Thinking I want a Harley Road Glide

Hey guys. Been thinking about selling my 1992 fox mustang. Love the car, but quite honestly I miss riding.

Always said if I sold my bike, which was a 2008 Suzuki M109r at the time, I would either buy a fox or a Harley. Well I went the fox route and had lots of fun. Many shows. Still brings trophies. Low original mile car.

But now I am at the point that I want to explore again and get back on two wheels. The wife is not happy about the idea lol. But eh.

Looking to get some opinions on the road glide. Love the looks. But what years are good. What years to stay away from or for that matter which are preferred. Which motors should i look for. General problems, ease or pain in the ass maintenance...etc

Really want a bagger with speakers. Something I can bomb around with and can still go on longer trips comfortably

Thanks in advance

 

Probably 07 and up. They went to a 96'' and put in a 6 speed in. If you're looking for even older I would say all the way down to 2002. Believe they went Delphi EFI and that's what they use today.

 

The newer the better in general with Harleys. Generally the older it is, the more you will have to spend on upgrades to the motor and suspension if you want to match the performance of a newer bike. Even current gen ones can benefit from suspension upgrades, even the new ones handle like a barge with their stock suspension. The view from the rider position is odd too, that fairing is HUGE and the controls for the radio/touchscreen are pretty far way.

Motor wise, the twin cam is pretty reliable, and has a massive aftermarket. The potential on the TC is limited only by your budget. Stock TCs can be quite underpowered, especially 88ci ones. The evo has a massive aftermarket, but at this point you're dealing with a much older bike. The Milwaukee eight, their current motor, is great even in stock trim, and already has a huge aftermarket with limitless potential.

 

I've been reading alot of bad on the new Milwaukee 8
I'd look for a low mile 13-17 w 103 motor, get a special with the bigger touch screen nav.

 

09 has a new frame and many upgrades. I would not buy one older than 09. 08 back feels like they have a hinge in the middle.

 

Get the newer frame for sure, 09+
There was one year where they did not make it IIRC 13 or 14. The newer bikes 15-20 look about the same, but 17+ have the new engine.
The new fairing looks much better. The twin cam has everything worked out and the aftermarket is strong. I think that would be 15-16. Those are "Rushmore" models. Even though they look the same, people want the new engine (M8) so the Rushmore twin cams have crashed in value because people want the new engine. Harley was smart and did not change the entire bike all at once. So everything from 15-20 looks pretty much the same. I'm a sport/dirt/adventure guy so this 16 RG Special was my first ever cruiser/touring bike. Has lots of grunt, love the cruise control and radio. It's crazy heavy and does not really have much storage. Giant frame mounted fairing is crazy effective. Rear suspension is really lacking. Mine is super, super rare, it is 100% bone stock. lol.

 

Spend the money on your truck!

With a Motorcycle it is only a matter of time that someone will hit you unfortunately.

My best friend was hit by a girl texting and driving and he is paralyzed from the accident.
His life is fxxxed.

I love bikes but the problem is the other person.

 

You really need to ride like every car is trying to hurt you. I raced off road for 30 years and rode hwy. for 55 years and never had a crash mostly due to my off road racing and reading the traffic ahead and being willing to hit the ditch if need be. Bike’s operate in a unsafe environment so be very alert.

 

Look deep into the type of riding you want to do.

If you're into touring (like actual riding distance) and dont ride too hard cant beat a touring Harley. I had a 2011 street glide i built up over 3 years loved it. Was bad ass and fun but i ride hard... i scraped it everywhere i went and even raised the rear 1"

I switched to a 2014 dyna low rider (same 103 twin cam motor) and threw a set of soft bags on it and im in heaven.. suits my riding style muc better and i can enjoy quick jaunts around town or day long rides... i never ride more than 5 or 6 hours a day in the saddle so im gold!

As others have mentioned 09+ is the minimum you want, but Id say 14+ as it gives you the rushmore upgrades in suspension, radio, controls and much better looking front fairing. Stick to a twin cam. Bulletproof. My 103 was stage 2 with a woods cam and i was making more power and torque than a brand new 117 CVO Milwaukee 8.

 

This was the ol street glide.

 

The new to me low rider.

 

Motorcycles are not for everyone.

Everyone has some fxxxing story about someone they knew that was hurt or died. Trust me everyone one who rides gets sick of your anecdotal warnings.

You can do all the exercise, you can eat all the right things, you can stay away from dangerous activities....and you're still going to die.

 

Nothing better than hitting the road with your knees in the wind . I really miss riding with friends

 

One of the best things about motorcycles is YOU define the experience you want. There are so many different genres or activities.

For many like Boss Hoss it is riding with friends and a passenger, the social aspect of riding. For me I prefer to ride alone and never with a passenger.

For some folks it is only a toy or recreation, but for others it is transportation.

Lots of people say pretend they (other road users) don't see you, but the best (previously mentioned) technique is to pretend they are out to get you.

 

Hey man, livin' ain't for pussies. Pay up your insurance and start having fun, before a tree falls on your house and kills you on your safe space.
I ride bikes, fly airplanes, drink from the water hose, and even let my dog lick me. Everything can kill you. Might as well be from something you enjoy.

Reminds me of James Fixx, the dude responsible for most of us recreational runners. Wrote a best selling book all about the health benefits of running, The Complete Book of Running. Dude died at 52 while running.​

 

I drink moonshine made by a really sketchy distant relative in WV, I'm sure he gets the water at some creek that is run-off from a strip mine.
I spend lots of time in CA, everything gives you cancer out there and the government makes you label EVERYTHING so they can't be held liable for not protecting your safety. They know there is no way to stop all of the things that might give you cancer, but their ridiculous and costly notification campaign is nothing more that a cover-your-ass upfront notification, so you can't sue them for not warning you. I'm not certain which is worse. The California culture that necessitates this or our silly litigious society.

 

That first quote is funny as hell. I had to steal that for awhile. hope you don't mind.

 

Thanks. Sometimes I have to say it's not for the faint of heart. People ask me all the time why I do ..... Life is risky, so you might as well enjoy it. None of us are getting out of this alive. I like to think of myself as a relatively smart guy and try to mitigate risk in whatever I do. Drive sober, head on a swivel, etc. Don't fly in bad weather. If I see my dog eat a turd, wait 10 minutes or so before I let her lick me. But if I like it, I'm going to do it. I've also got a huge life insurance policy, so my wife is really cool with it.