I originally posted this thread in the touring section, and the RK got the overwhelming nod and I mainly just got opinions on the RK, not too many on the Heritage.

So, to give each candidate equal air time (that's a rule, right?) I will repost on this forum, and welcome your objective opinion.

By the way, I have tested the haritage, and was REALLY impressed, it also feels more comfortable than the RK when just sitting on the bikes. Have yet to test ride the RK, but hopefully will soon. I will be doing mostly local riding, but want something that will be more highway friendly than my sportster.

35 year old male; 6'1"; 215lbs; 33 inch inseam

thanks

The bikes are two different world.
Both are fine bikes I for one would rather have a Heritage than a RK
For me the Rk is a stripped down bagger so if I wanted I bagger I would get the whole deal.
The heritage is a great weekend poker run crusier and is fun to ride. And can work well for a weekend trip.
The RK is going to ride much better
Your the one that will sit in the seat you need to check out both and go with the one that fits you.
RK is a big seller and there is a reason they call it that.
Some of us are draw to the softails.

The Heritage gets my vote...lower center of gravity...(vertically challenged)...smoother...the "B" motor is vibrationless... "A" motor shakes on the rubber mounts and has the need for periodical alignment...RK must have saddlebags on al the time to hide the nasty way H-D designed the rear shock set up...I wasn't always a ST fan but having rode several of each this past summer I am now...

When I first shop for my Harley (from hayabusa ), I was after the RK classic, I have test rode both Heritages and Road Kings almost weekly, everytime there's a demo ride, I was there and rode nothing but RK and HST, then I just sat down and think about both bikes for weeks and finally made decision on the HST due to the ride that I'm doing, half city and half highway, the HST can do both of my riding style and the RK is to me a bit heavy for local use plus the HST has everything I needed and the height is just right, I'm only 50 with 5'10 170lbs with 31" inseam, on the RK, I have to tip toe at stop but the HST, both of my feet were flat down, they both are different bikes but both are great bikes and that's something that only you can make a decision on which one is best for you. Have fun.

I rode the Road King today... very easy to handle and very smooth. It's amazing how easy the big bikes are to handle. Two negatives, at this point, are slightly forward sitting position and quite a bit of vibration while stopped. I rode the Heritage again right after the RK, and the seating position, coupled with the position of the passenger seat, which provides a nice backrest, feels better (the handlebars are in a really nice ergonomic position for me) For some reason, I find myself wanting to like the RK better, but feeling the Heritage is the right option for me at this time. Given most of my riding will still be local, I don't think I would be giving up too much comfort by going with the Heritage... seems like the biggest advantage the RK has is its super long distance capabilities. I know many have said that they can easily do 400-500 mile days on the heritage, without missing a beat... I can't imagine wanting to do anymore than that. I will test ride both again in the next couple of weeks. That RK sure did feel smooth, though

Decisions decisions, you felt exactly how i did on the 2 bike but the wife choose ours so we ended up with the Heritage comfier for her.

Sounds to me like you're so squarely on the fence that the major factor is how often you're going to take long trips, 300+ mile days.

I just returned from Biketoberfest last night and the Road Kings/Street Glides/Ultra Classics outnumbered the Heritage by at least 3 to 1. If you're going to put in a lot of long days on the road, get a bike designed primarily for that purpose. If that type of riding is going to be a rare event, the Heritage sounds perfect for you.

So what exactly is the practical difference in long-distance riding comfort? I know the frames of the softails and touring bikes are different... but how does that actually affect the ride over long distances... anyone? In other words, what differences will the rider feel between the bikes for any given distance?

By the way Doolittle, your last point is the relevant one... I don't imagine doing enough long distance trips that I "need" a touring bike, but I want to be able to comfortably do a couple hundred miles without having to think about it. Right now, I am just not comfortable doing extended highway travel on my sportster.

Thanks for the help and insights

I'll give you my point on it. I have a Fatboy, which for all practical purposes is a HST.

