Road Glide vs. Bat Wings

I got my HOG magazine today and there was an interesting article in it that I enjoyed very much. On page 26, the MoCo basically said that the Road Glide is a better bike than the bat wings. Any rebuttal?

Oh, just wanted to mention that Wild Prairie HOG Chapter is mentioned in the magazine.

Hmmm, didn't get mine today. Pony Express to NY takes longer I guess, traffic and tolls fer da bridges.

Sounds like you want to stir up a hornets nest there JB!

I am merely paraphrasing what the damn article said. By the way, I would never say something that would stir the pot.

HA! :roflmao:

My buddy down the street has been talkin Road Glides for over 3 yrs. He got a 11 model Road Glide Ultra.

I thought I wanted one. I was going to at least 4 Plus Demo Days a year.
Took the OL with me. I rode every bike HD had on the truck and I mean more than one time.
And the bike I rode over and over was the Road Glide.
I would ride a road glide then ride a SE road Glide.
The se model must have a better build front end.
When you come to a corner kinda fast and put the brakes on it don't squat down as much.
I rode Road Glides for 3 yrs over and over.
I was doing Demo days and rode a rode glide the a SE road glide and was going back and forth.
I couln't git my name on a ride with one so I got off the SE road Glide and got on a SE street Glide.
As soon as I rode the SE Street Glide I knew I was not in the market for a Road Glide.
A road glide ultra is a nice bike. And I know that HD has been pushin them for about 4 yrs.
Think they was about to quit makin them.
But they have come back.
A road glide with get better fuel milage with the Shark nose.
But it ain't the bike I found I wanted.
My limited rides really good. And is a lot more versitle for me.
Got on a 2012 SE street Glide. It has a split Mustang lookin seat.
There was several folks around me. The salesman asked how do you like it.
I replied the seat would have to be replaced at your cost before I could ever think about one. The seat is absoultely Fugly.
Several folks around me said the same thing.

A bike is up to the person who buys it and how it fits him and his riding style.
A lot of it has to do with is Height, weight, and what kind of riding style he is into.
You need to do demo days several times before you deciede so you can make a better decesion for yourself. And not go with a Fad........
What fits me might now fit you.

What?

A better bike??Or, a better handling bike because of the frame mounted fairing as opposed to the fork mounted batwing...

Did they give any reasons why it's a better bike??

JB would never do that....:roflmao:

THE roadglide in the high speed twist is much better for sure rode my buddys and its a whole lot lighter feel then my bat faring front end . and alot less blow around feel on the highway . so what did i do to make mine handle after that . glide pro everything street glide front end internals and rear shocks awesome .

I felt the wind effect on the batwing when I rented the Ultra Limited in Fl for bike week. A group of us took I95 south back to Melbourne from Daytona and we had very heavy east (cross) winds. We were doing about 75-80mph and I could feel the buffeting in the front end (steering) slightly BUT, it wasn't bad, I just new it was there. Whereas, on a frame mounted fairing, the buffeting goes to the frame and doesn't give input to the handlebars. But I think I'm just splitting hairs here. So, neva mind!

Let the wind hit you fypm the side

gonna have to read the article when it finally arrives up north via sled dog..[snowing today and it's sticking, supposed to pick up the limited, we'll see how that goes] I think that the frame mounted fairing would lend to better stability..that's good. When I was trying to figure out what kind of bike I wanted to tour on I rode the Road glide Electra Glide Road King and for my application and style of riding the Electra Glide worked the best and it's the biggest seller up this way so i am not alone in my opinion. I got a little too much buffeting and windblast on the Road glide.

Snow! Holy Ice Crystals Batman! I couldn't take it up there.

One thing to note on batwings.. Check the fairing mounts. It's very common for them to break, causing shaking that can transmit to the rest of the machine. All four of mine had failed. First the top ones them the bottom ones. Replacement bracketts are no beefier tha the s..t the originals are made from. Mine have been thickened by tig welding more steel over them. It's a shame moco hasn't addressed this. They have been breaking since the first batwing was made. How many have broken at high speed and caused bikes to splatter?? All your left with is a pile of broken Harley scattered down the country side. Good luck trying to find the cause:witsend::angry::gah:

I just read the report on the two. They must have road during the Bike Week. Like I had said earlier we experienced a lot of heavy crosswinds at high speeds on the interstate. Although the batwing with the flaps closed for max protection did an admiral job, I would have to believe the Road Glide fairing does better just from my experience years ago with a dressed out goldwing. If I were crusing interstates around the USA or just putting tons of miles on with the OL and was shopping a bike for it, I would RENT a Road Glide just to try it out for a few days. My preference would be towards the classic look of the E Glide. BUT, if I was traveling a lot, I'd have to try a Roady before making the final purchase. By the way, a few club members that travel all over the USA every year eventually purchased Roadys. JMO

There was a company I posted a while back that made brackets to repair them

Anything you buy can break in time.

Normally when you replace them with stronger ones you do not have a problem.

And as you know its a easy fix.

Harley Davidson Batwing Fairing Support Repair Kit, Ragan Fab Works - YouTube

Bagger Parts Fairing Bracket Repair Kit For Harley FLH on eBay!

If you like a Road Glide they are nice bikes. I have rode them over and over and got friends with them.

They have a space between the fairing that wind blows up threw.
And wind from the side effects them more.
When you come out of a 90* turn and hit it, its like a boat in the water.


I've rode batwing farings everywhere and don't see the problem folks are complaining about.
They are designed to keep the wind and cold and bugs off you.

They do a great job .

Go rent one and ride it all day during the week, then git back on a batwing fairing.