I'm 5'6" and own a 2020 Road King Special. I've made a few changes to make it better for me. Always wear riding boots. Installed side stand extension to assist with the reach. Much better. Tried a couple different seats to get me a little lower. I have a mustang wide tripper seat on order. Hoping it will get me there. The special already has the shorter 12" shock. Wouldn't recommend going any lower. The Road King Special is worth the effort. Really enjoying the ownership experience. Take care.
All of that is fantastic info, and all of it ill keep in mind for future purchases. I hadn't really ventured into the bigger/baggers, just due to the misconception that they were too big. But demoing them and learning what adjustments can be made, helps alot
@@aztriumphster I'll add to this a bit. As a shorter rider I up until 2017 always went with the smaller cruisers. For HD it was the Sportster initially. Went up to the Street Bob in 2016. Really enjoyed that one. In 2017 decided to opt for the heavy weights. Went with the Indian Springfield as my 1st one. 1st mod. Reduced reach side stand. Had them install before I took delivery. Put over 9000 miles on it before going back to Harley. Enter the 2018 Street Glide Special. 1st mod side stand extension. Best $40.00 mod ever. Only other mod was Mustang Low down touring seat. Rode this one for better than 9000 miles also. In 2019 I test rode the new Sport Glide in the Softail line. Was pretty impressed. You guessed it. Away went the Street Glide Special and in came the Sport Glide. Made a lot of changes to this one. Stage 2 being the most notable one. Amazing machine. Put just shy of 11,000 miles on this one. I have been tempted by the Road King Special since it's introduction. In September I decided to go test ride. I rode a 2017 low mileage Road King Special. A 2018 Road King Standard. Decided on the 2017 primarily for the lowered stance and overall styling. When making the deal the young lady selling me the 2017 said they were required to show us a new one also. They had the 2020 Billiard Burgundy on the show room floor. Obviously the 114 was appealing to me. The color is amazing also. They ran the numbers. HD wants to move new models. The price was agreeable. Goodbye Sport Glide. Hello Road King Special. Installed Wind Splitter shield (No Charge) the 1st night. Rode 249 miles the next day. Went back to dealership. 1st accessory purchase. Side stand extension. Second mod. Mustang lowdown seat that I had kept when I traded in Street Glide special. The Road King Special checks a lot of boxes for me. I'm of the mindset that this one will be with me for some time to come. It does not disappoint. Take care.
I’m 5”8 and you mentioned several of the same issues I had when trying out some touring bikes. First is the width, I don’t like like having my leg up against a hot pipe on one side and the primary case on the other when I put my feet down. Second is the mass; every time I ride, I also gotta push, park, and put it away. I don’t want it any more difficult than it has to be, because my bike is a toy and it’s for fun, it’s not supposed to be work. Lastly, primarily with the Street/Road Glides and Ultras, you’ve got such a huge dash, windscreen, stereo, navigation, touchscreen, all these gauges and switches in front of you… you’re halfway to a car! When motorcycling, I just prefer a more unfiltered sense of connectedness with the road and my surroundings.
I'm 6'3" and have a 22 RKS. The width of the bars drove me crazy and switched out to narrower Moto bars with 8" inch risers. She fits like a glove now.
I'm 5'5" and just got a 2022 road glide. I can ride it and reach the jiffy stand good enough. I'm going to try before you buy some seats to try to get myself a little lower. I put on 12 inch bars. Could maybe have gone with 14s but I didn't want them too high.
@@martymo992 I put super shocks with their lowering kit and I'm using a bad boys freedom seat. I can't completely flat foot but I can put enough foot down that I'm feel confident.
@@martymo992 since My response, I have a bad boys freedom seat, and 14-in spearheads from KST. I'm almost flat-footed when wearing my riding boots. I have a pair of riding shoes that cover the ankles still but the souls aren't quite as thick. With those, I'm mostly on the balls of my feet, but I feel secure and confident even in those.
