Petite woman looking advice on HD purchase
#61
04-25-2008, 11:08 PM
RE: Petite woman looking advice on HD purchase
Seat height should not be your only concern. The ergonomics of most Harleys are for taller people. Be sure the bars are the right distance for you too.
You did not say if you have ridden before. That matters too since a very high number of first time buyers bail out after a few months. So the first bike should be something you can buy and resell in a few months without losing, um, your shirt. sorry. That means a used bike. Mods are expensive too, so take the time to find a used bike that someone your size is selling. The Low versions of the Sportster are very different from the regular ones. I would not rule them out.
You did not say if you have ridden before. That matters too since a very high number of first time buyers bail out after a few months. So the first bike should be something you can buy and resell in a few months without losing, um, your shirt. sorry. That means a used bike. Mods are expensive too, so take the time to find a used bike that someone your size is selling. The Low versions of the Sportster are very different from the regular ones. I would not rule them out.
#62
04-25-2008, 11:35 PM
RE: Petite woman looking advice on HD purchase
I'd have to recommend the Deluxe....It's a great girlsbike ;-)
Oh wait a minute...thought that was a Sportster....lol
Oh wait a minute...thought that was a Sportster....lol
#63
04-25-2008, 11:52 PM
RE: Petite woman looking advice on HD purchase
Don't get a sportster because they ARE top heavy compared to a Dyna or Softail. I know because I have had both. I like the feel of the lowrider and that is what you should consider. How the bike "feels" to you when you sit on it. Once you find one you like. You might consider renting one for a weekend and giving it a road test for 2 days. JMO.
#64
04-26-2008, 01:41 AM
Outstanding HDF Member
RE: Petite woman looking advice on HD purchase
ORIGINAL: Draggin S
Well,
What they said.....lowered Deluxe......forget the Sportster.........this list is kinda old but you get the idea........
Motorcycle Seat Height in Inches
Inches / Year / Manufacturer / Motorcycle Model
24.5 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe FLSTN/I
24.9 2006 Harley-Davidson Springer Softail FXSTS/I
25.2 2006 Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider FXDLI
25.2 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Standard FXST/I
25.4 2006 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy FLSTF/I
25.5 2006 Buell Blast (low profile)
25.5 2006 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic FLSTC/I
25.5 2006 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail FLST/I
25.6 2006 Honda Shadow VLX
25.6 2006 Honda Shadow VLX Deluxe
25.7 2006 Victory Ness Signature Series Vegas Jackpot
25.7 2006 Victory Vegas Jackpot
25.8 2006 Harley-Davidson Dyna Street Bob FXDBI
25.8 2006 Yamaha Morphous
25.9 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Springer Classic FLSTSC/I
25.9 2006 Honda Shadow Aero
26.0 2006 Harley-Davidson Night Train FXSTB/I
26.0 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Deuce FXSTD/I
26.0 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL883L
26.0 2006 Harley-Davidson V-Rod VRSCA
26.0 2006 Harley-Davidson VRSCD Night Rod
26.1 2006 Harley-Davidson Road King Custom FLHRS/I
26.2 2006 Honda Helix
26.25 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL1200L
26.3 2006 Harley-Davidson Street Glide FLHX/I
26.4 2006 Victory Hammer
26.5 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL883C
26.5 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL1200C
26.5 2006 Victory Kingpin
26.5 2006 Victory Vegas
26.5 2006 Victory Vegas 8-Ball
26.6 2006 Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide FXDI
26.6 2006 Honda Rebel
26.6 2006 Honda Shadow Spirit 750
26.8 2006 Harley-Davidson Dyna 35th Anniversary Super Glide FXDI35
26.8 2006 Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom FXDCI
26.8 2006 Kawasaki Eliminator 125
26.8 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000
26.8 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 Classic
26.8 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 Classic LT
26.8 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 Limited
26.9 2006 Harley-Davidson Road Glide FLTRI
26.9 2006 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic FLHRCI
27.0 2006 Yamaha Virago 250
27.2 2006 Honda Shadow Sabre
27.2 2006 Yamaha V Star 1100 Custom
27.3 2006 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic FLHTC/I
27.3 2006 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard FLHT/I
27.3 2006 Harley-Davidson Road King FLHR/I
27.3 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL883
27.3 2006 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide FLHTCUI
Well,
What they said.....lowered Deluxe......forget the Sportster.........this list is kinda old but you get the idea........
