Rider, What all did you do to yours to lower it? I just bought a 99 XLHC w/ 21" front wheel for my wife, and she's 4'10". Lemme know, dude, 'cause the usual lowering blocks are NOT going to cut it. Thanks!!

 

You can drop it by changing shocks and sliding the tubes up in the triple clamps. Take the seat to an upholstery shop and have them shave the foam about an inch. The one concern I would have is her ability to hold the bike up with one leg either right or left. Has she ever had a bike before?

 

All I've done is throw on the 10" short shocks & the shorter stand from a hugger model. My bike was standing too straight up while on the stand, and a good wind blowing could have knocked it over. I never touched the trees. The 21" wheel makes almost no difference as the difference in circumference of the 21" versus the 19" is almost unnoticable as the 19" has a bigger sidewall on the tire. The only difference in the tires/wheels is miles...the 19" will get more milage out of it due to more rubber. I also switched out the seat to a Ultima 2-up gel seat......Not that I needed any of the lowering. I just wanted the bike slammed. I'm 5'10" and 190 lbs. As I stated before, and 7/11 stated, look into a new seat with a narrower width so your wife's legs aren't spreadout as far when trying to stand and the thicker soled boots.

 

That's a negative. After getting with me (post marriage), she felt comfortable enough to go on rides with me. Then after a couple of years, she got the bug to have her own, so I bought one for her as a Christmas gift.

I would like it if she could at least have the ***** of her feet touch the ground. Sound reasonable/do-able?

 

WVHogRider has been giving good advice on this. My new bride is only 4'9 (I'm only 5'3", so I know the lowering crap pretty darn good, myself). I have my bike lowered about as much as I'd like it to be and ride the way I ride. In fact, I bottomed out while gingerly going over a couple of speed bumps with her on back today (I weigh 145 and she weighs 90). It's a 1200 Low, Progressive 11" rear shocks, and Reach two up seat (stock seat's on it now and temporarily, though). I also have a Jiffy Stand extension on it so I can deploy the sidestand better. WVHogRider's bike is even lower than mine. I've had my little wife sit on a Honda Spirit 750, an Aero 750, a Rebel 250, an 883 Low, and even a Kawasaki Eliminator 125. The best she can do is tippy toe ballarina style on the Rebel and Eliminator. She can't even begin to lift the others off the stand. I can flat-foot all of the above bikes. The 883 Low is pretty darn low as it is, with a narrow-nosed seat. My 1200 is maybe just a TAD lower than the 883. The Shadows are very low...in fact the lowest bikes I know of that has enough power for superslab. The only thing I haven't tried with her yet is the 500 cc Buell Blast with low seat. That's the lowest seat height of any bike I know of @ 25"...but it's a very ANEMIC 500cc. Yes, the Deluxe claims a seat height of 24", but that's reflecting the weight of a 180 lbs. rider. The Seat is also wider, and the foot controls are too far forward for the statures we are discussing.

So where are we, now? If someone can lift the bike off the stand and FIRMLY place the ***** of their feet on pavement, the bike can be ridden, but not backed up very well. If a Sportster is the particular challenge, then low-profile narrow-nosed seat, foam shaved if necessary, mid controls, 10" Lick's shocks with belt guard removed so it won't hit the oil tank, and maybe rotating the handlebars back toward the rider a bit for better reach, with the switches and mirrors adjusted accordingly. Maybe even pull back risers. It's gonna be a bare bones seat, probably not too comfy, and ridiculously short shocks...again not a cushy ride. Even then, after all of that work and/or expense....it still might not work.

I will guess the most a 1200 Low can be lowered is 2.5". WVHogRider? Do you think you went even lower than that? I'm including about 1/2" lower from the Ultima seat...is it narrow enough for what we're talking about?

Teek

 

Well, first off there's two different posters asking how to lower the scoots for novice women riders. OP---Larry is asking about a '?? year 1200 Custom, and Tribal is asking about a '99 Hugger/Low. Shock sizes vary from year & model. The Hugger will have ~11.5" shocks.....Larry's, I'd guess ~11.75" to 12" shocks.

The ride is going to be stiff with the 10" shocks. I went from stock XLH (Standard not a Hugger) 13" shocks to 10" Lick's shocks, so yeah I got more than 2.5" of lowering with the shocks alone. However, as stated I'm ~180-190 lbs (with a 30" inseam), and at times I find the ride a tad rough riding solo, but I've noticed that the ride smoothes out somewhat & travels better riding 2-Up with the GF, (~130lbs--?--Ain't about to ask a little italian woman with an attitude what her weight is). I bet that you could get 2.5" out of a Low model, but it would include reshaping a seat & shocks, or seat, shocks & lowering brackets to keep some more suspension travel.

Since both models are already rather low, also novice women riders, and if you've already got the sporty sitting there...I'd definately start with the seat re-shaping & boot shopping. They'll want some suspension travel, so I would then consider something like the 11"-11.5" Pro's, (or something), with lowering blocks. Not sure what else to lean towards at the moment, as my brain is fried from working all day yesterday & then sittin' in the ER with the GF all night until 3AM & then getting back up at 5:30AM this morning for work again.