Hi man, same height like you. How did you figure out the kick stand? I tried the road king in store, I cant touch the kick stand because the footboard or my short leg, sad. Really like those glide and roadking
@@yuzhao3253 honestly, it takes me a few tries I barely reach it with the tip of my foot and I pull it in hard and I try to fling it as hard as I can lol. The boots I use for riding are better help too. I try to avoid tennis shoes or cowboy boots and use the boots I designated for riding only because they have a thick sole and that gives me a slight boost in height, so that helps.
@@hectorguzman8435 thanks for the advice, i might do some work on boots and try again next time I go the the shop. One inch on tip is all I need ☺️. Ride safe and have fun!
@@yuzhao3253 Likewise! Yeah it does make a big difference, also since I have short legs (hence my height) I try to avoid baggy jeans, they make it more difficult to get adjusted or just mount the bike. It might be just me but who knows. Good luck and ride safe likewise!!
The RK Special was my first choice coming from a Dyna Street Bob. But it was way too large for my short inseam. I ride mostly in town so flat-footing is mandatory to manoeuver as we lane-split a lot in France. Even reaching the jiffy-stand was a problem. I tried the Heritage Classic ... and bought directly.
@@aztriumphster The reach seat did not improve anything. I felt a little better on a Street Glide (non-special) because rear wheel and suspension are a little shorter. But that wasn't enough for the jiffy stand problem and I couldn't see anything with the fairing. The Softail felt like home immediately. Now I don't know if it would be a good thing to switch from a Slim to the Heritage. The bags aren't great and the windshield is terrible ... Unless you absolutely want a 114 blacked out bike, I suggest to accessories your Slim until you find the comfort you want. For myself, I've ordered a Road Warrior fairing that I'll have to modify to fit the Heritage. The point is to be able to mount Memphis Shades products without sacrificing the black headlamp nacelle. This is the perfect combination of everything I need / want ; agile and numble in town and lane splitting, playfull in twisties, comfy on highways.
@@simonhouel1984 I like the heritage without all the extra stuff. My buddy and I, through Dean speed customs, did a 2 into 1 exhaust on an all black heritage that didn't have the bags or windshield. It looked fantastic. Guy threw a saddlemen step up on it and it could use a lower shock from a slim or street bob, but other than that, the thing was clean.
@@aztriumphster The Heritage stripped down looks stunning, I agree ;-) So ... if you like it without the accessories you could black your Slim out instead of paying extra price for the Heritage. Unless you want the 114 engine of course. But other than that, Slim, Deluxe and Heritage have a lot in common.
Hello thanks for the vid. I'm an Aussie. I just brought a 2021 road kind special. I'm 5'6. I felt exactly like you riding it. I came from a newish Fatbob. I have ordered the 13 inch fuse bars i hope they make a huge difference. As far as reaching the stand is a strain but ok. There is a reach seat harley make 1.5 inch lower and .8 inch forward. Not sure I'll get that yet. I'll see how the bars go. If you get a lower seat the padding is thinner so you lose comfort. Cheers
hi m8, how did you go with the bars, fellow ausie but im still just in the dreaming stages of getting the RK. My ass is close to the ground also at about 5'7. After a couple of months riding whats your view on it?
@@cjleveille2626 hi. I've had the bars for a month or so omg bloody awesome. I rode to Queensland 7 hours in the seat straight no problem. Fused bars from harley. Everyone says how good they look even people with burley bars. But with my short arms and height the bars are a huge improvement on comfort. Stock seat is great. I can't touch the ground fully but that's ok. I don't want to reduce lean angle. Bike is fantastic.
Hi buddy, i am 5'5 or 5'6 short like you. How did you figure out the kick stand? I have tried the road king in store, I cant reach the edge of kick stand thanks for the fxxking wide foot board. Any advice for the kick stand? 😀
If u watch just as I take the bike off the side stand then the video jumps to me rolling out to stage, I edited out a good chunk of time where I was struggling to reach the kick stand. Eventually I was defeated and one of the demo folks had to come kick it up for me. I had no problem kicking it back out when I got back tho. Im pretty sure plenty of aftermarket companies and probably even Harley sells an extension piece so it can be reached
Im the same height.... Get the sattlemen seat and 12" T-bars and it will be a different and Awesome bike 👍😎🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 The kickstand....flip up the floorboard then operate the kickstand 👍
Yeah I've ridden one. The handling is great. Very deliberate and confident. Comparably the heritage feels lighter especially when initiating a turn and during braking
Great video. How would you compare this to the slim? I have a slim as well so would love your feedback on that end. In terms of maneuverability etc. thank you!
