[Jeff Higgins]

Boy, how time flies - I've managed to roll up almost 2,000 miles on the 2013 Road King while recovering from the collision that more or less united us. As such, I think I've become familiar enough with it to offer some observations.

My old (totaled) bike was a model year 2000; 88 ci Twin Cam with the "stage 1" (free flowing air filter and "touring" exhaust) upgrade, five speed tranny, HD four piston brakes, "old" touring frame, and a carburetor. The new bike is 103 ci with the same "stage 1" upgrade, six speed tranny (with overdriven sixth), Brembo brakes, revised (much stiffer) frame, and fuel injection. Significant changes, these.

When I was finally able to start riding it, I stopped by the dealer to say "hello" and let them know I was finally able to ride. They all asked "isn't it sooo much better than your old bike?". My answer was well, uh, no - it's really not. It's pretty much the same in every respect. I tried to explain that that is not a bad thing in the least - it is very comfortably familiar, and the changes don't jump right out at you and command your attention.

The brakes are indistinguishable from the HD brakes on the old bike. They work great, but so did the old ones. The handling is identical. They tell me that the high speed, extreme lean angle wallow inherent in the old design is gone - so what? If I'm going to ride like that (and yes, I've felt that wallow, and it is gone - I can't make the new bike do it) I'm going to be on the Ducati. At "normal" touring pace, there is simply no difference.

The six speed is nice, but these bikes have so much torque they could easily get by with half of that. The overdrive is useless below about 70, and the fifth gear is lower than the old fifth so, if anything, I wind up spinning the motor higher in local freeway traffic. It is really nice, though, to snick it into sixth on those 70 mph zones and let her cruise at about 80-ish. Or more... Totally effortless.

The biggest change, I'll have to say, is the power. With the stage 1 stuff, torque goes up to about 110 ft lbs or so at the crank. Horsepower might even break into the low 90's. It's a huge improvement over the old 88 inch motor. Coupled with lower gearing in 4th and 5th, the bike feels like it has a good deal more performance. That's the best improvement they made - no one ever accused the 88 inch motor of having any power.

All in all, I'm very happy with the new bike. It fits like an old pair of slippers. It has many improvements, but none that fundamentally change the way it rides. It's a good, solid machine that should serve me until I'm likely too old to ride anymore. It's very much in keeping with HD's approach of a steady march forward, without throwing the baby out with the bath water every year. I like that.