Going from an Ultra to a Road King...uh, what?
#81
11-08-2013, 09:09 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
RoadKing is the only touring bike I will ride; you couldn't GIVE me a bike with a fairing. Ugly rattling pieces of plastic *** uselessness. I had 1 fairing bike & hated it (Goldwing). I think the tall RK windsheild is much better than a fairing, and you're not stuck with it when you wanna go stylin' & profilin'!
The only time I use my windsheild is when I go to Daytona.
The only time I use my windsheild is when I go to Daytona.
#82
11-08-2013, 09:35 PM
Seasoned HDF Member
RoadKing is the only touring bike I will ride; you couldn't GIVE me a bike with a fairing. Ugly rattling pieces of plastic *** uselessness. I had 1 fairing bike & hated it (Goldwing). I think the tall RK windsheild is much better than a fairing, and you're not stuck with it when you wanna go stylin' & profilin'! The only time I use my windsheild is when I go to Daytona.
#84
11-08-2013, 11:50 PM
I’m curious to see if there are many riders that have gone from an Ultra to a Road King. I currently have an Ultra and like the added creature comforts but I find myself drawn to the Road King’s simplicity. Is there anyone who has made such a change? I do have a few reservations but I think they are easily overcome with the help of the HD accessories catalog. Here are a few thoughts I’ve been having and would be interested in hearing from the RK crowd.
1) Highway riding. My ultra is a GREAT highway machine but in some instances (over 80’s and heading into a headwind) there can be some buffeting. That’s the nature of the beast with a fairing and it’s not often. My concern is that I haven’t owned an un-faired bike in several years and wonder how well the stock RK windshield works.
2) Lowers. Anyone have a picture of a RK with lowers? I love mine on the highway but hate them around town in the summer. Anyone who’s gone from an Ultra to a Road King miss their lowers?
3) Tunes. I see that HD has introduced a sleek looking windshield mounted speaker system in the “boom” line up. I toyed with it at the local dealer and it seemed crystal clear. I’d be interested in the windshield mounted system and not the bar mounted system. Anyone have experience with the new windshield mounted speaker system? Can you hear the music at all speeds?
4) Call me a Sally but I’m too damn used to riding with a Tachometer. What tach have guys and gals added to their Road King? I see a few very nice looking units in the accessories catalog but does anyone find it annoying to look DOWN at their tach while riding?
Any experiences you guys have had or any advice you wish to share would be well received. I don’t have the luxury of being able to own 2 bikes. If it helps, here is a few points that might help with your opinions. I ride to and from work 30 miles each way in heavy Boston traffic but enjoy miles and miles of secondary roads in the evenings and on the weekends. I also do a fair amount of regional touring where there decent amount of highway riding involved. I’m a small fella. 5’8” -165lbs. The weight of the Ultra has NOT been an issue but I’d expect the RK’s lighter curb weight might be a strong point if anything.
I have no REAL plans to trade in my 2010 ultra as of today but it can’t hurt to have all my ducks in a row so to speak. And ya never know what tomorrow might bring.
Thanks,
Tony
1) Highway riding. My ultra is a GREAT highway machine but in some instances (over 80’s and heading into a headwind) there can be some buffeting. That’s the nature of the beast with a fairing and it’s not often. My concern is that I haven’t owned an un-faired bike in several years and wonder how well the stock RK windshield works.
2) Lowers. Anyone have a picture of a RK with lowers? I love mine on the highway but hate them around town in the summer. Anyone who’s gone from an Ultra to a Road King miss their lowers?
3) Tunes. I see that HD has introduced a sleek looking windshield mounted speaker system in the “boom” line up. I toyed with it at the local dealer and it seemed crystal clear. I’d be interested in the windshield mounted system and not the bar mounted system. Anyone have experience with the new windshield mounted speaker system? Can you hear the music at all speeds?
4) Call me a Sally but I’m too damn used to riding with a Tachometer. What tach have guys and gals added to their Road King? I see a few very nice looking units in the accessories catalog but does anyone find it annoying to look DOWN at their tach while riding?
Any experiences you guys have had or any advice you wish to share would be well received. I don’t have the luxury of being able to own 2 bikes. If it helps, here is a few points that might help with your opinions. I ride to and from work 30 miles each way in heavy Boston traffic but enjoy miles and miles of secondary roads in the evenings and on the weekends. I also do a fair amount of regional touring where there decent amount of highway riding involved. I’m a small fella. 5’8” -165lbs. The weight of the Ultra has NOT been an issue but I’d expect the RK’s lighter curb weight might be a strong point if anything.
I have no REAL plans to trade in my 2010 ultra as of today but it can’t hurt to have all my ducks in a row so to speak. And ya never know what tomorrow might bring.
