I have the great luck of riding both, my wifes nightster has mids and mine has forwards. Riding around is much more comfortable on mine with forwards than hers but she cant reach mine so height is something to think about. Also if you get a engine guard your foot will hit it with forward controls. It takes some getting used to but you figure it out pretty quick on how to just it the shifter with the tip of the foot and not get caught on the engine guard. Both are good. I would just suggest sitting on both to see which fits better. Say a 1200c (Stock Forward Controls) verus the nightster

 

Do yourself a favor, OP, and ignore posts like this. Not trying to be a dick, but it's about riding style/performance, not fit. Big guys ride sportsbikes all the time, last I checked, none of them have forward controls. Don't make it a macho "I'm to big" debate. It's a different riding position, for a different riding style. Fit can be fixed with seats and handle bar adjustments.

If you want to ride aggressively and/or have two foot positions, keep the mids and add highway pegs. If you want to "cruise" with the cool kids atop your rolling chair, get forwards.

 

SORRY, That's just plain silly. Do yourself a favor and ignore posts like the above. Not trying to be a dick, but it's about rider fit and comfort, NOT necessarily Style and Performance. Style is for Bar Hoppers and Performance is always relative to a particular application, ie. running the 1/4 mile vs. riding an Iron Butt are totally different scenarios and bike configurations.

I ride over 20,000 miles a year on my Sporty which includes everything from 500+ mile days on an interstate to several 2-3 week vacation trips to the twisties each year where I do nothing but log a couple of thousand miles grinding pegs.

There is no right "one size fits all answer". You need to evaluate both your size and how you intend to use the bike.

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Forwards with the stirrups on the pegs- perfect,can move your feet back like mids untill it's too uncomfortable

 

If you have a Nightster (aka 1 inch suspension travel ), I'd stick with mids. With forwards, your back will take every bump and it will ache after a bit. With mids, you can support your weight a bit easier. I'm 6" and prefer mids.
In the end, it comes down to what you're willing to put up with.

 

I prefer mid controls myself just feels more comfortable.

 

I have a buddy that say's mids are the thing to have. He's under 5' 10". I have forward on mine and I like them. My buddy also says, with the mids he could kick off the bike if he had to lay it down. And he says, I can't do that on my bike. Hope we never have to find out!!

 

I am 5' 10" and had mids with highway pegs on my Nightster. I have mids with highway pegs on my Streetbob now and don't think I will go forwards.

I rode my brothers softail which only had forwards. Did not like the feel of it. While it was nice to be stretched out, I missed having the mids to do some "spirited" riding and having the option of moving around while taking a cruise.

Personally, I would try the highway pegs first. A bit cheaper of a step if you find you don't like having your feet all the way up it isn't that much out of your pocket compared to switching out the controls.

 

i have ridden bikes with mids and now i have forward controls. I love them. I won't be going back to mids

 

i completely disagree with the guy who said height does not matter. it pains my knees to ride with mid controls, but i can still ride it, but I'm not gonna be uncomfortable on the bike i ride everyday.
and as far as the performance aspect you speak of. i think you are stuck in the Harley rumors. NEWS FLASH EINSTEIN.....ITS THE ABILITY OF THE RIDER THAT MAKES A BIKE PERFORM WELL NOT SOMETHING LIKE PEGS! a good quality rider can get on any bike and rip up the road.
and do you really think the guy who asked our opinion about this issue is gonna take you serious when your coming on here acing like a dik. no, he probably thinks what were all thinking, your acting like a dik. give your opinion, no need to bash others on what theirs is.
so to answer the thread, go with what is comfterable for you. your the one riding it everyday.