I was also gifted with a 29" inseam. I put the Lowdown seat on, which made a big difference. I also wear thick soled boots, also helps. I haven't gone to the lowering thing.

I think a lot of folks simply get intimidated by the Ultras, as I did. As others have mentioned get the Ride Like a Pro DVDs and practice, practice.... Don't let the beast control you, you need to control it.

 

Do a search on this website and there's a few dealers who can lower a touring model 3", which minimizes the inseam issue considerably.

As for the weight, don't allow the bike to lean to far before correcting it.

I've been riding since '69 and I've always said that any motorcycle is just waiting for the chance to fall over so don't give it the opportunity to do so.

Starting out, stopping and making the slow, tight turns are ususally the times when most of us manage to allow our bikes to fall over and the good thing about this is that we're usually going very slowly and damage to the bike (or us) is minimal.
As I've told my wife on the few ocassions that the she has fallen over, once you know the bike is going to fall, let go of it and make sure no part of you body gets trapped between the bike and the ground/pavement.

A few years ago I found myself blocked in by other bikes at a motel and rather than waiting for, or trying to find the owners, I decided that I was going to get my bike out by myself.
Well, in the middle of this attempt, I realized that I had leaned the bike over so far that I couldn't lift it back up....but I could hold it in that position long enough for a couple of my buddies to realize that I needed help and come to my aid.

 

Try riding a RoadGlide Custom. Very much a lower center of gravity than a UC!!
They will give U a reach seat to try at HD and that will help, or the Super reach if u are a midget,,, I probably could use a seat in between the two sizes, with a 30" inseam I do feel small , but then so Are winning jocky's...
The newer models of the FLTRX are very confidence inspiring to most people when they get on and ride them a bit. Try one, U will SEE!

 

This is my first full dresser that I moved to 18 months back. Only layed over once sitting still in a parking space I pulled into a bit out of balance. Set it down real easy on the guards.

As said before, get it where you can easily flat foot the bike, watch the passenger boards at parking space speed as they will knock your feet out from under you, practice a lot of slow speed turns, and most of all think ahead particuarly pulling into tight spaces, rough ground, inclines, gravel or slick pavement. The bike is incredibly well balanced at slow speeds but stay off the front brake. The steering can turn sharper than you expect at slow speed which can throw you off balance. Just learn your not going to hold up the 900 lb beast with one leg if you lean it too far at low speed.

 

If you can't flat foot at a stop, the bike is too tall for you. Should be able to fix with a different seat, thicker boot soles or lower the suspension.

The heavy feeling when stopping is just you not stopping with the bike perfectly balanced and the front wheel straight. You can get away with that with a lighter bike and you might not even notice that you are doing it. With a big touring bike you feel it. When the bike is perfectly balanced it takes no effort to hold it up.

When you lift it off of the jiffy stand you automatically balance the bike. You sit there on it with no effort.

Low speed parking lot maneuvers is all technique and practice. All the recommendations for "Ride Like A Pro" are spot on.

 

+1 I couldn't have said it better myself! I went from a Sportster 883L to a Road King this year. I got my MC license last August, drove the Sporty for two months at the end of last season and man did it feel big after learning on 250cc at the MSF course. My bro had a Road King so I drove his in a parking lot and it felt good (but big compared to my Sporty!) Over the winter I decided I wanted a bigger bike for 2-up riding in the country. I've had my Road King for 3 months now and wife and I are very happy with it. Practice practice practice. I love driving it. My bro now has a UC and I drove that and it felt quite similar to my Road King. Could there be a UC in my future?

 

There's your answer. Practice. I take mine to a parking lot 3-4x a year to practice really slow speed stuff

 

Ignorance is bliss for me, I've never had anythig different than the UC. I did notice a big difference when I moved my buddies SG. It felt much lighter to me. Why not split the difference and get the SG? You can always get the TourPak for long hauls and remove it for around town.

 

Yes it's heavy...you get use to it....practice...UC is the way to go...if you want all the bells & whistles...if not the Road King is a hell of a nice bike also...Reach seat helps...leg exercises...i wouldn't lower the bike if i didn't have to.

 

Just because you cannot flat foot it doesn't mean the bike is too big for you, It just means you have to adjust your stance at a stop differently. I grew up on dirtbikes and enduros where there was no way to flatfoot at a stop so I adjusted by leaving on foot on rear brake and one flat on the ground. Of course they were a lot lighter but I adapted. My first street bike was a 78 gold wing and I used the same type of stance. The key is like others said is to practice. I ride my eglide as much as possible and have never been in a predicament that I felt the bike was too tall for me. I just spent the time to practice and understand the physics of keeping it balanced and under control. So don't be discouraged by a bigger bike.