For you long distance Road King riders

Curious myself,have a 2012 RK nice bike. Few simple mods, exhaust and correct tune and from what I've read same hp as a new one.I see the different mags and the fork tubes are bigger diameter but suspension?? No more air shocks? That would be good, just wondering what the new ones have. I've owned many Harleys over the years and used them for touring and some for Iron Butt rides always liked them, so not bashing just wondering how the new ones are soooo much better!

Do the tuning changes on the 2014 change fuel economy much. I rented a '12 and got great mileage (mid to upper 40s), and tank range of well over 200. Will the '14 still do that?

Also, separately, I thought the ABS on the bike I rented really sucked. Way too easy to get the front ABS to engage and it was a clear dry weekend. So much so that I found that I needed to use front and rear to stop quickly. It was awkward, but I got used to it by the second day. I recently rode a '13 with no ABS, and thought it was worlds better without it. What's everyone else's experience with ABS on the RK?

Thanks.

I added the Progressive Suspension Touring Link to my '13 RK in an attempt to stop the wobble at speeds in sweepers above 75 and 80 which I thought was completely unacceptable in a modern expensive motorcycle. BTW, a vast improvement on my '13.....However..... My '14 is even better yet..

Playing Go Fast with my BMW buddies this summer in Colorado was on a long down hill sweeper lightly scraping the floor boards making a pass and noticed a slight wobble, puzzled and a glance at the speedo and noticed that the needle was past 110.

The '14 RK is decidedly better than the '13 and older.

My '14 RK is stock with the exception of removing the cat from the stock head pipe, and had the ECU reflashed with the Power Vision Map for a aircooled '14 touring model with stock mufflers and stock air cleaner but with cat removed. The bikes sound is much better but not obnoxious like so many must seem as necessary, power and throttle response is noticeably improved and the heat on my right calf in greatly reduced. Mileage seems to be the same or slightly better. Both my '13 and '14 RK's seem to get about the same mileage for me with the '14 a little better.

For what it is, the '14 and later RK's are excellent bikes.

Most everyone has good things to say about the brakes on the new HD's but I've heard one other and you now complain about the ABS. I ordered my RK and went back and forth deciding whether to include ABS finally deciding not to because of the linked part which is F-R as well as R-F. Applying the front also engages the rear caliper. Applying rear brake uses one of the front calipers if you're over something like 25 mph, not if you're below. Unless you begin braking over 25, then it continues holding the one front as you slow below 25. The salesman didn't know what is involved to change fluid. It just seemed overly complicated to me so I passed. If you really want ABS though I wouldn't let this stop you as I mentioned most everyone on the Harley Forums love the linked brakes which come standard on the rest of the Tourers.
Anyway the regular non-linked, non-ABS brakes are made by Brembo and work wonderfully on mine.

The brakes are excellent, I have never tried the HD ABS. BMW ABS is very excellent.

I'm guessing your BMW buddies were chuckling that you were moving pretty smartly.

Cakeeater

Well it was down hill.

Never had my front ABS engage, even during some very hard braking from speed to a unexpected stop sign.

The back has kicked in sooner than I think it should have, but only 2-3 times.

For those with older Kings and eglides ( especially the 09's to 13's ) if trading in on a '14 or '15's is not in the cards from a financial point of view and you'd like to get the front end to track and ride much more like the 14's, this replacement top triple clamp that reuses the 43mm fork lowers - this worth a look...

https://www.customcycleengineering.com/Product-Details/1/Desser_Tour_Trac_Trees-1

For a total upgrade including using the new 49mm forks on the 14's plus replacement of the upper and lower triple tree, it's more cash, but it is a killer solution.
http://motorcyclemetal.com/ ,

ABS will save your life one day. Ya'll believing that you're better / faster than the ABS computer is uninformed.

Everyone who rides a bike w/o ABS will not be saved therefore die from sliding over on their non-abs motorcycle? I guess I'm doomed unless I only ride my GS.

Sorry, but I'm wondering if those of you experience this elusive "wobble" at speed are using the best tire pressure / tires / Air shock pressure, etc.

I have a 2011 RKC, and ride it pretty aggressively at times. Yes, I know how to ride a motorcycle (1967 to today is 47 years on all types of different bikes). I've never experience any wobble whatsoever on the '11 RKC. I've done 110+ MPH many times, as in at least once a week (I live in the country, lot's of isolated, no traffic roads) and have done plenty of turns at speeds like 80+ MPH as well.

I can't see spending $895.00, or almost 5% of the overall purchase price, on a triple tree, if the end result isn't that dramatic of a change.

That said, could it be tire pressure? Tire type? Air Shock pressure? Other?

I run original spec Dunlops, 37 PSI front, 41 PSI Rear, and 45PSI in the shocks. Stock suspension, 2011, no "wobble" experience anywhere at 80 to 110 MPH.

What gives?

Bob

FWIW Prophet over the 30K I rode my 09 EG Standard I NEVER experienced a wobble of any kind. I ran tire 36/40 pressure and 35 psi in the suspension.