I just rode it 8 hrs each way to the Outer Banks to go fishing. No problems at all, I can ride it all day and not be uncomfortable. I am only 5'9" so it just fits me well. I have saddlebags for it and just bought a T Bag which is all I used for this last trip. It also has a detachable windshield which I have never even had on the bike.

I like the wind in my face, maybe if it gets colder I'll put on the windshield. I never ride around with the saddlebags unless going on a trip. I like the look of the bike with no saddlebags and no windshield and that is the way I usually ride it. I know the touring bikes are more practical if you do a lot of trips and need to pack stuff, but you can make do for three or four trips a year. The comfort is great. I do have a Corbin seat which helps and beach bars which just make it really comfortable to sit on.

Touring bikes - air adjustable rear suspension, fairing/windshield, storage, tunes. The frame improvements helped handling but I'm not sure that should be a deal buster when choosing between a RK and a HSC.

Eric made some great points - if you're just doing a few trips a year and don't care about wind protection and tunes, throw on the saddlebags and maybe one extra behind you and hit the road. Throw a detachable windshield on if hours and hours of a 70 MPH breeze wears you out. Heck I know a guy that rode his RK around for 3 weeks with an IPOD in his jacket pocket and ear phones in his helmet - that solves your tunes problem!

It really sounds like the Heritage is perfect for you. Don't waste any more time outguessing yourself - go get one!

Do yourself a favor and test ride them both before buy it. Some dealers will let you test ride and others will not. In this case you may want to rent each with the rental price put towards the purchase price which some dealers do as long as you buy after the riding.

I have ridden both... the heritage twice, and the RK once. I assumed the dealer would not let me test a new bike, so I told the guy if he had a used, but newer model RK to test, I would like to take it for a spin. He said, "how about that new '09 you've been sitting on for the last 20 minutes... is that new enough?" He proceeded to role a beautiful all black RKC out the door... 4 miles on it. Times are tough, so I know they are doing what they can to make the sale, but I also think the dealership I frequent is pretty good.

Thanks for your useful sugession..

Let us know which one goes home with you!!

They are definitely two different bikes.... the 2009 Road King does have an advantage with the new chassis this year. You are the only one who can make this decision.... each will sit a little different and ride differant. One is a softail and the other touring family. The answer will be... looks...ride...and price and maybe not in that order. As already posted ride each and take you time and decide.

While you are trying to get a bike that "fits" you and your style . Don't forget that your riding style will change according to the bike you are on also. I have a RKC but taking into account what you have said the Heritage may be the bike for you. Once you put some time on the bike you will adapt to the bikes quirks (they all have them) and it will feel comfortable. All these bikes have a lot of thought and have evolved into what they are today. In my opinion you can't make a wrong choice but you may evolve to another model in the future according to your needs. A good example of a bikes quirks is the floorboard placement on the RKC makes it harder to back up when compared to some others. The floorboards are so close togather that you don't have much room to move when trying to walk the bike. On the other hand the open road vibration of a "B" motor can wear on you until you get used to it. So don't look at a bikes traits as a negative just as something different because what you consider now as a negative may in the future be something positive and what seems to be a good trait you may grow to dislike .

Very insightful post. Had I not ridden the heritage right after the RK, I probably would not have noticed the comfort difference, as the RK is hardly uncomfortable, just less ergonomically suited to me than the heritage. I could definitely adjust to the RK. And I know what you're saying about riding styles and what one wants in a bike changing over time. I know that whichever bike I choose will likely not be my last one. I've really got to ride the two again to see if my initial observations still hold, and then just go with my gut... both are super cool looking bikes, that have a lot of similar physical characteristics which I like (bags, big ol' fenders, white wall tires). I will not be making a purchase until next spring anyway, so who knows what I'll want by then????

Since the introduction of the 96B balanced engine,the Softails have a smoother ride.No more vibrations in your mirrors,handlebars and in the footboards.My wife even feels the difference after riding all day(as compared to the 92 Evo we owned).The styling of the Heritage should win you over!

