So here's an update. I just got back from my first trip to Sturgess. Went with some good friends and did lots of riding on a rented Road King. For the first time ever my wife actually enjoyed riding. The scenery was great and the bike was very smooth for her (it had the new 103 motor). She said if I had a bigger smoother bike she would ride more often and go on some longer rides. But as much as we enjoyed the Road King, it still runs far too hot. Riding it where I live would be torture in the summer. That's why I sold my Streetglide when I first moved south. And even with the additional cost that my dealer quoted me for the 2012 Rocket Touring with ABS, it's still a far better deal than the Harley. I took my wife to a Victory dealer to see if that would be an option. But she hates the way they look and since she's actually on board for a bigger bike, I want to keep her happy. And they're not cheap either. Then I tried finding a 2012 but every dealer that says they have one on the internet ends up not actually having one. So I called my dealer to ask if they could still get the one that they said they could. They said yes and we worked out a reasonable price for the longhaul seat, two backrests, luggage rack, and auxiliary lights. Non of those items come on the 2012. I think that the dealer didn't realize how stripped down the 2012s were because they never actually had one in their dealership. Once they realized that, they had to raise the price over their original quote. It really is beyond me why Triumph keeps stripping the newer Rocket Touring bikes and has taken ABS off (here in the states). The dealer said they should have the bike within a week or two so I can once again be a true "Rocket riding" member of this forum.
