I picked up my 2012 HD Street Glide rental yesterday and felt compelled to post this quick review. I was going to wait a full day and give the product a chance to soak in, but after 10 minutes, it was apparent that my impressions weren't going to change. First, I've been riding my Vision Street for over 2 years. I previously rode an Ultra Classic prior to owning my Vision, so I had some idea what to expect, but here are some of the take a ways of the new SG. The Good- The 103 motor is a noticeable improvement from the 96. I love the increase in power! The clutch is smooth and easy to operate. Like silk. The transmission is also very smooth. Stereo is refreshingly good. I like the stock kick stand. (running out of things to say) The not so Good- I forgot how you feel like you're sitting "on" the bike instead of "in" the bike compared to the Vision. The stock handle bars are set so that I have to reach for them. I'm only assuming that it this way for taller riders, however, taller riders would feel cramped (IMHO) with such small foot boards. The riding position was instantly uncomfortable. The bike felt soo small. Fairing felt so out of place being so close and the over all feeling I had was "How did I put up with this?" The vibration on this model is crazy! I could not put up with this day in and day out. It's a completely stock bike and as I'm sitting at a stop, the shaking is unbearable. It's a smaller bike compared to the Vision, but it obviously can't maneuver as well as the bigger Vision. I put it though some of the turns I normally rip through with my Vision and the results are night and day. The SG is just not designed this way. I miss my gear indicator. The SG only will indicate 6th gear. I have the SG all day today, so I can put it through more riding conditions and environments, but it won't change the fact that the bike is not for me. It just reinforces my decision to have gone with Victory and buying an HD right now would be foolish. NO DISRESPECT to Harley Davidson! Not hating on them. Who knows, I may rent another bike in the future and come to a different opinion. For now, I love my Vision!!
HD review
davelau
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I'm so glad I made the effort to obtain a Vision even though I don't have a dealer close to home. I seriously considered an HD Road Glide Ultra, which probably would have been better than the bike you reviewed, but could not get past the vibes at idle, heft off the side-stand, and the smallish floor boards (my right foot could not fit on the floorboard because some part of the transmission/drive casing or maybe the air filter cover pushed my right leg over too far). I didn't immediately find the reach to the bars bad but would probably have changed them to something that was closer. But, for all the negatives and the huge price, the Vision was both a far more comfortable bike and a much better value. I'd still like to hear from some Goldwing riders on how they compare the GL1800 to the Vision.
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