My 01 RK is my first touring bike and it seems Harley touring bike frames sit higher off the ground than other Harley's I have had. Is that true?

 

It may sit a little higher, but you can't really lower them without sacrificing ride quality.
After you ride them a while at stock height , you really get used to it.

 

Depends on what other one you are comparing too. In 07' the Wideglide was the highest seat/longest wheelbase of all of the Harleys.

 

It's been many years since I had a bike and they were mostly Super Glides.
I have been ridding this for a year and I am use to it but the lower bikes just felt less top heavy. I really like everything about this bike and being an 01, although newer and different than what I use to have, I can work on it. Being away from Harley's for so many years I am tickled with the five speed over the old two stage four speeds. Also 88cu over the old 74 is great. At my age this is all the bike I need. Thanks.

 

You can lower it without a lot of trouble and money if you so choose. Bitchinbaggers.com can lower your rear air shocks and Progressive makes a fairly simple "drop in" lowering kit for the front, although the forks need removed to do it. But that really isn't hard either, if you have a motorcycle jack.

However, on hdforums there is a large percentage of people here who want the bike to sit even higher yet and spend huge money to put custom shocks on that are sometimes almost an inch taller. All for "ride quality." For me I want a low bike, but ride quality does suffer.

 

I think all Harleys sit low and my inseam is only 33". I believe people in general think a motorcycle "sits high" when they really mean wide. This comes (in my opinion) from wanting to put two feet down at every stop. The wide saddles use up leg length and cause some riders to not be able to flat foot the bike (with both feet down). In general, the right foot shouldn't come off the peg/board at a stop. Taking the right foot off the peg/board when coming to a stop is giving up the rear brake and having to rely solely on the front. This comes to inevitably cause a tip over when the front brake is used to complete the stop and the front wheel is off center. The result is a weight lifting session for everyone around you to see. Which also brings up a question I've always wondered. How come a guy doing curls in a gym with 60 pounds grunts and growls like he's pulling a locomotive out of a well but when he picks his land barge up off it's side he doesn't make a sound?? Anyway.....

I've ridden motorcycles that I could only get my left foot to the ground after sliding my left butt cheek off the saddle a little. Once you learn how to properly control a motorcycle to a complete stop using the rear brake and leave the right foot up there are very few motorcycles that are too tall. I'd also add that as soon as the clutch engages the the rear wheel and the bike moves forward, lift the left foot and put it on the peg/board.

There are those that feel using the "landing gear" approach (putting both feet out at a start and stop) is best but they'll eventually have an embarrassing tip over and usually blame someone else like a car stopping short or the like. When carrying a passenger if one must put two feet down after coming to a complete stop, the passenger weight usually compresses the suspension to the point where both feet can be on the ground flat. Most of the time, Harleys don't need their meager suspension travel lowered, or otherwise comfortable seats cut down into torture devices (especially after spending all that money on comfortable bike); the rider just needs to learn how to manage the bike properly.

I'm not saying this is the solution for the OP or that he doesn't know how to ride. This is just my general observation when riders talk about a bike being too tall for them.

 

The bike isn't too tall, I just notice it's taller than my other bikes I have had in the past, I guess it must be for better ride quality. I always put two feet down once stopped, too often there is gas, anti freeze, and or oil spots at intersections.

 

My buddy sits flat footed on my 05 Ultra (no height modifications) but is on his toes on his 2011 CVO Street Glide.

 

Change the seat.

 

My 13 CVO King came with 12 inch shocks which is a inch shorter than a Ultra or non CVO King, and the same height as a street glide.

I put 13 inch shock on it, as it was to easy to scrape the boards in the curves. I need all the lean angle I can get.