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[Garznhogs]

A lady friend of ours loves riding, loves Harleys, has 883 Sporty that is not comfortable, wants a new bike.
She is very short, like 28 inseam, with, as she put it, "big" legs. So she needs a low seat, and narrow, but also is concerned about things like the battery box rubbing her inseam.

Does anyone know of someone with these dimensions who has beaten this problem?  She thinks she'd like a Dyna Low Rider if it was lowered! Her husband has a Heritage Classic that she says is "too thick in the middle." (Bike, not husband.)

Any and all suggestions are welcome!

Thank you kindly,
:-Jerry

[SPIDERMAN]

The V-Rod is the perfect model H-D for her. They are really only comfortable for shorter folks. They sit way lower to the ground than a Sportster and handle extremely well. They're fun to ride and the best part is she will not outgrow the bike. The V-Rods are hands down the fastest H-D's on the market.
    They can be found used for very reasonable prices and with a water cooled engine, mileage on the odometer is not the factor it is with an air cooled H-D.

B B

[Garznhogs]

Well now, I wonder if she's looked at the V-Rods?  Thanks for the tip, Brian, I'll surely pass that along.
Jerry

[WaSEEG]

My wife has a 26" inseam and rides a Street Glide.  She started on a lowered Heritage, went to my Road King Classic and now the Street Glide.  It's had the front lowered and she's running 11.5" Progressive 412's on the rear.  She also has a Corbin Close solo with the tongue narrowed to get those stubby legs closer together.  I just ordered Chubby 575's from Jim to get some bend in her elbows.

As for the Heritage, Mustang makes a seat that's a lot narrower in front and gets rid of that "thickness".

Dan

[ggraves427]

My wife, 5 feet 4 inches, rides a 02 Fatboy, lowered front and back with a Badlander seat, works for her.  I bet your wife could sit on it with both feet flatfooted on the ground.

[Midnight Rider]

Like B said....Vrod!!  The new Nightrod is wicked looking.  Some of the C models I've seen with the custom paint are awesome looking bikes, or find her an 06 SE V, but the new Vance and Hines 2 into 1 pipe on it so the exhaust is tighter to the frame on the right side.  If you get an 07, they have 5 gallon tanks!!  I'm 5'8", with a 29" inseam....I wouldn't say my legs are "thick", but I can sit flat footed on the Vrod without a problem.

The good thing on a V for a woman is that all the weight is low, so upper body strength is not a factor...the "tank" is just an air box as all the fuel is under the seat and behind.  The bike only weighs 600 lbs, give or take, and is not top heavy at all...handles well, and has all the power a person could ever need.  They have also come out with some nice saddlebags, etc for the bike.  Windvest windshield...she'd be good to go!!

[miker]

My better half is 5 foot nuthin and rides a FXDLi with a close reach seat.  I switch the  seat when I want to ride because it is a fun bike.

Miker

[PHAZE]

My wife is 5'-2" and when she was riding, we had an '03 Deuce with the rear end lowered, a seat for reduced reach, and we pulled the handle bars back a little.  She only goes about 120 pounds and I think the weight of the bike always intimidated her a little.  She's not riding now as she decided that she's just a lot more comfortable behind me.

I've tried to get my wife interested in the Sportster Nightster model.  I think that it would fit a vertically challenged person really well and it looks cool too.  Have you checked it out?

[harleyteam]

I know a few short and stocky women (don't want to mention my wife, she'd kill me) and they all ride fatboys with no lowering at all.

[Fired00d]

I know a few short and stocky women (don't want to mention my wife, she'd kill me) and they all ride fatboys with no lowering at all.

But what kind of bikes do they ride??? You should have known that was coming.

 
Ride Safe,
Fired00d
 

[harleyteam]

yeah,,,,,,, my wife is always tellin people she has 3 fatboys.   2 of them are Harleys

[johnnymap]

We have a lady friend that was riding a Wide Glide.  She sold it and bought an 05 Red SEEG.  She is the body type that you are describing.  She has had it about a  year and has had no problems handling it at all.

She does have considerable riding experience.

john

[SPIDERMAN]

This thread is killing me. Is there any model that someone hasn't sworn is the best for their short stocky friend ?  Oh yeah, I don't see anyone talking up Sportsters.

Bottom line, take the lady to an H-D dealership and let her sit on every model till she finds one that feels right.

