My expert advise would be to get some real expert advise. If you find the right guy at a Harley fit shop, they should be able to draw from their experience to set you up. You really want someone who has been doing this work for a while, not just somebody that took the training.

My impression is that with shoes, a little lowering, the right seat, etc, it could work. I would ask about training also, to help you get your start and stop technique down. Plus, there is no shame in asking your wife to get off and push the bike backwards. I'm average height, and I have asked my wife to do this if I want to get into a parking spot. It's a heavy bike, so you want to plan ahead.

 

The Heritage is a shorter mans Road King IMO. Though riding skills can get you there solo on a Road King, when you're carrying a passenger those skills only go so far. The shorter seat and lower CG says "Heritage".

 

I don't have and advice on lowering but I had a Road King about 3 Harleys ago and really loved it. I would have another but my wife likes her back seat on the Ultra. Great bike you will love it.

 

5'6" / age 65 - PM sent

 

You might want to consider a street glide. It has a lower seat height and lowered suspension.

It's just like a road king only it has a faring instead of the windshield.

They are very popular with shorter riders that want a touring bike.

 

Thanks so much everyone. You guys are awesome. A lot of great advice, I will check with the dealer on the options I have now. Also, will check into softail deluxe and a street glide. You know one life to live I want the experience of riding a comfortable Harley touring bike.

I might bug you guys again probably in a few weeks based on what I hear from the dealer.

Thanks again fellas ... ride safe.

MG

 

MG - did you get my email/pm?

I am a short rider and have been on Harley's since 95 - not a long time by any means but long enough to learn a few things. I Love my Harley - However, Dealers and Sales people are ONLY really interested in your Money - short and simple. Some are better than others but its a real crap shoot - Most don't know a thing about short rider and really could not care less - They ONLY want to sell you that bike and they will tell you anything to close the deal.

Being a short rider I have learned - we HAVE to build a package to fit us.. that is a Complete combo of Bars - Seat - Suspension - Boots and SKILL. The bigger the bike the More skill we have to have and if we carry a passenger and luggage that skill level has to go up.

As a short rider - we know that on a good day our feet are flat footed - that is ONLY part of the issue in a big bike..

Think of a tripod for a camera set up - open that Tripod 'just' far enough for that camera to stand upright - feet close together - now push that camera and watch it fall.

That is us on a big bike - if our feet ONLY reach the ground flat footed - we are that camera set up

Longer legged riders have the ability to OPEN up there stance and move there feet OUTboards from the motorcycle - giving them a MUCH stronger base - if that bike starts to lean - and their feet/base is out - they can hold up that bike must better than us (short riders) whose feet are next to the bike flat footed at best - Every short riders knows this OR soon learn when that big bagger starts to lean - even more when we have a passenger on back.

This is where time in the saddle and skill come into play.

Getting the handle bars and seat set up to FIT YOU - will take time and $$$$$$ - if you have a good contact who has been through this - it can and will save you money and time.

You talk about doing the pacific coast ride... that's really not 101 - its highway 1. Best from about Santa Barbara to Oregon. North of SF is actually better. If you plan to ride the length - highway one is great - keep in mind north of Santa Cruz to the Golden Gate Bridge - Highway 1 will lead you right though the heart of SF - Traffic / Stop lights and all.

Lots of good info here but if you expect a Harley sales person (just a car sales person moved to bike) to help you and guide you - Just remember, they make MONEY in selling you the bike - they will say what ever it takes.

Find other short riders who have been through this - buddy up with them and learn.

the new cars today have multi-way powered seats with lumbar support - you can buy one of those - set that seat to fit YOU and drive across country and feel great at the end of the day

This can be done on any Harley - but it take Time and MONEY.

I finally got my 04 FLHTCI to fit ME - longest ride the wife and I did was 8,000 miles in 26 days and felt great each and every day

I just sold that bike and now working on my 2015 - It will take that time and Money but I will get it to fit me and be comfortable in the end.

On this bike I have just installed the Helibars - been wanting to try those - Greatest bars for short people - but crazy expensive. Ask me next year if they were worth it, lol

I gave you my home number in that PM - call me anytime, I always pay it forward with anything I have learned. May help you, may not??

 

Take a look at the dyna switchback. They remind me of a scaled down roadking. I love the looks of them, but I rode one and I'm too tall for it. I dig the looks of them though.

 

Don't compromise in the bike you want. Get yourself a drop seat kit and lower the entire seat frame height by 3.5" before you even have to consider suspension changes! It makes all the difference in the world.

Combine this with a set of 944's in the back and monotube 1" drop shocks in the front, and you'll be set!

My daughter who was 12yo at the time could flatfoot my 2010 road King after these changes.

 

don't let the naysayers get you down. you do not have to flatfoot the bike in order to enjoy a touring bike. you are only slightly shorter than I am, i'm 5'4'', and I've been riding a touring bike since 2007. granted, I went with the roadking custom, then the roadglide custom, then the cvo roadglide. common theme with all these bikes? stock front end, 12'' shocks in the rear. and I've had no problems. you just have to look at parking lots with an eye for 'how am I gonna get out of here?'. if a space is sloped downhill, then back into it. if it's sloped uphill, then pull in.

a lot of what Harley0711 said above is good info.

go for the road king. put shorter shocks on it, and once you start riding it, you'll be surprised that it's actually easier to ride than a sporty. and way more comfortable.