Maneuverability is very similar, both low speed and high speed. I had taken the Fat Boy out just before the Road King, now that bike maneuvera quite differently. If I coulda gotten better footing, i woulda had more confidence at low speed, talking the bike etc. U can detect the weight difference but its not a negative.
@@aztriumphster awesome thank you! Is the difference noticeable on the highway? I love my slim on the highway it has a windshield but you kind of still feel the bumps. Was this more cushy? Would you ever think of getting one of these?
@@carlosbenitez6438 it was smooth on the highway. Virtually unaffected by road conditions. I wouldn't get one only due to the ergos. Because of its width, I was tippie toe on each side. I had trouble reaching the kick stand too. I feel it would take alot to get it how I need it in order to feel comfortable dealing with it at low speeds and stopped position
I'm 5'6" and own a 2020 Road King Special. I've made a few changes to make it better for me. Always wear riding boots. Installed side stand extension to assist with the reach. Much better. Tried a couple different seats to get me a little lower. I have a mustang wide tripper seat on order. Hoping it will get me there. The special already has the shorter 12" shock. Wouldn't recommend going any lower.
The Road King Special is worth the effort. Really enjoying the ownership experience. Take care.
All of that is fantastic info, and all of it ill keep in mind for future purchases. I hadn't really ventured into the bigger/baggers, just due to the misconception that they were too big. But demoing them and learning what adjustments can be made, helps alot
@@aztriumphster I'll add to this a bit. As a shorter rider I up until 2017 always went with the smaller cruisers. For HD it was the Sportster initially. Went up to the Street Bob in 2016. Really enjoyed that one. In 2017 decided to opt for the heavy weights. Went with the Indian Springfield as my 1st one. 1st mod. Reduced reach side stand. Had them install before I took delivery. Put over 9000 miles on it before going back to Harley. Enter the 2018 Street Glide Special. 1st mod side stand extension. Best $40.00 mod ever. Only other mod was Mustang Low down touring seat. Rode this one for better than 9000 miles also. In 2019 I test rode the new Sport Glide in the Softail line. Was pretty impressed. You guessed it. Away went the Street Glide Special and in came the Sport Glide. Made a lot of changes to this one. Stage 2 being the most notable one. Amazing machine. Put just shy of 11,000 miles on this one. I have been tempted by the Road King Special since it's introduction. In September I decided to go test ride. I rode a 2017 low mileage Road King Special. A 2018 Road King Standard. Decided on the 2017 primarily for the lowered stance and overall styling. When making the deal the young lady selling me the 2017 said they were required to show us a new one also. They had the 2020 Billiard Burgundy on the show room floor. Obviously the 114 was appealing to me. The color is amazing also. They ran the numbers. HD wants to move new models. The price was agreeable. Goodbye Sport Glide. Hello Road King Special. Installed Wind Splitter shield (No Charge) the 1st night. Rode 249 miles the next day. Went back to dealership. 1st accessory purchase. Side stand extension. Second mod. Mustang lowdown seat that I had kept when I traded in Street Glide special. The Road King Special checks a lot of boxes for me. I'm of the mindset that this one will be with me for some time to come. It does not disappoint. Take care.
I’m 5”8 and you mentioned several of the same issues I had when trying out some touring bikes. First is the width, I don’t like like having my leg up against a hot pipe on one side and the primary case on the other when I put my feet down. Second is the mass; every time I ride, I also gotta push, park, and put it away. I don’t want it any more difficult than it has to be, because my bike is a toy and it’s for fun, it’s not supposed to be work. Lastly, primarily with the Street/Road Glides and Ultras, you’ve got such a huge dash, windscreen, stereo, navigation, touchscreen, all these gauges and switches in front of you… you’re halfway to a car! When motorcycling, I just prefer a more unfiltered sense of connectedness with the road and my surroundings.
