all of the ones you listed share the same frame so the ride will be the same. The exception is the Street Glide which sits on inch lower suspension so you may feel a few more bumps in the road. You need to decide what you want as far as looks and creature comforts. Each one has something a little different. And don't count out the Road Glide either. It handles like a bike half its weight.

 

For my first Harley ever I had some seat time on both the RKC and the EGC, several thing that helped me decide on theRKC were. the EGC made feel like I was still in my convertable, the RKC did not the ride seem to feel that same for me. the final thing was I like the classic bike look from the RKC, sure you have bags you can lock and all those gauges and radio they took away the classic feeling. I did not feel this until miles later. take the windshield of the RKC, it's a "eye catching" looking bike.

 

By the way doing anykind of modification like a new handle bar on the EGC. It's a whole project which many I know who owns one the first thing they did was swap out handle bar for more control. then again most of them participate in the Motor Officer rodeo's.