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[harley.rider.bh]

i was going to buy 2014 street glide, but after what i heard about issues on clutch, radio, cooling(for the ultra models) so im confused what should i buy! i like the new shape and changes in fairing, saddle bag, LED for touring modles, how ever those majour issues dissapointed me, i dont know what to do, i need a bike, i'm thinking to go for 2013, it is difficult to stay without a bike and waiting untill 2015 in order to fix their issues.

kindly advise

[timo482]

unfortunately there is usually some issue with each year - but the issues are often completely different since the old issues do get solved.

it would not surprise me that later year 14 production have running changes that solve some of the early 14 issues, but who knows.

2000 had super good cranks - and cam bearing problems, then later were chain tensioner problems - and so on.

always remember what you read on the internet is the problems - and how to avoid them - 99 percent are not having problems, but if somebody does have a problem its pretty serious to them.

for instance compensators - few actually fail, but for those who do have failures its serious and expensive.

and last - how much you really ride is a big factor. if you really ride 15000 miles a year there are things you probably need to pay close attention to to avoid problems, lifters for instance are fairly cheap but occasionally fail and cause big expense - same with tensioner shoes. but if you ride 2000 miles a year you won't see any of those issues for a very long time. hd air cooled engines really are from the era of radial airplane engines - nothing lasted a really long time then, we all love them for the way they are and we would all like them to last like a toyota corolla does - but they don't. you don't have to treat it like a black shadow [factory recommended a engine tear down every 1000 miles to be sure there were no issues].

[kojak]

Buy the 2014 SG and don't sweat it.

[smkymtnboy]

i was going to buy 2014 street glide, but after what i heard about issues on clutch, radio, cooling(for the ultra models) so im confused what should i buy! i like the new shape and changes in fairing, saddle bag, LED for touring modles, how ever those majour issues dissapointed me, i dont know what to do, i need a bike, i'm thinking to go for 2013, it is difficult to stay without a bike and waiting untill 2015 in order to fix their issues.

kindly advise

no problem! buy the esp and ride on!

[CVO2FIXUP]

 Buy the 2014 and retro fit it to the air cooled heads. And tune. Best of both worlds.

[moscooter]

 
I bought a 2014 Street Glide Special.  No clutch problems and I'm liking the way it handles/rides.  Even though it is a (Tour Model),  it does (not) come with the LED headlight.  I had the LED headlight installed in my '09 SE Ultra and I had them swap it out to the S.G.

[05Train]

The 2014s are far and away better bikes than the 2013s.  Don't sweat the negative reviews.

[harley.rider.bh]

brothers, I really appresiate your value response,,,,

next question: shall i go for flhxs or ultra 2014?
lets see your recommendations

[fastfreddy]

BOTH 

[D-N-D]

Go for the 2014 you will never look back !!!

[05Train]

I'd get a Limited.

[moscooter]

 
Lots of ways to look at it.  I traded in a SE Ultra '09.  That damn thing weighed close to 900 pounds without me on it.  For long distance touring,  it was the way to go and we did a long trip to Sturgis with it a few yrs ago.

However,  around town on short hops/rides........it's an overweight PIG/HOG.

My new SG Special is around 150 pounds lighter and "feels" to me like it is more like 200 pounds plus "lighter".   It (along with my old Road Kings)........all of them "Tour models",  due to weight and (where that weight is located)..........all of them are much more maneuverable than the Ultra was.

[AMEDD_SFC]

It depends on your riding habits.

If you mostly bar hop or ride around town, get the SG.  They are cool, for sure.  On the other hand if you plan on doing a lot of touring,, go for the ultra.
I put in 2500 in one long week on a SG and it was no where near as comfortable as the ultra.  The Ultras are made for gobbling up the miles where the SG are made for in town coolness with the occasional long ride.

You can always do a conversion on the ultra with the removable TP and get the around-town coolness of a SG for around 3k.  I think adding the long haul extras to a SG may be more than that, tho'.

As for me, I will probably stick to the Ultra, having rode everything else.  My opinion:  Ultra with a lower windshield, SG mirrors and shorty antennas = badd a$$.   I can't wait to do the convertible mod.

Cheers 

M

[FLTRCVO]

I will add my opinion due to my experience, beware of first production year of factory motor modifications such as water cooler heads. The Motor Company has an extremely poor track record with regard to their Research and Development on the other hand the consumers back in late 2006 and early 2007 not only witnessed but felt the effects of the non existant Harley R&D Team. Harley builds the motor, you buy it, it breaks, they fix it, however, when it's in being fixed you are not riding and when you get it back your wondering when it's going to break again. So personally due to my experience I would not touch the first year production water cooled head motors.

[King Glide]

Buy a '14 limited, the problems are highly over exaggerated and easy fixes and will be fixed when you buy. As for the limited over the other, anybody that tells you that less is more is full of it. More is more and you can't get more than the CVO Limited.