I am considering trading in my 06 SG for a 2011 Road Glide Ultra. Who out there has bought the 2011 Road Glide Ultra and wants to share their experience? Also, if you switched from an Ultra or Street Glide I am very interested in how the change has gone.
I am really having hard time with the look of the fairing... It just looks... well damn ugly. There I said it! I have heard the ride quality if far superior and even road one once but I am not sure I can get by the look even if the ride quality is so much better.

 

I don't own a Street Glide, but my wife does. It fits her a lot better than it fits me - even did so when it was stock. I went from a Dyna Wide Glide to a Road King standard, to a Road Glide, and now a Road Glide Ultra.

ANY '09 and up will be a whole different animal than your '06. Wider frame, tank, rear tire. Stiffer frame. More weight. MUCH better brakes - even on non-ABS bikes.

Your physical size and riding style has a lot to do with what you'll be happiest on. Taller riders like the spaciousness of the RG/RGU, shorter ones prefer the SG. Two-up riders are probably best off with a UC. Long-distance riders prefer the UC or RGU.

We often hop on our bikes and ride over to the coast for lunch, then up or down Hwy 101 and back home - around 350 miles. We're both very comfortable (her SG is a 2010) and don't feel beat up at the end of the day. We've even done a 600-mile day in August, and typically do ~5k on our three-week vacations.

The only way you'll know is to test ride some bikes. The hardest part is getting to test ride like you normally ride. If you have to go with a dealer escort and they get to determine route and speed, that doesn't tell you much unless you only ride surface streets below 55 mph. We have a good enough relationship with our dealer that we can ride anything they have without an escort. My wife had attended a Demo Day and rode a 2010 SG, and was not impressed. Two months later, she rode a RKC, a RGC, and a SG on the route of her choosing (and well over 55 mph) and came back with a completely different impression. Bought the SG that day.

I went from a '07 RG (that I'd added a Bagger Brace and a HD tourpack to, as well as pipes, a/c and tune, 34K miles) to a 2011 RGU. The difference was substantial. The lowers took some getting used to, but I like them. All the HDs I listed above were new when I bought them, and this is the first one I've been more excited about after putting 5K on it than I was the day I bought it. I prefer the look of the old-school Harleys - Road King, Heritage, Deluxe, even the UC - when I'm looking at Harleys in a showroom or parked. From the seat, it's the Road Glide all the way! I feel cramped on the others, and I love the way this RGU handles.

If you are a tall guy, DON'T test-ride a RGU if you can't live with the way it looks. It'll haunt you forever....

 

BTW, look at your sig picture and see the frame just in front of the tank? That unfinished look - I just can't stand it!!! The Road Glide Ultra in MY sig pic looks sooooo much better - like all the pieces fit together! JK, you know!

At least the MoCo finally got rid of the headlight bubble....

 

I traded my 04 EGC that I put over 80,000 miles on and I really like my new RGU. Not many negatives compared to the positives. Sure it is ugly but trust me it grows on you the first time you take it on a twisty road. I am 5'10" and I did like the radio being closer on the EGC better. The radio on the roadglide is a mile a way for me but that is about the only negative. Trust me if you take one for a ride you will forget the ugliness of the front end.

 

The handling is what really has me attracted to the RGU. My 06 SG pushes so hard going into corners fast that it feels unsafe. As for most things I know the RGU look will grow on me and comfort and handling are my primary concerns. I like to be able to do distance and do it comfortably. Of course having a nice looking ride is part of the fun and comparing it to others you see along the way...

 

Pointman, if you really find the RGU to be ugly, do you think it will grow on you?

 

...... ok, let's go thru this once more ......... it's F U G L Y, ........ w/an F ....... and, really ..... you will learn to love it !

 

I've always like the look of the RG so call me wierd. I have a custom and not a RGU...but...I test rode a SG up and down the interstate, around some twisties and IMO the batwing doesn't handle as well as the shark. I'm 5'11" and yes the radio is a bit far and I chose the custom b/c the paint choice and the rims that are stock. It is lowered in the back so it doesn't ride as smoothly as the RGU either but I still love it. Have no problems putting 8 hours in the saddle...stock saddle that is.

 

I upgraded from an 09 Fat Bob and looked at both the SG and RGU and for the price between the two I could not pass up the RGU and have not looked back except for the fact wished purchased earlier this year so would have had more time on it. The bike feels more stable with the fixed fairing and I like the fact that it doesn't sit as low as the SG.

 

I bought the first FLTRU in Oregon a week before Sturgis this Summer. Broke it in on that trip with 3000 miles.

Went from an 07 Roag Glide that was made into an Ultra buy adding a Tour-pak, intercom, lowers, etc.

What sold me on the new Ultra was first, how it handled. A much more solid feel on the road than my 07. I was also impressed with the 103 which was on my list of upgrades for my 07. Lastly, the color just looked awseome in the sun.

OK, a few members have been giving me grief for pushing people to watch my video. If you've already watched it . . . DO NOT WATCH IT AGAIN! LOL

Otherwise . . . Here it is again . . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PcZ1qMUAAgk