WOW... I have 14" outlaw bars with 3" risers and forward controls. A 27" chrome sissy bar from 1971, wrapped pipes with 3" drop in the rear. 2 1/2" tank lift and I have relocated and removed as much stock garbage as possible. No SOA shirt flapping in the breeze or novelty helmet. I don't ride in the Isle of Man TT, I ride a Harley and I make it look and sound just the way I like it. It is comfortable and I am in control just as much as a stock set up and I can say that because my bike was stock once too.
lolli-gaggin'-straightlinin' it down the road I don,t think so you just may be surprised how some of us SOA pretenders ride.

 

Well Bill, I just wouldn't be myself if nobody got offended by what I write. I could fill a 30 yard roll-off container with all the bunched up and knotted panties I've generated here! Anyway, your quote was typical of my "occassional" toungue-in-cheek response, and froth with my usual sarcasm, hence the at the very end, LOL.

Be that as it may, I have no doubts in my mind that there are "spirited" riders like yourself with whatever bars, wrapped do-hickies, sissy bars, stripped down to whatever else bikes to make it theirs, who feel as if they can do whatever they want do to their bike and it makes it handle just as good as stock. But whenever you make changes, i.e., your "...3" drop in the rear" - unless you did the same in the front, you've just whacked out your bikes geometry, and that was something a group of mechanical engineers with college degrees and expensive computers used to design your stock "Harley" specifically with good handling characteristics in mind. Sure, the '72 comes with tall bars, but I have to admit, I've never seen a sparkly painted chromed out '72 pushing me out of the curves. And to me (as in my opinion), the Sportster was designed for aggressive behaviour, not just for looking all sparkly and lolli-gaggin' around, as that is exactly what I've seen from my many years observance of riders with these types of bikes, even moreso exemplified outside of the Harley line, by the RUB's as they pilot their big $ dollar fancy shmancy nancy raked out, 300 series rear tire, BIG engine loud as $hit pricey Bourget's, which ride and handle like absolute crap, but man, what's that matter, because they sure do look impressive parked outside the bar...

With your mods, you may think you're in as good a control as the stock setup affords you, but that's plain wishful thinking on your part, and any mechanical engineer worth their weight in salt would agree.

=8^)

 

When I built the DK Sporty (see build thread HERE) it was not with any style in mind. I built with my comfort in mind, and with how I like to ride...which is cruising on the interstate and other straight line roads at 75-85 mph, and then hard and fast in the curves and twistys.

The pegs and heel rests are for multiple foot positions on the long rides, the sprung solo seat is for additional comfort, the Mini-Ape handlebars with riser extensions are because they put my hands right where they are the most comfortable.

LED Drop-in headlight bulb is so I can see better at night.

Sissy bar is to give me somewhere to strap stuff to on trips.

Exhaust is for power, but also executed in a look I like.

Everything else is just for the look that I like.


Here's are a couple of pics of it when it won 2nd Place at Little Sturgis this year.












Here's a pic of it loaded up for a 10 day, back roads trip.








On the Project 48 Devin and I had one theme in mind when we set about working on it. Low & Mean. Don't know if that is a "style". It is just what we wanted to build.

I'm 57 and Devin is 29.

I enjoy riding it 50 or 100 miles in a day. I would not ride it 300 or 400 miles a day, day after day, like I have with the DK Sporty. It is fun, and it is fast, but it is not long distance comfortable for me.

Devin, on the other hand, can ride it all day long and not bother him one bit. The benefit of youth!

I do very much like how it looks, I think we hit the low and mean look pretty well. We did do a few things for comfort, but I don't think they detract from the low and mean theme. ISO grips, Trap Moto Pegs, Rock-It Shift, super comfortable Sprung Solo Seat.










I don't think you were asking about performance much when asking about style, but they both have performance mods that make em go pretty good.

Possibly exhaust sound is in your 'style" question, if so, they're both pretty loud.


Power on tap-

 

Yeah no idea what my bike is. Raised ground clearance, 5.5" risers with narrow zombie performance terminator bars, mid controls. Feels comfy to me. I have forward pegs for when I want to stretch out.

I lane split a lot.

A lot.

Love them twisties. I live on a mountain so I get a lot of practice in.

 

Drewbone
That rebuttal was ****ing awesome!!!
Can I use this line in my sig line?
I wonder if I can fit that on a T-shirt
Quote:
And that was something a group of mechanical engineers with college degrees and expensive computers used to design your stock "Harley"

 

So I’m five foot flat and weigh about 118 lbs . So I’m small lol but for whatever reason the low aggressive stance feels comfortable . Right now I have forward controls and it’s not that big of a deal but it does have its obstacles for me . I’ve had forward controls before on a 79cx 500 . I like both .

In the infancy of transformation

 

I knew that I'd end up riding a Harley someday and although I admire a well constructed chopper l find myself dismayed and sometimes horrified at some of the half assed modifying that folks are doing to Harleys , and especially Sportsters these days . For that reason I spent a lot of time weighing up exactly what standard model would be most suitable for me and it didn't take me long to settle upon the 04 - 06 XL 1200 Roadster . So I got one and I am happy and proud to ride exactly what Harley Davidson has given me .

 

I find it interesting when others on the forum crack on those who enjoy something different than their bike style.

I have a Street Glide with apes and a Sportster with drags. Both of my bikes are black and that seems to be a point of contention with some folks.

There are quite a few pictures of bikes here that I don't care for but that does not mean that I have any right to come on here and make any negative comments about them!

I ride the way I want to and have for over sixty two years.

 

for me it depends on the bike my warrior had drag bars and forward controls ,the silverado beach bars mid controls, the v rod forward controls, and the sporty stock bars forward controls

 

I don't knock anyone for their personal preferences, and I find many bikes that have been customized beautiful rolling pieces of art. But I don't want mud or debris coming from not having any fenders while I'm riding, I like the look and performance of a 2 into 1 exhaust, and I like to be comfortable and safe with mid controls and my hands positioned below my eyes. Also, I can't understand why someone would want the biggest rear tire they could fit under their bike. But, we're all adults, and most of us have been around the block a few times, so, to each his own.