Motorcycle Seat Height in Inches
Inches / Year / Manufacturer / Motorcycle Model
24.5 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Deluxe FLSTN/I
24.9 2006 Harley-Davidson Springer Softail FXSTS/I
25.2 2006 Harley-Davidson Dyna Low Rider FXDLI
25.2 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Standard FXST/I
25.4 2006 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy FLSTF/I
25.5 2006 Buell Blast (low profile)
25.5 2006 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic FLSTC/I
25.5 2006 Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail FLST/I
25.6 2006 Honda Shadow VLX
25.6 2006 Honda Shadow VLX Deluxe
25.7 2006 Victory Ness Signature Series Vegas Jackpot
25.7 2006 Victory Vegas Jackpot
25.8 2006 Harley-Davidson Dyna Street Bob FXDBI
25.8 2006 Yamaha Morphous
25.9 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Springer Classic FLSTSC/I
25.9 2006 Honda Shadow Aero
26.0 2006 Harley-Davidson Night Train FXSTB/I
26.0 2006 Harley-Davidson Softail Deuce FXSTD/I
26.0 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL883L
26.0 2006 Harley-Davidson V-Rod VRSCA
26.0 2006 Harley-Davidson VRSCD Night Rod
26.1 2006 Harley-Davidson Road King Custom FLHRS/I
26.2 2006 Honda Helix
26.25 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL1200L
26.3 2006 Harley-Davidson Street Glide FLHX/I
26.4 2006 Victory Hammer
26.5 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL883C
26.5 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL1200C
26.5 2006 Victory Kingpin
26.5 2006 Victory Vegas
26.5 2006 Victory Vegas 8-Ball
26.6 2006 Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide FXDI
26.6 2006 Honda Rebel
26.6 2006 Honda Shadow Spirit 750
26.8 2006 Harley-Davidson Dyna 35th Anniversary Super Glide FXDI35
26.8 2006 Harley-Davidson Dyna Super Glide Custom FXDCI
26.8 2006 Kawasaki Eliminator 125
26.8 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000
26.8 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 Classic
26.8 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 Classic LT
26.8 2006 Kawasaki Vulcan 2000 Limited
26.9 2006 Harley-Davidson Road Glide FLTRI
26.9 2006 Harley-Davidson Road King Classic FLHRCI
27.0 2006 Yamaha Virago 250
27.2 2006 Honda Shadow Sabre
27.2 2006 Yamaha V Star 1100 Custom
27.3 2006 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Classic FLHTC/I
27.3 2006 Harley-Davidson Electra Glide Standard FLHT/I
27.3 2006 Harley-Davidson Road King FLHR/I
27.3 2006 Harley-Davidson Sportster XL883
27.3 2006 Harley-Davidson Ultra Classic Electra Glide FLHTCUI
#65
04-26-2008, 05:26 AM
RE: Petite woman looking advice on HD purchase
I have ridden both the 1200R tall and the LR which is low. If you like the Nightster get it. Its a great bike. Like all have said please take somesafety and riding course and practice, practice in a safeplace away from traffic. GoodLuck to you.
#66
04-26-2008, 05:52 AM
RE: Petite woman looking advice on HD purchase
ORIGINAL: RoadKingRon1
Bad Idea.....[:@]
Sporty's, although often referred to as a girls bike [8D], is top heavy....
+1 with Twiggy for the Deluxe......-1 with Twiggy on the pics....
My wife, all 5' 2" of her rides a Deluxe (not lowered).
