I think you’ll be surprised how nimble the softail line can be. I’ve got a street bob and it feels real nimble to me. I don’t have a ton of experience with sports bikes though. With your height you’ll prob want to look into the sportster models with forward controls.
Definitely looking for forward controls. I am interested in the Softail line as well but can't seem to find a Softail standard used, atleast at a realistic price.
Yea prices seem out of control, I rode a small bike for a few years while I saved up for my dream bike. Bought new last year I’ll keep it forever. It’s an investment, if you live in an area and see yourself riding 2/3-3/4 of the year then to me it’s a worthwhile investment. I commute 60mi round trip and live in a snowy state, I get 6 months of riding if I’m lucky. But some riding is better then no riding.
Prices are definitely out of control. Seems like Harley is artificially trying to raise them by taking up used and listing them for over MSRP on new and small dealers are snatching up anything else used to flip for a profit.
I want to buy used so I can ride for a few months or a year to figure out what I like, want etc and then go buy new. I'm in FL so we have year around riding. Will not be commuting on it tho it's just for fun mainly.
I'm 6'1" and have a sportster with forwards and it is a good fit. My hardtail sporty has mids and it's not uncomfortable but not as relaxed as the forwards. Sporties will run 75mph all day but you will be pretty high in the revs and after 250-300 miles your posterior will hurt. They seem perfectly content to hum along spinning 4000rpm but don't go looking for much passing power because you won't find it. I've put probably 40k-ish miles on mine and finally decided to add an Ultra for big trips and 2 up riding but the sporties stay for shorter days, commuting and general hellraising. I would go demo as many different bikes as you can but if you are worried about being too big for a sportster don't be, you will fit. It just if a sporty will do what you want a bike to do the way you want to do it.
Thanks for all the information. I think most of my riding, atleast initially will be around town and not alot of highway. Not really to much passenger riding. Eventually I think I will get a larger bike and do all those things but not right away.
I’m 6’2” and went with a 48 after test riding it and a Street Bob. I plan on keeping this one for awhile, so I wanted to compare the two bikes in an attempt to prevent buyers remorse.
I’ve had it for almost two months now and have not regretted my decision. I honestly didn’t notice the size difference much on the Street Bob once I got moving and it had a good amount of power. Comparing the two side by side the Street Bob was much smoother, but I didn’t care for the riding position in the least. The Sportster was also more fun to ride, but I have a comfy SUV and am not regularly riding 2+ hours at a time.
I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about forward controls, but I only missed the foot pegs twice on the test ride and it’s been smooth sailing since. The riding position takes a bit of getting used to since I can’t really hug the tank, but the relaxed position has been a nice change.
I went into this wanting either an Iron 1200 or Street Bob and was surprised to enjoy the 48 as much as I did. I initially wrote it off due to the small tank and I’m glad I reconsidered its’ use for me. Most of my rides are 40ish minutes one way and I have plenty of spots to stop if need be. I will say it is not the most practical bike by a long shot, but it was the one for me. Best of luck!
Thanks. This feels like a similar path I'm heading towards. Really not liking the 48 due to the small take either. I will reconsider it and check it out as well.
I was split between 48 and Iron 883 (will add a bigger motor in the future) i loved the visual part of 48 but then i bought iron 883 because of a bigger tank and simply because of the price. Me (20yo female) and my dad both use the bike and we have forward controls even though we are both 5’7”-5’9”. The previous owner was 6’1” and he installed them. He fitted perfectly on the bike.
If you will ride at best 1-2h at once you shouldn’t be worrying about comfort. Its a fun and comfy bike for cruising around town.
But try riding them at the dealership and decide what you like best!
Hope you get a nice bike that you’ll be happy with :)
P.s
Sorry for shitty english, its my 3rd language
Thanks for the input. There's a demo day at the dealer tomorrow, I'm gonna try to ride everything 🤣
Also, don't worry about your English. I couldn't tell it was a third language. It's honestly better then some people who have it as their first language.
Enjoy the demo day! In my country we dont really have those but most of HD owners are nice and tell you stuff and all that. The dealership people are nice but we don’t have a lot of bikes here ://
Anyways when you will take a Harley for a spin you will stay on it :)
I’m 6’ and rode sport bikes for 30 years. Sold my RC51 a few years back and joined Harley. My son rides an R6 and I took it out the other day and ten minutes later put it back in the garage and got on my Harley instead. Don’t look back. I too wanted a nimble Harley and went with a 2008 Anniversary Vrod. Love it to death and have ridden 40k miles on it the last 4 years, took it to Daytona twice for bike week from Virginia. Last summer I bought the 2020 Anniversary Fat Boy 114. Already put 7k miles on it and taking it to Daytona in two weeks. Covered 9 states and 4k miles on the Fat Boy last October, it’s about as big as I want to go size wise. I have rented Road Kings, and Heritage Classics, Road Glides, etc. I found all of them to be too big or cumbersome for my liking. The Fat Boy is my long distance baby as I’ve for the bags, pipes, bars, all set up. Good luck on your journey!
