Hey all, I haven't posted here since 07 when I thought I would be getting my first HD after getting my house. That didn't happen, so here I am 4 years later selling my new dirtbikes to get a slightly used Nightster / Forty-Eight. It will either have flat, primer, Line-X, or power all over. No chrome, probably little to no stainless. I of course would want forward controls, drag bars, and short, angled black or wrapped pipes. I'm not sure if I want the bars to sit on top of the gas tank or if I want to tank to sit proud of the bars. I also want a fat rear tire, but not sure what's involved yet. I would do all my own wrenching and tuning unless EFI. Are there hand-helds for this yet? The problem is, I am 6'2" 210 lb. and she is 5'3" 150 lb. I want both a minimal single seat with very little rear fender, and the option of a fairly quick install low-pro two up seat or pee pad add-on. My riding will be about half and half. I would LOVE to hear / see ideas of how to do this. My wife and I fear that I alone am too tall for the smallish Nightster, let alone both of us on there. Most riding would be an hour or less each way, but sometimes we'd want to stretch that out to 4 hours. Am I ignorant to think the Nighster is a large enough ride for the two of us? Any pics appreciated.

 

All Nightsters and 48's are EFI....as far as the other stuff goes you are going to need to upgrade the suspension for sure for riding 2 up. Some air shocks off a Road King will do. Other than that it shouldn't be a problem. Definitly ride one first though, because some guys your size will think the bike is way too small while others think its fine.

Personally, I'm not doing any 2 up riding on a sporty, but that's just me. Many people will say otherwise.

I have a 1200C that came with stock forward controls, and I wasn't comfortable until I put on 2" forward control extensions. I am 5'10".

Good Luck

 

Thanks man! I DEFINITELY would want something more out there than the standard forward controls, just didn't know extensions were an option. HD brand? Do they get "hairy" at all doing that? Anything more radical than 2" that doesn't start to look retarded or get in the way? Looks like the badlander seats would be pretty sweet. I wouldn't have to have one of the *** pans with monoshock on it, but they do look sweet. If I was riding dedicated 1-up, I would replace the shocks with bar stock.

 

Never heard of a 2-up bobber before.

 

I got my extensions from a forum member named TxBandit. He can make them in any size you want. They seem really well made and everything is powder coated black. They were really easy to install.

See this for more info:

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/sport...xtensions.html



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Wrong bike or (set up) for 2 -up.

A pillion pad on a Nightster stock rear suspension equate to 5 minutes of comfort for your wife.

Yet some have placed pillions on rigid frames and the passenger survived.

IMHO Look to a Sportster Custom as a better starting point. Or if you are going to ride 2 up, look to big twins over XLs.

 

I have seen lots of two up Nightsters. I have never ridden one, but I do like the look.

 

My wife and I ride 2-up on the Nightster, as much as a couple of hours at a time, and she's fine with it. I've got a HD pillion and quick detachable sissy bar. The Nightster handles it just fine.

 

The Nightster will be fine for the rides you're describing and going two-up. I've thrown my girl on the back and have gone on multiple 3-4 hour trips. Increase the spring load and go. Don't become jaded and think you need a Big Twin or a $20k bike to be comfortable. And def get a real two up seat or pile on, not the pee pad...

 

The wife and I ride 2-up on the 48. I adjust the stock shocks to the highest setting and it seems fine. I'm 6', 190, she's 5'2" about 130. I can install the pillion, backrest and footpegs in about 10 minutes. Wifey says she's fine comfort wise but we've never been on a long trip. Usually short runs 30 miles or less. Set-up seems to work fine for us. Here's a pic of my 2-up version.