An honest question

[Uncle Leo]

I rode a local H.O.G. charity event today, and the at the last stop got to see lots of new Harleys. I've never had one because, well, I just haven't! So took a look at a lot of the bikes, chatted with the salesmen (who kept trying to tell me that feet forward is a more advanced rider's position and that feet under me was more a beginner position. I kid you not) and tried a few on for size.

Here's my question. On all the bikes, except the V-Rod, the air filter box mashed or rubbed hard against my right knee or calf. Is this normal for the bike and if so, what can you do to change it?

[chornbe]

You must have some pretty long legs.

And yeah, a lot of models do that for certain people.  

And yeah, that salesman is an idiot.  

You can mitigate it with different foot peg or floorboard positions, as well as a different seat. Most of the stock setups are for a very average person. Some models have adjustments to a degree built right in. The touring frame models, for instance, you can raise and lower the floorboards up to a total range of (I think) 2 3/4 inches.

The "Reach" series of Harleys seats move the rider back into a bucketed seat by about 2" or so. Taller riders like this.

I despise legs out. The 90* seating on the Dynas and Sportsters (with mid controls) is the just-right ticket for me.  

[Uncle Leo]

Thanks for the reply. Of the bikes that interested me, the Sportsters seemed closest to what I'm Jonesing for, a relaxed ride on a smaller, lighter bike (not a cruiser guy) for easy day trips in the mountains, occasionally 2 up. It's the mountain thing that nixes cruisers, and I don't like the feet forward thing anyway. The seating position on most of the bikes I looked at today were cramped for me but I'm told the seat can be raised and the pegs dropped a bit for my kind of ergos. Floorboards are definately out. But the air filter box was really intrusive, and sometimes painful, and would be a deal killer for me, so I was wondering what the fix was, if any.

[scramblerracer123]

I am real short so instead of hitting my leg on the big twin air cleaners I burn my leg on the Vrod exhaust.

[stromgal]

Yeah, my right knee always has bumped into the air cleaner on Sportys, Dynas and Buells. I just move it a bit outside or slide back on the seat. I need to ride an HD with a ForceWinder intake, looks like there's more room with those.

[chornbe]

Thanks for the reply. Of the bikes that interested me, the Sportsters seemed closest to what I'm Jonesing for, a relaxed ride on a smaller, lighter bike (not a cruiser guy) for easy day trips in the mountains, occasionally 2 up. It's the mountain thing that nixes cruisers, and I don't like the feet forward thing anyway. The seating position on most of the bikes I looked at today were cramped for me but I'm told the seat can be raised and the pegs dropped a bit for my kind of ergos. Floorboards are definately out. But the air filter box was really intrusive, and sometimes painful, and would be a deal killer for me, so I was wondering what the fix was, if any.

Maybe this will help... this is me on my sportster. I'm 5'6", 30" inseam. Seat is a Mustang Wide Solo Tour - it pushes you forward a good inch AT LEAST over the stock seat. Plus I sit forward on this bike when I'm working the twisties.

Harley's Sundowner or Reach would be god for you, even on this small frame bike. But try a Dyna Superglide and get the dealer to fit a Reach or Sundowner on it for you ( the dealers I deal with usually keep Sundowners in stock ).




I've since replaced the Mustang with a Harley Sundowner 2-up seat.

This seat sits me back further than the stock or Mustang (obviously) did.

[scramblerracer123]

Sorry- off topic-
Luv my 883
what is the wire/ hose coming out the back of your helmet?  Did you drill a hole?  

[chornbe]

That's the mic/headset connection for the Autocomm system. Nope, no holes. The cable comes out between the shell and liner.

On the shell of the helmet, I have a self-adhesive wire tie-down point acting as a strain relief on the cable.

[kevin_stevens]

The XR1200 has the air cleaner moved somewhere else, so doesn't have the problem you mention, and it probably has the rearmost controls of any of their bikes.  Of course it's got a big fat rear MC sitting where your right foot is supposed to be, instead.  

KeS