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The 10 Best Harley Davidson Road King Models Money Can Buy

2016 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic

We know Harley Davidson for its touring bikes with their comfort, attractive looks, and modern conveniences. Quite a few riders choose the Road King as the best in their entire history, valuing its simplicity with its enormous engine and power.

It offers all the creature comforts a rider could want for both short and long hauls. It's customizable whether you prefer the more stripped-down version or a fully loaded bike for your travels. Here are the ten best Harley Davidson Road King Models money can buy.

1994 Harley-Davidson Road King

10. 1994 Harley-Davidson Road King

The Road King came out in 1993 as a 1994 model year. This model is the first Road King, making its debut with a custom cruiser equipped with a 1449 cc V-Twin engine mated with a five sped annual transmission.

The output was 67 horsepower and 107 Nm of torque. It came standard with laced wheels, a dual seat, a telescopic front fork, air-adjustable shock absorbers, full fenders, leather-covered saddlebags, and a choice of paint themes. The windshield was detachable. HD offered loads of add ons upon order. Reviewers on the V-Twin forum happily report that these bikes have retained their value nicely.

1996 Harley-Davidson Road King

9. 1996 Harley-Davidson Road King

The Road King for 1996-7 maintained its original specs with no change in the configuration. The paint job offered was a black powder coat finish on the engine with chrome engine covers to give it more curb appeal. It also came standard with a Hiawatha headlight that featured a chrome nacelle. These were the only significant changes that were purely aesthetic.

1999 Harley-Davidson Road King

8. 1999 Harley-Davidson Road King

HD's 1999 Road King offered something new for riders who preferred to personalize their bikes. The optional features list was long. New technology joined the list of accents annually.

They equipped the bike with a die-cast chrome dash, an electric speedometer, and this year it received new handlebars. Except for more personalization options, and the other new features, everything else remained the same.

2000 Harley-Davidson Road King

7. 2000 Harley-Davidson Road King

The 2000 Model received a few upgrades that excited riders by setting the bar a little higher. The handlebars got a new design, and the bike was narrower than the previous iterations.

They added fender tips and a black and chrome finish on the engine. It also got a seat valence and a metal emblem. The air-cooled V-twin engine was a 1450 cc with a jump in torque to 110 Nm.

2001 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic

6. 2001 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic

Harley-Davidson was wise to keep most of the best features of the Road King in the Classic model for 2001. It received a chromed tank, fender, and seat emblems. They added a new seat made of one piece constructed of tooled leather.

The model also featured a bigger speedometer mounted on the tank and leather-wrapped hard saddlebags. Just a few new features added to the Classic were welcome updates for the new model year.

2002 My Harley-Davidson Road King Classic

5. 2002 My Harley-Davidson Road King Classic

2002 was an exciting model year for the My Harley Davidson Classic model. The engineering team upped the torque to 117 NM, which was the highest acceleration for the model to date upon its release.

The new model received the updates of electronic cruise control, along with all the other features that riders loved, along with an air-adjustable rear touring suspension. This new edition didn't offer any radical changes from the previous iteration, but the new electronics were pleasant additions to the technology suite. JP Cycles staff took it out for a ride and loved the new braking system's performance.

2003 Harley-Davidson Road King

4. 2003 Harley-Davidson Road King

This model year saw some significant changes, including an increase in torque to 115 NM at 3000 RPM, 500 less RPM required, along with a host of new modern technologies and parts.

They improved performance with additional safety features as the bike advanced and developed into a more modern age. Standard equipment such as lockable hard saddlebags and a choice of the classic carburetor configuration or the new Electronic Sequential Port Fuel Injection system. It offered a more fuel-efficient option. These were welcome updates appreciated by riders, many of which opted for the new technologies.

2005 Harley-Davidson Road King Custom

3. 2005 Harley-Davidson Road King Custom

The Road King Custom came out in 2005. It gave riders a few new standard features that were departures from the standard Road King. Some of the new goodies include clean front and rear fenders with streamlined rider footboard, a swept-back chrome visor for a minimalist approach, a pull-back beach handlebar, chrome-slotted alloy wheels, a new tank-mounted stretch chrome console, and slash-cut mufflers.

Passengers also received new footpegs. The new custom kept other features of the standard Road King model. It came with a few creature comforts and more curb appeal.

2007 Harley-Davidson Road King Custom

2. 2007 Harley-Davidson Road King Custom

The 2007 Road King Custom is one of the more notable models in the bike's history. A remarkable new Twin Cam 96 V-twin engine peaked its torque at 125 Nm with a new 60speed manual transmission delivering a new technology Harley called Cruise Drive.

The tank received a large speedometer with a silver face. Another notable feature was its redesigned air-adjustable rear suspension in a low profile. They also hid the supports for the leather saddlebags. The new model was an iteration of the standard bike with more modern features and a more powerful ride.

2016 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic

1. 2016 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic

The 2016 Road King Classic may be one of the most impressive models ever produced by Harley-Davidson. It came equipped with an air-cooled four-stroke 1690 cc Twin Cam 103 engine with a 6-speed manual transmission, producing 138 Nm of torque.

The highest value ever. They pulled out all the stops, maintaining the best standard features such as the leather saddlebags, protection bars for the engine and saddlebags, a higher windscreen, still detachable, and many new chrome embellishments.

It also received multiple accents to the exhaust system and the engine enhancing its curb appeal. Total Motorcycle points out its dual halogen headlamps, increased power, and new ABS. It's one of the best Road Kings ever made.

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Benjamin Smith

Written by Benjamin Smith

Benjamin Smith is one of the managing editors of Moneyinc. Ben's been focusing on the auto and motorcycle sector since 2005. He's written over 1000 articles in the space and continues to learn about it each day. His favorite car is "any Bugatti" and he's a die hard Harley Davidson fan.

Read more posts by Benjamin Smith

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