[peepingdc22]

I know this has been debated and discussed in the past but I won't some more reviews and opinions. Been searching/researching online for days now and still am absolutely torn. I know the best idea is to test ride both which will happen come spring. I currently have an 09' Night Train which I will be keeping. As of last season the ol' lady and I have been taking long haul trips more then daily cruises and it's time to upgrade to something more practical. I want the best bike in regards to comfort level of passenger or the easiest bike to make passenger comfort at its upmost. Current owners of either bike please chime in and talk away with pros and cons. This is what I have so far...thanks!

Street Glide
Pros:
hard saddle bags
tunes
bat fairing
handles well for bagger
Cons:
no passenger running boards
rough rear end
lowered
have to check PSI in shocks routinely
expensive
exhaust heat for passenger

Road King
Pros:
cheaper
wheel stripes
nostalgic look you like
comes with passenger running boards
Cons:
have to add bat fairing and hard saddle bags
won’t have 103 engine


Notes
price difference with whatever bike you choose will most likely even out with the bat fairing and hard saddle bag price add on to Road King or with more expensive Street Glide that will come with
both bikes will need to have big comfy one piece aftermarket seat (Corbin, Mustang, Daytripper, Sundowner ect.)

sit/test drive both bikes

 

[Louisville Joe]

peeping, I ride a Road Glide and never had a SG or RK so I can't be much help. But...., where did you get the idea a RK doesn't have the 103 motor?

 

[TmikeX]

I like the SG just because it has a few more bells and whistles. With the special you get the upgraded infotainment system.

 

[peepingdc22]

Well...maybe I didn't research enough but I thought they only came with the 88 and 96.

 

[fatcat]

I know this has been debated and discussed in the past but I won't some more reviews and opinions. Been searching/researching online for days now and still am absolutely torn. I know the best idea is to test ride both which will happen come spring. I currently have an 09' Night Train which I will be keeping. As of last season the ol' lady and I have been taking long haul trips more then daily cruises and it's time to upgrade to something more practical. I want the best bike in regards to comfort level of passenger or the easiest bike to make passenger comfort at its upmost. Current owners of either bike please chime in and talk away with pros and cons. This is what I have so far...thanks!

Street Glide
Pros:
hard saddle bags
tunes
bat fairing
handles well for bagger
Cons:
no passenger running boards
rough rear end
lowered
have to check PSI in shocks routinely
expensive
exhaust heat for passenger

Road King
Pros:
cheaper
wheel stripes
nostalgic look you like
comes with passenger running boards
Cons:
have to add bat fairing and hard saddle bags
won’t have 103 engine


Notes
price difference with whatever bike you choose will most likely even out with the bat fairing and hard saddle bag price add on to Road King or with more expensive Street Glide that will come with
both bikes will need to have big comfy one piece aftermarket seat (Corbin, Mustang, Daytripper, Sundowner ect.)

sit/test drive both bikes

Not that big of a deal to install passenger floorboards on the Street glide. Also doesn't the Road king also have air shocks that would need the PSI checked?

 

[Wrgiacona]

I don't see where the heat hot the passenger would be any different between the two. They both have catalytic converters.

Get an SG Special it is the only during bike that doesn't have air shocks. Accept maybe the Road Glide Special.

But if you are going to try and turn a Road King into a Street or Electra Glide you are going to end up spending a lot more money than just buying one.

 

[TPR021]

You say your thinking longer trips and you don't want a tour pack? Sissy bar,pad,4pt dock will also be on your list whether or not you get them right away is a budgetary item. don't fore get about an EG. Give us some more of your thinking, I'm sure there will be more suggestions.

 

[FritzHD]

You're keeping your night train so go with the street glide because of the fairing. Tunes, wind and weather protection. Once a month check of air isn't that much of a hassle.

 

[chasarms]

. . . if you are going to try and turn a Road King into a Street or Electra Glide you are going to end up spending a lot more money than just buying one.

+1.

And, you'll still have speedo and other guages down on the tank. No tach and a generally less efficient set up.

If someone owns a 'King and wants a fairing, that's cool, but to buy a 'King with the intention of putting a fairing on it seems a bit silly.

 

[peepingdc22]

Luggage rack and passenger back rest are a given expense but as far as the electra glide or road glide go don't like the looks of them as much as the RK and SG so I've got it down to those two bikes. More concerned about passenger comfort and which would be the most economically smart bike to buy. Sounds like the SG simply because adding the bags and batfairing will cost me more to add on to the RK.

 

[Yon Yonson]

Street Glide factory seats are not for touring 2 up. You would need an upgrade there. A whole other thread for that alone. Passenger floor boards can be bought at any HD shop for the Street Glide. If you buy a batwing and hard saddle bags for the RK, big expense, why not just go the SG route. After market longer shocks are available if you don't want air. Factory SG shocks suck for 2 up. Get the cat gutted on either right away and do a stage 1 and your golden. No heat.

