Berardi3
Active member
Has anyone had any saddle time on the Street Glide wondering how it compares with the BMW Bagger ?
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What do you really think?....Who cares really? I wouldn’t be caught dead on any Harley. I show my bias proudly
I find the 18C slow speed handling very easy...I can feel very little weight...The TC is just too much...as is the HD Glides... I prefer less bike. Plus the R18C Brentuned with the DNA stage 2 makes for a spirited blast...The bike is quick, handles well, especially in the sweepers (be even better with radials) and is solid as hell cruise det at 105 mph..I have a parallel comparison for you. Transcontinental vs Road Glide Special.
Some context
I ride all brands and all types of motorcycles.
I've owned two Base model First edition R18s and a Transcontinental.
A friend of mine is a general manager at a Harley dealership and offered no limit test rides for me.
I took out both the Street Glide Special and the Road Glide Special.
I ended up riding them for 200 miles.
Words... "longest demo in dealership history" were thrown around.
I ended up trading in the TC tow days later for the Road Glide Special I demoed.
It took me 9 BMWs to get my first HD.
I still love the looks of the R18 and really love how the boxer engine sounds.
I'm convinced that I'll end up owning a base model R18 concurrently with the HD down the line.
Cost aside, I am really happy with the HD.
The comparison: See TLDR if can't be bothered
If you are big into features... you cannot beat BMWs.
These HDs are blank slates in which you have to add on w/e you want after the purchase. Cost becomes astronomical if you want to spec it similarly to the BMW.
Even then, there are features you cannot add on, such as the Adaptive Cruise Control (absolutely awesome), central locking, big o TFT, electronic/automatic preload adjuster and the electric reverse.
The suspension on the BMWs is great, especially for a low weight rider like me (175lbs with gear)... HDs don't feel like they are optimal for someone like me. Especially without a touring pack (another add on!). They ride harsher over bumps than the BMW. I'm considering doing a suspension.... again... expensive.
Leg/feet position on the BMWs were... okayish... for me. Comfortable enough most of the time especially with the occasional leg rest use.
Are the HDs more comfortable? Yes.
The problem with BMWs is the handlebar. Being a smaller guy, the reach was too far. I could barely touch the high side handlebar grip when doing full lock turns. If I wanted to chill on the highway (meaning not leaning forwards), I couldn't hold on to the grips near control clusters but at the bar ends. Moving forward on the tank cramped my leg controls. Never ended up being able to find an aftermarket solution... because this platform lacks aftermarket support.
HDs do have Apple Car Play / Android Auto though. Of course, if you want to make it work at full function, you need to get their CV radio kit or, WHIM (comm adapter) plus expensive HD Sena unit, or Sena Freewire/CV adapter/CV Dealership Activation on the head unit (will work with both Cardo and Sena at that point)... again... expensive.
HDs clear wind over my head and then some (felt by standing up a little). Better than the TC. Also, not having to look through a windscreen unlike on the TC is awesome. Especially in the rain. And if you want a different HD windscreen... they are like... half the price of BMWs counterpart. Parts on HDs are cheaper.
Street glide's fairings are shaped in a way that you get wind protection for your hands... BMWs have similar aesthetics but won't really keep the wind off of your hands.
Road glide doesn't provide that protection.
Road glide compares pretty well with the BMW Bagger in terms of overall wind protection. TC is much better of course with those winglets and the lowers. Again... you can burn some hundred dollar bills to make HDs have similar wind protection as well.
If you are cost conscious, even if you get a used HD, you won't be able to find a better deal than a Bagger or a TC by miles, especially these days.
That being said... HDs handle tiers better than the BMW. Not just the Road Glide with frame mounted fairings but also the Street Glide with handlebar mounted fairings. These bikes honestly feel like they are 300 pounds lighter than they are. I compare the progressive/linear steering of the HD to my R1250GSA. Predictable, smooth and keeps the line. Full lock turns are easier and non-lock tight turns are WAY easier. On BMWs, you really have to work to keep the steering angle constant while turning, both at high and especially at low speeds. The steering wants to fold in like a sportbike but ... with the downside of it being WAY.... WAY heavier. Under a particular condition - high speed sweepers, BMWs flick slightly better from side to side. Stopping and starting from stops is easier on HDs as well. They just have better balance/geometry.
I thought it was me who wasn't good at controlling the TC but after hopping on the HD, I immediately realized that it was the bike.
I passed a civilian version of a motor officer course, I can do 2 parking space turns on the HD and 1.5 parking lot turns on the GSA.
I could not for the life of me do a 2 parking lot turn on the TC.
This is the primary reason I switched.
Your mileage may vary on this but I want to be able to do a U turn on any bike I ride on a two lane country lane on a dime without worrying about it.
The secondary reason for switching was BMWs overheating. My R18s have overheated 3 times. Once in NYC stop and go traffic. Once, waiting in a slowly moving line to enter a National Park. Finally, stuck in slow moving interstate traffic jam. Granted the TC did manage to go 40 miles in 4.5 hour traffic without over heating this one time.
In hindsight, I can't believe how many "chances" I gave these bikes regarding this. I was so enamored with the R18 line. I still am really...
HDs have rear cylinder deactivation. And you can also add an oil cooler fan... costs extra of course!
