After about a year and a half on the Sportster I finally upgraded to a Softail Slim last night! I got a hell of a deal on the trade in on my Sporty and the Slim was a demo bike and the 2015's are coming out soon, so I got a pretty good deal on it... I wouldn't say I stole it by any means, but I do think I got to a point where I can feel good about it.
I know all of you have seen a plain *** stock black Slim before, but I figured I had better post a picture or two :
I also opted to have them install some bags and a windshield that I'll be going back to have put on in like a week or week and a half or so.
I do have to say that for a big guy, this bike fits pretty well. I think the seat is pretty decent for short trips but I think I'm going to pick up a Mustang Wide Tripper for the >1 hr rides. I'm still not sure about the bars, they feel a little wide and low for my liking. I'm thinking about a Street Slammer from HD or another similar pull back drag bar... not much of a fan of apes. I figure I'll give the bars time to grow on me, I think I'm just still used to my Sportster. I'm still tossing around ideas about forward controls and/or control extensions. The rental bike had highway bars and as I remember they came right up to the front side of the floorboard... without that on my bike I can put my feet out there on the end and it feels like I'm kicked back in an easy chair. I also didn't want to do pipes right away, but I can't even hear the bike when I'm over like 20 mph. I was looking at some Rush slip ons to give it a little extra throat but I'd like to hear some V&H Bigshots and maybe some 2 into 1 pipes before I make any decisions.
All in all though, ****ing kicking bike. I never realized what a prostate rattler that Sporty was, and how much worse the ride quality was. I'll be sure to post up in the Slim thread as I get some toys put on it!
After about a year and a half on the Sportster I finally upgraded to a Softail Slim last night! I got a hell of a deal on the trade in on my Sporty and the Slim was a demo bike and the 2015's are coming out soon, so I got a pretty good deal on it... I wouldn't say I stole it by any means, but I do think I got to a point where I can feel good about it.
I know all of you have seen a plain *** stock black Slim before, but I figured I had better post a picture or two :
I also opted to have them install some bags and a windshield that I'll be going back to have put on in like a week or week and a half or so.
I do have to say that for a big guy, this bike fits pretty well. I think the seat is pretty decent for short trips but I think I'm going to pick up a Mustang Wide Tripper for the >1 hr rides. I'm still not sure about the bars, they feel a little wide and low for my liking. I'm thinking about a Street Slammer from HD or another similar pull back drag bar... not much of a fan of apes. I figure I'll give the bars time to grow on me, I think I'm just still used to my Sportster. I'm still tossing around ideas about forward controls and/or control extensions. The rental bike had highway bars and as I remember they came right up to the front side of the floorboard... without that on my bike I can put my feet out there on the end and it feels like I'm kicked back in an easy chair. I also didn't want to do pipes right away, but I can't even hear the bike when I'm over like 20 mph. I was looking at some Rush slip ons to give it a little extra throat but I'd like to hear some V&H Bigshots and maybe some 2 into 1 pipes before I make any decisions.
All in all though, ****ing kicking bike. I never realized what a prostate rattler that Sporty was, and how much worse the ride quality was. I'll be sure to post up in the Slim thread as I get some toys put on it!
Congrats on the new Slim and welcome to the Softail family!
I switched to the Slim last year after riding a Sporty for 5 years. The Slim has many improvements over the Sporty. The first time you drag the floorboards, you'll be missing the Sportster.
You can't go wrong with Rush mufflers. After 25,000 miles on my Sporty, they looked new and sounded even better. Khrome Werks makes some good quality exhaust that won't break the bank.
After about a year and a half on the Sportster I finally upgraded to a Softail Slim last night! I got a hell of a deal on the trade in on my Sporty and the Slim was a demo bike and the 2015's are coming out soon, so I got a pretty good deal on it... I wouldn't say I stole it by any means, but I do think I got to a point where I can feel good about it.
Sweet. Glad it worked out for you, man!
I know all of you have seen a plain *** stock black Slim before, but I figured I had better post a picture or two :
We call them "Before" photos. It won't stay that way long.
I also opted to have them install some bags and a windshield that I'll be going back to have put on in like a week or week and a half or so.
Dude... these are pretty simple bolt-on mods. Save some of your cash and do this stuff yourself. Seriously, if you know a screwdriver from a box end wrench, you'll be fine. For that matter, exhaust, air cleaner, and other such stuff is really easy (though full exhaust is easier with a buddy to help).
