So how do you pick which bike?

[Sheepdogmarine]

Like most stuff I want I can rationalize buying it. I could make a case for a UC or RK by saying I'm gonna tour and a my wife will come with me. Forgetting the 16 back surgeries and 3 neck she has had. My more recient personal travel history says the touring is gonna be a mostly NOT and if I do tour it will be without the wife and I'm a minimalist, I can get away with saddle bags, and a seatpack.

My last motorcycle, meaning the one I just bought, not it being the last one I will own, was a FB. I knew I wanted a Softail just which one. I thought I wanted a Custom but when I saw the FB I now own I had to have it.

IMO the most practical bike is a bagger. You can ride it around town and tour on it. However, practical is not the way I always think.

I have a wants vs. needs issue. Wants usually......ok always wins.

I love my FB....I loved my Sportster and will love my Road King or Ultra when I get it....but I will keep the FB too.

I think that is how I feel as well.

Lots of valuable input here and I appreciate it. I just love the Fatboy, it is my first Harley and the one I loved when it first came out. It would be hard to part with it. I think my plan now is to keep it and just buy something new in the spring. It is an awesome bike and I have made a seven and a half hour trip to Nags Head on it, solo. I think the wife is not as excited about touring on a bike as I would like her to be. She is fine doing 100-200 miles a day here and there and my bike is fine for that.

I hate to say it but I have a detachable windshield and saddlebags that came with my bike, but I have never put them on. Maybe I will to see if a little more room may help out on longer rides.

I really appreciate everyone taking the time to reply, it does help a lot and adds a lot more perspective for me. I think I really understand why many people have two bikes, maybe there is not a perfect "ONE"!

Everyone ride safe! After reading about Bruce Rossmeyer, it just makes you think a little more before you do anything.

Eric

 

[Sheepdogmarine]

That was me.

Funny story on my bike. (at least to me).

I went on an 11 day ride with 30 members of our local HOG chapter. We met at the HD store and we were having a pre-ride meeting. A purple Ultra was sitting on the showroom floor and my buddy grabbed my camera and told me to stand by the bike. After the pic he said "too late, that bike is yours now. You stole it's soul with the picture".

This HD store isn't the one I go to. But they are owned by the same people. My local store had a purple one as well which is what I was looking at.

Fast forward 10 days...I called my sales guy about the purple Ultra and he said someone bought it. But there was one on the showroom floor at the other store (which is the one I had my picture taken with). I told him if he didn't sell it by the end of the day, to put a "Sold" sign on it.

So the bike I got was the one my picture was taken with 12 days prior. My friend was right. I stole it soul and that bike picked me.

Now...the guy who bought the one I was originally looking at? He dumped it less than a week later.

Skratch,

That is a great story. I'll be sure no one takes a picture of me near any new bike at the dealer.

 

[butchhd]

i have over 40 years of riding experience lots of miles lots of touring miles and as far as i am concerened its the roadglide hands down the best touring /all around bike harley ever built its fast stable dry sure footed.smooth and has the dual headlight that cut through the dark deer infested roads real nice....the fairing is frame mounted and is stable at any speed.... you can out west leave all your buddies wishing they had one on a long trip theycan havea bigger/faster motor butit the aerodynamics that make this bike great and faster. buy the last of the roadglides you will be happy you did. RIDE SAFE

 

[Sheepdogmarine]

i have over 40 years of riding experience lots of miles lots of touring miles and as far as i am concerened its the roadglide hands down the best touring /all around bike harley ever built its fast stable dry sure footed.smooth and has the dual headlight that cut through the dark deer infested roads real nice....the fairing is frame mounted and is stable at any speed.... you can out west leave all your buddies wishing they had one on a long trip theycan havea bigger/faster motor butit the aerodynamics that make this bike great and faster. buy the last of the roadglides you will be happy you did. RIDE SAFE

Plus it just looks cool! The Road Glide is one of my favorites. When it comes time to get a new bike, it will still be tough.

 

[Skratch]

Here it is...the pic where it's soul was stolen!!

 

[pookibr]

I sat on the different bikes that I was interested in. Moved around on them and the salesperson held the front tire and had me put my feet up and move all around to see which i liked the best. Its funny how some of the same models felt different. The one I bought is the one that felt the best. Didnt even care about the color. Which I now love!!

 

[Gilligan]

That's a great story. We had a similar experience which turned a GoldWing into an UltraClassic on one of our rides last year. I think my friend kinda got the message when we stopped at every Harley dealer along the route, and no others. He traded the GoldWing about a week after the trip. May have been the tour of the Custom Vehicle assembly plant in York, PA that pushed him over the top! Wouldn't mind having my pic taken with an Ultra, that sure is a great looking ride!

 

[Delmar]

Did not go with my head or my heart…I went with my wallet! The first bike was a 2003 Anniversary Sportster that I bought on eBay for $4800. The wife was not interesting in riding so suited my solo usage just fine.

But then the wife really got into riding and we wanted to do extended two-up touring. The Sport was just too snug for the both of us. After riding it 2+years and 10+K miles resold it on eBay for $600 less than I bought it. Not a bad investment in fun.

Found an ugly 2001 Police Road King on eBay and bought it for $6350. Added only about $700 in used parts on eBay to convert to two-up touring (double seat, floorboards, backrest, some cosmetics, etc).

I can ride the wheels off it and don’t even care about dings/scratches or piling on miles. Had I dropped 20 large for a new bike I would have been too anxious about losing resale value to actually enjoy it.

 

[Merlynn]

I had a RK and now have an UC. I really loved the RK and didn't want to go with the UC because I didn't want a faring and the bulkiness of the UC. However, I have no regrets going to the UC. Very comfy for the wife and I, what a great ride. We like to take weekend rides, you will be surprised at how much stuff you can take. Plus as stated the electronic cruse is GREAT!

It took me awhile to get used to the faring as it adds some extra weight and feels totally different. The adjustable wind deflectors are great! Keeps you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

Bottom line will be personal choice for feel and comfort for you and the wife.

Exactly what he said plus my sweetheart loves the intercom system. I was a minimalist when it comes to bikes, loved my RK but after riding on a perfect day with cruise control and great tunes out of the speakers I am now a spoiled rotten hedonist. I love this bike. Use it more than the RK cause I can go shopping with it, dry cleaners, etc. Practical, fun, and with Stage 1, SERT, and dyno time quicker than my RK.