Rented a '14 Harley Road King this week in FL

[alpental]

I'm in south Florida this week on business and decided to get a taste of the "Harley experience". Rented a '14 Harley Davidson Road King, complete with all that Project Rushmore treatment they're touting.

First impression was... this is small. And then I stalled it in the parking lot in front of the Harley techs and other customers! Not embarrassed but laughing at how it's so underpowered you actually need significant throttle input to get it moving.

Underpowered, unstable, poor brakes, terrible ergonomics, and around 33% more expensive! To be fair, I do like the seat, cruise control, windscreen (maybe a little big), and the hard bags are convenient. Shakes at idle but without the Harley potato-potato sound. <edit>

I don't want to bash on anyone's choice of bikes, but I can't for the life of me understand why people would shell out close to $20k or more for something like this when there's so much better available!

/ end rant

 

[C908]

I'm in south Florida this week on business and decided to get a taste of the "Harley experience". Rented a '14 Harley Davidson Road King, complete with all that Project Rushmore treatment they're touting.

First impression was... this is small. And then I stalled it in the parking lot in front of the Harley techs and other customers! Not embarrassed but laughing at how it's so underpowered you actually need significant throttle input to get it moving.

Underpowered, unstable, poor brakes, terrible ergonomics, and around 33% more expensive! To be fair, I do like the seat, cruise control, windscreen (maybe a little big), and the hard bags are convenient. Shakes at idle but without the Harley potato-potato sound, probably due to the water cooling.

I don't want to bash on anyone's choice of bikes, but I can't for the life of me understand why people would shell out close to $20k or more for something like this when there's so much better available!

/ end rant

As a Harley owner let me add the Road King does not have water cooling. I am not impressed with the new Rushmore models but some Harley owners think there great. When the Rushmore models came out they had a lot of current Harley owners trade for the latest and greatest. The biggest problems with new Harley's is they come from the factory running to lean. When you factor in the cataletic converter on 2010 and newer models there is a big heat problem. It is pretty much a necessity to make changes to reduce the heat. Once you spend the money and fix the problem the bikes run better and cooler. Some how it just doesn't seem right to spend twenty thousand or more for the bike then another thousand or so to fix the heat problem. I don't know whatever became of it but there was several Harley owners trying to get a class action suit started over the heat problems.

 

[alpental]

As a Harley owner let me add the Road King does not have water cooling. I am not impressed with the new Rushmore models but some Harley owners think there great. When the Rushmore models came out they had a lot of current Harley owners trade for the latest and greatest. The biggest problems with new Harley's is they come from the factory running to lean. When you factor in the cataletic converter on 2010 and newer models there is a big heat problem. It is pretty much a necessity to make changes to reduce the heat. Once you spend the money and fix the problem the bikes run better and cooler. Some how it just doesn't seem right to spend twenty thousand or more for the bike then another thousand or so to fix the heat problem. I don't know whatever became of it but there was several Harley owners trying to get a class action suit started over the heat problems.

Oh, you're right about it being air cooled. I was surprised when I (mistakenly) heard it was water cooled! Wonder why the exhaust note seems so muted then...

 

[BigAl1952]

Alpental
Its all about the cool factor man.

 

[C908]

Oh, you're right about it being air cooled. I was surprised when I (mistakenly) heard it was water cooled! Wonder why the exhaust note seems so muted then...

It's the cataletic converter causing the muted sound. Recently I decided to remove my Rinehart mufflers I had installed and put my stock mufflers back on. To my surprise my stock mufflers sounded really good. The reason being when I installed the Rineharts I removed the cataletic converter so this was the first time I heard the stock mufflers without the cataletic converter. Because of the big difference in sound I sold my Rineharts. I was just tired of that much noise and wanted a little less volume.

 

[MikeDeY]

All about the name. That's all I can figure out.

 

[RKTNMYPKT]

I don't want to bash on anyone's choice of bikes, but I can't for the life of me understand why people would shell out close to $20k or more for something like this when there's so much better available!

/ end rant

Image is everything

 

[TRIIICK]

I've always enjoyed my 2001 Roadking i'm pushing 80K problem free miles on the ole girl. It's not always about power and speed. It handles a lot different than my Rocket. Sometimes all you want to do is take in the view. Never understood the price thing,i paid $16,500 for it new. I believe they stopped making the Roadking this year. You have to remember Harley's been around a lot longer than most brands even the Rocket, choices were limited back in the day. The Roadking like the Rocket had it's day in the lime light.

 

[cardinal93]

Did they rent you the boots, chaps, gloves, jacket, and bandanna. I've heard they're a 24/7 wear requirement whether you're riding or just have one parked in the garage somewhere!

 

[ricochet]

I've vowed if possible to never rent a Harley again if its a choice when Im traveling... I've rented Harleys a lot in the past, but the last time I did through Arizona and doing some mountain riding I was so underwhelmed with how it handled. As you said, underpowered, small and .. under powered.. the brakes were indeed quite terrible, almost as bad as a mountain bike. I'm renting BMW's from now on.