Both bikes will do the job but while the Ultra is more luxurious, the RK looks cooler imo - I'm with Dickey in that I'm not a fan of the faring look. You can get a RK with lockable hard bags, but why use a tourpak? You can use a Deemeed 100 litre travel bag or the new 103 litre Grantour bag from Kuryakyn which gives you that non-faring cruiser look on the back of the sissy bar. Take the wind shield off and you have a cruiser.

The trick is to get a comfy seat. I bought the Mustang super touring 4 piece so my wife gets a nice puffy seat with sissy bar and goes with me everywhere, and I get a comfy seat with a backrest that comes out if I want, and the whole thing converts to a single riding seat in less than a minute with a single phillips screw driver. I put 16" apes on it too so I look good, feel good and ride for hours touring with the wife with no issues, but can look like a boulevard cruiser in minutes if I'm staying in town or going solo.

 

Warning! if you get a Road King, your Sporty will eventually be the one sitting in the garage. The versitility of a RK is its strengh, and stripped down it is a fun, nimble, really good "around town" bike and Blvd cruiser. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Ultras - good for some, but too bulky for me, even though I have detachable everything for my bike..

I didn't read every post, but the last year you could get a carb was in 2006. Me, I have my carb dialed in on my RK and have no interest in EFI. Last summer I took the bike to the Rocky Mountains and the CV carb never missed a beat, even a 12,000 feet. My EFI friends were amazed.

 

Ultra is great. But you can buy a RK I get detachable tour pack. BUT I would check out prices before. They are not cheap.

 

I went from a 2007 RKC to a 2009 Ultra and love it. Should have done it sooner. Dosen't matter if it is local or a all day cruise the ride is great. Wife loves it too. Feels good to arrive at my destination and not tired from the wind beating on you. Nice to listen to tunes and the CB for group communication.

 

I do a lot of riding with my wife similar to what you are describing of your future intentions. I would have to say a dresser of some sort. I had a fat boy several years ago with a backrest and a detachable windshield and bags. My wife was not comfortable on that at all. Made the trips a hassle. Bought an Ultra Classic and now she loves to ride. Most of my friends with full dressers and wives say the same thing. Good luck.

 

You can pack a lot of $hit into two hard bags and a tour pak. No problem on a Road Kind.

 

I just did a week on my RKC. It was great. I used a Kurayakin Full Dresser bag which had plenty of space for a weeks worth of clothes AND a FF helmet in the top section. (See my signature pic) If I'd left the FF at home, there would be room for the wife's stuff as well. (I didn't take her on this one.) The bag was rock solid on the luggage rack and pops on and off quickly. Go with the Road King.

(I may have a very slight bias for Road Kings. )

 

I have a 2007 Street Glide and I bought the King Tour Pack...and many other accessories. I love it, but it cost a lot with all of the accessories (though I did buy them a couple at a time).

If I had to do it again, I would buy the Ultra straight off, I love the full dresser. I love that tour pak...it is so handy!

You have a bar hopper already, so you're good to go there.

However, I have always loved the road king classic, so I bought a 2012 and will be picking it up in a couple of weeks. This bike will have a solo seat and never see a windshield. It's just for me...to stare at in my garage for the several months of winter I have here in ND.

I've seen some pretty cool aftermarket fairings for the road king, so you could have the best of both worlds, but that Ultra really is decked out...I don't think you can make a wrong choice either way.

Either Harley touring model will be a joy. I like the suggestions people made about renting first...that is good advice.

 

My wife and I put 30k miles two up on a 2006 wideglide and we thought it was heaven. In 2010 we bought an Ultra,and it is like night and day. The comfort, the tunes and radio,THE COMFORT, (did I mention COMFORTABLE RIDING?) and we sold the wideglide to my son who loves it now. If you plan 600 mile days on the bike for any traveling, get the Ultra, The road king is comfortable bar hopper, but the ultra was designed and built for what the OP says he and is ol lady are going to be doing.

 

If money isn't really a concern and your wife is going along, the Ultra would be a no brainer. I'd never think of taking my wife on an extended vacation on my RK as it is a cruiser that needs more creature comforts, storage and wind protection like the Ultra offers. I do tons of 6-8 hour trips on the RK but I do it solo.