I bought a Nightster this spring knowing it would only be for this season. We rode to bike week in Ocean City, Md. this past weekend. After hauling my wife around all weekend, there is no doubt about needing a bigger bike. I'm leaning to the Nightrain because of the flat finishes, but also like the Fatboys. Can anyone who has ridden both give me some information on the two. I know the Fatboy will haul my wife better, but I am just looking for some perspective between the two.

 

i have my std and have ridden my stepdads fat boy pleny of times, they almost seem the same besides for the floor boards on the fatty vs my foward pegs, ive had passangers on the back of both and they both do great(i have a 98" on my bike) it really depends how you set up the bike, i like the sleek look w/o big fenders so i have drag bars and a lower profile seat, while the fat boy had 18" apes a windshield and a nice soft seat. I can lean mine further on turns w/o scraping it too. Eather way you cant go wrong the fat boy does fantastic on the high way and the standard does good as well. It will be way better than the sporty (had passangers on them too) and a big twin is 100 times better for 2 up

 

Hmm well thats a tough one. If your main purpose for buying the bike is for looks then the NT wins hands down.If your buying it strictly for 2 up riding you may want to consider the Heritage. Windshield - bags the whole nine yards and it can be removed for local runs etc. Ive never ridden a fat Boy but I cant see it ridding any different than any Softail as far as smoothness/ride goes. I LOVE the Deluxe too , that Retro looks is a knock out! Sooo many choices I think i did more to confuse you than help ...sorry.

 

Helix,
What are you doing? Look at your own Custom, if that nice soft seat wan't made fortwo up riding I don't know what is.
J/K, I think a Custom, Fatboy, Heritage, or Deluxe will do a far better job on the road two up than the Nightster can. The Nightrain can also, but it would need more pats, seat handlebars etc. for it to bewhat the others already are.
Too bad to, the Nightrain is a really nice bike, but two up probably wasn'treal high on the list of priority listwhen they designed it.
At least the other Softails had two up riding that in mind right from the start. Softails in general may not be the end all be all when the road gets bent out of shape. But they will get two peopledown the road in relative comfort without being overloaded, or overworked.
Look them all over and see which one strikes your fancy, then get it. If you really like the Nightrain, get it. Just be prepaired to part with some money for a new seat. I don't think the Mrs. is going to like it fortoo long, unless she's a bit of a masocist or real hard a$$.

Ride Safe. [sm=biker2.gif]

 

Yeah, I love the dark look of the Nightrain, which is why I bought the Nightster. Anymore comparisons between the Train and Fatboy would be appreciated.

 

Get the train, it is obvious that is what you want. All you have to do is get a another seat for when you want to ride the little lady and throw the badlander or a solo on whenyou are by yourself.

 

I agree with the suggestion to get the Train and spend a few hundred more on bars and a seat that you and your wife can live with.

No disrespect, but its hard to imagine buying a bike "knowing it would only be for this season". You would probably be better off just renting on the weekends. Anyway, I'm sure you will want to keep your Softail longer than one summer.

 

No disrespect to you, but I do way to much riding to "rent it on the weekends." I bought the bike this March, have it paid off, and knew I would trade up this coming spring. Remember, the Nightsters and Sportsters are not much money.

 

Understood. Also, sounds like you are keeping it for a year which is probably the average amount of time people keep sportsters before trading up--for the reasons you stated in your original post.

 

As stated above, one of the differences between the Nightrain and the Fatboy are the forward controls. Some people dont like the look of floorboards, but they are mighty comforable. They do decrease your lean angle though so you cant be as aggressive in turns as you could on a Train. Another differance no one has mentioned yet is the difference in the front end. The Fatboy has FL forks, meaning they are bigger, heavier, and more stable for crusing. The Fatboy also has a bigger front tire which will better plant itself in a corner and be more stable in the freeway. Now the train with its smaller forks and skinny front tire, will handle better and be more responsive to rider inputs. It will also translate more of the road to your arms as well. If your looking to do some long rides and things like that I would say that a Herritage with its shield, bags and sissy bar would be what you should be looking for. If your want the best handling the Nightrain is what you should look for. Based on looks, well thats entirelly up to you. But between the Fatboy and the Train the differences besides cosmetic are really the forward controls Vs. the floorboards and the Skinny front end Vs. the FL front end. But if you ask me get a Fatboy cause thats what I have.

Chris