Thanks gents. A few things I should have included in my original post. I was doing the post using my pad, with typing tedious at best.
-My daughter had a 2006 Speedmaster and I put the original 55 miles on it for the first service prior to us departing for Daytona Bike Week in 2007. I found it to be heavy in the front end with the seating position difficult for me after about 150 miles. She had it accessorized with the tractor seat/seat rail and with the accessory floorboards. I found the power and torque to be quite adequate but of course, nothing compared to my 07 Classic. We bought them at the same time.
I read a few ride reports and factory spec on the 2016 before starting this thread and one report said that the Speedmaster and America had different rake and trail due to differing tire size. It observed that the Speedmaster more suitable for highway riding but a bit more heavy in the front end for local riding and commuting. Hmm. As I look at the pics of Tals Speedmaster and Michael G's America, it appears to be so. I did find my daughter's 06 to be heavy in the front end. My son, who now owns my 07 also found his sister's Speedmaster to be tiring during an all day ride.
The 2016 I viewed seemed to have a different front end with less rake than her Speedmaster and a much more comfortable bike. It also has floorboards similar to my Rocket in both positioning and design. The 06s were more like a Rocket standard that had been fitted with the accessory floorboards.
Quite candidly, I am looking for an alternative to my beautiful Rocket and I know there are many bikes out there I could be considering. I am starting to struggle with it post knee replacement surgery and as my other knee starts to fail. I had a nice ride on it Sunday and injured my new knee while riding it into my shop, setting my recovery back a bit. I just don't know how I'll be able to keep my incredible R3T. I'm trying not to believe it was a mistake to buy it but Sunday's ride and injury is telling me it was.
A good friend sold his big bike and bought a Bonnie. Jack is older than me and completely happy with the Bonnie, riding it to Sturgis via the back roads in 2015. Well he also just rode his Yamaha 200 TW to Fairbanks, AK last year.
Decisions, decisions. Then again, perhaps at 70 my riding days have come to an end.