Hello Board, I have a question (or ten) about a Low Rider. I haven't had a HD for over 35 years. Last one was a 63 pan head. I wrecked my Honda VTX1300 last weekend and was offered a chance to buy a 1998 Low Rider from one of my fellow club members for $5000.. It is mint with after market exhaust and only 700 miles since new Screamin' Eagle heads and other motor work.

What I'm asking up front is this, is it worth it? And most important, is it any good for long rides? I put an Ultimate seat on my Honda because it looked better than my Air-Hawk cushion (which worked well) and made my back feel much better than the stock seat.

I tend to ride all day when we go out and sometimes several days. I've heard that the Low Riders are "light" and not so good for long cruising.

What say you ?

Thanks,

Danno

 

Propably a good deal for a cool old bike.
As long as you approach it as it is a cool old bike should be good.

 

Ride it first. It's no honda make sure you know it's what you want. I bought a 98 low rider and have been through 4 sets of bars 4 sets of risers and two tbars trying to get it just right.

 

I can sure relate to the try this, try that method of customizing. What other way is there? It's like Pelosi said, "you have to buy it before you try it", lol.

What I'm wondering about is really how are these for long rides. Nay sayers have told me they aren't for long cruises but better as half-day rides.

My back couldn't take a ridged frame anymore (I'm old) but it is, after all a soft tail. Do they have any redeeming properties ??

What are the pros and cons ....


THank You,

Dan

 

Sometimes motor work and after market exhaust go hand in hand of the harder I twist the throttle the more noise I'm making and possibly working over the engine. I rode my 05' low to NY state and back and didn't seem bad at all, and did all day cruises on it. Don't know about the 98's but my 02 FXD and 05 FXDLI are not softails.

 

A Low Rider isn't a Softail, unless you mean it has shocks and not a rigid frame. Softails are a whole different line of Harleys.

 

I'm 74 years old and ride a 2009 Low Rider. A couple of years ago riding to Sturgis I rode from So. Cal to Salt Lake City non stop, about 640 miles and felt great when I got there. It has a stock seat.

'09 Low Rider, Andrews 37 cams, K&N RK-3932 intake kit, Power Commander V with auto tune, BUB dual exhaust, Screamin Eagle manual primary chain adjuster, small windshield and Harley removable bags.

 

That's what I was looking to hear about. I'm 66 and to me anything with shocks is a "soft tail" bike. As I said, the last HD I owned was a '63 pan head, and that was in 67-68. Ah, I was wrong, the last HD I owned was my new 1969 Sporty, no electric start and a magneto ignition. What a PIA to start.

What I was looking for was a clue as to how beat-up my back will be after a 300-500 mile day. We don't do them often but a normal good day riding is at least 200.

Thanks to all the guys who replied. You shed some sunshine on my view of the Dynas in whatever form they might be.

 

Old???

 

That's what I thought, too. That's hardly an old bike.