I am 5’6” and love my RKS!
I'm 6'3" and have a 22 RKS. The width of the bars drove me crazy and switched out to narrower Moto bars with 8" inch risers. She fits like a glove now.
I'm 5'5" and just got a 2022 road glide. I can ride it and reach the jiffy stand good enough. I'm going to try before you buy some seats to try to get myself a little lower. I put on 12 inch bars. Could maybe have gone with 14s but I didn't want them too high.
Did you change the seat or what changes did you make? I'm 5'5" also, I just got a '19 RK
@@martymo992 I put super shocks with their lowering kit and I'm using a bad boys freedom seat. I can't completely flat foot but I can put enough foot down that I'm feel confident.
@@traviswhitworth6506 Thank you Bro. Ride well.
@@martymo992 since My response, I have a bad boys freedom seat, and 14-in spearheads from KST. I'm almost flat-footed when wearing my riding boots. I have a pair of riding shoes that cover the ankles still but the souls aren't quite as thick. With those, I'm mostly on the balls of my feet, but I feel secure and confident even in those.
I’m 5’6 and proud owner of a Road King. I can handle it bro. You’ll be aight!!! Ride safe!
Hi man, same height like you. How did you figure out the kick stand? I tried the road king in store, I cant touch the kick stand because the footboard or my short leg, sad. Really like those glide and roadking
@@yuzhao3253 honestly, it takes me a few tries I barely reach it with the tip of my foot and I pull it in hard and I try to fling it as hard as I can lol. The boots I use for riding are better help too. I try to avoid tennis shoes or cowboy boots and use the boots I designated for riding only because they have a thick sole and that gives me a slight boost in height, so that helps.
@@hectorguzman8435 thanks for the advice, i might do some work on boots and try again next time I go the the shop. One inch on tip is all I need ☺️. Ride safe and have fun!
@@yuzhao3253 Likewise! Yeah it does make a big difference, also since I have short legs (hence my height) I try to avoid baggy jeans, they make it more difficult to get adjusted or just mount the bike. It might be just me but who knows. Good luck and ride safe likewise!!
The RK Special was my first choice coming from a Dyna Street Bob.
But it was way too large for my short inseam.
I ride mostly in town so flat-footing is mandatory to manoeuver as we lane-split a lot in France.
Even reaching the jiffy-stand was a problem.
I tried the Heritage Classic ... and bought directly.
Boom! Thats where my heads at too. I feel like it'd take alot to get the RK to accommodate me ergonomically
@@aztriumphster
The reach seat did not improve anything.
I felt a little better on a Street Glide (non-special) because rear wheel and suspension are a little shorter.
But that wasn't enough for the jiffy stand problem and I couldn't see anything with the fairing.
The Softail felt like home immediately.
Now I don't know if it would be a good thing to switch from a Slim to the Heritage.
The bags aren't great and the windshield is terrible ...
Unless you absolutely want a 114 blacked out bike, I suggest to accessories your Slim until you find the comfort you want.
For myself, I've ordered a Road Warrior fairing that I'll have to modify to fit the Heritage.
The point is to be able to mount Memphis Shades products without sacrificing the black headlamp nacelle.
This is the perfect combination of everything I need / want ; agile and numble in town and lane splitting, playfull in twisties, comfy on highways.
@@simonhouel1984 I like the heritage without all the extra stuff. My buddy and I, through Dean speed customs, did a 2 into 1 exhaust on an all black heritage that didn't have the bags or windshield. It looked fantastic. Guy threw a saddlemen step up on it and it could use a lower shock from a slim or street bob, but other than that, the thing was clean.
@@aztriumphster
The Heritage stripped down looks stunning, I agree ;-)
So ... if you like it without the accessories you could black your Slim out instead of paying extra price for the Heritage.
Unless you want the 114 engine of course.
