How many of you bought the Roadster & added bags plus a shield?

[Rick McC.]

Nice Screen Rick. I have the same

Yeah Mittzy!

Reasonable price, and they definitely keep the wind pressure off the chest.

I'v just never cared for the looks of the bigger screens and windshields; but these screens "blend in" well, keeping more of a naked bike look to me.

FYI: I buy those eyeglass cleaner things (like a wet wipe you get in a BBQ restaurant, but with a more volatile liquid), and use them to clean the bugs and road grime off the screen and headlight lenses. It works very well, and has no abrasive qualities. I also use them to clean the face shields and my helmets.

 

[1olbull]

Yeah Mittzy!

Reasonable price, and they definitely keep the wind pressure off the chest.

I'v just never cared for the looks of the bigger screens and windshields; but these screens "blend in" well, keeping more of a naked bike look to me.

FYI: I buy those eyeglass cleaner things (like a wet wipe you get in a BBQ restaurant, but with a more volatile liquid), and use them to clean the bugs and road grime off the screen and headlight lenses. It works very well, and has no abrasive qualities. I also use them to clean the face shields and my helmets.

And I reckon to brush your teeth in a pinch???

 

[C908]

Ride both and decide which fits you best. Don't worry about the 40hp, it can be easily recovered. Of course, if one looks better to you than the other that matters as well. Although, the Rocket isn't a particularly good looking motorcycle in any variation. But like most fat chicks, she's got a great personality.

I'm curious how you get the 40 horsepower back and what the cost is? I know some would say the 106 HP on the touring model is enough but I want the 146 HP. I rode a Honda Valkyrie for 10 years and it had barely over 100 HP. I honestly felt because of it's size it could of used more HP. I'm not a hard rider but I want the power there in case I need it. One of my disappointments with my Harley has been the lack of power. The common thing to do with a new Harley is remove the cataletic converter, install a high flow AC and add a fuel management system like Power Commander. Even doing those things your still less than 100 HP.

 

[MLJ]

Rick McC which seat do you have on your roadster? I have the stock seat and my wife does not like it.

 

[1olbull]

The Touring has more trail, longer wheelbase & smaller front wheel = less nimble.
It does have a lower seat height, but it weighs 60 lbs more.
As the name implies, it's more comfortable and our of the box and better suited for long trips.

 

[cardinal93]

Idaho's rocket in your intro thread is exactly what you could do with a roadster.
For myself I tend to just use a tunnel bag if it's anything over a week. I do have soft saddlebags, but they're actually not as convenient as the tunnel. Anything less than a week is a rucksack on my shoulders.
The shield mounts allow you to switch from high, mid or screen with relative (4 bolt) ease!
I will say one difference between us on the older standards and classics is the riding position and floorboards versus the rear set pegs.

 

[Jag]

I'm curious how you get the 40 horsepower back and what the cost is? I know some would say the 106 HP on the touring model is enough but I want the 146 HP. I rode a Honda Valkyrie for 10 years and it had barely over 100 HP. I honestly felt because of it's size it could of used more HP. I'm not a hard rider but I want the power there in case I need it. One of my disappointments with my Harley has been the lack of power. The common thing to do with a new Harley is remove the cataletic converter, install a high flow AC and add a fuel management system like Power Commander. Even doing those things your still less than 100 HP.

Bayou buy a 20 cable and dump in a new program (that's free) and you get 30hp and 10lbs torque.
Search under tune ecu

 

[KingOfFleece]

Bayou buy a 20 cable and dump in a new program (that's free) and you get 30hp and 10lbs torque.
Search under tune ecu

EZ Brackets work great. Invisible when the bags are off. I never needed more that the flyscreen for touring.

 

[GPMAZ]

I'm curious how you get the 40 horsepower back and what the cost is? I know some would say the 106 HP on the touring model is enough but I want the 146 HP. I rode a Honda Valkyrie for 10 years and it had barely over 100 HP. I honestly felt because of it's size it could of used more HP. I'm not a hard rider but I want the power there in case I need it. One of my disappointments with my Harley has been the lack of power. The common thing to do with a new Harley is remove the cataletic converter, install a high flow AC and add a fuel management system like Power Commander. Even doing those things your still less than 100 HP.

Exhaust, intake and tune will get you the 146 horsepower you seek. I bought Jardines when they were readily available and got a pretty good deal, I'm now sure what current options cost. Intake is pretty cheap, a few K&N filters. And has been stated, the tune is yours for the cost of an inexpensive cable.

When you say you're not a hard rider, do you mean you don't explore the upper regions of the rev range very often, or that you don't like a hard launch occasionally. The former is where you'll benefit from the higher horsepower, the latter is where the abundant torque of the Rocket comes into play. The torque is what really makes the Rocket stand out. High horsepower rarely comes into play during normal to semi-exuberant riding, torque is evident every time you crack the throttle. Look at a dyno chart and you'll see what I'm talking about. The big horsepower numbers come at the top of the rev range, the big torque numbers, much lower.

 

[Chris Kelley]

Bayou buy a 20 cable and dump in a new program (that's free) and you get 30hp and 10lbs torque.
Search under tune ecu

@C908

From what I understand there's nothing different about the R3T and R3R engines except the tune. Exhaust, transmission, and drive are all the same. You should be able to get all the power back after getting the cable and uploading the proper drivers for a stock R3T. Then if you're looking for a little bit more you can make changes to the air intake, and exhaust (The TORS slip-ons give her a nice growl and are cheap). Of course these changes will again require additional tuning tweaks, but unless you go off the wall you'll probably be able to find someone else who's set up the same config.

So when it comes down to it, it's just the details that matter between the two models. I liked the aesthetics of the Roadster better, and the foot peg positioning gave me the impression I could ride her a bit more aggressively. However I've also got some Hardstreet bags, the tall sissy bar, and the same screen Rick and Mitzy have on her. As others have said the R3T comes configured for longer rides, but at heart its the same bike and is easily capable of as much raw power as the R3R with very little effort. The best advice I can think of is to find one of each version, sit on it, and see which one speaks to you.