R18 vs Harley

M

Moby_1851

Member
Visit site
I am 57. Learned to ride at 55. Only bike has been an R18 first edition

Love it and thinking of upgrading to 2025 roctane

I keep getting advice to get a Harley - road king, Electra glide…I like touring with a cruiser look (hence the Roctane)

Anyone who has ridden both R18 and HD - what’s the big deal with HD.

I have limited life now and don’t want to miss some magical HD experience but I am guessing it’s mostly talk…anything SUBSTANTIALLY better about an HD experience? I know each bike has strengths and weaknesses but am I missing something by sticking with BMW?
 
H-D rider once here (Sportster 1200 Custom, Softail Deuce and Street Glide)
I don’t think you’re missing anything unless you have a great local HOG Chapter which compliments the H-D experience.
I believe the boxer engine has some definitive advantages over the V-twin. Better cooling, lower CG to name the essentials.
 
emgarciax said:
H-D rider once here (Sportster 1200 Custom, Softail Deuce and Street Glide)
I don’t think you’re missing anything unless you have a great local HOG Chapter which compliments the H-D experience.
I believe the boxer engine has some definitive advantages over the V-twin. Better cooling, lower CG to name the essentials.
Click to expand...
I figured- great perspective. Doing a 2600 mile Florida to Boston RT in August and if the R18 performs I am married to it. Thanks man
 
Moby_1851 said:
I am 57. Learned to ride at 55. Only bike has been an R18 first edition

Love it and thinking of upgrading to 2025 roctane

I keep getting advice to get a Harley - road king, Electra glide…I like touring with a cruiser look (hence the Roctane)

Anyone who has ridden both R18 and HD - what’s the big deal with HD.

I have limited life now and don’t want to miss some magical HD experience but I am guessing it’s mostly talk…anything SUBSTANTIALLY better about an HD experience? I know each bike has strengths and weaknesses but am I missing something by sticking with BMW?
Click to expand...
Not sure if ‘I have limited life’ literally means that or was just an expression. Hope the latter. Most of us on here are getting on a bit and over 50. If it’s the former and you want to experience HD get one, rent one, go to a dealer and at least try it out. see what you think. I’ve had four HD over the years, I like them, they are what they are. The ‘Chapter’ thing really didn’t appeal to me but you may like the comraderie? In pur performance terms I doubt there’s much in it, they are all heavy cruisers. I guess it comes down to the feeling you have owning and riding the bikes but that’s a completely subjective thing that we all score differently. Good luck with your quest.
 
I've rented the HD Street Glide and Road Glide, with every intention of making one of these two models my next bike, once I crossed 100k miles on my 2008 GS Adventure; then I had the chance to see and test ride the 2022 R18 B First Edition.

I selected the R18 B First Edition, as I really liked everything about it right out of the box; it had the latest technology, safety features and creature comforts (music, heated grips & seat, bat wing fairing, etc) that ultimately I was looking for in the HD models.

My boxer engine on the 2008 was super reliable, where I sold it just shy of reaching 100,000 miles (96,680 something around that number); the out the door price was $12k less for the R18 B vs the HD Street Glide ST model that I was looking at.

I had a pretty recent opportunity to rent the HD Street Glide and Road Glide while out in San Diego this past Spring; hands down, I wish I was riding my R18 B as we made our way out to Joshua Tree and back within the day...

All of my riding buddies have either of the two above mentioned bikes; I catch a lot of shit from them, critiquing the opposed cylinders... They're just jealous.. deep down inside, they wish they did something different then the status quo...

BTW - each of them have complimented my bike secretly, never publicly...

Maybe view the following YT video: even the editors had a hard time admitting that the R18 out performed the HD Street Glide:

 
Last edited:
yea I get very curious time to time also... but then I see a new Harley in the 30k+ range here... then I think about my R18 and its 13k I paid for one with 89 miles on it.... Then I forget the Harley ahhahaahah just to try to fit in is not me either, I think Im at point where if I smile and like it then it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks.
 
Rufus said:
Not sure if ‘I have limited life’ literally means that or was just an expression. Hope the latter. Most of us on here are getting on a bit and over 50. If it’s the former and you want to experience HD get one, rent one, go to a dealer and at least try it out. see what you think. I’ve had four HD over the years, I like them, they are what they are. The ‘Chapter’ thing really didn’t appeal to me but you may like the comraderie? In pur performance terms I doubt there’s much in it, they are all heavy cruisers. I guess it comes down to the feeling you have owning and riding the bikes but that’s a completely subjective thing that we all score differently. Good luck with your quest.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks. Sounds about right. Nah, I just meant im getting older and I don’t have time to be switching bikes “just to check it out” when I have something I like now.

Thank for the help!
 
Scott Semone said:
I've rented the HD Street Glide and Road Glide, with every intention of making one of these two models my next bike, once I crossed 100k miles on my 2008 GS Adventure; then I had the chance to see and test ride the 2022 R18 B First Edition.

