2009 Harley-Davidson reviews

The bike is big but not overly so. There is enough weight that it will soak up the road yet is fairly nimble enough to take mountain roads with confidence. Not aggressively, mind you, but you won't need to use a turn out to let traffic pass. Harley's are well known for their torque and you will not be disappointed and you'll welcome it when crusing at highway speed in "6th" gear. All the controls are easy to use. The seats for both the rider & passenger are very comfortable especially on those long rides. The forward controls help the riding position as well but may be a stretch for someone under say 5'10". I don't have anything really negative to say about the bike except maybe they could find a better way to protect the front fork lowers. The clear coat gets pitted and then starts to oxidize and looks terrible after a while. Other than that the real shocker was the cost of accessories and what the dealer wanted for servicing. Show less

I really do enjoy this bike. It was a great bike to get back into riding with. I was a little concerned about the size since I am a big guy, but this bike has more than enough to haul me around. On the highway I can reach around 90 mph. and there is still a little left. I don't know how comfortable I would be with doubleup riding for long rides but it still handles well. I'm very pleased with this bike. I'll upgrade eventually, but for now I'm more than happy. Show less

I picked up the bike in San Marcos and rode it home (3/14/11) - put 396 miles on it Sunday; mostly down I10. I rode the farm roads from San Marcos to Comfort. There were tight turning hill country roads to I10 and I never even scraped a foot peg much less the kick stand. The bike will hit a solid 100 mph. and cruise at 80 all day long - trust me, you will give out before the bike does. There is a foot peg vibration at 60 in 5th. gear but it goes away quickly and the suspension is stiff! I averaged 47 mpg. on the highway. It sounds to me like the last reviewer left the kick stand down when taking off. Show less

So far all is great for the break-in. I changed to syn oil @ 1,000 miles. The bike performs great and rides even better. My wife loves the comfort when riding along. No mechanical break downs or other problems to report about. If I had to complain about anything it would be the price of everything...base cost, upgrades, accessories, etc. But then again, all hobbies of mine are expensive. Show less

I bought this bike after a 15-year absence from motorcycling. I've been closely following the XR ever since it came out, dealerships are pricing these bad boys to move. The motorcycle press gave the XR great reviews and I echo their comments. Good (not great)acceleration, straight-forward instrumention, effective brakes, nimble suspension, and sticky rear tire. I'm a 35-year-old that generally prefers sport bikes over cruisers, but this is a nice compromise. Mine is black and I have been having a hoot on it....definitely a grin producing bike. Show less

When I first saw this bike on the dealer floor, I had to have. It fit me perfectly like an old jacket. The motor is smooth and vibration free. Fuel mileage is great if you ride normally. Spirited acceleration will dent your mileage considerably. The tranny could be smoother during shifting. Gear ratios are very well spaced. The seat is amazingly comfortable. With two up cruising, the ride is smooth and it handles additional weight with no issues. Build quality is very good as is the paint, pin striping and chrome finish. There are no oil leaks and engine oil use is nominal. Show less

My wife and I love this bike. It's great to ride and great to go out to the garage and look at. It's so comfortable that after a long day of riding, you can't wait to ride some more. I owned a Goldwing for years, but this is way more fun. Show less

Since my first review, I've installed a 2 up seat, shorter more attractive exhaust, ran an infinity fuel chip and K&N filter to upgrade my flow-thru and added some covers and other fringe here and there (not too much though). The bike has only gotten better if that was possible. I now receive good comfort from the seat and smoothness from the engine that might have been missing when it was newer and more restricted. I've ran thru two sets of D109s, moved on to the harder Metz tires and have been getting good wear with them so far, (run nitro) and good grip. It's more than I've expected, and all that I'd ever hoped for...what more can I say? Show less

I've had the RG a little over a year now, and I've had a chance for a couple of long trips. When the weather got hot I decided to take off the lower fairings, which brought the buffeting back. I found some new wind deflectors that Harley just released this year, that mount in between the gas tank and forks. I also went from the Klockwerks shield to a Clearview (large). WOW! What a difference! This bike is 100% more comfortable than the stock version. With or without helmet - no buffeting! My glasses don't get ripped off my face anymore either. Well done Harley. I also added a Power Commander from FuelMoto. Right now the bike is dialed in just like I want, and I'm really looking forward to some major trips next year. Show less

I have grown fond of my little XR. A suspension upgrade and taller windshield will be on Santa's list. It still corners well and has decent torque down low. I'm debating to keep or upgrade to Fat Bob with raised suspension and 103 motor!! It's a very good standard bike with Harley trimmings. Show less