New future Harley rider! Need Advice.

I am planning to buy either a Road King Standard or a Fat Boy. I am leaning toward the Fat Boy because I am not really ready for a Lincoln but a Viper! I believe I will have much more fun on the Fat Boy. There will be two of us sometimes, but not all the time. In the long run, is comfort really more important? My thought is that I can always stop and stretch and have a "cold one"! Am I thinking right?

Ya gotta look at how you ride....mostly long haul or short runs. I bought an Ultra Classic due to the wife unit riding a lot, comfort and I generally ride 2-3, 400 miles when I take off. I would rather have had a fat boy or heritage but the comfort isn't there for me. I haven't had this bike a year yet, brand new and it has over 16,000 miles on it. If you ride 2 up a lot consider passenger comfort but it's what you want and how you feel about it that matters most. Personally, give me the cruise control, music, big comfy seat and the lumbering but predictable handling.......then again I have a V65 Honda Magna for when I want speed and to carve some twisties......

viper

I have only been on stock fatboys....never thought of them as a viper but ever considered a wide glide? they are lighter and have the 88a engine (not counterbalanced 88b which decreases hp A BIT. I have rode wide glides all over!!! the longest shot was from ohio to melbourne florida stopping only for gas..felt great!!!! I never get tired with the forward controls and leaning back into a sleeping bag for back comfort but then again the passenger thing possible storage comes into play. I put running boards on for the passenger.. seems to like it but she don't go on the long rides)Try one out!!!

No Contest

Go with the Fat Boy!...Cool Bike stock, and even cooler when you drop a few grand innit...

Fat boy

Since it seems that most of your riding is solo I would choose the Fat boy. I don't know y'alls size but a Dyna being lighter and easier to control may do the trick for ya. We take an 86 sportser to Fla from Michigan and do just fine at 2 1/2 hour shots.The seat is custom Mustang and she has been known to sleep on the back...

X + Harley = Viper
Solve for X

X=Viper/Harley

Therefore

X = VRod....

The Fat Boy....man "Ahnold" must have helped sell half a million of them when he ripped around on one on "T2". I'd go with the "King" I think the rubbermount Fl's are a better bike and you get the windscreen and bags, no counterbalancers..just my take.

Thanks

Thanks for all your input. I went with the FATBOY; (black). I am using Syn 3 and plan to put on the Vance and Hines HS Pro with all the Stage One trimmings. It's my first Harley and am having the time of my life. My best friend called me up 4 weeks ago and said, "Hey, why don't we go and rent a Harley for the day?" We did. We rented them at noon Friday at Republic Harley Davidson (a great dealership in Stafford, Tx.), took off for Austin, drove 650 miles, and returned at noon on Saturday. By 5pm. we both bought bikes! Like they say, "Life begins when you get one."

You're in Stafford? You going to Galveston for the rally? I can't even remember when it is, but soon, I know that.

Lone Star Rally, Galveston

The rally is Sept. 23-26. I do not yet know where we will meet but I will keep you posted.

Cool. Well, I'll probably make a day ride out of it. I live in Port Lavaca, down the coast. I can run up 521 to Lake Jackson (I'm from the Brazosport area), down 332 to Surf Side, and run the blue water highway up to the toll bridge and in the back way. That's always a pretty ride. There'll probably be lots of my buds from the Houston Sportbike Network there, too. No one has mentioned anything yet on the board, but I'm sure will work a meet up spot when the time comes. I may ride in with a group going, don't know. I'll likely be on a red '01 SV650S Suzuki.