Long Live the King!

[Frulk_imp]

Took the 2005 Road King (previously I stated it was a 2006) for about a 1.5 hour ride yesterday with 3 stops because I was running errands. The 1450cc motor is what I would call 'relaxed' in a bike this size with all 240 pounds of me on board as well. Not much to say about a cruiser that most of you guys/gals don't already know. Aftermarket pipes are louder than stock. Seat seems comfortable. Bars could come back about 2 inches to really satisfy the comfort margin. Everything works on the machine. Nothing out of sorts.

I came back to my friends house and told him it's a done deal and would need an hour or so (Saturday) to get the money out of the bank.

As mentioned earlier the bike was purchased for my son-in-law. As my buddy was unloading one of the boxes of take off parts he laid down this monstrosity of a seat.



After he left my wife came back out in the garage and looked at all the parts and THAT seat and asked "Is this a bike they can ride two-up on?" I said yes because there were two different seats and seat configurations and it had the flip up/down foot boards. Wife responds "I'm not good with you giving him this bike. I thought this would be like our youngest daughters and her boyfriends bikes (Sportsters set up with seats for solo riding". She then goes on to say "I'm not comfortable with my daughter on the back of the bike. He has no knowledge or experience and he's NOT learning with her on the back".

Sooooooo: Looks like the King is here to stay for a while. At least until he attends a riding school and gets some two-up tutelage under his belt.

Bike needed a really good deep cleaning. Hadn't seen one in a while. Whitewalls were the toughest thing to get clean. Bags came off easy. I hand waxed everything but it still needs some work in spots with rubbing compound to get some imperfections out. I pumped the rear air shocks up to about 11psi for now.





Pre-deep clean:



I installed a RAM X Mount I had laying around:



Replaced the smoked lens turn signals with the OEM Orange ones. I like being visible:



I haven't swapped out the back ones. Got lazy once it got into the 90's today. Those are next though.



Guess the King will be hanging around for a while. Funny how things work out sometimes.

[cookiemech]

Looks a lot like the '07 King that I bought new and rode for 10 years. H-D sells a "tire and wheel cleaner" that works well with the whitewalls without damaging the finish on the wheels.

I don't know why most H-D owners feel it necessary to change out the mufflers for something louder. In most cases it doesn't improve performance (sometimes it diminishes it) and it's annoying to a lot of people; the stock mufflers sound pretty good and an unmodified bike runs well with them. Anyone looking for "performance" would be well-advised to look elsewhere than H-D.

But you aren't likely to find a more comfortable, relaxing, satisfying ride on anything else! I don't think it would be so bad if you are "stuck" with this one.

[GoldOxide_imp]

Nicely put Cookie.

[Frulk_imp]

I have the stock cans. They apparently were never on the road. Problem is I think the original owner had it mapped...according to another mutual friend and I don’t feel like taking it in just yet and having that redone. I stay off the throttle but it still has an impressive, if not repressive, sound signature. The South Park Harley episode comes to mind when I fire it up.

[JLEECB]

I have the stock cans. They apparently were never on the road. Problem is I think the original owner had it mapped...according to another mutual friend and I don’t feel like taking it in just yet and having that redone. I stay off the throttle but it still has an impressive, if not repressive, sound signature. The South Park Harley episode comes to mind when I fire it up.

That episode forever changed how I look at Harley owners.

[Wisedrum]

Looks a lot like the '07 King that I bought new and rode for 10 years. H-D sells a "tire and wheel cleaner" that works well with the whitewalls without damaging the finish on the wheels.

I don't know why most H-D owners feel it necessary to change out the mufflers for something louder. In most cases it doesn't improve performance (sometimes it diminishes it) and it's annoying to a lot of people; the stock mufflers sound pretty good and an unmodified bike runs well with them. Anyone looking for "performance" would be well-advised to look elsewhere than H-D.

But you aren't likely to find a more comfortable, relaxing, satisfying ride on anything else! I don't think it would be so bad if you are "stuck" with this one.

It is also true in Germany, this altered loud Harley Style. More "normal" than not. Very "funny" are Harley riders who put earplugs in when they go out for a ride to annoy anyone else but themselves, making the joy even greater by reving the engine without any use in the city or in tunnels as sportbike riders often do for questionable "entertainment". German police often, too often let them play this nerving game while listening and watching helpless.

Wisedrum