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[Bill E]

Currently ride a 2014 CVO RK.  Thinking of adding a new bike to the family and am looking for opinions on whether as SG or RG makes better sense.  I ride a lot of highway miles

[King Glide]

I have owned both, my preference is the roadglide but you will get just as many likes from the sg crowd. Test ride them both.

[MIKEYTEE]

The Road Glide is great for long highway rides. I bought mine for traveling to Sturgis and have never looked back. Depending on your size you will either like the Street Glide or the Road Glide. The Road Glide is more stretched out and the Street Glide is  more in your face ( compact ). Both are nice rides.
Try both and make your own decision.

Mike
 

[FLSTFI Dave]

I have a 13 CVO King.

I have also had two CVO road glides, a CVO road glide ultra and currently have a 17 CVO Street glide.

I got the 17 CVO street glide because there was not a CVO road glide.  I love my 17 Street glide.  However I still prefer a Road glide in cross winds, around 18 wheels, in parking lots.  The Road Glide is in my opinion the best bike for high milage traveling.  The road glide is more stable at 85 plus mph.

My wife had two street glides.  She took a demo ride on a 15 Road glide and got one.  She is now on a 17 Road Glide special.  She too prefers it.

That said I know other who do not like the road glide.

I recommend riding each for at least 200 miles in all kinds of situations to decide what you like, a little interstate, some high speed, some tight twisties, slow parking lot and so on.

[fastfreddy]

RG 

[Bill E]

Thanks for the quick replies.  I'll give em both test ride or two and figure it out.  I will say it was disappointing today when the Harley dealer told me that any aftermarket exhaust would immediately void a warranty

[MIKEYTEE]

Which dealer are you dealing with? I'll bet they would sell and install the Harley after market exhaust.
Mike
 

[Cvostu]

I've had both.  Road glide all the way.  I won't go back. Stuart.

[Para Bellum]

I've had both batwing and shark.  Road Glide forever.

[SDCVO]

I currently have both and IMO they are very similar. Small difference between the 2 with the RG being more stable in cross winds but its not like the SG is squirly. I would also say the SG is a bit more maneuverable at slow speeds but again its not like the RG is hard to maneuver. I probably prefer the look of the RG but if both were available in a CVO, I would get the one with the paint job I preferred.
Sorry to be so wishy washy and I know most will think I'm nuts here but bottom line is I love them both!

[bigchuck]

Maybe it's do to the fact I weigh 300 lbs but I have never had a problem with cross wind on any batwing. I think the rg has a slightly better ride. I love the profile of the rg but it still looks like a goldwing from the front. I have had both.

[Bill E]

Thanks for the great responses.  The dealer that told me the after market exhaust was out is Thunder Tower in Columbia, SC.  They did not say they wouldn't do an install, only that the bike warranty would immediately be voided, and they won't make the sale.  Now they did say slip-ons are okay, just can't change out the header pipe.  This is where I purchased two of my three bikes, and I've enjoyed working with them, but I don't think there is any way I'm sticking with stock exhaust.  I'll just do the research and switch out myself.

[coloradotom]

If you're big an SG will feel cramped. And then everything +1 for everything FLSTFI Dave said.

[Designflaw]

If you're big an SG will feel cramped. And then everything +1 for everything FLSTFI Dave said.

Not to hi Jack, but curious, I'm 6-3, 270. How's does a RG fit better? Is the same bike with a different fairing.

Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

[Phreakyz]

I've owned a Road Glide and a Street Glide and if most of your travelling would be at high speeds on interstates then you can't beat a Road Glide.   

When the wind buffets the Street Glide Fairing it is translated directly into the handlebars.   

On a Road Glide the handlebars are not affected.     It is not drastic but it is noticeable.    At 55MPH and under, you may never notice it, but at interstate speeds, especially when passing a Semi, you will notice it.  Again not drastic but it is real!

If they had made a Road Glide with the same styling and audio as the CVO Street Glide, then that's what I would've bought.   But they didn't.   Hence the CVO Street Glide in my garage 

[MIKEYTEE]

Not to hi Jack, but curious, I'm 6-3, 270. How's does a RG fit better? Is the same bike with a different fairing.

