Harley-davidson Road King vs Harley-davidson Road King Special
Side-by-side comparison for used motorcycle buyers
Performance at a Glance
Green = winner per metric · Bars are relative to the higher value
Harley-davidson Road King
Harley-davidson Road King Special
Horsepower (hp)
93 hp
90 hp
Torque (Nm)
150 Nm
155 Nm
Top Speed (km/h)
175 km/h
177 km/h
Weight (kg) — lower is better
363 kg
363 kg
Type
Touring
Touring
Horsepower
93 hp @ 5,020 rpm (2023 Milwaukee-Eight 107; note: Harley typically rates torque over peak hp)
~90 hp @ 5,020 rpm (Milwaukee-Eight 107, note: Harley quotes torque more prominently than hp)
Torque
150 Nm @ 3,250 rpm (2023 Milwaukee-Eight 107)
~155 Nm @ 3,250 rpm
Top Speed
175 km/h (estimated; governed/comfort-limited in practice)
~177 km/h (estimated; Harley does not officially publish top speed)
Weight
363 kg (curb/wet weight, 2023 FLHR Road King)
363 kg (curb/wet weight)
Fuel
5.5–6.5 L/100km (approximately 15–18 km/L, real-world average for current Milwaukee-Eight models)
~6.4 L/100km (approx 15.6 km/L, real-world average)
Fairing
No
Yes
Individual Reviews
Harley-davidson Road King
7.8/10
"Buy 2017 or newer and you'll rarely regret it."
Pros
+Milwaukee-Eight reliability is excellent
+Detachable fairing genuinely useful
+Strong resale value retention
Cons
−Pre-2017 runs brutally hot
−Compensator failures cost dearly
−Sluggish at highway pace
Harley-davidson Road King Special
7.8/10
"A genuinely capable cruiser-tourer that earns its Harley premium used."
Pros
+Milwaukee-Eight torque is immense
+Striking blacked-out factory aesthetic
+Solid highway touring comfort
Cons
−Rocker covers leak eventually
−Dated infotainment system
−Expensive specialty front tire