 

[wachuko]

I know this has been debated and discussed in the past but I won't some more reviews and opinions. Been searching/researching online for days now and still am absolutely torn. I know the best idea is to test ride both which will happen come spring. I currently have an 09' Night Train which I will be keeping. As of last season the ol' lady and I have been taking long haul trips more then daily cruises and it's time to upgrade to something more practical. I want the best bike in regards to comfort level of passenger or the easiest bike to make passenger comfort at its upmost. Current owners of either bike please chime in and talk away with pros and cons. This is what I have so far...thanks!

Street Glide
Pros:
hard saddle bags
tunes
bat fairing
handles well for bagger
Cons:
no passenger running boards
rough rear end
lowered
have to check PSI in shocks routinely
expensive
exhaust heat for passenger

Road King
Pros:
cheaper
wheel stripes
nostalgic look you like
comes with passenger running boards
Cons:
have to add bat fairing and hard saddle bags
won’t have 103 engine


Notes
price difference with whatever bike you choose will most likely even out with the bat fairing and hard saddle bag price add on to Road King or with more expensive Street Glide that will come with
both bikes will need to have big comfy one piece aftermarket seat (Corbin, Mustang, Daytripper, Sundowner ect.)

sit/test drive both bikes

I say this with the utmost respect... your comparison is flawed/outdated/incorrect...

Both bikes have the same engine
Both bikes have hard saddlebags, unless you are talking about older Road Kings that had leather bags
Both bikes have cruise control standard
Same heat issues for you as the rider and your passenger...
Passenger Floor boards - pegs that come with the SG can easily be replaced by larger floorboards...RK has passenger floorboards


Just to save time... both bikes are the same... same frame, same engine, same tranny, same suspension (unless you look at the SG Special), etc. Fundamentally the are the same touring bike. Some of the differences comes down to:

(*) The fairing will make the SG feel heavier than the RK... RK feels nimble in comparison
(*) The electronics. SG has audio system, bluetooth integration for your phone, etc.
(*) Instrument location (speedometer, tachometer)... you have it within your line of sight on the SG where on the RK you have to look down at the tank to see the instrument panel
(*) Better protection from the wind behind the SG over the RK
(*) You can ride the RK naked... you can't do that with the SG as the fairing is fixed in place... in the RK you can remove the windscreen...
(*) RK has the saddlebag protection bars where these are optional on the SG
(*) Price... yes... you could put a removable fairing on the RK... but by the time you do, cost wise, better to go with an SG if you want a fairing... better integration of everything when it comes from the factory.

2015 Touring Road King | FLHR Motorcycle | Harley-Davidson USA

2015 Touring Street Glide | FLHX Motorcycle | Harley-Davidson USA

So go with the SG if you want the audio features and additional cool electronics that come with it. Passenger floorboards should not be a deciding factor...

 

[Doogle]

I've had both go with SG. Install passenger floorboards and move pegs up front to the engine guard For highway pegs. You'll have to buy brackets. Ride it for a couple years then trade for a EG when you decide comfort is more important than cool.


Doogle

 

[letsgomurphys]

I have had both and from what you're describing you want to so, you're probably better off with the SG, unless you ride it and just don't like it. They are very similar bikes now as mentioned before. What did was forego the sgs and do the regular street glide as I knew I wanted to upgrade the exhaust, shocks, etc. (And I hate abs). If you really like the nav you can get the upgraded radio on the regular SG. Then take the money you saved and upgrade the shocks on a SG and have money for floorboards, backrest, seat, etc. That's what I did and I'm very happy with it.

 

[JTJ]

I have had a 3 RK's and 2 EG's.
Not sure what is so different looks-wise from a SG to an EG (fender trim?), but the seat, boards, tour pack, etc on an EG will be lot more comfortable for your passenger.
If you guys are going to be doing trips, you will want all the storage you can get...

 

[Derick441]

I bought my RK new in March and totally love it. My wife loves ridding also she is very comfortable on the back. I put the sissy bar and 4 point docking on the back so if i want to add a luggage rack i can and also when we go on long trips to the beach or mountains when we get there i pull the windshield off and cruise around and love it

 

[webbdm33]

I just sold my road king 3 weeks ago and purchased a street glide. After 1000 miles it was the best decision I ever made. I love my king but it just don't compare 4 me comfort wise. Just my 2cents.

 

[dog155]

We all love our Harleys for different reasons mine is the RK because it is nostalgic and with todays easy quicktach stuff its a bagger one minute the next it is a bobber.

 

[City Chicken]

Electra Glides rule the entire universe of motorcycles regardless of model or brand. Just sayin'.....

 

[turd nugget]

Roadkings come with hard bags. The RK classic and custom come with the hard leather. And RKs after 2010 have a 103 motor and also have air shocks but checking the psi is not a big deal.