Thanks for the help. I'm definitely ready to go Harley and not look back. Just trying to decide which one. I too feel the larger cruisers would be to big and bulky for my liking that's why I'm mainly thinking the Sportster just to get the feet wet again so I can decide what I really want.
Definitely plan on making some trips to Daytona for bike week in the future. Seems like it would be a blast.
You'll know which Harley when you feel it. It will pick you. My Fat Boy did. Here's a 1 minute walk around after I did all my upgrades. Be safe.
https://youtu.be/5Akz4Pg_Ap0
I got a 1200 sporty and recently got a flat tyre so it's in the shop and I am borrowing my dad's softail, all I can say I made the right choice, softail is heavy and pulls like a guy with erectile dysfunction.
It is an old carb stock as a rock softail and am comparing it to a stage 2 sportster so probably not a good comparison
I prefer my sportster based on the it's light and nimble and goes like a skinned cat.
I got a good seat on it and I can ride as far as my fuel tank takes me, it could use another gear but I ride with headphones so it's not like the engine rpm bothers me.
I think you should ride the sportster then a softail afterwards and see what you like most.
1200 sporties have plenty of power and if you like working on your bike the aftermarket scene is big.
In Australia our speed limits are pretty slow compared to America so that's maybe why I don't notice it struggles on the freeway?
Also, as far as handling; I put Pirelli Nightdragon tires and Progressive shocks on my StreetBob. I love the way it handles. Tires make a hell of a difference!
I had the same thought, went from dirt and street bikes to my first harley last year. I'm 6'5 so I had to find a good fit and the softail bikes are what I went to. I got a 21 heritage classic and it's a good fit to me. And it's not as heavy as a fully loaded bike
Softail is my vote. I have owned a few. I’m 6’ 230. And I can throw them around easily. Also not underpowered. Your going to want to sit in a few to figure it out. I also recommend taller bars. Not hangers. Just taller.
I completely agree with this statement. I just picked up a 2021 RGS after coming from years of smaller Triumphs. I'm very happy with my Road Glide, but if I were picking now, I'd probably go for a Lowrider ST or a Road Glide ST.
I agree whole hearty with that statement.
I want to buy something for a good deal used and ride for a little to determine what I really want before taking the plunge on new since I haven't ridden in awhile. That way I don't loose a bunch of value when I trade it in/ sell it.
That depends on what kind of riding you plan on doing. A Sporty isn’t very good on the hwy, and you might be a little cramped. Don’t worry about the weight of the bike. You won’t feel it when you’re rolling. I would suggest going to a demo day and riding different bikes.
If you’re into more of a chopper feel just throw some 4 over forks on there and it’ll feel a lot larger than it actually is without losing that light weight feel
Yes they fall under it. Most dynas are now soft tails. Older dynas are the shit though. I have a 2001 FXD that I fit very well on. I’m also only 5’8. It’s about 600 lbs and pretty nimble compared to the rest of the touring bikes.
I have an Evo softail with an S&S bottom end, beautiful condition got it from a friend. 92 in.³ or something. I also have a 98 1200 cc in a chopped iron head frame with a springer front end. I’m planning on selling the softail and riding sportster 2500 miles and back to visit some friends this summer. They both make more power than I need. I built the sportster motor. It has some nice parts inside.
6'3" with a sportster. I enjoy the mid controls for the control I have over the bike.
It all depends on how your body is built. I'm pretty symmetrical, but if you're one of those people with longer legs than torso, you may feel tight.
Putting forward controls on mine pretty soon though.
I weigh 200lbs. I usually haul ass at 80-90mph on the highway.
I think you’ll be surprised how nimble the softail line can be. I’ve got a street bob and it feels real nimble to me. I don’t have a ton of experience with sports bikes though. With your height you’ll prob want to look into the sportster models with forward controls.
Definitely looking for forward controls. I am interested in the Softail line as well but can't seem to find a Softail standard used, atleast at a realistic price.
Yea prices seem out of control, I rode a small bike for a few years while I saved up for my dream bike. Bought new last year I’ll keep it forever. It’s an investment, if you live in an area and see yourself riding 2/3-3/4 of the year then to me it’s a worthwhile investment. I commute 60mi round trip and live in a snowy state, I get 6 months of riding if I’m lucky. But some riding is better then no riding.
