Another Comparison

Sounds like the dealer never set the suspension spring preload before the test. Like a lot of other reviews did. When set up the bike corners better than any comparable Harley, and the ride is quite comfortable. And the engine is wonderful.
 
Review pretty much echoes my thoughts having owned a 2019 Fatboy and now the R18. Ground clearance is more than adequate, when the suspension is set properly for one's weight AND riding style its fine. One can still intentionally drag a peg on either motorcycle.

The new Softails are incredibly competent cruisers. The suspension and handling on my Fatboy was better than my R18. Harley finally has the suspension sorted on the Softail models especially when compared to my 2017 Softail (Pre M8).

Don't get me wrong, I totally love my R18. But honestly, the new Softails still have it beat.
 
Last w3ek I rode a Heritage softail. It DID ride a little softer than the R18 and vibrated less according to my wife.

I put a tire on it for a friend; I took it home (54 miles each way) for the weekend. Took the wife to Dunkin for coffee Saturday morning.

Rode it back Monday morning. I could not weave in and out of the dotted lines at 50 mph. I can do that on my R18 at 60 mph.

Compared the R18, it was smaller, and had no balls. brakes were good, we only hit bottom once on a corner.
The heat from the engine off the right side of the rear cylinder was too much on the back of my leg.

David
 
Not to discount anyone's opinion, living with a motorcycle for a year or so vs. borrowing, renting, or riding a friends bike is completely different. All motorcycles have their quirks and pros and cons. When you live with the bike you learn what you can live with and what you can't. When you own it, you set up the suspension and ergos for your riding style. You don't tend to do that when you switch bikes with a buddy or borrow a bike for the day, maybe not even when you rent one. Also one tends to have biases that the bike they own is better than the one that the bike is being compared with. That's just the way we are.

I'm in the fortunate position, when something like this comes up, I'm able to own the motorcycles and form my own opinion and decide which bike works best for me. For example I owned a couple other ADV bikes before jumping on the GSA bandwagon in 2017. Owned that for a couple years and decided the GS was not for me for a myriad of reasons and went back to a Honda Africa Twin. When the new F850GS came out compared it to the AT and the F850 won out and it's what I kept.
 
Simply, we all like validation but who really cares about what anyone thinks about this bike vs. that bike. For the record, I think the softtail rides a little better. I don't care :)
 
R18Art said:
Review pretty much echoes my thoughts having owned a 2019 Fatboy and now the R18. Ground clearance is more than adequate, when the suspension is set properly for one's weight AND riding style its fine. One can still intentionally drag a peg on either motorcycle.

The new Softails are incredibly competent cruisers. The suspension and handling on my Fatboy was better than my R18. Harley finally has the suspension sorted on the Softail models especially when compared to my 2017 Softail (Pre M8).

Don't get me wrong, I totally love my R18. But honestly, the new Softails still have it beat.
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I found the Fat Boy to be less 'user friendly' than the R18. Loved the look but the ride was quite harsh in comparison to the R18. In a way I am glad that for me only one came out as a clear winner. I'm no good at decision making when it comes to toys. :)
 
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