Yesterday i was at the dealer shop, and I saw a nice bike which is a softail custom, used, with 20 km (14 miles)over it. I asked for price and it was very interesting. Now I ask your help in order to know about its handling and any riding complain. I wasn't allowed to testdrive it.
This kind ofbike isn't a bestseller in Italy (which the reason of the very good price) so I'm in troubles. I like the bike but I'm worried about its handling in twisted roads. Im 6,3 and 210 and this shouldn't be a problem.
Help me please,

Thanks
Fabrizio

 

Ciao Fabrizio,
The custom handles the mountain roads here in Colorado just fine. You won't being going as fast as a sport bike due to the5" trail of the custom. But with some smart riding you can hammer the curvers.

 

Kind of hard to really tell someone how a bike handles in my opinion.
Being in Italy and my being very much into sport bikes I know the type of roads and riding some do in your country. I have a gsxr1000 and a cbr600rr and a 08 night train.
If you are use to sport bikes or even a good sport touring bike the harley line isn't going to handle the same. Heck I am so use to the brakes on my sport bikes that the HD is like not having brakes at all. The Standard does have a pretty good lean angle compared to other HD's and I find the night train a blast to ride.
Depending on what you want out of it I love my HD, I didn't expect it to be a sport bike and ride it accordingly. You can have fun on the back roads but if any of your friends are out dragging knee, no you aren't going to keep up! :-)
My brother-n-law has a standard and a zx-14. He had the HD for a few years before getting the zx and road it in the Colorado mountains and backroads near Moab and had a blast. He very much like the twisty roads and pulled all their was out of the HD, no tread left on the edges of those tires!
The 14 better suits his riding but he will never give up the HD!

 

I don't have a custom, but I do have the same type of bike in the Softail Standard. My bike handles great in the curves. I have never scraped my pegs once. I will say that skinny 21" front tire was a bit of a problem in ruts and such. Having lived in Italy for 5 years, I know theres lots of cobblestone roads. You may want to think about a fatter tire on the front to keep it smoother and rolling over those bumps rather than getting into the ruts.

Why can't you test drive it?



[IMG]local://upfiles/13603/F1F44DB922D2402581B2BD782FD98872.jpg[/IMG]

 

Well my Custom is no Ferrari in the twisties, but it does a lot better than I expected considering thebike weighs over700lbs. and is setupto feel like a big recliner.
No way your going to keep up with the knee draggers on even the smaller 600cc sport bikes. But then again it was never designed for that kind of thing in the first place.
Also considering your height and weight, a Custom will be slower, but it will be a lot more comfortable ride. So you may not get anywhere as fast but you'll be still be out on the road enjoying the rideto wherever long after the guys on the crotch rockets have stopped to get thekinks pulled out of their backs.
But you may want to keep atooth brush handy so you canget the bugs out of your teeth because you couldn't stopgrinnin.

 

Another myth I just have to address. I ride my gsxr1000 several hundred miles on a weekend and never have these kinks you speak of.
On my night train however the seat at the back pushes on my butt to the point that it puts it asleep in no time. If I don't make a conscience effort to sit forward I am uncomfortable in no time. Sitting straight up doing 80 has its effects on the back also from fighting the wind.
On my sport bike the wind actually lifts me and I float.
Enjoy your HD as I do but I know many who ride from DC to Florida on sport bikes with no problems!

 

I have a Deuce, and its handlingreminds me of my Colnaga Road bike.

So Fab, my only recomendation would be, save your Ducati for the Auto Strada.

 

Hi tail11, I dont know how to explain in english, but it seems that the bike isn't in dealer ownership so cant be insuranced by the dealership. Anyway here in Italy, testdriving a bike is a very rare provilege. Usually it happens when they have to sell a new model.

Thank for your help

You have a very nice bike!!

 

Thank for your help: the last phrase you wrote is suggestive.

 

Hi WaterHog, thanks for your help.

Sorry, but I havent' a Ducati and to tell the truth I'll never get one, except, maybe,for the new 1098.In general, I dont' like sporty bikes. Moreover, in my country speed limits are going to be heavilyenforced so a sporty bike is going to beuseless (i like to preserve my driving licence).

bye