Tell Me I'm Not Crazy...
- Thread starter FXDL4ME
- Start date
jamesearl
Well-Known Member
Nope.Just traded an Ultra for a Heritage.Ultra was really top heavy,and didn't like lowers,specially in summer.Plus,if it was on an angle,making it steeper to get off the kickstand,I'd have to practically jump against the weight,heck I did have to jump against the weight.The heritage is sort of like a Dyna now,lighter,new frame,but they call em all softails.
dolt
Well-Known Member
None of the Harleys are easy to pick up if dropped. I recently sold my '02 FLHT but not because I couldn't lift it if dropped although I did have an embarrassing scene a few summers ago. I had been out on a very hot south Texas day in late July and was headed home. When I left that morning I prepped and put on my Hyperkewl cooling vest and had stopped to recharge it several times that day. About 4:00 that afternoon, I rolled through Spring Branch and noted the temperature on one of those digital displays outside a local bank that read 108* which I knew probably wasn't spot on but it was a very hot day. I had not recharged the vest at the last gas stop and knew I was somewhat dehydrated so I pulled into an Exxon station to get some Gatorade and cool off. The parking lot sloped up to the entrance to the building so I knew I had to be careful rolling backwards when I left. So I finished the Gatorade and cooled off but being only about 20 miles from home, I did not recharge my vest. As I was rolling out backwards, slowly and at an angle away from the building I stopped, put my toot out and leaned left only to realize that the slope was such that by the time my foot landed, the bike was past my center of gravity and my upper body strength could not hold it, so I laid her down. Now that bike had been stripped down ala Streetglide trim but still heavy at 700 pounds, mas o menos so while I was embarrassed, I figured to pick the bike up, ride away and the scene wouldn't even be a bad memory by the time I got home. So, I assumed the proper position for lifting the bike up but soon realized that lifting up against the slope of the pavement was working against me and in my tired and dehydrated condition. After three attempts, I panicked realizing I could not lift the bike. Now, I am an older guy but at the time I was power lifting and could bench 250 and deadlift 375 but I could not lift that bike. Fortunately, there were some Hispanic dudes all piled in to the back of a pickup; they were painters dressed in their "whites" and one of them jumped out and came to my aid. About a week later, I laid the bike down in my driveway and lifted it without an issue; it was heavy and not an easy lift but it came up on the first attempt. I wanted to make sure I could lift it should I drop it again and vowed to pay more attention to where and how I parked.
As I said, not the reason I sold the bike which was one of three in the garage. I was not riding as much as I had in previous years and my long haul touring trips to Colorado were becoming more and more infrequent so I just decided to down size. But for the years following that embarrassing moment, I stopped riding on those very hot days or modified the ride and route leaving earlier in the morning and getting home before 2:00 in the afternoon and being pretty picky about parking the bike.
Not relevant to the OP but it's raining, has been all day and I have nothing better to do so just thought I would share probably my most embarrassing motorcycle moment. The only thing I think could be more embarrassing, which I have seen, it the guy that rolls in to park and steps off the bike without putting the jiffy stand down.
As I said, not the reason I sold the bike which was one of three in the garage. I was not riding as much as I had in previous years and my long haul touring trips to Colorado were becoming more and more infrequent so I just decided to down size. But for the years following that embarrassing moment, I stopped riding on those very hot days or modified the ride and route leaving earlier in the morning and getting home before 2:00 in the afternoon and being pretty picky about parking the bike.
Not relevant to the OP but it's raining, has been all day and I have nothing better to do so just thought I would share probably my most embarrassing motorcycle moment. The only thing I think could be more embarrassing, which I have seen, it the guy that rolls in to park and steps off the bike without putting the jiffy stand down.
ThunderRogue
Active Member
The only reason I think you may be a bit crazy is because you've posted the same question on three separate forums.
FXDL4ME
Member
No not at all , I'm 66 riding a 12 limited and wonder when I'll have to drop down a bit . I liked the switchback but I think that I be happier with a heritage , hope I can make it to 70 as well lol.
biscuit
Junior Member
No you don’t.
You can do it right NOW.
Get it out the way, so to speak.
But, ya gotta do it properly.( 6 months of can’t walk normally)