So I'm a new/first time rider and I've been riding since April.&nbsp\\; I got a 07 883L and I'm already starting to get the itch for another bike.

My father has a Rocker and I dig that, but the forward controls on it are a bit of a reach for me.&nbsp\\;&nbsp\\; I'm about 5'8 and around 160lbs.&nbsp\\; So I'm not really tall nor am I a large guy.&nbsp\\;

The 883L is a good fit for me, and I have ridden the Rocker and like how that feels.&nbsp\\; It actually felt more stable than the Sportster.&nbsp\\; Probably because of the weight and the fat rear tire.

So anyways, I know I could just go to a demo day and ride all the different bikes, but I was just curious as to what some of you might suggest.&nbsp\\; I'm looking for something that's not going to be too much or too big of a bike for my size.&nbsp\\; I want something that is going to make turning corners and leaning through curves as easy as possible.

I've been looking at the Fat Bob, the Street Bob and the Night Train.&nbsp\\; I know the Fat Bob has a wide front and rear tire, so I'm guessing that will feel well connected to the road, however I'm not sure the wider front tire will make turning intersection corners and so forth much easier.&nbsp\\; The Street Bob and Night Train are nice looking cruisers, and the biggest difference I can tell is that the Street Bob has a more laid back sitting position while the Night Train is more forward with the drag bar and so forth.

Bottom line, what bike would any of you suggest to someone who's thinking of making the leap from the Sportster to something else?&nbsp\\; Am I correct in thinking that the larger bikes will feel a bit more stable and smooth than the Sporty?&nbsp\\; According to my father, he says there's no comparison and he thinks riding a Sporty is actually harder than some of the bigger bikes he's had (Heritage, Springer, etc.).

Thanks.

 

You are going to get a bunch of biased answers on this one.&nbsp\\; You are better doing the demo day.

 

Demo day isn't until September...

I don't care if I get biased answers from people who own what...I just want some input.

For instance...whatever you ride or whatever you might suggest...just say why.&nbsp\\; Pro/cons of the ride/style so on.&nbsp\\; If a bike tends to cruise better at highway speeds than it does handling curves/corners and so forth.&nbsp\\; I can just look that stuff over and take it all in.

Basically, I'm looking for something that doesn't feel like a tank, as I'm not a big guy.&nbsp\\; However, I want something that will ride smooth and comfortable and still maintain a high level of manueverability on curves/corners and such.&nbsp\\; So really just looking for some advice from people with different bikes and why they like them/don't like them etc.

 

If you like the sporty try a Dyna. Super glide would maybe work well. Dyna's feel a lot like a sporty in the handling department,&nbsp\\; just bigger and more comfy. I guess that's the most simple way to put it. But as was stated, this is a biased answer as I'm not much for the softails.&nbsp\\;

 

Ya I was leaning toward the Dyna's as well...that's why I was looking at both the Fat Bob and the Street Bob.&nbsp\\;\\\\\\; However, I liked the look of the blacked out Night Train.

From what I've gathered, the overall consensus seems to be that the Dyna family has more comfort/handling, while the Softail has more style...

 

Listen to BigJ He's not biased at all. I followed his advice and see what it got me?????
Dont listen to anyone, and get what feels right to you. Just make sure you can see the shocks.

 

I"d take a good look at an FXD with the stock mid-controls. Sounds [to me] like the bike you're looking for.

 

First bike was an "03 883 Hugger. I'm 6'1" (6'2" with the 'fro) and weight right at 200 lbs. Great bike for me to learn on. Demoed an '06 1200 Custom and fell in love with the increased power. Figured one day I would move up to something in the Dyna class, but ended up demoing an '04 Heritage Softail Classic, which I now own.

I love the Heritage for the majority of riding that I do, which is longer, touring rides. I do, at times, miss the more agile handling of the Sportsters and suspect that the Dyna class would have been close to the Sporty in that respect. However, I doubt that I would ever go back to the Sporty or try a Dyna at this point. My Heritage has a 1550 upgrade, so most of the power is there as compared to the 1200 Custom.

The gf inherited my 883 Hugger then traded it for an '04 1200 Custom. She is 5'4" and weighs about 110 lbs. She has no problems with the forward controls and is, in fact, about to put an engine guard on her bike with pegs. I asked her recently, just for fun, to let me know what her dream bike would be if I won the lottery. I figured she might like a Dyna Lowrider or a lowered Deluxe. But she said she was more than happy with her bike and didn't think she would want anything different.

Hope this helps!

 

Try a softail. You sit in it, not on it, so your feet will reach the ground better. Sit on a Fatboy, you will probably buy it.

 

I have and 06 Lowrider and a 07 Heritage. I ride the Heritage everyday 20,000 miles in 15 months. but i still love the Lowrider. The Heritage is a very stable comfortable ride, but the Lowrider is more like a sport bike. It has great acceleration and handles corner real well\\; just a lot of fun to ride. I guess it depends on how you want to ride. Good luck and have fun checking out all the bikes.