Can't go wrong with a Road King. It's a bunch of different bikes in one.On the open road or puttin' around town......I love mine!!!!!!

 

Remove the saddle bag supports.

 

Don't let the size scare you away, it handles nice once you get moving 5/10 mph you won't have any problems for an around town bike. You'll find you have the best of both worlds, around town you can now stop and throw that loaf of bread or milk in the bags. Starting out you have a coat but discover you don't need it you can store it, or vise versa. Might discover trips are fun and use it a little more. The windshield on/off......... can't go wrong.

 

did the same thing your thinking about i also do mostly do short trips love the ride on the road king just takes a little time to get used to to weight dereference

 

10 miles or a thousand miles... the only way to fly low.....

 

There is nothing cumbersome about a Road King.

It just gives the impression of large, but it is extremely well balanced and nimble.

 

my '03 RKC is more nimble than my '08 Fatboy was. all I use it for is run around town and maybe an hour or so out in the country. great choice for me.

 

I'm a lightweight and built like a unemployed poet at 5.11 and 150 lbs. I went from an 03 Sportster to an 09 Road Glide. My fear was not being able to walk this huge bike around with a passenger. Having an adjustable backrest is the key here because you can use it to help push the bike backwards. Also, I was not sure if I could pick up the bike if it fell over. Well it has fallen over and I learned the correct way to pick it up. If I can do it so can you. Just be sure to get your protective bars on the front and back.

You should take a test ride or rent on of the bigger bikes because the size is deceptive. All the bikes are easy to ride at counter steering speeds. However, I must recommend the Ride Like a Pro video for mastering low speed riding skills. None of the other bikes will turn like a Sporty. For me, the Road Glide handles more like the Sporty than the others. You don't have the faring weight on the Road Glide so low speed maneuvering is easier. When you ride try to test the bikes in tight turns and in the wind.

At first I thought I was too small for the Road Glide, but I did grow into it. I'm very happy with every short trip to the store and especially on the long rides. The Road King is also a great bike but you should give the others a spin too because they have a lot of cool extras the King does not have. Whatever you pick you can't go wrong because you can always trade in and get something else later.

 

If you go with the King you will probably find yourself riding longer distances due to the overall comfort of the ride compared to the Sporty. IMO the Touring line handles just as nimble as the other lines once you get used to them. Good Luck!

 

I started out buying a 2010 Dyna Super Glide Custom in April. In the back of my mind, I really wanted a "bigger" bike. There was nothing at all wrong with the Dyna but comfort really isn't an option there. Especially when you fall in love with long rides. So I traded it in last week for a 2011 Road King. BEST DECISION I'VE EVER MADE!! You would think with it being over 800 lbs. it would be a b*tch to handle but I was really surprised. It handles just as good if not better than my Dyna did. And what counts the most, is the comfort. I can ride 200 miles without stopping & when I do stop, my *** feels like I just got on it. The saddlebags are so handy & the detachable windsheild is the greatest things since string cheese to me. Don't loose another dime of money on the Sportster. Trade it in for a KING now. The only thing that gets to me on the King is the Passenger Footboards. You have to be a little careful backing it up though. You just can't take as long of a stride as you can with the bikes without them. It's a little scary thinking you may drop it. But that will go away with a few practices. Do it now, for your own sake.