Test ride mania - 2016 Road Glide, Street Glide, Heritage, Road King

Got a mailer from my Reno HD dealer offering me a chance to win a couple bikes if I would just come in and test ride the Road & Street Glides. So I went in yesterday -what the heck, I figured, the worse that could happen is I get to wreck someone else's bike....but I didn't.

My '99 Road King has evolved to be my ride over the last 17 years, with Progressive (lower) shocks, Mustang seat, mini-ape bars, Bagger Brace on the frame. Back in '99 - the first year of the twin cam- there wasn't a bike that fit my 5'7'' frame, so I made it fit. Now they all do - and more. Crap. Heck, the Heritage is so low I was scrapping the footrest bracket just doing lazy figure 8's in the parking lot (to get the pre-highway feel of it).

I'd never ridden a full fairing bike with music going and all. After buzzing around on the Glides with the tunes going, I may go for a Dragonfly FLHR fairing someday.

As to the bikes, they all handled easily and better than my '99 (grrr). The Road Glide was the most nimble, yet it looks like it shouldn't be - kind a crazy. I do not like that the fairing extends so far forward on the RG, but maybe that is just a style thing. The Heritage (with just the big standard windshield) would have been the nimblest, except for the constant scrapping of the brackets. The Street Glide was a bit heavy in front, but I'd be lying if I said it was a big negative. It really was a minor difference. The King is the king for a reason, and it kills me that the new model handles so much better than mine.

So what does it all mean? Well, I just can't part with my "Ol' Red" Road King, even though these new ones are better and only cost a little more than I paid in '99. I will state - emphatically - that I am done with major repairs on Red. Next time I put big money out on a bike, it will be a new one.

P.S. - The dealer gave me a cool HD coin and signed me up in the contest to win a Road Glide AND a Street Glide, just for doing the test ride. Not a bad deal.

I've been test riding and/or renting for several years. I setup my Fatboy with the progressive rear shocks and monotubes in the forks. Got the ride height a bit higher do I'm not scraping the floorboards as much as stock. Like you, I love the newer Road Kings. The EG Ultra are really great handling and nimble for their size. I haven't ridden the new Road Glides but did ride the last year before they re-designed them and that design I hated the handling. I understand the new ones are much better. If I had to go new, for my bank account is be happy with the standard R King.

Yeah, Fatboy128, I'm with you on just getting a new RK. Might get a detachable sound system, but just don't want the full-up fairings that most do.

I like your idea of lifting the Fatboy...makes a lot of sense. Even for me, they are low enough to be better with some height.

Once you get use to riding a bike with a fairing it feels odd when you ride one without one.

For long distance multiple day rides they are the best. Having tunes isn't a bad thing. But there is somthing to be said about a dependable ride that you know and have a personal reletionship with.

Love that big old 180!

Just got off my 14 Ultra, Took a ride up to Daytoona(185 mi. round trip),had nothing to do this AM. It's amazing how these new Geezer Glides handle and ride comparred with the old ones. HD's come a long way.

A friend of mine his dad has an 99 RK he loves it and has had the motor rebuilt once he gets on it and he's gone.It's true H-D has come along way.

Kept my 01 softail when I got the RG Ultra. Did not like the look first time I saw them, but it handles in the mountains so dang well. When I get on the old softail I am amazed at the difference, but can not give it up. Lot of seat time with it. May trade the RG some day, but never the softail...