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The RG is not bigger, longer, taller. or whatever. It does have the instruments and dash further forward from the rider and that is what makes it feel larger/ fit better.

Mike
 

[skratch]

Thanks for the great responses.  The dealer that told me the after market exhaust was out is Thunder Tower in Columbia, SC.  They did not say they wouldn't do an install, only that the bike warranty would immediately be voided, and they won't make the sale.  Now they did say slip-ons are okay, just can't change out the header pipe.  This is where I purchased two of my three bikes, and I've enjoyed working with them, but I don't think there is any way I'm sticking with stock exhaust.  I'll just do the research and switch out myself.

and they won't be the only ones to tell you that.  since hd got hit with that epa fine, they are very tight on the 2017s.  non-epa tuner, non-epa pipes, the warranty will be toast.  at least on the engine.  if your electrics go out, that is still under warranty....

[JCZ]

You might go rent each one for a day or a weekend and experience first hand.

There are a couple members of this forum up in Nor Cal that owned both, at the same time.  They both said that the batwing bike is their "go to" for the long haul rides.  I've been riding batwing bikes since the late 80s and I don't have any problem with them on the interstates or in the mountains of Nor Cal.  I have been accused of being an aggressive rider but that's all a conspiracy by those that just can't keep up. 

Acutally, I've put down miles from time to time over the years, on a Road Glide and it's never won me over.  I just can't get past that Goldwing front end look.

For what it's worth, I'm 6'4" and 220 lbs.

[SDCVO]

For what it's worth, I'm 6'4" and 220 lbs.

Uhh Huh.... 

[coloradotom]

I'll add this too since I found this very hard to get used to. The headlights don't turn on the RG. My first ride home in the dark up the switchbacks to get home was, different.

If you have switchbacks, I'd try to demo ride one at night and see how that suits you. Tight turns are fine, its the 180's that get ya.

[FlaHeatWave]

You might go rent each one for a day or a weekend and experience first hand.

There are a couple members of this forum up in Nor Cal that owned both, at the same time.  They both said that the batwing bike is their "go to" for the long haul rides.  I've been riding batwing bikes since the late 80s and I don't have any problem with them on the interstates or in the mountains of Nor Cal.  I have been accused of being an aggressive rider but that's all a conspiracy by those that just can't keep up. 

Acutally, I've put down miles from time to time over the years, on a Road Glide and it's never won me over.  I just can't get past that Goldwing front end look.

For what it's worth, I'm 6'4" and 220 lbs.

Own both (the '05 SEEG is "father of SG")

I'm just the opposite,,, the Shark is our go-to Bike for long distance, hi-speed trips,,, we prefer the Bat for local or mountains,,, 'Have both Bikes dialed in, I prefer the aero on the Shark, "The Ball & Chain" BSR prefers the aero on the Bat... Both Bikes have been to the 4 Corners (No Tom, not the 4 Corners of Florida,,, the 4 Corners of the Continental US.. LMAO)

"On the Pin" there is "0" Drama with either Bike,,, no wobble,,, no float,,, the Shark just feels more stable,,, the Bat feels more nimble at lower speeds,,, easier in the twisties... The difference in tire sizes (05 vs 09) might come into play here???     

Keep in mind, both of my Bikes are "pre-Rushmore" (no vents)

YMMV...

Just my way of agreeing with everyone else here,,, not a huge difference...

[ultrafxr]

I had fixed fairing bikes exclusively in the 70s and 80s - metrics with Vetter Windjammers - so I'm well acquainted with them and have no problem at all riding them.  But I (and very importantly my co-rider) much, much prefer the Harley batwings over the fixed fairings for several reasons.  I had an '11 CVO Road Glide Ultra and we both hated it - the fairing was great in the winter but in the summer it kept all the breeze off and it was hot, hot, hot.  Yeah, I know remove the lowers but we just don't like that look and feel.  And in cold weather on a fixed fairing your hands are in the windstream while on a batwing they are more protected. 