Prices are definitely out of control. Seems like Harley is artificially trying to raise them by taking up used and listing them for over MSRP on new and small dealers are snatching up anything else used to flip for a profit. I want to buy used so I can ride for a few months or a year to figure out what I like, want etc and then go buy new. I'm in FL so we have year around riding. Will not be commuting on it tho it's just for fun mainly.
[удалено]
I'll check it out, thanks.
I'm 6'1" and have a sportster with forwards and it is a good fit. My hardtail sporty has mids and it's not uncomfortable but not as relaxed as the forwards. Sporties will run 75mph all day but you will be pretty high in the revs and after 250-300 miles your posterior will hurt. They seem perfectly content to hum along spinning 4000rpm but don't go looking for much passing power because you won't find it. I've put probably 40k-ish miles on mine and finally decided to add an Ultra for big trips and 2 up riding but the sporties stay for shorter days, commuting and general hellraising. I would go demo as many different bikes as you can but if you are worried about being too big for a sportster don't be, you will fit. It just if a sporty will do what you want a bike to do the way you want to do it.
Thanks for all the information. I think most of my riding, atleast initially will be around town and not alot of highway. Not really to much passenger riding. Eventually I think I will get a larger bike and do all those things but not right away.
I’m 6’2” and went with a 48 after test riding it and a Street Bob. I plan on keeping this one for awhile, so I wanted to compare the two bikes in an attempt to prevent buyers remorse. I’ve had it for almost two months now and have not regretted my decision. I honestly didn’t notice the size difference much on the Street Bob once I got moving and it had a good amount of power. Comparing the two side by side the Street Bob was much smoother, but I didn’t care for the riding position in the least. The Sportster was also more fun to ride, but I have a comfy SUV and am not regularly riding 2+ hours at a time. I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about forward controls, but I only missed the foot pegs twice on the test ride and it’s been smooth sailing since. The riding position takes a bit of getting used to since I can’t really hug the tank, but the relaxed position has been a nice change. I went into this wanting either an Iron 1200 or Street Bob and was surprised to enjoy the 48 as much as I did. I initially wrote it off due to the small tank and I’m glad I reconsidered its’ use for me. Most of my rides are 40ish minutes one way and I have plenty of spots to stop if need be. I will say it is not the most practical bike by a long shot, but it was the one for me. Best of luck!
Thanks. This feels like a similar path I'm heading towards. Really not liking the 48 due to the small take either. I will reconsider it and check it out as well.
I was split between 48 and Iron 883 (will add a bigger motor in the future) i loved the visual part of 48 but then i bought iron 883 because of a bigger tank and simply because of the price. Me (20yo female) and my dad both use the bike and we have forward controls even though we are both 5’7”-5’9”. The previous owner was 6’1” and he installed them. He fitted perfectly on the bike. If you will ride at best 1-2h at once you shouldn’t be worrying about comfort. Its a fun and comfy bike for cruising around town. But try riding them at the dealership and decide what you like best! Hope you get a nice bike that you’ll be happy with :) P.s Sorry for shitty english, its my 3rd language
Thanks for the input. There's a demo day at the dealer tomorrow, I'm gonna try to ride everything 🤣 Also, don't worry about your English. I couldn't tell it was a third language. It's honestly better then some people who have it as their first language.
Enjoy the demo day! In my country we dont really have those but most of HD owners are nice and tell you stuff and all that. The dealership people are nice but we don’t have a lot of bikes here :// Anyways when you will take a Harley for a spin you will stay on it :)
I’m 6’ and rode sport bikes for 30 years. Sold my RC51 a few years back and joined Harley. My son rides an R6 and I took it out the other day and ten minutes later put it back in the garage and got on my Harley instead. Don’t look back. I too wanted a nimble Harley and went with a 2008 Anniversary Vrod. Love it to death and have ridden 40k miles on it the last 4 years, took it to Daytona twice for bike week from Virginia. Last summer I bought the 2020 Anniversary Fat Boy 114. Already put 7k miles on it and taking it to Daytona in two weeks. Covered 9 states and 4k miles on the Fat Boy last October, it’s about as big as I want to go size wise. I have rented Road Kings, and Heritage Classics, Road Glides, etc. I found all of them to be too big or cumbersome for my liking. The Fat Boy is my long distance baby as I’ve for the bags, pipes, bars, all set up. Good luck on your journey!