B B

[PHAZE]

Spiderman,

I think you hit the nail on the head.  It can't really be what anyone else suggests.  It's got to be a bike that the rider feels comfortable with.  My wife rode a little Suzuki GZ-250 all the time and really enjoyed it.  I moved her up (notice I said "I") onto a Honda 750 and she rode it much less than the little 250.  Then I (there it is again) set the Deuce up for her to ride and she rode it less than the Honda.  I sold the Deuce and now she just rides behind me.  I've threatened to go find another little Suzuki or Honda Rebel for her, but she just doesn't want it.  I'm actually much more comfortable with her on the bike with me than I am worrying about her riding along on her own bike.

PHAZE

[greglyon]

Check the seat height of the following:
Softail Deluxe
Heritage
Fatboy

I believe the Deluxe is the lowest offered by HD.  The ladies I ride with favor one of the above.
 

[Talon]

Probably the best way is to go in a sit on different models of bikes, the seat hight is one thing, but the width of the seat will affect your leg reach to the ground also. Also should make sure she's confortable with the controls too.
Below are some seat heights from HD unladen.


883 Low            26.3
Dyna Lowrider    26.8
V Rod               27.1 - 31 
  Nightrod Spec  26.3
Softail Deluxe      25.9
Softail Std         26.1
   

[Gettinold]

A lady friend of ours loves riding, loves Harleys, has 883 Sporty that is not comfortable, wants a new bike.
She is very short, like 28 inseam, with, as she put it, "big" legs. So she needs a low seat, and narrow, but also is concerned about things like the battery box rubbing her inseam.

Does anyone know of someone with these dimensions who has beaten this problem?  She thinks she'd like a Dyna Low Rider if it was lowered! Her husband has a Heritage Classic that she says is "too thick in the middle." (Bike, not husband.)

Any and all suggestions are welcome!

Thank you kindly,
:-Jerry

JERRY
IF ANYONE HAD THE CORRECT ANSWER, IT WOULD COME FROM THE ONE AND ONLY "MRS WECVO"

[Garznhogs]

Well, despite it sounding like every bike has been mentioned (I think they have), there's all good info here, and I thank each and every one of youse.

(Gettinold knows it isn't my wife I'm talking about... she's happy on her 04 RK.    )

And I DID tell the lady to get her butt to the dealership and sit on 'em.  But, I promised I would ask the most knowledgeable group I've ever known, and I done fulfilled that promise!  Wife and I both ride Mustang seats, and, yep, the horn is narrower and I think they sit lower. And, yeah, a LOT of ladies ride the Deluxe. And, and,
Thanks, all!

:-Jerry

[ccr]

If I was reccomending a bike for the shorty stockier folks, I'd be saying start out with a Deluxe.  It is low to the ground, the handle bars let you sit in an upright position, the bike comes with floor boards and heel toe shifter, easy to add windshield and bags and it is still very narrow.  The fat boy and the heritage are much wider.  Now that I am riding the SEEG however, and I definately fit into that shorter stockier category, I can't imagine riding anything else.  I have two pics that tell the story.  First one, taken of me holding my bike up in a stopped position, talking to Barry. 

[ccr]

Second one shows there is not much bend to the knee, but I can still ride this bike with the greatest of ease, just hate parking lots and backing up.

[ccr]

I've never had the privilege of riding a V-Rod, it would have to be one of those without the forward controls.  But whenever I have sat on them it still seems to me that the rider has quite a forward sitting position, and without having tried it, it puts me off a bit as I like the sitting in the lounge chair position better.  Just me, of course. 

[Garznhogs]

Thanks for the input Mrs We!   I will pass it along. The difference, tho, is that you are much more experienced than my friend. She just doesn't seem to be coming along as everyone expected. She's been riding over a year, but still seems afraid.  We all hope that getting on an easier-to-ride bike will make a difference. 

:-Jerry

[Gettinold]

Thanks for the input Mrs We!   I will pass it along. The difference, tho, is that you are much more experienced than my friend. She just doesn't seem to be coming along as everyone expected. She's been riding over a year, but still seems afraid.  We all hope that getting on an easier-to-ride bike will make a difference. 

:-Jerry

JERRY IM CONSIDERING ON SELLING OUR FATBOY SOON. ALREADY BITCH READY, LOWERED, BAGS, WINDSHEILD AND MAKES ALOT OF NOISE. ITS A 2003 FATBOY INJECTED, ALL BLACK AND ONLY 3K MILES. IF SHES INTERESTED I CAN BRING IT DOWN OR BRING HER UP. LETS MAKE A DEAL.

