I am a new rider, and I also happen to be very large. Im 6'5" and about 240 pounds. I want to buy a Harley. but am concerned about how comfortable I will be on some of the models. I had been looking at Sportsters, but I read that might not be a good choice for tall people. Anyone here have any experience with this subject that could give me some advice on the matter? I would appreciate any input.

 

Sportster might be a little cramped. I would be looking at the Touring models, EG Standard, Roadking, EG Classic, EG Ultra, and Roadglide.

Regards,

Bill

 

I'm 6'3 on an EG Standard...I don't have any highway pegs mounted yet, and I've got 5000 miles on it. Putting a Corbin seat on it will move you back another inch and give you some more room.

Mac

 

i do not think anyone will see a sportster
if you get on it. your to darn big
for that little bike.
I'm 6'6" 260 lbs. and ride a 02 fatboy,
I put a lepera seat and went with
forward controls instead of floorboards
so i can stretch my legs out.

 

6'4 and fit a sportster custom just fine.

 

I'm not sure what the seat -to-footrest dimension is but Deuces seem to be stretched out a bit. Maybe it's just the wheelbase though, which wouldn't help you much.[&:]

Tom

 

I am only 6'3" - 225 and my Night Train fits well. I think that several of the softtails (Fatboy, Deuce, Night Train, etc.) with the lower seat height and the extended controls help on the taller riders.

 

I'm gonna say something unpopular but I think it needs to be said.
Your a NEW rider and you WANT a HD but you don't NEED an HD. So my advice would be that you spend your $9500 a little wiser and go buy yourself a Suzuki C90 (1500 cc and looks like a Fat Boy). At your height & weight your gonna look like a toad sittin on a toothpick riding a Sporty. I know what I'm talking about here, my younger brother just started riding street bikes 2 years ago. He is 6'2" about 250, he had to have a HD but was afraid anything bigger than a sporty would be too much bike. So he bought the sporty against my recommendations, it lasted 1 month and got traded on a softail standard. He had the Standard for a year and has just traded on a EG standard. He's lost his butt on every trade, plus he's paying through the nose on Insurance because he is riding an HD with little street experience (he's ridden/raced dirt bikes for 18 years but that doesn't count).
So my advice to a new rider is buy the HD look alike metric, practice, learn, and don't worry if you nick it, its a metric so it won't hold its value regardless. Once you have a year or two under your belt and some practical experience riding spend the big bucks to get the Harley that you've really always wanted. Of course this is just my opinion/recommendation. But a Sporty is gonna be a very bad choice for you.

 

I'm 6'5" and have ridden most H-D models. The Harley with the most room (in stock condition) is the Dyna Wide Glide.

 

Johnny, I have acouple of friends that are kind of
big and they both have sportsters.