The 88B was the predecessor the the 96B which does in fact vibrate more than the 88 did. They still give you a buzz but not like the older unbalanced engines did.

A lot of great Input on here,
I would have to echo Tigg's comments. They are both sweet rides. I think you are taking the right approach and and doing your home work.

I was fortunate to have a great buddy who had the RKC and a FB, I rode them both for many miles and hours over a period of a year. I loved the RKC but standing at 6'4"-235lbs with a 34 inseam I just felt cramped on it, not the bikes fault but mine (or my mom and dad!). The FB felt alot more "roomy" to my needs and size, the leg room was there and I felt I was sitting "in" the bike and not "on" the bike comapared to the RKC. Over a 6 month period, My dealer was kind and let me test ride the RKC, FB and Heritage sevral times over untill I had made my mind up.

The Heritage had won me over and have no regrets at all on my choice. As you can see I was looking for comfort over the balanced or un-balanced engine, that did not bother me one way or the other.
It's beenjust about a year (9K) come next week that i have owned it and have adjusted my bars several times and my highway pegs numorus times to find that "just right feeling", but that is all the fun of owning one and tweeking it to YOUR liking.
I wish you luck and safe riding!

I too like the feeling of sitting in the heritage, opposed to sitting on the RK. However, that RK seating position, I suppose, would give a slightly higher vantage point, which could be of benefit... not sure. My dealer has been accomodating, and I will have to ride each bike again... but I'm leaning toward the Heritage, even though I want to like the RK better (don't ask me why). I am 6'1" with a 32 inch inseam, and I can flat foot the RK, no problem (and obviously the heritage). The bars on the RK do force me to lean forward a bit, though.

Twisted-I can't tell from your avatar, but are your saddle bags sans studs? To me, that is the one styling flaw of the heritage... my wife actually likes that look, and I don't hate it, but would rather have a less flashy look. I'll have to decide if it's worth spending an extra $800+ for another set of bags just to not have the studs... I know those are a signature trait of the heritage.

I asked my friend for an opinion, on looks alone, between the heritage and RK, and he said: "I like the RK, the Heritage looks too 'biker gang'"? My thoughts: "Biker gang? Cool!"

I appreciate all of these comments.

You'll know you've made the right choice when you're riding it home.There is no wrong choice.When I'm at an H-D Dealership, I would like to bring home one of each model.Good Luck and hope to see you on the road.Incidently,today is my first day on this forum.Howdy to all and I look forward to making many new friends!

Yes they have the studs on them and the seat as well. They don't bother me at all, kinda old school look to me. When i am cruzing down the road @ 70mph, I don't seem them.

you too?

by the way, I really like the color scheme of your ride. I like a lot of the 2008 two-colored choices for the heritage... I actually think I'm going to look for the suede blue/black one... I think that's a sweet looking ride. Regardless of which year or color I would buy, I'm puttin' whitewall tires on them. That's a timeless look in my book. And I agree, the studs on the bags are old school. That is what I like about the styling of the heritage and RKC (even though I am only 35 years old), the traditional old-school look.

Thanks man.I agree about the Heritage being old school.Quite frankly,the reason i ride one is because,other than the modern refinements,its the same motorcycle my father rode more than 50 years ago.

No doubt about the wide whitewall tires, they look so nice on those Heritages. I'm gonna put them on on my next set.

Wide whites on a Heritage is the only way to go.I had mine installed before i took delivery.The dealer even gave me credit for the blackwalls he removed.

Always had White Walls on mine. I love the Heritage look.

That's on my list of things to do next summer. The white walls just give it that extra touch. I was never a fan of the on cages or trucks but on the Heritage they look great.

I've read a lot of your posts and it seems to me that you really know what you're talking about. Im a total pup when it comes to bike knowlege. Which bike or what model bike would you suggest for sombody that is 6'4 with a 36" inseam? Also, I need room for my ol' lady. Thanks