I just wanted to get some other folks perspectives or ideas. I have not been riding for about 4 years and have decided that I really miss it and I want to start back riding. The last bike I owned was a Heritage.
I went in for surgery on Tuesday and will not be able to ride for 6 weeks. But on Sunday I went to my local dealership and even though they knew I was not going to purchase a bike that day they insisted on me taking test rides.
I went in with the idea of getting a Road King Classic as I like retro looking bikes. I rode the RKC and then they asked me to test ride a Street Glide. Hard bags and fairings really don't appeal to me. But I was blown away by the ride of the SG. I felt like I was sitting in the SG and I was sitting on the RKC. We took the same route on both bikes and had to cross a couple of sets of RR tracks. The amount of shock absorbance was night and day. Hardly felt them on the SG. The SG just felt balance and very smooth.
I was just curious if anyone had purchased one and wished they had gotten the other. I know the RKC can be fitted with the SG shocks and things like that, but the SG still has the radio and the locking bags. And I would imagine there are a ton of options to personalize the SG, I just have never really looked into it.

 

Ya. Well not street glide in particular, but electra glide, which the SG is.
Love the looks of a RK aped out and with the windshield off. But love the look of a EG stripped down somewhat. I got the EG.
As far as ride, if they were the same year bike, the ride should have been the same, with maybe a little bit harsher ride edge going to the SG due to the shorter shocks.

 

Ride the RK without the windshield and see if you like it. I thought that I would like the no windshield but have tried asnd do not like it. Im considering trading a 12 RK for a Road Glide or Electra. If the windshield is there all the time I figure it might as well be fairing with the additional comforts.

 

I went through the same dang thing in February. Buddy of mine has 09 RKC and I love the looks of it - I just love that old style look. However, in the end, I went with a SG. I love my bike but I still love the looks of the RKC. It's a tough choice. The thing that sold it for me was I wanted tunes. The buddy that has the RKC is now looking for a fairing to put on it. He's wants tunes really bad. Also he wishes he had the hard bags. That's according to him. I like the looks of the leather bags.

Yes, you do "sit in the bike" more on the SG. I love that. I feel like I'm sitting in my lazy boy at home.

I think there's a ton of options either way. Maybe the SG edges out the RKC. I don't regret purchasing the SG.

The only thing that I wasn't expecting is the large up draft I get. If I put in feet on my highway pegs, I get a large up draft. Some have said that putting the lower fairings on will take care of this but I haven't tried yet. Otherwise, it rides like my couch at home.

Sorry, can't help you anymore then that. But I feel your pain. Good luck. In the end, either way you'll have an excellent bike.

 

I also started looking with the RK being what I wanted. After looking for several weeks and studying and talking to the salesman(he was a biker and not a salesman) he gave me the pros and cons of both I decided on the EGC. Never regreted the decision. I now wouldn't have anything without a batwing. I haven't been stung on the hand in over 3 years. With just the windshield on my previous bike I was getting stung 2-3 a year. And the tunes ain't bad either. Hard bags with locks are a plus too.

 

Yep three weeks ago. Loved that rk look. Leaning towards rk. Road both. Bought sg. I'm happy. But if u know for sure u are gonna do a lot of long mile trips, just get an ultra.

 

Maybe I shouldn't chime in cuz I'm not an old guy. Although I do have enough grey to fool people. What I mean to say is that the classic looking leather bags don't appeal to me. That aside part of your decision may have to do with options you want. RKC forces you to have those options and b/c of that costs about the same as a no-option SG. If you do want the options (I say yes please) then SG is...what?...$1,500 more? Between the two I think the SG is a no brainer. BUT!!! The EG costs the same as a SG and I'd suggest you look at that. Depends on the kind of riding you will be doing and whether it will be solo or two-up. EG will ride better than SG and offer the third bag for space and for a passenger. SG looks sexier though.

 

They both have the same frame and shocks.
You shouldn't feel any difference between the two in the ride.

You pick one over the other based mostly on what style you like.

 

No struggle at all. I don't like fairings and hard bags. Too much plastic for my taste. If you like the look of the RKC better (and coming from a Heritage, that is understandable) get the RKC. If you get the SG even though you prefer the Road King, you'll be apologizing to yourself from day one.

I''m 57 years old and have put 8,500+ miles on mine since I got it in December and it is perfectly comfortable. Part of that was a weeklong tour down the east coast. It rides great and handles like a dream. (It has a MUCH greater lean angle than your Heritage so it is much more nimble in the twisties.)

 

To my eyes, the RKC and the SG are at two opposite ends of the visual spectrum, so I never really considered the Classic over the Glide. Now, if HD still made the Road King Custom, that might have been a conflict as those two differ really in the fairing.

I was coming from a Deluxe and was specifically looking to get away from the retro look of the Kings.

That said, I'm very happy with my decision of the Glide and kick myself for waiting so long. I finally feel like I have the bike I should have had years ago.