I do have to say that for a big guy, this bike fits pretty well. I think the seat is pretty decent for short trips but I think I'm going to pick up a Mustang Wide Tripper for the >1 hr rides.
Yeah, I tried one of those, since it looked similar to the seat on the Fat Boy/Lo, which I really do like. Completely f'd up on the Slim. Seat angle is wrong, and it looks like hell. It was gonged off the show in about 2 seconds. Do what you want/need to do, but...
I'm still not sure about the bars, they feel a little wide and low for my liking. I'm thinking about a Street Slammer from HD or another similar pull back drag bar... not much of a fan of apes. I figure I'll give the bars time to grow on me, I think I'm just still used to my Sportster. I'm still tossing around ideas about forward controls and/or control extensions. The rental bike had highway bars and as I remember they came right up to the front side of the floorboard... without that on my bike I can put my feet out there on the end and it feels like I'm kicked back in an easy chair. I also didn't want to do pipes right away, but I can't even hear the bike when I'm over like 20 mph. I was looking at some Rush slip ons to give it a little extra throat but I'd like to hear some V&H Bigshots and maybe some 2 into 1 pipes before I make any decisions.
See what works best for you. Some folks like the stock bars as they are. Some like 'em with pullback risers. Some have raised them up a touch. Some have ditched them for another option, from mild to wild. I opted for 16" apes, myself... wanted to be in a more upright position. Different strokes and all that... why we all customize 'em our own way. As for the rest of it all, school on it for a little bit. The stuff's too expensive to do over and over again. Put together a "big picture" for what you want out of your ride, and work every step towards that.
Looking forward to seeing some of those "After" photos, and hearing more about your experience with your new money pit - uh, I mean - scoot.
Sweet. Glad it worked out for you, man! We call them "Before" photos. It won't stay that way long.
Ha ha, thanks man! And yeah, it'll take me a while to get there, but someday I'll have this thing a little more "me-ified."
Dude... these are pretty simple bolt-on mods. Save some of your cash and do this stuff yourself. Seriously, if you know a screwdriver from a box end wrench, you'll be fine. For that matter, exhaust, air cleaner, and other such stuff is really easy (though full exhaust is easier with a buddy to help).
I'm already kicking myself for doing it that way, but I guess there was two reasons: 1) the turn signal relocation instructions freaked me out, not in difficulty but in pulling fenders and **** off of a new bike, and 2) I was able to finance that stuff through the dealer... I know it doesn't make a lot of monetary sense to do it that way, but that way I kept my payment where I wanted it while still having cash to do other mods myself right off the bat. The kicker was I'm getting enough back in dealer credit for doing it that the labor is basically paid for, so other than the financing additional cost its not costing me much of anything. I'm a hands-on type of guy, and I haven't hesitated to do the head gaskets in my car or do the tranny swap in my old beater truck, but I have a lot more respect for this bike than any of those, you know? This is the first really nice vehicle I've ever really had and more expensive than all the cars I've had in life combined, and I'm nervous to even change my own oil. Mods going forward will be done by me, after I've gotten used to the fact that I own something new for the first time in life.
Yeah, I tried one of those, since it looked similar to the seat on the Fat Boy/Lo, which I really do like. Completely f'd up on the Slim. Seat angle is wrong, and it looks like hell. It was gonged off the show in about 2 seconds. Do what you want/need to do, but...
Boy am I glad I read that, I was literally 5 minutes from buying one. Did you wind up reverting back to the stocker or did you find something else? I was liking the few inches of top of ***/lower back support but if the angle is messed up then that's not good either.
See what works best for you. Some folks like the stock bars as they are. Some like 'em with pullback risers. Some have raised them up a touch. Some have ditched them for another option, from mild to wild. I opted for 16" apes, myself... wanted to be in a more upright position. Different strokes and all that... why we all customize 'em our own way. As for the rest of it all, school on it for a little bit. The stuff's too expensive to do over and over again. Put together a "big picture" for what you want out of your ride, and work every step towards that.
This is all going to be one of the fun parts for me... over analyzing . I've got an idea of where I want the bike to be, but most of it I want to wait on til the winter when I have more seat time and can see some mods in person.
Looking forward to seeing some of those "After" photos, and hearing more about your experience with your new money pit - uh, I mean - scoot.
Ha ha ha ha, thanks man! I'll be the first to admit my plans are less than original, but it'll be "me" and that's all I really care about.
07-30-2014, 03:22 PM
Joined the legions of Slim owners!
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. I've got an idea of where I want the bike to be, but most of it I want to wait on til the winter when I have more seat time and can see some mods in person.