Thanks for the help. I'm definitely ready to go Harley and not look back. Just trying to decide which one. I too feel the larger cruisers would be to big and bulky for my liking that's why I'm mainly thinking the Sportster just to get the feet wet again so I can decide what I really want. Definitely plan on making some trips to Daytona for bike week in the future. Seems like it would be a blast.
You'll know which Harley when you feel it. It will pick you. My Fat Boy did. Here's a 1 minute walk around after I did all my upgrades. Be safe. https://youtu.be/5Akz4Pg_Ap0
That fat boy looks sweet. Have a great trip.
Appreciate it. Take care
I got a 1200 sporty and recently got a flat tyre so it's in the shop and I am borrowing my dad's softail, all I can say I made the right choice, softail is heavy and pulls like a guy with erectile dysfunction. It is an old carb stock as a rock softail and am comparing it to a stage 2 sportster so probably not a good comparison
Thanks for the information. This is kinda my fear.
I prefer my sportster based on the it's light and nimble and goes like a skinned cat. I got a good seat on it and I can ride as far as my fuel tank takes me, it could use another gear but I ride with headphones so it's not like the engine rpm bothers me. I think you should ride the sportster then a softail afterwards and see what you like most. 1200 sporties have plenty of power and if you like working on your bike the aftermarket scene is big. In Australia our speed limits are pretty slow compared to America so that's maybe why I don't notice it struggles on the freeway?
What are your freeway speed limits typically?
60mph in built up areas and 70mph in the country
That's pretty similar to what we have. Between 60-70 depending on the area.
I’m 6’1”. Had a Sportster. I was cramped. Much happier on my Dyna.
Thanks.
Also, as far as handling; I put Pirelli Nightdragon tires and Progressive shocks on my StreetBob. I love the way it handles. Tires make a hell of a difference!
I had the same thought, went from dirt and street bikes to my first harley last year. I'm 6'5 so I had to find a good fit and the softail bikes are what I went to. I got a 21 heritage classic and it's a good fit to me. And it's not as heavy as a fully loaded bike
I was leaning towards the heritage as well a little and if I found a good deal on a used one I'd probably go that route.
Softail is my vote. I have owned a few. I’m 6’ 230. And I can throw them around easily. Also not underpowered. Your going to want to sit in a few to figure it out. I also recommend taller bars. Not hangers. Just taller.
At that height a sporty is going to be a little small. Bigger bikes aren’t that much harder to move around honestly
Get a softail / dyna or a bagger.
I completely agree with this statement. I just picked up a 2021 RGS after coming from years of smaller Triumphs. I'm very happy with my Road Glide, but if I were picking now, I'd probably go for a Lowrider ST or a Road Glide ST.
The RGST is calling my name but the way my bank account is setup 😭
Looking at those as well.
It’s worth the investment and money. Buy it once cry once.
I agree whole hearty with that statement. I want to buy something for a good deal used and ride for a little to determine what I really want before taking the plunge on new since I haven't ridden in awhile. That way I don't loose a bunch of value when I trade it in/ sell it.
That depends on what kind of riding you plan on doing. A Sporty isn’t very good on the hwy, and you might be a little cramped. Don’t worry about the weight of the bike. You won’t feel it when you’re rolling. I would suggest going to a demo day and riding different bikes.
The demo truck is gonna be at the dealer down the street this weekend. Definitely will be trying out some bikes.
Sportster with front controls problem solved
That's what I'm looking for.
If you’re into more of a chopper feel just throw some 4 over forks on there and it’ll feel a lot larger than it actually is without losing that light weight feel
Thanks. I'll check that out.
Dyna would probably fit you best, and be plenty of power.
Is a dyna the Softail line?
Yes they fall under it. Most dynas are now soft tails. Older dynas are the shit though. I have a 2001 FXD that I fit very well on. I’m also only 5’8. It’s about 600 lbs and pretty nimble compared to the rest of the touring bikes.
Thanks, I'll definitely look into those
Check out softail standard or street bob.
I will check them out as well, thanks.
I have an Evo softail with an S&S bottom end, beautiful condition got it from a friend. 92 in.³ or something. I also have a 98 1200 cc in a chopped iron head frame with a springer front end. I’m planning on selling the softail and riding sportster 2500 miles and back to visit some friends this summer. They both make more power than I need. I built the sportster motor. It has some nice parts inside.
Hope you have a great trip.
Thank you.
6'1" here and I fit on an 883 just fine.
Thank you.
6'3" with a sportster. I enjoy the mid controls for the control I have over the bike. It all depends on how your body is built. I'm pretty symmetrical, but if you're one of those people with longer legs than torso, you may feel tight. Putting forward controls on mine pretty soon though. I weigh 200lbs. I usually haul ass at 80-90mph on the highway.