It was much different than I expected. I always thought they were the kind of bike you put into top gear quickly and then lug along at low RPM. I hardly got above 3rd gear. It's definitely geared for low RPM highway cruising, and I imagine it's quite nice doing so. My ride included no highway miles and a top speed of maybe 50 in 4th gear.

The guy who owns the Road Kind rode my ZX9R (his first time on a sport bike) and was suprised to find out that you ride it in top gear almost all the time. He kept trying to shift into 7th gear... He rode it at 3000 RPM or less most of time, never got beyond 4000 RPM (the bike redlines at 12000 RPM) and was shocked at the low RPM power on tap. He was expecting to have ot keep the revs up to have any power. Funny how that worked out...

The Road King is a very pleasant ride that's immediately comfortable and easy to get used to. All controls were intuitive (except the no-key ignition switch on the tank, that befuddled me...). The controls all had very nice, smooth action and were easy to use. The bike just oozes quality feel, fit and finish. It was quite pleasant plodding along on narrow, twisty, country roads, soaking up the scenery and just being mellow. I can see why people like them so much. Unfortunately, I dragged hard parts pretty routinely in corners at "my idea of a plodding pace" and the worry that generated turned me off. The bike skips sideways a bit when hard parts touch down.

It's been years since I last rode a Harley and they are vastly improved. I assume they are reliable now too. If long country rides are your scene and "ripping it up" in corners is not in your plans, I highly recommend looking at a Road King.

The newest Harley I've ridden is my friend's, it was 3 years ago, I think it's a Dyna, I think it's an '03. Compared to MY Harley, it was like driving an electric motor with wheels that sounded like a Harley. Almost as smooth as my Aspencade.

My Sporty is 32 years old, and you can feel and hear every single moving part on the thing. While that makes freeway riding a pain (literally), there IS something to be said for being able to "feel" your machine...

I don't ride, and only this past spring got an up-close look at a Road King. I instantly fell in love. It made me think about learning to ride, but then I realized I'd never be happy until I could have one of those.

I have a 2002 HD Road King Classic (leather bags) and prior to that I had a 1997 Road King (hard bags). I like them as the bike can handle long trips, I have ridden to Sturgis, Milwaukee up Mt. Washington and at the beaches in Florida, but also can be used as a cafe bike by taking the detachable windshield, passenger backrest and luggage rack off.

I think the bike purrs while riding 80 and also has the low end torque. I ride in 5th gear most of the time and often look for 6th while traveling the highways.

I like the ignition as I don't have to worry about using a key. I have the key fob security system and often just use that as a way to lock the bike. I use the key to lock the ignitin and steering when traveling but for most around town stuff, I just use the key fob. My bike has the cruise that makes for comfortable riding, especially while riding Route 90 in South Dakota for 8 hours.

My next bike will either be an Ultra Classic or I could get into a Goldwing for when we retire we would like to tour the country but that is not for another 25 plus years.

Did not know there were different versions. The one I was on has leather bags, so I guess it is a classic. It's a 2008 model, all stock, silver paint.

Compared to my 9R, the Road King felt and sounded very "mechanical". It shook violently at idle and thought oit smoothed out coinsiderably, I could feel every power pulse of the engine while underway. It was not at all unpleasant though, just felt like it had character. It also had a very enjoyable, reasonably quiet and burbly exhaust note; I can't imagine ditching the stock exhaust system, but most people seem to around here.

I just looked up the specs on the bike I rode. I had no idea it weighs over 800 lbs. Does not feel at all heavy. I had no idea they cost $19,195 either... Whoa.

I leaned my bike over last summer in the parking lot at work, no damage to bike, just skinned my knee. I needed to get help to bring it back up. They are heavy when you need to pick them up but otherwise, they don't feel heavy.

