Softail Models Standard, Custom, Night Train, Deuce, Springer, Heritage, Fatboy, Deluxe, Rocker and Cross Bones.
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

I have a question

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Apr 30, 2007 | 01:43 PM
  #1  
blazzinbird's Avatar
blazzinbird
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 210
Likes: 0
From: West Frankfort, Illinois
Default I have a question

Right now I have a 06 1200c. In the next few years I want To get a bigger bike. Thinking of a nightrain.

My question is how much more stable is the softail on the road than a sportster.
 
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2007 | 02:22 PM
  #2  
CNC WHEEL GUY's Avatar
CNC WHEEL GUY
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,797
Likes: 0
From: NH
Default RE: I have a question

ORIGINAL: blazzinbird

Right now I have a 06 1200c. In the next few years I want To get a bigger bike. Thinking of a nightrain.

My question is how much more stable is the softail on the road than a sportster.
I've riden both, and I can't say that one is more "stable" than the other. However, I feel that a softail is much easierto ride, it is less top heavy and you sit much lower.

Hope that helps.
 
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2007 | 02:28 PM
  #3  
DickGrayson's Avatar
DickGrayson
Road Captain
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 561
Likes: 0
From: Pennsylvania
Default RE: I have a question

My first bike was a Sporty. Then I got a Softail. Like above, I think it's the seating posture that makes it feel a little more stable - not that it actually is. I found that I was much more comfortable while cruising and cornering on the Softail. Maybe the weight of the bike also has something to do with it. Not sure.
 
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2007 | 02:50 PM
  #4  
blazzinbird's Avatar
blazzinbird
Thread Starter
|
Cruiser
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 210
Likes: 0
From: West Frankfort, Illinois
Default RE: I have a question

Im fine on straitaways on the sporty, but cornering sometimes seems less than appeling. Slow speeds are very difficult also, maybe its me
 
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2007 | 04:09 PM
  #5  
BoneCrusher's Avatar
BoneCrusher
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 1,102
Likes: 1
From: Pittsburgh, PA
Default RE: I have a question

I had a 1200C a while backand IMO softails are WAY easier to ride. Like it was already stated the Sporty was much too top heave for me. My Deuce feels a lot more "stable" than I ever felt on my sporty. I do miss the get up and go the 1200's have though.
 
Reply
Old Apr 30, 2007 | 11:06 PM
  #6  
purple haze's Avatar
purple haze
Road Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 760
Likes: 0
From:
Default RE: I have a question

Pretty soon dealer's should be letting you test ride all there HARLEY'S and you could ride all the new softail's and pick the one you like, me I love the FAT BOY but when I take corner to fast I can drag my floor board's it look's cool with the spark's but it is DANGEROUS if you have not ridden long but on the highway at 75 or 85 ride's like a CADILLAC that's why I'M on my fourth FAT BOY and if they make 08 C.V.O I will buy my fifth!! PURPLE HAZE.

[IMG]local://upfiles/24725/3F164BDFFD484D7F98483D03C58669C4.jpg[/IMG]
 
Reply
Old May 1, 2007 | 12:02 AM
  #7  
CNC WHEEL GUY's Avatar
CNC WHEEL GUY
Road Warrior
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,797
Likes: 0
From: NH
Default RE: I have a question

ORIGINAL: blazzinbird

Im fine on straitaways on the sporty, but cornering sometimes seems less than appeling. Slow speeds are very difficult also, maybe its me
This is why my wife ended up with a Deluxe. The cornering is SO much easier at speed!
 
Reply
Old May 1, 2007 | 01:38 AM
  #8  
JeffreyLebowski's Avatar
JeffreyLebowski
Road Captain
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 592
Likes: 1
From:
Default RE: I have a question


ORIGINAL: blazzinbird

Im fine on straitaways on the sporty, but cornering sometimes seems less than appeling. Slow speeds are very difficult also, maybe its me
That's seems sort of counter intuitive to me. I would have thought a sporty would corner better than a softail given the shorter wheel base and the increased ride height which allows the bike to lean more. My old ZRX 1200 was technically a standard style machine- cornered far better than the deuce.

I've never ridden a sporty though...just speculating. Why doesn't the sporty corner well? I don't get it.
 
Reply
HD Forum Stories

The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders

story-0

10 Most Awkward-Looking Motorcycles Ever Built

 Verdad Gallardo
story-1

Jason Momoa Is Turning Classic Harleys Into PHEVs

 Verdad Gallardo
story-2

Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom

 Verdad Gallardo
story-3

6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public

 Verdad Gallardo
story-4

7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

 Verdad Gallardo
story-5

7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

 Verdad Gallardo
story-6

8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-7

10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

 Pouria Savadkouei
story-8

Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

 Verdad Gallardo
story-9

Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

 Verdad Gallardo
Old May 1, 2007 | 01:44 AM
  #9  
vertigo14's Avatar
vertigo14
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 3,184
Likes: 5
From: Oregon
Default RE: I have a question

buy a springer.. next year they arnt makeing em.. softail (at least thats what everyone is saying)
 
Reply
Old May 1, 2007 | 02:52 AM
  #10  
nikonf8's Avatar
nikonf8
Supporter
15 Year Member
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 2,429
Likes: 26
Supporter
Default RE: I have a question

I had my first sporty at the age of seventeen and have had a few along the way including a 1200 custom. There is no comparison the softail which i have is a deluxe and the ride is so much better also your not always shifting like on a sporster i will never go back to the sporster
 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 09:02 PM.

story-0
10 Most Awkward-Looking Motorcycles Ever Built

Slideshow: Not every motorcycle can be a design icon, and these machines prove that bold styling doesn't always age gracefully.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-18 10:29:31


VIEW MORE
story-1
Jason Momoa Is Turning Classic Harleys Into PHEVs

Slideshow: Jason Momoa's latest restoration project blends 1920s Harley-Davidsons with modern electric technology, creating some of the most unusual hybrid motorcycles ever built.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-10 17:18:58


VIEW MORE
story-2
Harley-Davidson Fat Boy Becomes a Dark, Decepticon-Inspired Custom

Slideshow: Killer Custom's latest build relies on styling changes rather than performance upgrades, giving the cruiser an entirely different personality.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-03 18:28:05


VIEW MORE
story-3
6 Weirdest Harley-Davidsons Ever Sold to the Public

Slideshow: From military-inspired singles to scooters and three-wheel utility vehicles, these Harleys took the company far outside its comfort zone.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-06-02 18:34:10


VIEW MORE
story-4
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window

Slideshow: Harley-Davidson built its reputation on nostalgia, but every so often, the company took a hard left turn into the future.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-05-20 11:18:19


VIEW MORE
story-5
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles

Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-04-29 16:50:35


VIEW MORE
story-6
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: Not every Harley gets it right, but these are the ones that genuinely earned their reputation.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-15 14:23:21


VIEW MORE
story-7
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever

Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.

By Pouria Savadkouei | 2026-04-01 20:01:09


VIEW MORE
story-8
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In

Slideshow: Killer Custom's "Jail Breaker" build focuses more on stance and visual aggression than mechanical overhaul.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-18 19:20:32


VIEW MORE
story-9
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?

Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.

By Verdad Gallardo | 2026-03-07 16:15:30


VIEW MORE