I selected the R18 B First Edition, as I really liked everything about it right out of the box; it had the latest technology, safety features and creature comforts (music, heated grips & seat, bat wing fairing, etc) that ultimately I was looking for in the HD models.

My boxer engine on the 2008 was super reliable, where I sold it just shy of reaching 100,000 miles (96,680 something around that number); the out the door price was $12k less for the R18 B vs the HD Street Glide ST model that I was looking at.

I had a pretty recent opportunity to rent the HD Street Glide and Road Glide while out in San Diego this past Spring; hands down, I wish I was riding my R18 B as we made our way out to Joshua Tree and back within the day...

All of my riding buddies have either of the two above mentioned bikes; I catch a lot of shit from them, critiquing the opposed cylinders... They're just jealous.. deep down inside, they wish they did something different then the status quo...

BTW - each of them have complimented my bike secretly, never publicly...

Maybe view the following YT video: even the editors had a hard time admitting that the R18 out performed the HD Street Glide:

Click to expand...
Exactly. Thanks - this really helps
 
I ride a Road Glide Special currently, as well as a GSA and several other bikes. I have ridden a few other HDs as well. But also I've owned three R18 line products including the preordered original First Edition Base model and a Transcontinental.

I love the boxer engine in terms of looks, the sound and the "character", shaking due to torque/rumbling at idle. I love how all of the R18 line of products look. I think they are the most aesthetically pleasing to me among ALL cruisers/baggers/full dressers. HDs are... so generic to me. I know lots of people love the V twin sound... But I've heard it so much that it goes unnoticed by me. Boring is another description.

Having said all that, I moved to a HD for three main reasons.

The first issue is that I had 3 instances in which these bikes overheated on me. Stuck in traffic on an Interstate, navigating NYC and while waiting to get into a National Park. HDs have cylinder deactivation to reduced overheating and I've subsequently installed an OEM oil cooler fan which eliminated the problem 100%.

The second reason is that HDs handle a hell of a lot better at slow speeds. First and foremost, the steering feels linear as oppose to on the R18s which feel like sportbikes. At a certain angle they just want to fall into a bigger lean. This is great for sporty riding but terrible for slow speed with such heavy bikes. You have to fight the bike to keep it at the desired angle sometimes. Personal I must be comfortable doing anything from a fast wide sweeper to a full lock u turn on a narrow two lane road a dime for me to feel confident with a bike. The R18 did not allow that effortlessly for me. HDs feel **effortless** in this regard.

The third reason was that at 65+ mph sustained speeds R18 engines were too rough and **seem** like they are straining due to gearing amd rpms. I remember this particularly more on the Transcontinental perhaps because of all the wind protection that I had. Much like how you notice tire noise a lot more in an EV. This bothered me more and more as I did longer rides.

Was the price tag painful getting a HD? Yeeess, undoubtedly. Do I miss adaptive cruise, central locking, the looks, the reverse, heated seat... the tft screen... Yes. But as a consolation, I do get android auto lol.

Sorry for posting a wall. I hope it helps.
 
Vyk said:
I ride a Road Glide Special currently, as well as a GSA and several other bikes. I have ridden a few other HDs as well. But also I've owned three R18 line products including the preordered original First Edition Base model and a Transcontinental.

I love the boxer engine in terms of looks, the sound and the "character", shaking due to torque/rumbling at idle. I love how all of the R18 line of products look. I think they are the most aesthetically pleasing to me among ALL cruisers/baggers/full dressers. HDs are... so generic to me. I know lots of people love the V twin sound... But I've heard it so much that it goes unnoticed by me. Boring is another description.

Having said all that, I moved to a HD for three main reasons.

The first issue is that I had 3 instances in which these bikes overheated on me. Stuck in traffic on an Interstate, navigating NYC and while waiting to get into a National Park. HDs have cylinder deactivation to reduced overheating and I've subsequently installed an OEM oil cooler fan which eliminated the problem 100%.

The second reason is that HDs handle a hell of a lot better at slow speeds. First and foremost, the steering feels linear as oppose to on the R18s which feel like sportbikes. At a certain angle they just want to fall into a bigger lean. This is great for sporty riding but terrible for slow speed with such heavy bikes. You have to fight the bike to keep it at the desired angle sometimes. Personal I must be comfortable doing anything from a fast wide sweeper to a full lock u turn on a narrow two lane road a dime for me to feel confident with a bike. The R18 did not allow that effortlessly for me. HDs feel **effortless** in this regard.

The third reason was that at 65+ mph sustained speeds R18 engines were too rough and **seem** like they are straining due to gearing amd rpms. I remember this particularly more on the Transcontinental perhaps because of all the wind protection that I had. Much like how you notice tire noise a lot more in an EV. This bothered me more and more as I did longer rides.