If memory serves me, the classic came out in 1998, I don't believe it wasn't available in 97. The reason I got the classic was because leather saddlebags are easier to clean than fiberglass especially when the FG is painted black, and the wheels are laced chrome and not aluminum, and the tires have the wide white wall and not the narrow white wall. It was actually cheaper for me to get a new bike then it was to buy new rims and tires so that is why. Plus I loaded this bike up with chrome and took delivery prior to getting engaged as I wouldn't be gettng a new bike any time soon. Turns out, my wife likes the Roadking better than the Sea Ray. I guess I should get a different brand boat???

Typically the first modification people make are aftermarket pipes. I have street legal pipes on mine that can set off a few car alarms when going down the road. Sometimes when I go on an early morning ride, I coast down the street and start it up in front of someone elses house and not mine.

that is very scary!, once a (low) bike drags in a hard corner and you start skipping, often the next thing a rider will feel is asphalt,
you sports-bike riders seem to have a love for close calls

i think the RoadKing is a very comforatable bike to travel distances on,
i like its configuration without all that bulky front fairing/storage stuff that other touring bikes have,
i just sold my '01 RK a fewmonths ago because i wasn't seeing as much multi-State touring, and now just have my 3 Springers ('63, '95, '08) although i have a couple of those on craigsList too

The reason I want to go with a full dresser is for the comminucation with the passenger. I could always get a headset but they become cumbersome. Another reason is for tunes. My wife would listen to music on a CD player to help pass the time. I did that for one stretch in South Dakota and lost track of time. I get a tap on my shoulder with my wife pointing to the fuel gauge as the light was on. The gas stations can be few and far between out in the mid west.

I have dragged my kick stand before but that is about all.

I have a 97 Suzuki 1200 Bandit and I sometimes drag the footpegs. I always thought I'd like a roadking, but now I'm not so sure.

Dave, next time you're in town, maybe I'll get to show my version of "shook violently at idle". (and there's no "it smoothed out", considerably or otherwise!)


But I still love it!

Sort of expecting KevM to jump in on this thread any minute...

If you are dragging pegs on a Bandit, the Road King is probably not for you. I have yet to touch a peg down on my 9R, but I lightly drag the sides of my boots all the time.

There's a whole lot of cornering clearance on the 9R is stock form, but I have shimmed the rear shock 7mm to raise the ride height 21mm, which reduced the rake and trail and improved turn-in. I also run a 180 55 17 rear tire, rather than the stock 190 50 17 and that adds another 4 mm to the ride height and reduces rake and trail even further. The rounder profile of the 55 series tire also turns in much easier. Set up like that, the cornering clearance is improved quite a bit over stock and the bike flicks like a 600 supersport but is still very stable and exhibits no headshake.

I rode a Heritage several years ago and did not like it at all. Liked my Kawasaki better.

Then I rode a Road King and couldn't believe what a nice ride it was. Always liked the look of the RK, but the ride had me wanting one. Figred that would be the HD I get, if I ever get one.

But lately I've been trying to talk my pop into trying an Ultra Classic and eventually getting rid of his Springer Soft Tail, if he likes the Classic. I just think he'd be more comfortable.
As I talk up the Ultra Classic to him, I find I'm starting to really like the comforts of the bike myself.
A friend at work has an UC and a riding buddy of mine has the Electra Glide. And they like them a lot, and their wives like riding with them.

My BIL got himself a new RK, but my sister doesn't ride with him. I like to ride with my wife and I'm sure she'd like the UC better as well.

So far I've only sat on an UC and was surprised how small it felt compared to how it looks. I'm thinking of renting one for a weekend to check 'em out more.

One issue with the RK is the passenger gets a lot of heat hitting their legs, it is nice on a cold day but not when the temps are 90. I understand the rear cylinder on the new bikes shut down at idle to help with the heat issue. My '02 does not have this option.

Only shuts down the rear cylinder if it's overheating. Another guy here at work also has a 2008 RK classic, but with loud pipes. I guess the lean condition caused by the loud pipes makes it run hot because his shuts down the rear cylinder all the time in traffic. The owner of stock 2008 Road King I rode says it never happens to his. These two guys ride together all the time too, so it's the pipes (the only difference between the bikes), not environmental conditions causing the overheat. I'm told it shakes like crazy idling on one cylinder.