Bats vs Sharks

So, Harley-Davidson’s 2023 carryover models have been released. For the past 6 months, I’ve been thinking about getting another bike — a touring motorcycle with a fairing.

I prefer the look of the Special series bikes, with the tank, stretched bags, and other changes… so now I’m faced with the question that has spawned many Internet street fights.

Batwing fairing or Shark nose fairing?

Lets break this down…

Pros Cons
Batwing Classic look Minimal storage
Hands are more out of the wind Integrated mirrors don’t allow for much customization without relocating mirrors
Normal dashboard layout — gauges together Head unit is lower making it farther from the normal field of vision
Shark Nose Modern Look Two storage compartments, each larger
Head unit is higher, making it easier to see over a chin bar Weird dash layout with gauges on either side of the head unit, while other gauges are on the triple tree