Whenever I rode the R18, I always worried about the possibility of overheating.
You can pick up TCs around low 20,000s these days or less if you find a used one. My HD was 36k OTD... without any addons.
Are HDs twice the better bikes as BMWs?... no.
Did I get a HD anyway?... yes.
The choice will come down to what is important to you.
TLDR - my experience
HDs
-Super Expensive
-Scheduled dealer maintenance costs about 500 bucks each time
-Have to add accessories and functions to taste even then there are features that can't be added that are stock on BMWs
-Handles extremely well, especially at low speeds
-Feel like 650 lbs bikes...
-Suspension not great for super light solo rider
-Wind clears helmet extremely well. Street Glide provides wind protection for hands.
-Great ergos
-Parts are cheaper
-Aftermarket support is VAST
BMWs
-Great value
-Scheduled Dealer maintenance costs about 750 bucks each time
-Feature rich
-Handles like a drunken hippo
-Feel like 1000 lbs bikes... because they are (they've been weighed at more than what BMW claims)
-Smart suspension
-TC has better wind protection / Bagger has similar wind protection to Road Glides.
-Poor ergos
-Parts are expensive
-Aftermarket support is miniscule
-A constant nagging worry of overheating rides pillion with you
Note: Steering difference between the Street and the Road Glides was minuscule vs the difference between either of them and the BMWs.
That is very interesting. I found that when I went from the Base model to the TC, it felt easier to handle at lower speeds. TC/Bagger models have shorter wheelbases than Base/C models. I distinctly remember noticing that difference. I guess different strokes for different people though. Just to tie it back to the thread, when I went from the TC to the Road Glide, the difference I felt was magnitudes larger than the improvement I felt in handling when I went from the Base model to the TC.I find the 18C slow speed handling very easy...I can feel very little weight...The TC is just too much...as is the HD Glides... I prefer less bike. Plus the R18C Brentuned with the DNA stage 2 makes for a spirited blast...The bike is quick, handles well, especially in the sweepers (be even better with radials) and is solid as hell cruise det at 105 mph..
That's the issue with me. HDs are just characitures of each other. There is no original Harley....The average person cannot tell the difference between a used Stglide...purchased for 10k, or a new 40k Stglide regardless of accessories. They're sooo common.Chk out the pic. Wth would someone spend 4x that amount on the same bike? My R18C is a black, gleaming jewel that resembles and sounds similar to a vintage Luftwaffe aircraft...with very original character...You could spend over $30k+ on a $20k bike and make it your own or you could spend under $20k for a $30k bike and make it your own. If you care what other people think, get the Harley.
Yeah....That's the issue with me. HDs are just characitures of each other. There is no original Harley....The average person cannot tell the difference between a used Stglide...purchased for 10k, or a new 40k Stglide regardless of accessories. They're sooo common.Chk out the pic. Wth would someone spend 4x that amount on the same bike? My R18C is a black, gleaming jewel that resembles and sounds similar to a vintage Luftwaffe aircraft...with very original character...
U want fast? Buy a 1 liter plus sport bike...It would destroy any Harley and not blow up..lolYeah....
and someone like me can spend 10k and put a 135ci kit in it and have a nice hotrod bagger for just over 20k.
If they offered any real performance parts for our R18 I would be first in line but I know that wont happen.
When is enough enough? There's always going to be a faster bike, but important is that? What I love about my R18C is the gearing and power/torque curve. It's perfect. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have the bike Brentuned and fitted with the DNA stage air box mod. Big, big difference. Oh, and it really likes 93 octane, ethanol free fuel. This combined with SOME MILES on the odometer makes a very noticeable difference. Is it underpowered, no fing way. My 18 rips! I run down Harleys often...no problem. I can be in 3rd gear, set the cruise at 35-40mph, or in 6th at 105 mph, and the motor has PLENTY of throttle left and is rock solid... My other bike is a second generation Honda Valkyrie 1800..( not the first gen 1500 carbed model)..so yeah I know what a powerful, fast bike is. No, the 18 is not as fast as my Valkyrie, but it's gearing is better..and sufficient power is right where you want it.Yeah....
and someone like me can spend 10k and put a 135ci kit in it and have a nice hotrod bagger for just over 20k.
If they offered any real performance parts for our R18 I would be first in line but I know that wont happen.
I have that already.U want fast? Buy a 1 liter plus sport bike...It would destroy any Harley and not blow up..lol
Brentune will add about 4 HP according to his website.When is enough enough? There's always going to be a faster bike, but important is that? What I love about my R18C is the gearing and power/torque curve. It's perfect. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have the bike Brentuned and fitted with the DNA stage air box mod. Big, big difference. Oh, and it really likes 93 octane, ethanol free fuel. This combined with SOME MILES on the odometer makes a very noticeable difference. Is it underpowered, no fing way. My 18 rips! I run down Harleys often...no problem. I can be in 3rd gear, set the cruise at 35-40mph, or in 6th at 105 mph, and the motor has PLENTY of throttle left and is rock solid... My other bike is a second generation Honda Valkyrie 1800..( not the first gen 1500 carbed model)..so yeah I know what a powerful, fast bike is. No, the 18 is not as fast as my Valkyrie, but it's gearing is better..and sufficient power is right where you want it.