My co-rider hated that the wind over the windshield hit her smack in the face.  Now I know the newer Rushmore road glides are improved what with the fairing vent and all but there are still limitations imo.  We both did not like that the instruments were so far away and if I had to actually reach for a radio pushbutton I had to lean forward.  I'm 5' 9" but it still felt like the dash was in the next county.  As for the buffeting at highway speeds I can honestly say I cannot tell one iota of difference between the fixed and batwing fairings.  Now I don't ride over 80 mph so maybe this is more pronounced at higher speeds but I'm not going there.  It's all a matter of preference and thank goodness one size does not fit all. 

[MIKEYTEE]

I'll add this too since I found this very hard to get used to. The headlights don't turn on the RG. My first ride home in the dark up the switchbacks to get home was, different.

If you have switchbacks, I'd try to demo ride one at night and see how that suits you. Tight turns are fine, its the 180's that get ya.


My answer to the headlights not moving with the turning of the handle bars. Do the headlights on your car move with the turning of the steering wheel?  ( Some European cars do.) Also, at speed you don't  turn the handlebars so the headlight doesn't follow the curve.

Mike
 

[Unbalanced]

Own both (the '05 SEEG is "father of SG")

I'm just the opposite,,, the Shark is our go-to Bike for long distance, hi-speed trips,,, we prefer the Bat for local or mountains,,, 'Have both Bikes dialed in, I prefer the aero on the Shark, "The Ball & Chain" BSR prefers the aero on the Bat... Both Bikes have been to the 4 Corners (No Tom, not the 4 Corners of Florida,,, the 4 Corners of the Continental US.. LMAO)

"On the Pin" there is "0" Drama with either Bike,,, no wobble,,, no float,,, the Shark just feels more stable,,, the Bat feels more nimble at lower speeds,,, easier in the twisties... The difference in tire sizes (05 vs 09) might come into play here???     

Keep in mind, both of my Bikes are "pre-Rushmore" (no vents)

YMMV...

Just my way of agreeing with everyone else here,,, not a huge difference...

being unagreeable here

I beg to differ with you on that 05 stuff,  the 04 was the concept father to the SG ,   The 05 was just add a tour pack and luggage rack and then decide to remove it like the 04 and release the SG    

[SDCVO]

I'll add this too since I found this very hard to get used to. The headlights don't turn on the RG. My first ride home in the dark up the switchbacks to get home was, different.

If you have switchbacks, I'd try to demo ride one at night and see how that suits you. Tight turns are fine, its the 180's that get ya.


My answer to the headlights not moving with the turning of the handle bars. Do the headlights on your car move with the turning of the steering wheel?  ( Some European cars do.) Also, at speed you don't  turn the handlebars so the headlight doesn't follow the curve.

Mike
 

I live about 10 miles off the freeway off kinda in the boonies without any street lights and twisties most of that way. I agree that the RG stock compared to the SG stock gets a little weird but I added the LED foglights and Custom Dynamics Ringz (to both bikes) and it fixed the "weirdness" on the RG. Overall as far as lighting goes with the dual Daymakers on the RG as opposed the the single Daymaker and the LED aux lights on the SG (and lights mentioned above on both) I would definitely say the RG lights up better. Just a FYI

[Major Tom]

Gidday Y'all,

For my Two Bob'sworth.... (20c or two bits is a near enough exchange rate),

Like most folks on here I have ridden both with and without fairings and definitely prefer to have one especially when doing the miles between the 'corners' as Ed mentioned. In my early days, before I could afford to buy a HD I rode K2 750 fours and a long line of Z900s & Z1000s most of which had bikini' fairings and they all moved with the bars. I don't know if I got much value out of the fairings and didn't really think about it to tell the truth. I changed to HDs in 85 & have had lots of fairing/screens on them since then including batwings starting with a 78 shovelhead EG Classic, I even imported an aftermarket batwing for my 99 RoadKing classic which I ran for a few years until I bit the bullet and got an EG Ultra which I kept until I moved to the far North of the world in South Louisiana.

In Oz we did not get Road Glides (unless it was a private import) until very recently, maybe 4 years ago. We did have the old FLHS (father or very close friend of Road Glides mother perhaps?) which in my experience, anyone who had one ripped the fairing straight off, bought an aftermarket headlight and tried the make the gauges look 'normalish'. Generally they were the cheapest option for a dresser and were an entry point for the bigger bikes for many.

