hi, new member here.

i'm in the market for my first harley. i'm looking at rubber mount 1200s. there are quite a few 1200L sportsters on the used market near me. i do not need the lower seat hieght of a low but was concidering one for the mid mount controls and the smaller front wheel.

my question is, can i easily raise the height of a low with new shocks and a seat?

it has been difficult to get difinative answers on the ride height and seat height using google.

also, did both the 1200L and the 1200C come with the same motor? i have found some info sugesting that the C came with higher compression and hot cams but hte published torque numbers are the same for both bikes.

thanks for any help you can offer.

 

Same engine, and longer rear shocks and different seat will increase the height.
Jack

 

thanks. i figured it was that simple.

 

1200L comes with 11.5" rear shock. I think 1200C is 12.5". When you increase length of shocks, watch the lean of the bike...it will lean more. I lowered mine to 10.5" and had to shorten my kickstand since bike did not have much lean.

 

I own a 2007 XL1200L, so here's my definitive answer:

For the front, I removed the stock damper tubes and replaced them with the damper tubes of a 2007 XL1200R and it raised the front, like an R.

For the rear, I removed the stock shocks and replaced them with the 13.5" shocks from a 1200R. (You should probably get better shocks than the R shocks. I did that because I got the R shocks almost free and they work for my weight.)

So now, I have an L that is the height of an R. I did the "raise" in the beginning of 2012 and haven't had any problem since then.

I did not have to replace my kickstand.

I am short and my inseams are 29". With 1" soles I could easily flatfoot using the stock seat and now with the plushier sundowner seat I can almost flatfoot.

HTH.

 

perfect. i was considering upgrading to progressive shocks.

 

When I had my 883L I also changed out the stock damper tubes with the standard ones. It not only raised the height of the front end, it increased the front travel from 3/4" to about 2 1/2" of travel. A big difference in comfort.

 

and imho, it's a more important consideration than just increasing the height.

 

that is quite an increase in travel. i'll look into damper tubes as well.

 

agreed