Handling a Softail
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 602
Likes: 0
From: Lake Grove N.Y.
you will be fine . when the bike is under you it is balanced so good you cant believe the thing feels lighter then you would think. LIKE anubisss said its only hevy if you go past its balancing point
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 888
Likes: 0
From: Central Illinois
lol, it's only heavy if it lands on your foot.
Novice
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Arkansas
Here's my take on things...
Having gotten disabled back in 2001, I've riding 4 wheelers and nothing else. I decided I wanted another bike(wife still thinks I've gone nuts), having owned several before (Yamaha Virago, Yamaha Maxxim, Suzuki Intruder, Honda GoldWing) I was mostly wanted somwething I could handle, but also something of a bike that looked good. After playing around with the idea for a couple of months... I landed on a 2003 Yamaha V-Star 1100 Classic Silverado. I kept it for a few(less then 3) months, then it hit me... I wasn't happy with it, because it wasn't the bike of my dreams... a HARLEY DAVIDSON. I went to a local Harley dealer and started looking and sitting on different used bikes. I was just closing my eyes, playing around with them until I landed on that "ONE" bike that I felt Harley had built just for me. I made a great deal on it, traded in the V-Star and came home with a 2003 Heritage Softail 100th Aniversary Edition with only 7857 miles, and LOTS of extras on it. It felt right and looked SWEET... is all I can say. I'm not intimidated by the size or weight of it, because it "felt" perfect when I was playing around on it with my eyes closed... everything was right where I expected/needed it to be, so I am VERY at ease and comfortable when I'm out riding it. The V-Star felt a lot different and even though it was a smaller/lighter bike, I wasn't feeling that "secure" feeling that I needed to feel on it. I have been able to lay them both down (slowly) all the way to the ground and pick them both back up without busting a gut, just to see how they felt... but the Harley is definently the heavier bike, but it is way better balanced while riding then the V-Star was.
I'd say, try one on for size/feel... if you're comfortable with it, then go for it, if not.. look into another model. Just do your best to get the bike what you TRUELY want the first time out, or you just will not be happy with it and it WILL come back to bite you on the ***... and it doesn't take long for that to happen.
Ride free, keep the rubber side down, and the chrome shining.
Having gotten disabled back in 2001, I've riding 4 wheelers and nothing else. I decided I wanted another bike(wife still thinks I've gone nuts), having owned several before (Yamaha Virago, Yamaha Maxxim, Suzuki Intruder, Honda GoldWing) I was mostly wanted somwething I could handle, but also something of a bike that looked good. After playing around with the idea for a couple of months... I landed on a 2003 Yamaha V-Star 1100 Classic Silverado. I kept it for a few(less then 3) months, then it hit me... I wasn't happy with it, because it wasn't the bike of my dreams... a HARLEY DAVIDSON. I went to a local Harley dealer and started looking and sitting on different used bikes. I was just closing my eyes, playing around with them until I landed on that "ONE" bike that I felt Harley had built just for me. I made a great deal on it, traded in the V-Star and came home with a 2003 Heritage Softail 100th Aniversary Edition with only 7857 miles, and LOTS of extras on it. It felt right and looked SWEET... is all I can say. I'm not intimidated by the size or weight of it, because it "felt" perfect when I was playing around on it with my eyes closed... everything was right where I expected/needed it to be, so I am VERY at ease and comfortable when I'm out riding it. The V-Star felt a lot different and even though it was a smaller/lighter bike, I wasn't feeling that "secure" feeling that I needed to feel on it. I have been able to lay them both down (slowly) all the way to the ground and pick them both back up without busting a gut, just to see how they felt... but the Harley is definently the heavier bike, but it is way better balanced while riding then the V-Star was.
I'd say, try one on for size/feel... if you're comfortable with it, then go for it, if not.. look into another model. Just do your best to get the bike what you TRUELY want the first time out, or you just will not be happy with it and it WILL come back to bite you on the ***... and it doesn't take long for that to happen.
Ride free, keep the rubber side down, and the chrome shining.
Last edited by Kajun_Taz; Dec 12, 2008 at 07:01 PM. Reason: space bar is not making spaces where they needed to be.
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