Finally took one for a test ride today like others after reading so many reviews and YouTube videos I wanted to buy into the hype with a smaller cruiser than a road glide .
Like eveybody you have to swap out half the parts to make it a proper cruiser , I was disappointed in the fairing quality and ride quality .
kind of reminds me of the street road glide st and a partial attempt to make the bike something it’s not .
I don’t know about “half the parts” as I’ve changed the pegs to Mini Floorboards, added 6.5” pullback risers, and a seat to get it to fit me. I think 90% of all Harley owners change those 3 items before they have 100 miles on the bike.
It’s never going to be a Road Glide or even a Road Glide Lite. I still think the Road Gide Special or Road Glide ST are arguably the best of all worlds bike. Touring, handling, comfort, etc. while no Harley can do it all, if you could only have one bike to “try to do it all”, the RGS might be it. All be it a MUCH MUCH bigger bike than the LRST.
Last edited by Calif Fat Bob; 03-26-2023 at 01:09 PM.
This thread like all threads about a newer models are always the same. “Harley misses this or that”. “I would not own one if they gave it to me for free”. “Takes too many mods to make it rideable” etc.
I don’t think I have ever seen a stock bike as it was delivered Harley (or really and brand of bike) as most people immediately tear down and make it their own. Heck I’ve seen dozen of FB posts of guys tearing into the 117 to go 121, 131 cams, etc.
I think the only thing Harley did wrong on the LRST is use the word “Sport”. Seems the word “Sport” is controversial and then it gets combined with “Bike” and the LRST is not a “Sports Bike”. It’s barely a Sports Touring Bike if you look at other bikes in that category.
Had they called if “Low Rider Touring” or Low Rider Mini Bagger” or even “Road Glide Light” they may have eliminated the comparison.
Like every Harley model I’ve seen, it’s a good base platform, for customization and personal fitment.
I agree with you, a stock bike should always be optimized to match your tastes and riding style, but in my case with the LRST, the list of modifications to make is too big and too expensive for me to really like it as I wrote above.
I'm still convinced that they should have taken the Sport Glide as a base, which would have been much better aesthetically with the lower saddlebags, the plate under the fender and an original 2 into 1.
As for the name, it doesn't really matter, everyone knows that Harleys are not sport bikes, but the name "low rider" doesn't make sense in this case, high suspensions, high saddlebags, it doesn't mean anything, at the end of the day they should have called it "high rider".
Too bad for me this bike is a failure.
With the Heritage, I hardly modified anything to fit my tastes.
Pretty much the same boat , dealer had one sat on it with mids , got off of it in nano seconds , tried one during home town rally last summer with forwards , same problem. I know a lot of you here all say went back to mid controls etc , I just don't get how you can ride and be comfortable. Shoot I can't even sit on a street glide right now without cramping up instantly. I am like average height , turning 50 this June so not that old I guess lol .
I agree with you, a stock bike should always be optimized to match your tastes and riding style, but in my case with the LRST, the list of modifications to make is too big and too expensive for me to really like it as I wrote above.
I'm still convinced that they should have taken the Sport Glide as a base, which would have been much better aesthetically with the lower saddlebags, the plate under the fender and an original 2 into 1.
My thoughts exactly. I bought the LRS for it's performance and handling. While both can be enhanced substantially, the LRS/ST is a very good starting point while complying with the interfering bullshit of the politicians. But I also think the Sport Glide would have made a better platform. I'm not struck on the looks of the LRS, nor the riding position. The SG is much prettier, more practical and a lot more comfortable.
I do agree with @JINKSTER who said that you need to take weight on your feet for sporty riding, but the SG position isn't so lazy that you can't do that, and if you're tall, the low seat height on the LRS/ST mitigates against this anyway, despite the mid controls, because your knees are so bent and so high relative to your backside that it hampers the use of your thigh muscles. Whenever I've ridden a SG I've always found myself naturally weighting the footpegs in bends and the bike responded to that input willingly.
My ideal bike would have been a chromeless, fully blacked out Sport Glide with the LRS's 117 engine. I'd have bought that like a shot.
I bought my LRST without a test ride after reading all the great reviews. I have to say I was not wowed when I got it home. Thought I made a huge mistake. The Mid controls and reaching for the bars just felt awkward. My 2020 Fat Bob fits me perfectly and love the style comfort and looks. But that bike did not fit me out of the box either. The Fat Bob needed mini floorboards up front, risers and narrower taller bars, along with a Memphis fairing to make it rideable on the freeway.
