I really liked the road king classic, with the chrome and the white wall tires… That’s the bike I dreamed of for many years when I owned Honda Magna’s.
Back in 2006 (I think) , I rode a new Fat Boy from Rockford ILL to Sturgis SD, spent a long weekend in the Black Hills, then rode back. It was a ton of fun, I was comfy on the bike even with the original seat, and it did everything I asked of it. Now I own a 2014 Road King and it does everything the Fat Boy did, but it's a noticeable amount more top heavy and a noticeable amount taller (I'm 5' 6" and am never flat-footed on the RK). I enjoy the locking, bigger, and hard bags. I enjoy the suspension. The handling is similar once you're on the go. But I miss the nimble slow speed maneuverability and the lighter weight of the Fat Boy. Both of the bikes are great. I give a slight edge to the Fat Boy if you're rarely going to be 2-up for more than 100 miles and spend most of your riding in traffic with occasional road trips. I give the edge to the Road King if you ride 2-up often and go on several long trips per year.
Great comparison i have just traded 2 2013 Cvo Harley’s for a new fat boy in shark skin blue and i love it ,the seat on my Cvo road glide was by far more comfortable but i switched out the fat boy standard seat for a sundowner solo seat and it is a lot better for longer distances ,in all the fat boy is a trip back to the old school no fuss riding that we started on back in the day no screen no bags just the wind and you riding the back roads love it .
One major difference in the engines in these two models that wasn't mentioned - the Road King uses a rubber-mounted engine with a single counterbalance shaft, and the Fat Boy uses a solidly-mounted engine with twin counterbalance shafts. Less parasitic power loss in the RK would account for the difference in HP ratings for the two engines.
Fatboy is my bike of choice. I love the aggressive look to it. I fell in love with that sportier look which made me purchase the 2023 model last year. I find myself looking at the other bikes, but the Fatboy has me like the Matrix 😂.
very informative. passed it along to a friend who was torn between the two. helped him make up his mind hopefully :) Personally I'd go wit the Fat Boy because I already enjoy and love 2 other fat tire bikes and have a deep respect for the iconic Fat Boy styling
I have not been on an M8 Fat Boy but I do hear that monoshock is really good. I traded my 110 Twin Cam Fat Boy S for my current 22 Road King Special. It was hard to let that Fat Boy S go, amazing looking bike. Just wanted an M8, more touring comfort, and storage right of the showroom floor. I take lots of longer rides and live in Iowa where you have to carry extra clothes most of the year. Did a Stage 2, LePera seat, and a whole list of other things to it and love it.
They are Mechanix tactical gloves. I’ve had them for several years and I don’t think they make that exact type anymore. But their M-Pact series is close.
I had the 2021 RKS in snake venom...I did a stage2 with Zippers 468 cam...I rode it for 3 seasons...40,000 kilometers. I tried the cruise control just to see if it worked...the RDRS didn't seem necessary to me. Loved the bike...just got tired of the same thing after riding for 3 seasons...I have a Streetbob now with a 5 gallon Fatboy fuel tank on it...I'll ride for 3 seasons again and see what I want to do after that...a Fatboy or Breakout may be next on my list. You are right..the softail and RKS are similar in ride...the RKS suspension isn't the greatest as it comes from the factory...I upgraded the rear shocks as well. Not sure why the RKS had a big price increase from around $27500 to over $30000 when no changes were made to it as the other touring models. The other touring models had major upgrades but the prices dropped for 2024.
Great video and comparison!! But to me , the Fat Boy is my favorite. Don't get me wrong, I love the Road King, definitely has that old school styling of the old FL style bikes. But you can put on as much miles on a Fat Boy as you would on a Road King, and do a lot of touring on one also ( which I have done ). All you have to do is get a better seat upgrade, maybe some new handgrips, ect. I have gone on many long trips on my 02 Fatty. My very first long road trip ( for me ) was from Southeastern Massachusetts to Lake George NY, 450 miles one way , took the backroads. Awesome ride. On the way home we switched it up and rode some highway to break it up a little. I would call the Fat Boy a crusier/touring model. That's just my opinion. And with a little imagination and customization, you can have a BAD ASS looking bike . Also, thank you again for showcasing my bike back in early May. Much appreciated 💯🤘🏻!! Keep up the great work and ride safe 💯🤘🏻
