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Which Model to Upgrade To?

Dr. Dolittle

Dr. Dolittle

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Looking for some input and opinions as to which HD I should buy next. Things to consider:

1)I'm 6'0" and 230 pounds

2)Currently riding an 07 Sportster 1200. I enjoy this bike but after about an hour, my legs start complaining a bit and the bike starts to feel a bit cramped. No other good way to describe it. I've upgraded the shocks, seat, and grips but it still happens.

3)My riding style definitely leans more towards cruising than tearing up the curves on a twisty road. I enjoy a good curve as much as anyone else but I'm just not real aggressive - scared the crap out of me the two times I scraped the pegs.

4)I ride around an hour or two a week and would like to make occasional overnight trips but nothing like the 7+ day safaris I read about.

5)Probably 95% of my riding will be solo.

I now realize the Sportster probably wasn't the right bike for me - long story behind how I ended up on one!

OK - let's here from everyone - and thank you in advance for your time.
 
I'm sure you aren't the first to buy a Sporty and then find that something bigger would have been better. Given what you say I'd suggest you start looking with the Softail and go up from there. I'd guess that you don't need all the bells and whistles of the Electra Glide Classic or the Ultra. My wife and I love the comfort and all the storage space but you may not need it. If the Softail doesn't do it for you try the Road King. Hit a few dealerships and find one that has a loaner or two that you can try. If you can't find a free ride consider rental. One dealership around here has one day a week when you pay one fee and can ride as many different bikes as you want. I think it's something like $70 and you can start of on a Softail, bring it back and get a Road King, etc. The only restriction is that you must have the last bike back by closing time. Not a bad deal when you consider that spending that $70 might have helped you make a better decision the first time around. See if there isn't something like that in your area.

Storm
 
Hey Doc -- I'm with Stormrider on this,if you don't need all the
bells & whistles, the R.K. maybe the answer. Good luck on the search and hope your in the saddle soon with it!!
 
Stormrider51 said:
I'm sure you aren't the first to buy a Sporty and then find that something bigger would have been better.Storm
Click to expand...

I agree with your statement, my friend did the same thing, had to take a big loss on a trade for a Electra Glide.:unsure



R. Lewis said:
Hey Doc -- I'm with Stormrider on this,if you don't need all the
bells & whistles, the R.K. maybe the answer.
Click to expand...

I also agree with R.Lewis and Storm suggestion, looks like a Road King should do it!:skipping

Good Luck with the search:bigsmiley8:
 
Like Bluesman I say go and rent some different styles.
There is such a vast variety, I personnaly lean towards the Softail range though.
 
Great replies - thanks everyone. I have pretty much narrowed my choices down to two bikes but I didn't want to mention them in my original post so I could get some unbiased opinions.

1)Softtail Heritage Classic - put about 200 miles on a rental in Seattle last year. Love the classic looks and the way you sit more down in the bike (I hear all softtails are like this). Didn't like looking through the windshield instead of over it.

2)Road King - also rented one in Reno for several hours and have ridden a friends 2004 FLHRI. Also love the looks plus the ability to pop the windshield off and have an instant neighborhood cruiser instead of a tourer (I guess the heritage does this too). Another minor thing that's also a plus is the ability to get the tubeless tires standard with the non-spoked wheels.Oh, and standard engine guards.

Now it comes down to little things (price should be about the same). I don't 100% recall but I've read that Softtails idle smooth and vibrate a bit at speed whereas the Road Kings are just the opposite. True? Which bike would be better for my occasional run through the twisties? Resale about the same? Passenger comfort?

OK, I've rambled on enough - let me hear more thoughts on these two bikes!
 
Having had a dyna wide glide, softail and a couple of road kings besides a few others, I would say the RK will fit the bill best out of all of them for what you are considering, but don rule out the dyna wide glide either. The softail was at the bottom of the list for comfort.

I especially like what you pointed out about the removal of the windshield to have the best of both worlds. Add the soft lowers and you have it all.
 
C'om Dr. Doolittle:34:

Looks like you done your homework, :p

Go get that Road King you want and post some pictures:bigsmiley14:
 
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