A friend's wife, all 4' 11" and 95 lbs, also a Deluxe...
Don't much about the Dyna series.....
ORIGINAL: wallyn
If you have been riding for a long time then you do not need to worry about being able to flat foot a bike. If this is your first bike then you mike consider looking for a used 1200 sportster or even an 883. They are lighter and sometimes faster when tuned right. You can find used ones for under $8000.00.
You will need to go to the dealership and sit on a bunch of bikes and then see if you can test ride or borrow a bike from a friend.
Good Luck!
If you have been riding for a long time then you do not need to worry about being able to flat foot a bike. If this is your first bike then you mike consider looking for a used 1200 sportster or even an 883. They are lighter and sometimes faster when tuned right. You can find used ones for under $8000.00.
You will need to go to the dealership and sit on a bunch of bikes and then see if you can test ride or borrow a bike from a friend.
Good Luck!
Bad Idea.....[:@]
Sporty's, although often referred to as a girls bike [8D], is top heavy....
+1 with Twiggy for the Deluxe......-1 with Twiggy on the pics....
My wife, all 5' 2" of her rides a Deluxe (not lowered).
A friend's wife, all 4' 11" and 95 lbs, also a Deluxe...
Don't much about the Dyna series.....
).Definitely sit on as many bikes as you can that are in your price range (that's often an important factor for many of us!), and then, as many have already said, if you really love a particular bike that is a bit tall for you, discuss the best and most economical way of lowering it.
#67
04-26-2008, 06:00 AM
Road Warrior
RE: Petite woman looking advice on HD purchase
I agree with the seat height not being the only concern. Irregardless of the bike you choose, make sure you can handle the bike - swing it up off the sidestand, manoeuvre at low speeds, etc. So often I see women riding the bigger cruisers because "I'll be damned if I'm going to ride a Sportster that's a woman's bike and I want to show the world that I'm a REAL biker woman who can handle a MAN's bike, so there", and it gets them into trouble.
Recently, they had a women's night at the HD dealer in Kitchener, and they discussed topics like that, and even had a sporty there with crash bars on it that they would lie down, and teach women how to pick it back up again (which isn't a bad idea for everyone, really). Look for something like that. I'm assuming that since it was a Harley dealer thing, other dealers elsewhere might offer similar functions. That will give you a chance to try many bikes, and many combinations.
Cannon
Recently, they had a women's night at the HD dealer in Kitchener, and they discussed topics like that, and even had a sporty there with crash bars on it that they would lie down, and teach women how to pick it back up again (which isn't a bad idea for everyone, really). Look for something like that. I'm assuming that since it was a Harley dealer thing, other dealers elsewhere might offer similar functions. That will give you a chance to try many bikes, and many combinations.
Cannon
#68
04-26-2008, 07:52 AM
RE: Petite woman looking advice on HD purchase
heritage, fatboy Street glide any of them setup corretly would be no problem with a little time
Many your size ride them male and female
Many your size ride them male and female
#69
04-26-2008, 09:55 AM
RE: Petite woman looking advice on HD purchase
as you can see on this forum there are alot of east coasters who are snowed in and only want to see pics, they should just go to craigslist, but seriously you can lower most bikes one to two inch and the seat up to 2, my widglide can be sat on by most who are 5`3 or just spend the big bucks and have OCC build you one
#70
04-26-2008, 10:57 AM
RE: Petite woman looking advice on HD purchase
My wife rides a 883L. She looks awesome on it, loves the bike, and the price was manageble. A Sportster is not touring bike and I get that. But to say they are bad bikes for beginners due to being top heavy is just funny. I'd much rather see a beginner on a lighter, smaller bike than a bagger 100% of the time. Sportster can be had relatively inexpensively, and will be a good indicator of where you want to go in your hobby. I know a few guys that have gone back to Sportsters because they just prefer them. Test what you can, but buy what works for you now as opposed to getting too much bike and realizing it isn't what you like. I'd rather take a 20% loss on a sprtster than a RK.
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