how long can you take it?
#101
09-03-2008, 12:45 PM
#103
09-03-2008, 09:17 PM
It's the worst possible design for riding any kind of extended distance (to me and for me). It's awesome fun for playing around in the mountains for a 100 miles, or riding to work and back (15 miles), or bumming around with my friends (30 miles). I do 8000 miles of that a year - it's over 90% of my riding. I don't want to change any of that, and the requirements for fixing the 10% totally ruin the 90% from what I've seen. I don't want forward controls, I don't want to change the geometry of the bike, and I don't want to swap on a new bar to make all of the above work.
To make it comfortable, I have to sacrifice handling, and that's not really something I'm interested in.
I don't ride long distances - I simply don't have the time to. Hence why I don't bother changing anything on the sportster. When I finally get up to the long trips I'm planning, I'll get a bike designed for the distance - use the best tool for the job. Something that can go off road a bit too.
I've got sparring practice that weekend, and a flying lesson, and one other thing I can't remember
We'll see what I can free up. I don't even know where you're located though.
edit: I don't htink I've said it, but I AM grateful for the offer of help. Very much so. I just have come to expect the same answer every time I dig into it - every place so far has ended up the same - convert it to the C model and buy a mustang or corbin seat. The dealer (who I trust - they're one of the few), Corbin, the local HOG group - it all comes down to the same answer - convert it to a Custom model, forward controls, and then it'll be comfortable.
To make it comfortable, I have to sacrifice handling, and that's not really something I'm interested in.
I don't ride long distances - I simply don't have the time to. Hence why I don't bother changing anything on the sportster. When I finally get up to the long trips I'm planning, I'll get a bike designed for the distance - use the best tool for the job. Something that can go off road a bit too.
I've got sparring practice that weekend, and a flying lesson, and one other thing I can't remember
We'll see what I can free up. I don't even know where you're located though.edit: I don't htink I've said it, but I AM grateful for the offer of help. Very much so. I just have come to expect the same answer every time I dig into it - every place so far has ended up the same - convert it to the C model and buy a mustang or corbin seat. The dealer (who I trust - they're one of the few), Corbin, the local HOG group - it all comes down to the same answer - convert it to a Custom model, forward controls, and then it'll be comfortable.
Never trust a dealer when it comes to your bike. Dealers are like any mechanic, you have to have some level of understanding or they'll screw you every which way but the good one.
I've had the service manager at the local dealer tell me, to my face, "Our customers don't know **** about bikes" For what it's worth, I agree with him - and I took my bike to another dealer because I think I might know one or two things about bikes....There are three really easy things to try that might help out. Sheepskin, beads and gel pads. They work in different ways, but they all work towards increasing bloodflow in your thinking parts.
The beads are massage your keister and keep alot of air flowing under it, which is great if you ate the chili at lunch...
Sheepskin is a really soft and porous material that (I think) helps wick sweat away while keeping a fair amount of air moving.
Gel pads don't do much for air flow, but they cradle your butt and spread the load out quite well. But, you can toss the pad in the freezer before a ride (or warm it up if it's cold out)
#104
09-03-2008, 09:26 PM
#105
09-04-2008, 12:07 AM
Longest I've done on my Nightie was 160 mile trip after I picked it up from the dealer, brand new. The worst part was the cramps in my legs from not having ridden in 6 months, but if not for the fact that I'm young, dumb, and able to take a beating, the suspension would be the next thing to make a long ride into an extra long ride. The fuel light only coming on after two gallons isn't so bad, as that's when I should be getting off and going for a stretch walk anyway. I probably wouldn't be terribly interested in taking rides longer than 200 miles or so, though I could certainly do so if prompted.
#107
09-04-2008, 12:22 PM
I'm in Houston, TX. Where are you?
