Hi,

I just bought a 2009 Nightster with 70 miles and I really love it. Traded it for my 98 Jeep Wrangler and was happy with the deal. I am new to riding and am getting pretty comfortable on two wheels. Took the Rider's Edge course and did well in it. I really love riding and have put on 200+ miles in the last week.

Ok, here is the background: I have a stock Nightster and I weigh about 200lbs (very solid musclehead) and am 5'7". I liked the Nightster cause my feet could be flat on the ground due to being vertically challenged and it was a 1200.

Problem: whenever I hit potholes/bumps/manhole covers, the absolute jarring of my whole body (if I didn't see it and wasn't able to take up the slack by rising off the seat) and the bike is RIDICULOUS. The bike has 300 miles on it now. I realize it has to "settle" and then at about 1,000 miles take it in for the stealer to make necessary adjustments.

Ok, I know I need to be looking out for these things and avoiding them, but I feel like I am ready to be bounced off the freakin' bike. Am I too heavy for this bike? Do I need to get better shocks for it? Do I trade up and get a HD that is bigger and can absorb these gut-wrenching issues? Is it me?

Everyone told me when I bought my bike that I should have bought my second bike first. Is this what they mean?

Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks,

John

 

You've only got a little over an inch of suspension travel in the rear. Upgrading shocks will help but you really need longer shocks. The down side is they will slightly raise the bike.

Your not to heavy it's just that to get the "cool" look H-D reduced the length of the shocks.

 

If you're 200 lbs, maybe. I'm 165 and I have NO suspension in the back. So a 'bucked off feeling' to me is normal. Try upgrading to heavier shocks. I would think you should be fine. Or maybe install a springer seat and lay off the steroids - lol! J/k. It's a rough ride, deal with it

 

From what Ive gathered the words "rough ride" and "Sportster" go together pretty hand in hand. There's options out there for improvement but it's just the nature of the beast I suppose. Upgraded shocks/forks can help. I also recently installed a springer seat on my 48 and the improvement was noticable right away.

 

It sounds as though your bike is bottoming out. At what setting are your rear shocks at now?

 

S/SixPack I am not sure. I will check it out tomorrow. Do you think that setting it for 2 people will help out in back at least?

 

YOURADHERE: where did you get the springer seat? Do you have a link? Thanks!

 

streetfighter06" dude, I like to eat! that is why I am a bodybuilder. LOL I go to the gym cause I can't stop shoving food down my gullet...

BTW, your bike is f*cking WICKED. <drooling>

 

It's just the springer seat that HD offers. A bit pricey but worth it, plus it looks great. With the stock seat I'd have a slight pain in my lower back within 30 minutes. I may be the oldest 23 yr old around due to several injurys/breaks/sprains/etc. After adding the springer seat I put about 4 hours on it in a day and felt great. Ive regularly been putting 100+ miles in a day with no problems.

 

Dude - Just bustin' your *****. Thanks for the nice words about my bike. I'm 165 lbs, and I'm 5'7". I should be 145 lbs, but I love getting drunk. ALCOHOL = CALORIES. It's a disease, I hear....hahaha. Anyways, I think it's NATURAL the way your ride is, but for just a couple hundred bucks, you could get a cool springer seat and some tougher rear shocks if it sucks that much. Your the rider, so you decide. Keep us updated. Oh.... and I think I made a cocky-*** remark in a previous thread on here a week ago or so that you posted. I apologize for being a smart-***. I'm a Scorpio.


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