                                           DAVE 

[SPIDERMAN]

If I was reccomending a bike for the shorty stockier folks, I'd be saying start out with a Deluxe.  It is low to the ground, the handle bars let you sit in an upright position, the bike comes with floor boards and heel toe shifter, easy to add windshield and bags and it is still very narrow.  The fat boy and the heritage are much wider.  Now that I am riding the SEEG however, and I definately fit into that shorter stockier category, I can't imagine riding anything else.  I have two pics that tell the story.  First one, taken of me holding my bike up in a stopped position, talking to Barry. 

Candy
          You may tippy-toe in the parkin lot, but you sure do hot foot out on the road 

B B

[Smiler]

Low Rider with Low profile suspension, V-Rod and what about the Nightster?

[Garznhogs]

JERRY IM CONSIDERING ON SELLING OUR FATBOY SOON. ALREADY BITCH READY, LOWERED, BAGS, WINDSHEILD AND MAKES ALOT OF NOISE. ITS A 2003 FATBOY INJECTED, ALL BLACK AND ONLY 3K MILES. IF SHES INTERESTED I CAN BRING IT DOWN OR BRING HER UP. LETS MAKE A DEAL.

                                           DAVE 

Uh oh... Politically-Incorrect-Dave.    
  She wants red. But, it's got bags and windshield... Hmmm, Paint it, and let's talk.

[Ironhorse]

During one of the Ride Like a Pro classes I taught this weekend, one of the students was a lady about 5'5".
She was riding a yellow RoadGlide, and was doing fine.

Here is a picture of her on her bike. The bike was stripped down and padded up for the class.



Anyway she said her bike was lowered, and she had lifts in her boots too.

Mark

[nidan]

My wife is "inseam challenged"  and has a slammed 883 but was never happy with it , she got a 1200 Custom and loves it. The other one she really liked was the Deluxe , which is just a dropped Heritage.

[ccr]

My wife is "inseam challenged"  and has a slammed 883 but was never happy with it , she got a 1200 Custom and loves it. The other one she really liked was the Deluxe , which is just a dropped Heritage.

It is similar to a dropped heritage.  True.  But not the same. 

Besides the different look in the front and in the rear, no bags or windshield or sissy bar (at quick comparison) the seat height is lower, the seat position is further forward and the width of the entire bike is narrower.  My leg cannot get around the aircleaner on a heritage or a fat boy, but it can the Deluxe.  Must be more than just a dropped heritage.  And I had a dropped Road King and it had all kinds of clearance problems, but I have the right out of the box SEEG and have none of the same clearance problems, like left corners etc. I rub the aircleaner with my right leg, but don't have a problem with wrapping around it like I do the softails. Don't know much, but I do like the Deluxe. 

[Garznhogs]

Thank you all for great input. I copied and gave the info to the young lady. She promptly ignored everything and fell in love with a '06 Dyna Low Rider. Because it was red.  Aw, well, it did have lots of extras on it and 8k miles.  As she got it she touches the ground with just tippy-toes. She's ordered the lower shock set, and thinks that'll be fine.

Again, thanks for great input (as usual)

:-Jerry

[SPIDERMAN]

Thank you all for great input. I copied and gave the info to the young lady. She promptly ignored everything and fell in love with a '06 Dyna Low Rider. Because it was red.  Aw, well, it did have lots of extras on it and 8k miles.  As she got it she touches the ground with just tippy-toes. She's ordered the lower shock set, and thinks that'll be fine.

Again, thanks for great input (as usual)

:-Jerry

Jerry,
         Any bike can be lowered and the Dyna's no exception. Like most problems, this one goes away by throwing money at it

B B

[ccr]

I've discovered that the need to be solid on both feet at a stop is reduced as you get experience with the bike.  One solid leg down is enough -  most of the time.  Your friend loves her new bike, and that is the motivation she needs to figure it all out.  I love it when a good plan comes together.  She is right - red is the right color, all other ills can be fixed.   

[Talon]

Unless you step down in gravel , sand, or the road leans to one side. This could cause a problem if you can't put your foot down flat, but for most occasions that's true.

[Garznhogs]

Well, Candy is right: she loves that bike (it is sharp!), and that'll be the key.

Thanks again!

:-Jerry

[bpalmersheim]

I bought an FXDB Street Bob and put lower rear shocks on and the Brawler seat... Was a great fit.  I am 5'5" and baout 140....  I like the big beefy SERK better