Was the price tag painful getting a HD? Yeeess, undoubtedly. Do I miss adaptive cruise, central locking, the looks, the reverse, heated seat... the tft screen... Yes. But as a consolation, I do get android auto lol.

Sorry for posting a wall. I hope it helps.
Click to expand...

Good solid insight concerning the U-Turn; it took me a LOT of practice in order to perform this maneuver within two standard parking spaces, representing that narrow two lane road.

Practice - Practice - Practice
 
Last edited:
As you can see every rider has his own opinion of BMW /H/D but only you can make the decision i rented H/D bikes but i found the Electra Glide way to heavy , also over here in UK they are expensive , i had an excellent deal for a R18 classic after a two hour test ride i went for it , i would test ride one before parting with your cash , good luck .
 
Some great pro/con assessments shared here, definitely a group with long time riding experiences 🍻 🍻

While I tend to buy BMWs, I'm not a Brand snob per se and have enjoyed OEM offerings from most of the US, Euro and Asian OEMs over many decades and IMO there really are no "bad" motorcycles being sold nowadays especially when looking at "premium" options.

BMW has always been great with test rides as is Harley, but even better are HD rentals from most dealerships. In the past I have done this and at the time they would apply the (very reasonable) rental costs towards a purchase if one decided to buy within a reasonable period of time afterwards. Anyways, if I were considering a Harley I would rent one for a few days and ride it as intended for use during ownership. It's a fun and inexpensive way to get a real feel for what you want to be on.

Good luck!
 
BobW said:
Some great pro/con assessments shared here, definitely a group with long time riding experiences 🍻 🍻

While I tend to buy BMWs, I'm not a Brand snob per se and have enjoyed OEM offerings from most of the US, Euro and Asian OEMs over many decades and IMO there really are no "bad" motorcycles being sold nowadays especially when looking at "premium" options.

BMW has always been great with test rides as is Harley, but even better are HD rentals from most dealerships. In the past I have done this and at the time they would apply the (very reasonable) rental costs towards a purchase if one decided to buy within a reasonable period of time afterwards. Anyways, if I were considering a Harley I would rent one for a few days and ride it as intended for use during ownership. It's a fun and inexpensive way to get a real feel for what you want to be on.

Good luck!
Click to expand...
Very much agreed! I test rode both a Street Glide and a Road Glide, totalling 250 miles, before buying my RG. Apparently it was the longest demo in the history of that dealership xD.
 
Vyk said:
I ride a Road Glide Special currently, as well as a GSA and several other bikes. I have ridden a few other HDs as well. But also I've owned three R18 line products including the preordered original First Edition Base model and a Transcontinental.

I love the boxer engine in terms of looks, the sound and the "character", shaking due to torque/rumbling at idle. I love how all of the R18 line of products look. I think they are the most aesthetically pleasing to me among ALL cruisers/baggers/full dressers. HDs are... so generic to me. I know lots of people love the V twin sound... But I've heard it so much that it goes unnoticed by me. Boring is another description.

Having said all that, I moved to a HD for three main reasons.

The first issue is that I had 3 instances in which these bikes overheated on me. Stuck in traffic on an Interstate, navigating NYC and while waiting to get into a National Park. HDs have cylinder deactivation to reduced overheating and I've subsequently installed an OEM oil cooler fan which eliminated the problem 100%.

The second reason is that HDs handle a hell of a lot better at slow speeds. First and foremost, the steering feels linear as oppose to on the R18s which feel like sportbikes. At a certain angle they just want to fall into a bigger lean. This is great for sporty riding but terrible for slow speed with such heavy bikes. You have to fight the bike to keep it at the desired angle sometimes. Personal I must be comfortable doing anything from a fast wide sweeper to a full lock u turn on a narrow two lane road a dime for me to feel confident with a bike. The R18 did not allow that effortlessly for me. HDs feel **effortless** in this regard.

The third reason was that at 65+ mph sustained speeds R18 engines were too rough and **seem** like they are straining due to gearing amd rpms. I remember this particularly more on the Transcontinental perhaps because of all the wind protection that I had. Much like how you notice tire noise a lot more in an EV. This bothered me more and more as I did longer rides.

Was the price tag painful getting a HD? Yeeess, undoubtedly. Do I miss adaptive cruise, central locking, the looks, the reverse, heated seat... the tft screen... Yes. But as a consolation, I do get android auto lol.

Sorry for posting a wall. I hope it helps.
Click to expand...
Excellent post. I appreciate it. I am looking for critiques both ways and this really helped. Interestingly the R18 slow speed handling challenges is evident to me, however I assumed it was because I am a new rider and simply not proficient. I have no comparison at 65+. So that is interesting. And I plan a long FL-Boston RT in August on my 2021 R18 so that will be my test of it's ability to deal with heat. Anecdotally you are the first to note the R18 is worse in heat (via your experience) than the HD. I've heard the opposite. So this is a really great post! Thank you!
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vyk
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top