Never trust a dealer when it comes to your bike. Dealers are like any mechanic, you have to have some level of understanding or they'll screw you every which way but the good one. I've had the service manager at the local dealer tell me, to my face, "Our customers don't know **** about bikes" For what it's worth, I agree with him - and I took my bike to another dealer because I think I might know one or two things about bikes....
There are three really easy things to try that might help out. Sheepskin, beads and gel pads. They work in different ways, but they all work towards increasing bloodflow in your thinking parts.
The beads are massage your keister and keep alot of air flowing under it, which is great if you ate the chili at lunch...
Sheepskin is a really soft and porous material that (I think) helps wick sweat away while keeping a fair amount of air moving.
Gel pads don't do much for air flow, but they cradle your butt and spread the load out quite well. But, you can toss the pad in the freezer before a ride (or warm it up if it's cold out)
Never trust a dealer when it comes to your bike. Dealers are like any mechanic, you have to have some level of understanding or they'll screw you every which way but the good one.
I've had the service manager at the local dealer tell me, to my face, "Our customers don't know **** about bikes" For what it's worth, I agree with him - and I took my bike to another dealer because I think I might know one or two things about bikes....There are three really easy things to try that might help out. Sheepskin, beads and gel pads. They work in different ways, but they all work towards increasing bloodflow in your thinking parts.
The beads are massage your keister and keep alot of air flowing under it, which is great if you ate the chili at lunch...
Sheepskin is a really soft and porous material that (I think) helps wick sweat away while keeping a fair amount of air moving.
Gel pads don't do much for air flow, but they cradle your butt and spread the load out quite well. But, you can toss the pad in the freezer before a ride (or warm it up if it's cold out)
We stood there and tried seats off of everything we could think of - even stripping some custom rides they had in for display to give them a shot, and then agreed to take the sundowner back with no restocking fee when we couldn't figure anything out - nothing fit right at all.
It's not air flow, it's the fact that I have no *** to speak of, and thus get massive pressure points (honestly, I get them on ANY chair/seat/whatever that isn't fluffy as all hell).
#108
09-04-2008, 04:21 PM
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#109
09-04-2008, 08:39 PM
Colorado, near boulder - I'm lucky, the dealer up here (High Country Harley) is staffed and run by good mechanics and good bike people. They run the local HOG chapter, a whole bunch of benefit runs and the like, give people free demos, support all the local riding groups and the like, and come pick you up off the road if your bike kicks it too. They're awesome folk, and all ride to boot.
We stood there and tried seats off of everything we could think of - even stripping some custom rides they had in for display to give them a shot, and then agreed to take the sundowner back with no restocking fee when we couldn't figure anything out - nothing fit right at all.
It's not air flow, it's the fact that I have no *** to speak of, and thus get massive pressure points (honestly, I get them on ANY chair/seat/whatever that isn't fluffy as all hell).
We stood there and tried seats off of everything we could think of - even stripping some custom rides they had in for display to give them a shot, and then agreed to take the sundowner back with no restocking fee when we couldn't figure anything out - nothing fit right at all.
It's not air flow, it's the fact that I have no *** to speak of, and thus get massive pressure points (honestly, I get them on ANY chair/seat/whatever that isn't fluffy as all hell).
Most skinny riders I know like the gel pads. Ask your dealer if you can try the Saddleman gel pad that sits on top of the saddle. It should get rid of some of the pressure points.
#110
09-04-2008, 09:15 PM
ROFL. I'm already 6'1 / 280lbs, I'm working on LOSING the belly, not gaining it.
I just have no ***! Don't ask me how that works, but it does
Bacon - https://www.hdforums.com/forum/sportster-models/273979-finally-found-what-it-d-take-to-get-me-comfortable-on-a-sporty-is-this-possible.html
See what you think from that.
I just have no ***! Don't ask me how that works, but it does
Bacon - https://www.hdforums.com/forum/sportster-models/273979-finally-found-what-it-d-take-to-get-me-comfortable-on-a-sporty-is-this-possible.html
See what you think from that.