My ST was the same. After putting on 6.5” pullback risers, mini floorboards, and a better seat, it’s a much better ride now.
I’m still torn as to which one will make the final grade, but that’s half the fun for me to explore, mod, ride, and decide. I might just keep both. Lol
Originally Posted by Durham man
Hd nailed it back then and one upped themselves with the fxlrs!
or maybe Hd realizes that anybody of average height and build such as myself (6’ 190lbs) will realize how simple it is to put different seat (Hd tall boy seat) that puts your knees level with your hips.6.5 pull back risers that are installed with factory wires and cables. Very common mods to any motorcycle.
Originally Posted by Calif Fat Bob
I don’t know about “half the parts” as I’ve changed the pegs to Mini Floorboards, added 6.5” pullback risers, and a seat to get it to fit me. I think 90% of all Harley owners change those 3 items before they have 100 miles on the bike.
It’s never going to be a Road Glide or even a Road Glide Lite. I still think the Road Gide Special or Road Glide ST are arguably the best of all worlds bike. Touring, handling, comfort, etc. while no Harley can do it all, if you could only have one bike to “try to do it all”, the RGS might be it. All be it a MUCH MUCH bigger bike than the LRST.
Question regarding the 6.5" pull back risers: Did you have to use factory extension kit(s) for the wires or were you able to install the risers with stock factory cables, wires, hoses, etc,?
Than you in advance for your replies.
I should be getting my new LRS/T in a couple weeks and while I do not expect the seat/pegs arrangement to be different that my current Low Rider, I suspect that pull back risers will be in my (immediate) future.
I agree with you, a stock bike should always be optimized to match your tastes and riding style, but in my case with the LRST, the list of modifications to make is too big and too expensive for me to really like it as I wrote above.
I'm still convinced that they should have taken the Sport Glide as a base, which would have been much better aesthetically with the lower saddlebags, the plate under the fender and an original 2 into 1.
As for the name, it doesn't really matter, everyone knows that Harleys are not sport bikes, but the name "low rider" doesn't make sense in this case, high suspensions, high saddlebags, it doesn't mean anything, at the end of the day they should have called it "high rider".
Too bad for me this bike is a failure.
With the Heritage, I hardly modified anything to fit my tastes.
Exactly. The only real "comfort mod" I made to the Heritage was apes. Everything else was perfect, as far as fitment, even the seat which I normally change.
In order to make the ST fit, I would have basically been forced to turn it into a different motorcycle.
Exactly. The only real "comfort mod" I made to the Heritage was apes. Everything else was perfect, as far as fitment, even the seat which I normally change.
In order to make the ST fit, I would have basically been forced to turn it into a different motorcycle.
Before I put the deposit down on my LRS I did actually google older higher mileage Sport Glides with a view to creating my perfect LRS. But concluded the cost and hassle wasn't worth it, not least because I don't like chrome and blacking out a SG, plus staging up or replacing entirely the engine would have cost a lot more than tweaking a factory LRS to make the best of it. I still love my LRS and wouldn't sell it but I can't look at a Sport Glide without feeling a sense of missed opportunity.
I bought my LRST without a test ride after reading all the great reviews. I have to say I was not wowed when I got it home. Thought I made a huge mistake. The Mid controls and reaching for the bars just felt awkward. My 2020 Fat Bob fits me perfectly and love the style comfort and looks. But that bike did not fit me out of the box either. The Fat Bob needed mini floorboards up front, risers and narrower taller bars, along with a Memphis fairing to make it rideable on the freeway.
My ST was the same. After putting on 6.5” pullback risers, mini floorboards, and a better seat, it’s a much better ride now.
I’m still torn as to which one will make the final grade, but that’s half the fun for me to explore, mod, ride, and decide. I might just keep both. Lol
I prefere your Fat Bob, the color is very nice, If I had to choose another bike than the Heritage, it would be without hesitation a Fat Bob, I like its modern and strong bobber look, with a Road Warrior fairing for long trips, a luggage rack and a sissy bar to secure a bag as well as a big saddlebag on the left side like the one on my Heritage, I'm sure it must be a great bike, very easy to handle and pleasant to ride in the twisties...
03-26-2023, 01:05 PM