But other than that, Slim, Deluxe and Heritage have a lot in common.
@@simonhouel1984 shit or take the extra $$$ and bump up the slim motor 😉
5’6’. I have a Road King Police edition. I changed to seat after a while. The bike is worth the trouble
Hello thanks for the vid. I'm an Aussie. I just brought a 2021 road kind special. I'm 5'6. I felt exactly like you riding it. I came from a newish Fatbob. I have ordered the 13 inch fuse bars i hope they make a huge difference. As far as reaching the stand is a strain but ok. There is a reach seat harley make 1.5 inch lower and .8 inch forward. Not sure I'll get that yet. I'll see how the bars go. If you get a lower seat the padding is thinner so you lose comfort. Cheers
hi m8, how did you go with the bars, fellow ausie but im still just in the dreaming stages of getting the RK. My ass is close to the ground also at about 5'7.
After a couple of months riding whats your view on it?
@@cjleveille2626 hi. I've had the bars for a month or so omg bloody awesome. I rode to Queensland 7 hours in the seat straight no problem. Fused bars from harley. Everyone says how good they look even people with burley bars. But with my short arms and height the bars are a huge improvement on comfort. Stock seat is great. I can't touch the ground fully but that's ok. I don't want to reduce lean angle. Bike is fantastic.
Hi buddy, i am 5'5 or 5'6 short like you. How did you figure out the kick stand? I have tried the road king in store, I cant reach the edge of kick stand thanks for the fxxking wide foot board. Any advice for the kick stand? 😀
If u watch just as I take the bike off the side stand then the video jumps to me rolling out to stage, I edited out a good chunk of time where I was struggling to reach the kick stand. Eventually I was defeated and one of the demo folks had to come kick it up for me. I had no problem kicking it back out when I got back tho. Im pretty sure plenty of aftermarket companies and probably even Harley sells an extension piece so it can be reached
I’m 5’7 I hope it can ride these big bikes
yall dont know short. 5'2 here and ill ride anything. i just look dumb doing it lol
Im the same height.... Get the sattlemen seat and 12" T-bars and it will be a different and Awesome bike 👍😎🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
The kickstand....flip up the floorboard then operate the kickstand 👍
Have you riden a heritage? How does the handling compares to touring frames?
Yeah I've ridden one. The handling is great. Very deliberate and confident. Comparably the heritage feels lighter especially when initiating a turn and during braking
Just traded in a 20 Heritage for a 21 Street Glide, the street glide feels lighter once in motion, though the Heritage was very solid feeling
Why the hell are Roadkings so heavy? I can ride em, but they are sure heavy
Great video. How would you compare this to the slim? I have a slim as well so would love your feedback on that end. In terms of maneuverability etc. thank you!
Also for what it’s worth I’m 5-11 190
Maneuverability is very similar, both low speed and high speed. I had taken the Fat Boy out just before the Road King, now that bike maneuvera quite differently. If I coulda gotten better footing, i woulda had more confidence at low speed, talking the bike etc. U can detect the weight difference but its not a negative.
@@aztriumphster awesome thank you! Is the difference noticeable on the highway? I love my slim on the highway it has a windshield but you kind of still feel the bumps. Was this more cushy? Would you ever think of getting one of these?
@@carlosbenitez6438 it was smooth on the highway. Virtually unaffected by road conditions. I wouldn't get one only due to the ergos. Because of its width, I was tippie toe on each side. I had trouble reaching the kick stand too. I feel it would take alot to get it how I need it in order to feel comfortable dealing with it at low speeds and stopped position
This is off subject but where did you get the gloves from
Those r the Icon 29ers and u can get em at Revzilla or Cycle gear
👍👍💯💯
No point of reference. If you said how tall you are or what your in-seem is, I missed I it.
I said it right at the beginning, around the 2:40 mark. Im 5'5" short
My bad, I totally missed it. Thanks for letting me know.
@@papasquatscott7615 no prob. Be safe
Love This Bike is a Beast But Agree Some 14" Apes Would Be Nice.
Short also ride road glide shorter shocks cowboy boots that's the answer