I'm considering getting a dyna or a sportster and one of the factors will be two up riding. The longest I'd realistically ride with my girlfriend is 50-75 miles. How well does a early 2000's/late 90's 1200 do for that? What can be done to make it a better experience for both of us? Thank you!

 

in for comments.

FWIW, if your Spouse/GF plans to be part of the bike experience, HER comfort will rule the day.

the wheelbase on a sporty is so short, it beats you up a bit, and a Dyna's seating/pegs position is pretty cramped

buy an old softail.
if you are SERIOUS, take a MSF course on a beginner bike, they buy an old Road King or EG/Ultra, and then do the MSF again on the big bike.

you will FINALLY end up on a bagger (it's inevitable) so you may as well buy an old Evo or Twin Cam from the start, and save time & money swapping around.

 

Should have been a bit more clear in my post, I already ride. I've got a old 500cc jap standard bike (college kid on a tight budget when i got it) so I'm not worried about taking the MSF or anything. Riding 2 up happens a few times a week for quick trips around campus if she needs to get dropped off anywhere, and just around the city. The longer hauls will happen fairly infrequently. I also want something that is able to keep up with all my buddies through the canyons which is why I'm leaning more towards a sporty/dyna. Also on a budget of around 6k all in, since I'm a slightly less broke college kid now. Thanks for the advice and insight though, I'm definitely going to be looking into baggers sometime post college.

 

just upgrade the rear suspension and get her a good 2 up seat, those short trips, she will be fine.........

 

1200 will be fine for 2 up. My girlfriend and I ride 100 mile stretches no issues. Bought a nice touring seat, new rear shocks (most harley riders never change shocks, just looked at 89 today and it had original shocks?) new front springs, progressive ones. Spend about 4k on bike rest on 1k accessories. Ive ridden as long as guys on baggers with no issues. She can too

 

Depends, if you are in your 20's 30's go for it on a Sporty, if you are 40's 50's The Dyna or bigger. you need to physically be able to take a beating to ride a Sportster two up...also helps if your combined weight is 300 or under.

 

A lot depends on your physical size, a sporty puts you in close quarters. I had a street Bob that did not feel much different, however with my switchback, floorboards, a touring seat, and backrest we were quite comfortable. On a sporty, stock shocks really are poor quality (2016 not too bad). Some HD 412 progressive 12.5." Shocks and a mustang touring seat will make a big change, (I've done it before). I'm 52, wife and I have newer Roadster sporties and have no problem riding 250+ mile days.

 

 

I'm 6'3", 245-250 lbs, and my daughter is 5'7", around 140, and I thought my '04 1200C rode and handled pretty good in the Black Hills last summer with both of us. I put a Harley "pillow look" seat on it and used Road King airshocks, and compared to most metrics it's far more comfortable and can still grind the back muffler. Avon tires gave it a lot better traction and handling than the Dunlops you see on most of them. I haven't done anything to the front suspension, thought I would until I put the air shocks on, quite happy with it as is now. I also changed the air shock oil to 10 weight and only used 9 ounces, floats over tar strips now that would lift me off the seat before. Another thing important with two up is brakes; I thought I needed to find a dual disk setup for the front until I tried Lyndall Gold pads, huge improvement and quite adequate on the single disk, and I really worked them in the Black Hills. A 1200 set up this way would be a major comfort increase over any metric in your 500cc class. I've ridden some big twin Harleys that didn't ride as well. Not as well as my old Tour Glide or Electraglide, of course, but then you're talking a bit more money.

"Sportster" implies a better handling Harley, and a lot of people think it would be the one in front through the twisties, but a well set up Dyna... would depend more on the riders than the bikes. Still a fun bike, would miss it if I just stuck with my big twins.

Almost forgot, sportsters got the rubber mounted motor in 2004, and that makes a significant improvement in vibration (I have a 2000 883 also, affectionately call it the paint mixer, a bit of exaggeration of course). 2004 through 2006 also have carbs; I like those better for reliability, but admit a fuel injected model running good starts and runs better. Till it doesn't, and then it probably won't run at all...

If you find a Dyna and think part of the higher cost would be recovered by not having to replace the seat and rear shocks, don't, if it's stock, you'd probably want a more comfortable seat and replace the rear shocks on that, too. Although for rides under 100 miles, it would seem a big improvement over your current 500. But fixed up nice and comfy, you might find that 100 miles down the road, you're not ready to head back yet.

 

A Sporty can be made to ride pretty comfortable 2 up for the distances you're talking about.

Budget mod of some take off touring air shocks make a big improvement, or going all the way with some quality shocks can really transform the ride quality.

See Report HERE.

I'm 60 and would not hesitate to ride my Sporty coast to coast. Longest ride I've done on it is around 2500 miles. I've done a few comfort mods to it and it can make all the difference. One thing that will have a pretty major factor in comfort for you and her is getting a rubber mount, which means a 2004 or later model. You should be able to do that, and have $ left over for some nice mods, for your $6k budget.