My experience mirrors yours. I have not experienced any wobbles, high speed or otherwise, on my '12. I run 36 PSI front, 40 PSI rear with 45 PSI in the shocks. I have two other bikes I ride quite a bit so my RK only has 13K on the odometer. Still on the stock Dunlops but will be needing a rear tire soon. Probably go with the Dunlop Elite series for the increased tread depth. My plan is to replace the suspension with Progressive brand monotube cartridge kit and rear shocks when the stock units wear out. Maybe install the Touring Link too. I'm sure the '14 RK is a fine machine, but I've spent a generous amount of cash upgrading my current bike with a Tour Pak, Mustang seat, Wild1 handlebars, and V&H ProPipe. It fits me perfectly (now) and I plan on keeping it for a long time. I traded in an '05 Heritage Softail on this RK and couldn't be happier.

Of course, if I demo ride a '14 or newer all bets are off....

I've experienced the "wobble" on both my 09 Road King and 11 Limited, only occurs during a sweeper at fairly high speeds and usually (not always the case) something upsets the suspension while in the sweeper. For the most part 99% of the time the bike is fine, it's when pushed it occurs and at a speed much higher than the posted speed limit. I can almost predict the occurrence just buy looking at turn and what speed I'm doing. I've not experienced any issues in tighter turns besides that it's a big heavy bagger The guys I know that ride HD's around here tend not to ride them at a brisk pace and almost none of them complain about any ill handling.

On the limited I changed the rear shocks to HD premium adjustable shock and I think it improved the ride and feels a little more stable at high speeds (sweepers), I assume it's handles irregularities in the road better than the stock air shocks. In the near future I plan on changing the front suspension to either Progressive or HD premium fork kit.

Perhaps to bring a little bit of perspective. I never spin the tire or ever lock up the brakes. my box stock '13 RK had the OEM tires down to the wear bars at 7,000 miles. The new Touring elites (Dual Compound) on the '14 RK are wearing better, they feel better also. Tires on my K1600GT BMW would last less than 3,000 miles, the stock Anakees on my '10GS last from under 3,000 miles to 5,000 miles.

Agree that tire pressure, wheel alignment, suspension setup and drivetrain alignment all play a part in how well a Glide will handle. No doubt about it.

Have you had the chance to take a 14 out and run it a speed on your favorite set of roads yet?

I have an 11 SG with the 103, ABS and Security package they offered that year. It gets ridden at a fast pace in NY and PA regularly since I bought it new. I have also had the chance to take a 14 limited through some of my favorite roads up in the Catskills of NY for 1/2 a day.

It's not about the wobble, it's about the feedback in the front end, the much improved handling, the overall feel and improved tracking due to the upper triple clamp on the 14's finally being made to clamp the fork tubes like all other bikes have been doing for the past 50 plus years. ( and larger diameter tubes as well, that helps too).

My previous post was just to offer folks some alternatives if they wanted to keep there older glides and improve their handling, it was not meant to have it be about 09's to 13's wobbeling.

That being said, I have pushed by 11 SG in sweepers and it has wobbled, no where like my older EG did, but I've felt it more than once. Peace out...

I have nothing against ABS. The problem is that you make a blanket statement assuming that all ABS systems are equivalently good, and that's simply not true. ABS is no different than any other feature. Performance varies by implementation.

I've ridden a few bikes with ABS. The BMW GS ABS system was decent, the one on the Road King I rented was very bad... yes, to the point of being a liability in my opinion. What I'm trying to figure out is whether I got the normal ABS experience on an RK, or if something was wrong with that particular bike. Its sounding like the latter.

And while I do purposely try to lock the front and rear brakes when test riding a bike, that wasn't even necessary on the '12 RK I rented. The ABS engaged in anything more than moderate braking.

I used to rent older touring Harley's and have ridden others, the older models to me felt like there was a disconnect between the front and rear. It was a big improvement IMHO with the new frame in 09 and was part of the reason that I purchased my 09 with the new frame.

One of the reasons I have developed a liking for the RKC is the simplicity, the basic "bare-bones" looks, and the absence of Fairings, etc. Some here have mentioned "Glides", and "Ultra's", both of which have fairings, Tourpacks, etc. Not to say anything negative about another man's like/dislike, just throwing the thought out there as to whether or not a fairing might have something to do with this "wobble" or instability experience. Also note the addition of the fairing weight, along with additional accessories - radio, etc. and the effect of the additional weight on front end stability through turns, and at speed.

I'm wondering what effect a batwing type fairing, Tour Pack, etc. might have on stability in turns? Maybe none, but any air deflection or change in direction of onrushing air most likely has an effect, for better or worse. I would also discuss that body position entering a turn, and carrying through the turn is going to affect stability, etc. In addition, size / height/width of the windshield, weight and girth (Call it width) of the rider(s), and point of entry/exit (Apex) into and out of curves will all have an effect on the stability and handling of the bike. Any bike.


Thoughts?

Bob