Thanks,
Tony
traded my EG for a CVOSERK 2014 you can't compare nothing to RK, I don't have buffeting at all. Windshild with opening is amazingly good. Lovers I miss them but there is option for new, got some wind on my knees and you got wind on any bike without lowers. Tunes let me tell you had polk 800w and was nice clear by going slow on country roads but there is better option mp3 unless you want your neighbor to listen to your music. And my king has tachometer and bunch other gadgets that I still don't use. But let me tell you new King is so tight and smooth, it is hard to explain but big difference from my EG '10. Power is great from zero just snap on throttle and you go big torque. Bike is still 250miles got drago's dragula exhaust but need to do 1k to do dyno and change pipes etc...
I have no regrets at all got matching trunk in deal, only bars are kind weird I came from ape hangers so they have to go first...
#85
11-09-2013, 05:12 AM
Im Wierd I thought
Hey
I went from a Street Glide to an Ultra to A Road King
I was shocked how much I like the RK..I have shield with flip on top and lowers and fork mounted curved wind deflectors and I have absolutely no buffeting before all that my sunglasses would oscillate on my nose!!!
The King feels so much lighter to me in front end and thus feels sporty to ride.
Hap
I went from a Street Glide to an Ultra to A Road King
I was shocked how much I like the RK..I have shield with flip on top and lowers and fork mounted curved wind deflectors and I have absolutely no buffeting before all that my sunglasses would oscillate on my nose!!!
The King feels so much lighter to me in front end and thus feels sporty to ride.
Hap
#86
11-09-2013, 06:24 AM
I would challenge all RK riders with no buffeting to ride with me across KS or CO where there is no helmet law, where I ride in a baseball cap bill forward at most any and all speeds behind a RGU fairing.
I have had all three rides, RK, Batwing and finally Roadie, I can tell you from experience there is a lot of turbulence behind the shield of a Road King, I added all the baffles, the deflectors, the 'improvements' to stop the air from trying to caress my mustache off my face or rain from swirling around my head in bad weather. I went batwing on the old King to expand the protection only to gain turbulence steer around large machines on the super slab which is very eerie as it begins to twitch, never could get used to the push from crosswinds on the batwing. I test rode SG's and UC's trying to see if the batwing on the stock bikes were different but they were not.
So here I sit on a Roadie, a discontinued ride yet happy as a clam at the marvel of less turbulence, the ease of control and not having to try to find more improvements to ride easier in my old age. My little woman is also so happy as she gets less air distortion quite the contrary to many reports we have had to argue away from our ride. Been back on Kings for test rides the latest as the 14's hit the market, still ride the same, still what I consider as short range for me.
I am 6'2", 280 pounds and sit quite high with a 30" inseam, no way I will go back to a King unless I won't be riding more than 100 miles in any direction or 200 miles round trip from/to home.
I have had all three rides, RK, Batwing and finally Roadie, I can tell you from experience there is a lot of turbulence behind the shield of a Road King, I added all the baffles, the deflectors, the 'improvements' to stop the air from trying to caress my mustache off my face or rain from swirling around my head in bad weather. I went batwing on the old King to expand the protection only to gain turbulence steer around large machines on the super slab which is very eerie as it begins to twitch, never could get used to the push from crosswinds on the batwing. I test rode SG's and UC's trying to see if the batwing on the stock bikes were different but they were not.
So here I sit on a Roadie, a discontinued ride yet happy as a clam at the marvel of less turbulence, the ease of control and not having to try to find more improvements to ride easier in my old age. My little woman is also so happy as she gets less air distortion quite the contrary to many reports we have had to argue away from our ride. Been back on Kings for test rides the latest as the 14's hit the market, still ride the same, still what I consider as short range for me.
I am 6'2", 280 pounds and sit quite high with a 30" inseam, no way I will go back to a King unless I won't be riding more than 100 miles in any direction or 200 miles round trip from/to home.
#88
11-09-2013, 09:55 AM
Hello
I did not read every post, see that there are a lot of die hard RK owners. I also like the look/style of the RK. I went from an 07 Ultra to 05 Standard, because I did not like all the amenities on the Ultra I did not use and found the bike kinda top heavy for commuting/city riding. Maybe I should have just ditched the tour pack. I also like the bat wing fairing. Which ever way you go I will say to you I'm glad that I slimed down my ride and find the elimination of the tour pack to make for a more fun ride. Will agree with the suggestion of rent one (some dealers will tie rental to purchase) see how you like it, way smarter way to go I think.
Russ
I did not read every post, see that there are a lot of die hard RK owners. I also like the look/style of the RK. I went from an 07 Ultra to 05 Standard, because I did not like all the amenities on the Ultra I did not use and found the bike kinda top heavy for commuting/city riding. Maybe I should have just ditched the tour pack. I also like the bat wing fairing. Which ever way you go I will say to you I'm glad that I slimed down my ride and find the elimination of the tour pack to make for a more fun ride. Will agree with the suggestion of rent one (some dealers will tie rental to purchase) see how you like it, way smarter way to go I think.
Russ
#89
11-09-2013, 01:16 PM
Road Warrior
I have stated before that I don't need a Buick on wheels, love going without the shield, don't need to be Infotain'd, and on and on. I really do prefer the Road King, but when I stood next to a black 2014 Limited at the dealer even I was being drawn into it's web! That is an impressive machine. 
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