hi all- 50 yr old buying first bike-havnt been on anything with 2 wheels in years, but its time to buy a harley-i'm 5'10 slim -dont know if the midmount foot controls and wide pullback handlebars on the L would make it easier to handle or maybe im too tall for this model and will feel cramped up after awhile. the custom on the other hand has forward footmounts and a bigger front tire-i'm wondering if that feet first position would reduce my handling abilities putting around suburbia. trying before i buy is not an option, so any thought opinions advice or interesting tidbits of information would be appreciated. thanx in advance---

 

Welcome Tat2wld...

I'm 5'11" and I have an XL1200 Custom. Dimension wise, this bike is the same as the 883c. I prefer the forward controls myself simply because to me it's a more natural crusing position. The Custom fits me like a glove and even though I could have purchased a bigger bike, for the type of riding I do and simply because of feel I chose the 1200C. Personally I think after awhile you might feel cramped but it's all a matter of preference. If I were you, I'd visit the Harley dealer many times and even try to find a few others in your area and just sit on these bikes and move them back and forth. Ask the salesman to hold the handle bars so you can put both feet on the pegs and assume riding position. Other then a test ride, this is the best way to see if the bike is comfortable or not. Also sit on some other models and do the same just for the sake of comparison. I'm very partial to the 1200C when it comes to Sportsters but thats only because I think Harley offers so much for a decent price when considering other bikes out there. I also love the amount of chrome that comes standard with this bike. One more piece of advice I can give you is to take a riding course! Even if you rode before, these courses are worth the money. Harley offers the Rider's Edge course which is a good program but any MSF course in your area will suffice. If you dont listen to anything I say, listen to this. The course could save your new Harley from a fall and possibly save your life :-) Ride safe, have fun, and good luck in your decision.

 

hi tat,
i, too, have a 1200c and truly love it. the forward controls really make it a natural feel, and then all the chrome that comes standard really made this a no brainer for me. i'm 5-10 too and dont feel cramped at all. i upgraded my stock seat to a vintage wide solo from mustang and this made the feel even better, raised me up just a hair and made the ride so much more enjoyable. good luck with your pick and remember you cant go wrong, its a harley! stay safe

 

I bought 883C in June 05. I just logged 5200 miles. The forward controls, plus Kuryakin pegs with heel rest, Upgraded seat to MOCO touring pillowtop seat made it a very rideable bike. I do 125 -150 mile trips on Sat. and Sundays plus I ride to work everyday possible. I have no complaints with 883C since I upgraded pegs and seat. I'm 50yrs old 5'8" so Sportster may fit me a little better than someone 5" 10". I did add some chrome and pipes for looks and sound.

 

I'm 5'10" and have the forward controls now. It had the mid-controls when I bought it, but after one trip to Myrtle Beach, I changed to forward controls. Believe me, on long trips, you'll be glad you had them!

Mid-Controls are ok for short trips, but you'll feel cramped after a few miles.

 

my sporty is very comfortable with fwd controls from ebay! great price

 

Go with the 1200 Custom. I have an 04. I am 5'6 (on a good day) and have no problem with the forward controls. My woman wants a 883L. It fits her well. She is 4' 11! You would be cramped on the L. My 1200C is very easy to handle. The dealer in my area let me test ride one before buying. They had a few demo bikes. One ride and I was hooked. I was told no Harley dealers did this, but I asked anyway. I wasn't going to spend the coin for something that may not have been comfortable. Another route is to find a dealer that rents bikes. Most require that you have motorcycle endorsement on your license. You can get this by taking a rider course. I highly recommend it. Good luck.

 

I have been thinking of puting fwd controls how much do those run to put them on my 1200r?

 

And in my opinion just go all out and buy the 1200 i mean you only live once right?

 

Now see if you lived at my house, you could have both - see my siggy!

Get thee to a Harley dealer and go sit on them, see what you feel more comfortable with. Even if you feel more comfortable with the seat on the low, you can always have forward controls installed. I don't have that option as I can't actually reach forward controls, LOL. My DH, has the custom, he is 6'1" and the forward controls are almost too close still for him, but that depends on inseam as well as height.

Finally the two bikes have very different looks, with the custom having the 'fat bob' style tank - its also bigger holding just over 4 gals. That may be a factor too. Go and have a look 'in real life' as it were, see what you are drawn to, see what you feel comfortable sitting on.