OK, I admit it. I have been lurking for sometime now and it is finally time to post something.

Here is my problem that I have searched and searched for an answer on and think I have found the solution but I need a quick, "what are ya stupid? of course that will work!"
So, I am a somewhat tall rider. 6'2" with 33 to 34" inseam and my bike is an '08 Deluxe that I feel somewhat cramped riding. I have the Harley Goodies floor board extensions on now and they have helped but now it is time to focus on the seat.

Although I like the Le Pera and C&C solo seats that would cause me to change the bars, of which I plan to do in the future and lean towards a beach bar or something similar that is kinda low and reaches back. If I did that, when it comes time to ride with the wife on back I would have to change back to the old Deluxe seat and pillion which I am sure would be extremely cramped with bars setup for the solo seats.

I guess what I am looking for is will a Heritage seat fit on my '08? It would seem to be the answer for solo and two up riding (with matching pillion) because I have read it sets the rider back more than the Deluxe seat. I have found that my '08 is a strange beast in some respects as it is skipped in some types of parts, such as the flush mounted LED gas cap kit does not seem to be available for an '08 in either HD or Kuryakyn. So that is why I ask the stupid question if the heritage seat will fit an '08 deluxe. I found what appears to be an OEM Heritage seat on ebay and am told it has a mfg date of 10/2009 if that means anything. Thanks for any help and taller riders feel free to chime in on anything you have done to fit the Deluxe better.

 

6'1" here, not a Deluxe owner but softail none the less. Depending on how many miles you ride 2up, look into either a CC Sport Tour or a more cushy/plush seat is a Sundowner. CC puts you back and lower compared to your seat and a Heritage. The Sundowner for pre 07 softails also puts you back and lower but I am not certain if that is true for 07+ bikes. I think I read it puts you down but not back compared to a Heritage. But, that is still back compared to your Deluxe seat. Again, research to make sure. Lots of riders have a second seat for 1up. I would find the seat(s) first then decide on bars. "For me", beach bars are the worse - neck and back pain from reaching down and straining the neck to look up. Apes are much better or at least mini apes like Heritage bars.

 

I don't agree with your concept of Beach bars for a more laid back solo ride first. I would say you would be better with a set of apes or mini apes that have you sit up not back. I know it appears to be counter productive when you are trying to get back away from the tank but it works. When you sit up straight and push your legs a bit further forward you will enjoy the long rides much more.

For me, I started last year in search of the perfect seat for the uber long cruises that me and the Mrs. liked to do on the weekends. The stock seat was ok for the first 150 miles or so, but after that, numb a$$ kicked in and ruined the ride. I'm lucky enough to ride with a few guys with similar bikes that we traded seats back and forth until I found one I really was comfortable with. I went with the Mustang two piece Wide Touring with Rider Backrest. (more on that in a minute) The rider seat is 17" wide and very comfortable once it is broken in. It REALLY needs to be broken in too. I had 1500 miles on it before it STARTED to be broken in. The Mrs. Seat is 14" wide and provides more than ample comfort for the long rides. The first day out with the new saddle was a mere 400 miles and we both had numb a$$ after about 250 but that is a far cry from the original seat. The next day we did about the same and it was getting a bit better but only maybe 45-50 miles more before we numbed out. We gave it a few weeks and we were riding 650 or so without any discomfort. Back to the backrest. No damn good for a tall rider. Nice to have for when the low back is just not right and you don't mind being a bit cramped for the extra support, but that damn thing pushes you forward another 2" compared to without it. Luckily it comes off with a quick tug and can get scuttled until it is needed again. I rode exclusively with the rest on the bike for the first 1000 miles or so and thought I bought the wrong seat. When I pulled it off (because momma wanted some more room to move during these marathons) I could not believe how much different the seat was. Hell I would have sworn that someone swapped it out on me when I wasn't looking it was so different. (this is not a paid endorsement of any Mustang product. )

Now for big guy comfort...

I spent this past Saturday morning adding a set of Cyclevisions "Go Forward" brackets to my running boards. They pushed the boards another 2" forward. The combination of that, the HarleyGoodies extensions, extended brake arm and Extended forward shifter arm I am not killer comfortable. I am 6"1" with about the same inseam as you. All of the docs say you CAN'T run the go forward brackets with crash bars. Not true at all. You DO have to modify the mounts to make it work, but that is what customization is about right?

I still have my stock bars on mine bike but sitting up and draping my arms over the bars on the highway I get a better feeling that when I pull the bars back and am able to lean back. My low back feels it after a while that way, but sitting up, I'm good for hours, or until I have to stop to put another small ransom in my tank.