I first tried a Road Glide while doing some riding in the states with some mates prior to moving over and did not like it at all. Figured I would never buy or ride one again and was seriously uncharitable in my description of them for some time afterwards, My poor impression was no doubt due to taking it straight down the very steep decline at the end of Yosemite closest to Death Valley without doing any flat or straight riding to get used to the whole unnatural feel of the fairing not moving with the bars deal.

A good mate in Oz bought one and convinced me to give them another try. We hired one out of Vegas for a long day's riding and I was surprised by how much I liked it after getting some 'settling in' time before trying anything overly challenging. In fact I liked it so much I bought Bertha my first CVO, (a 2011 RGU) and enjoyed every minute on her. We did all sorts of riding, highway, two lanes, mountains, dirt (not by choice), hills, mountains, deserts, and the 4 corners of Florida! by day and night, wet, dry, windy, whatever, mostly two up and very quickly decided we had been very clever as the Road glide was a good fit for us.

We did put Daymakers on Bertha as there were some visibility issue looking through some of the tight corners at night but I don't think my batwings were any better and I put spotties on them all. For me the extra light was primarily to see the critters on the edges of the road before they became interactive but it is nice to see where you are going if possible.

Lucille has been with us for about 2 years now and IMHO the improvements brought with the Rushmore bikes make a world of difference. Great handling compared to many bikes I have owned or ridden in all kinds of situations. We have experienced a similar range of riding and once again I have put some spotties on the fairing lowers to light up the edges of the road for night riding. Its still mostly for the critters as I have no intention of doing any close range critter gawking again. Had my fill of it with a bastard kangaroo about my height.

I have ridden a couple batwings since switching to the sharks and while I still enjoy them they are no longer my preferred ride as I miss the lighter front end and I can't see myself going back.

I agree with the earlier poster, the best advice is go ride anything you are considering in as many conditions s possible. Hire each one for a day or two and give it a whirl. At the end of the day you should buy Whatever Blows Your Hair Back!

Cheers Tom

PS I may have put a dollar's worth in this time.

[Unbalanced]

Love the openness of the RG but being tall in the torso no matter what I tried I always felt like a bobble head.   Add to the the wind buffering on my passenger and it was done deal.   If you ride 2 up Lodi highway speeds with a passenger on both bikes.


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[jc15025]

Here is my vote.......JC

[Dan_Lockwood]

I'll add this too since I found this very hard to get used to. The headlights don't turn on the RG. My first ride home in the dark up the switchbacks to get home was, different.

If you have switchbacks, I'd try to demo ride one at night and see how that suits you. Tight turns are fine, its the 180's that get ya.

I know Mikeytee has already hit you on this, but I have another point.

While riding twisties, I'm assuming you're running at riding speeds, not parking lot speeds.

So what happens at riding speed when you turn, or push, your handlebars to the right; which is the direction the headlight would then point?

You go to the left... 

So with a Batwing your headlight actually, to "some" degree, goes in the opposite direction than your motion of travel.

Just thought I'd throw that out in defense of us RG guys...

[FlaHeatWave]

being unagreeable here

I beg to differ with you on that 05 stuff,  the 04 was the concept father to the SG ,   The 05 was just add a tour pack and luggage rack and then decide to remove it like the 04 and release the SG

Doesn't that make the '04 "The Grandfather" of Street Glide

I agree with some of the others about the low speed lighting of the RG, (daymakers) like turning into a dark driveway or really tight 1st gear switchbacks,,, can get kind of scary at times... The '05 SEEG (Has passing lamps) offers much better "flood" lighting in those situations due to the Lights turning with the handlebars...

[King Glide]

Actually, I was at the love ride (Glendale ca.) in 2002 and was part of a crowd following Willie G. Around when he bumped into Billy Bartel, the son of the owner of Bartels Hd. in Santa Monica ca.
They talked about something that I assume regarded to Billy's bike and we followed both of them to Billy's Electraglide standard that he had put a roadglide seat on and a set of electraglow saddlebag rail lights along with a cut off windshield. It was a little rough looking and I can't say for sure but the streetglide that came along sure looks a lot like what I saw that day.

[FLSTFI Dave]

I live up a winding road along the river, most my friends call it a mini dragon.   I much prefer the road glide with daymakers at night to the Street glide.  Much wider light pattern to see those deer.