greetings, gentlemen (and ladies, i suppose)

i would be interested in some input from the "wise" members of the HDForum.

i currently ride an '08 RKC - almost always "2 up" with my lovely wife. only 9,000 miles on her (the RKC!) and absolutely NOTHING wrong with her (the RKC nor the wife! ).

i test rode a '14 ultra classic a couple weeks ago and have not been able to stop thinking about it. very nice ride! (actually rode the limited, but not particularly interested in the "water-cooled" feature - so - ultra classic.)

stopped into the local HD dealer yesterday to have another look and spotted a used '11 ultra limited with only 3,000 miles on the showroom floor. took that for a test ride as well. also a very nice bike. after talking with the salesman, my sense is the OTD price on the '11 would be about $3,000 less.

i understand the main differences between the two bikes would be the bigger engine and the redesigned frame on the '14. (i'm not terribly interested in the navigation system either.)

i realize choosing any bike comes down to personal preference in many ways, but what would be some other things to consider in deciding between these two choices.

or, i could wait for the '15's to come out....

or, i can just keep my RKC - and the money i would otherwise spend on a new/different "toy"...

any feedback would be appreciated. thanks.

 

Of the two, I would go with the 2014, finances permitting. The primary reason being the bigger front forks. They DO make a difference in how the bike handles and feels on the road, IMO. The other thing is that if you buy new, YOU control how the bike is ridden and broken in from the start. (Break-in being another former hot topic of debate ). Good luck with your decision.

 

thanks, RBWIDE. had not considered the "break-in" period.

 

Please don't take this wrong but with the amount of miles you are riding I would just keep the RKC. If you were touring and putting on a lot of miles I would say trade so your wife would have the extra comfort.

 

The 14,3000.00 isn't that much when you take into account it's new, full warranty and really great upgrades in 14. I don't even own a 14 because of the deal I got in December on a 13 RKC. would have been a 14 if they had the classic.

 

I would get the 14. The 11 doesn't have the high output motor and will give you very little performance improvement (considering it is stock) over the current bike you have. If you are looking for an improvement in ride, the 14 will have it. The 11 won't be a bid enough jump from a 08 RK to justify the cost.

 

3K less than a new 14 for a 3 year older bike? Wouldn't even consider it, that's robbery!
Doesn't the 11 have a 96 motor?
There are so many improvements to the Rushmore's that 3K is a small price to pay.
Lots of good deals going on right now to clear out the 14's to make room for the 15's especially on the not so popular Ultra.

 

I understand your question and have been in your shoes before. Go with the 14. When you try to turn it in the extra few year of the 11 will hurt you. If not in a rush wait till Sept/ October and get a much better deal on a 14.

Be Safe JIM

 

I understand your question and have been in your shoes before. Go with the 14. When you try to turn it in the extra few year of the 11 will hurt you. If not in a rush wait till Sept/ October and get a much better deal on a 14.

Be Safe JIM

 

thanks, c908. this is what i keep telling myself! for the type of riding we do, the RKC is just perfect! why do i need a different bike?

to be honest, we would very probably do more (some?) long distance riding if we had the "upgrade" and more comfortable seating for my bride. (she's actually encouraging me to upgrade, because she would like to go on some "adventures"!)

thanks, vincewd. yeah, i thought that $3,000 was not that much more for a brand new bike vs the '11 (even with the low miles on the used one). i was kind of surprised, actually.