Before


After

Not a great shot but you can compare the FB and controls placement.

Oh and the brackets force the boards out another 1/4" or so.

 

KumaRide and fcsallan,
Thank you very much for your responses. I think you both have come near to convincing me to not go the way of the beach. I rode a buddy's Road King with beach bars and found myself feeling like I had never turned a bike before. I have to admit I have sat on a few Heritages and felt pretty darn good and I think the bars were somewhere near 12" apes. In retrospect I probably should have looked more into a Heritage but I do love my Deluxe.

I am not a huge ape fan, at least in the extreme sense. The cali bikes look cool as hell but man those controls are way up there. I have looked into the forward brackets and the gear shift/brake extensions and may still do at least the extensions. I just installed a Lindby Lindbar and there is no way I can extend the floorboards forward with that engine guard. See photo (if I am successful attaching it). It looks like I made a mistake with the Lindbar. I have only 1" between the floorboard and the bar and with the gear shift and brake extension they would be sticking through the bar and that is not enough room to get my feet in there.

So fcsallan what bars are you running and what did you mod on them to make this work? I will look into the CC Sport Tour, Sundowner and Mustang seats, then at mini apes.

 

I recently swapped a traditional bar for a mustache bar very similar to yours. After a few rides I realized that getting some foot pegs attached to the bars would be ideal and compliment the floorboards perfectly. Ordered them a few days ago and should be on for the weekend.

Ordered these, already had the male pegs.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/BILLE...item51985331ab


I replaced my 06 Fatboy bars with Heritage bars. Went with Heritage bars because it does not require replacing the cables and brake lines. Your 08 may be the same. If cost was not a factor, I'd go with 14's or 16's apes. 14's are not tall at our height.

 

I'm not a big fan of the lindby bars or any mustache bar for that matter because of limitations like this. I like more options for my feet.

My bars are standard Harley Heritage bars. I like the design because they bow forward at the returns so they let you stretch out a bit more than other crash bars.

The lower mount of the bars has a 3" return where it mounts below the footboard mounts. Once the boards are moved forward 2", that would move the bars forward that much as well. Since that would be too close to my fender, I just pushed the bar further back and clamped it, took it for a ride to make sure I could manage the controls without interference and make sure they didn't feel too close and once I was happy that there would be no issues, I just drilled a new hole in the mounting bar (return) and used original hardware to fasten it. Not a big mod, quite simple really. I wonder why they don't just put that in the instructions as an option. Perhaps just because there are so many different bars out there. I dunno.

Hope this helps.

Hey Kuma, Looks like we have a lot of the same taste.


Oh and with the highway pegs just below midway down the bars, it gives yet another foot position, heal on the board and toes on the peg. I ride there most of the time now.

 

Too funny. That is exactly where I want my feet after a few rides with the mustache guard.

 

It is appearing to me that I should have looked into the lindby a little more. I guess I'll mock up some foot pegs and see how low I can get them on the bars before the bend and see if I can deal with that along with being limited to not moving the boards forward or getting the foot control extensions.


I see that, rub it in, just rub it in LOL
,


So, are you SURE the Mustang gets comfortable. I have read many many people complain about them not being comfortable and I think I emailed the company asking if a seat (and I believe it is the same as you have minus the studs) would move a rider back and they actually replied that it would move the rider forward. EDIT: It was Corbin not Mustang.

One thing I am definitely grateful for is that you have inadvertently brought me back to the ground. I was almost going down the road of blinging the pis$ out of my bike as a solo ride. Wife would not be happy. Afterall, it is somewhat from her blessing that I have this bike, ya know?
Thanks so much for you help.

 

Interesting. Going with Heritage bars and not replacing cables and lines is an attractive possibility, however I would probably replace them with the stainless steel lines (but I would know the length....yay) and maybe a Wild 1 chubby bar. I guess cost is really not a factor LOL.

But let me ask you this. What do the Heritage bars measure out to be? I assume they are shorter than the 14's. The 8" mini apes would be a large improvement over what I have, do you think that would be too little? I am still trying to get over the hurtle of apes vs. a lower pulled back type bar like a bikini or mentele type bar. I think apes ruin the old school look of the Deluxe but....as I said above to fcsallan, I am being brought down to earth and may have to realize (in my wife's words) I need a sensible nurse's shoe not a stilletto.

 

OH, and just to be different from you guys. I'm installing some big shot staggereds tomorrow. But I think I saw in FC's garage his bike originally had some on and he switched to the 2 into 1's at some time.