pull back risers?? or reach seat?
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Cruiser
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pull back risers?? or reach seat?
Hi, I have an 883L, I am a new rider. I have been riding around on a 250 Rebel for learning, I am in the mfs class now. I hope to be on the harley soon., I have been out on it in parking lots. I tried to ride it home once and at the first stop sign I got panicky and dropped it. I am 5"5 and weigh about 117. so this is a heavy bike for me. I can throw that rebel around all day,, but I hate that thing. I am learning stops, turns,, etc before trying the harley again. My dh thinks that I reach to much to get to the handles, he said my arms are stretched out with no bend so he thinks I should get a reach seat or risers,, does anyone here know if either of these would work to get me closer to the handle bars? I dont want to start spending money that is just going to be wasted,, I need that money for a windshield and small luggage rack..I called the harley dealer and they want me to bring it in so they can evaluate it and see whta would be best. I just dont want to go there as they tend to suck me dry,, they just charged my dh 300 to change out his rims?L???? wtf?? that is crazy.. So if you have any suggestions please let me know,, thanks
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From: Harrison, ar
RE: pull back risers?? or reach seat?
ORIGINAL: brendajmull
but I hate that thing.
but I hate that thing.
To start off do you really hate this bike, because if your not happy with this bike it is a waste of time and money to go any furture with it, trade it in and get something lower and lighter. sportster are alittle top heavy, some riders don't care for that, a HD deluxe is low and well balanced ( worth checking into).
I would say if this bike is going to be kept go with the combo reach seat , risers and maybe a handle bar that is comfortible to you. As far as the weight of the bike , hit the gym or use free weighs at home for strength training.
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Cruiser
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RE: pull back risers?? or reach seat?
I love my harley, I hate the Rebel,, I just want to feel comfortable riding it. I do work out at the gym,, I lift weights and run about 20 miles aweek. I just dont want to spend money on things that may not help me.. I cannot afford to buy anything else right now. So looking at other harleys that will cost more is not an option at the moment..
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From: Harrison, ar
RE: pull back risers?? or reach seat?
sorry about the missread! the overnight shift will do it for ya. the reach seat and risers will probably help. BTW it is less painful dropping the rebel then the HD.
You can find an used reach seat on ebay I paid 130 for my seat at the dealership. I used mine for my first season, it brought me closer to the ground and bars.
You can find an used reach seat on ebay I paid 130 for my seat at the dealership. I used mine for my first season, it brought me closer to the ground and bars.
Cruiser
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RE: pull back risers?? or reach seat?
Is it difficult for you to reach the handlebars? I know I put risers on my wife's Sporty and she could really tell the difference. Do you know anyone that has a Sporty with risers? If you do sit on their bike (if they don't mind, of course) and see how it feels. It is an easy switch.
Good Luck!
Good Luck!
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RE: pull back risers?? or reach seat?
I would consider the risers but I do not know what your bars are like. I am about your height and I have been riding a 92 Hugger Sportster for almost 15 years until I traded it in on a Street Bob a couple weeks ago. My Hugger was an 883 but I converted it to a 1200. Mine had the buckhorn bars and they were OK but I did long rides and they got a bit tiring from the reach. I put on risers that came up 2 1/2 inches and back 2 1/2 inches and it made the bike much more comfortable for me. I had a Corbin solo seat that probably lowered the seating position a bit but it did not move me forward.
I had my dealer order the risers for me and they cost less than $50. I might have ordered them on the internet but did not know what to get so I went to the dealer's parts man for help. I changed them myself in about a half hour with my wife to hold the bars while I made the switch. The cables and hydraulic hose were just long enough with a half inch or less to spare. It worked for me and it was a lot less expensive than a reach seat.
Sportsters are great if you can get it to fit you.
I had my dealer order the risers for me and they cost less than $50. I might have ordered them on the internet but did not know what to get so I went to the dealer's parts man for help. I changed them myself in about a half hour with my wife to hold the bars while I made the switch. The cables and hydraulic hose were just long enough with a half inch or less to spare. It worked for me and it was a lot less expensive than a reach seat.
Sportsters are great if you can get it to fit you.
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From: Fortville, IN
RE: pull back risers?? or reach seat?
I ride a 1200 C and have the pull back riser, pull back handlebars and the reach seat on my bike. It made a HUGE difference. I was just like you...very stretched out with no bend in my arms. It made my neck ache and I wasn't enjoying riding. After the mods I am very comfortable on the bike. I am 5'4". It is worth every penny in my opinion! Hope this helps.
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From:
RE: pull back risers?? or reach seat?
I am 5'11" and I switched out from buckhorn bars to drag bars with a 1 1/2" pull back and a 4 1/2" rise. This really brought the bar to a much more comfortable position. The risers are only $21 at www.jirehcycles.com part#34-90.
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From: Shelton WA
RE: pull back risers?? or reach seat?
The reach seat is designed to put you closer to the tank, therefore the bars. It is also cut down a bit narrower so your inner thighs drop down to allow your feet to hit the ground. If you HD dealer is solid they will put a reach on one of their bikes for you to sit on...and yes, they will try to sell it to you. Many smaller riders, like myself, eventually do a combination of bars and seat changes over a period of time. Make the change you can afford now to make your ride feel better to you. As your confidence grows you will make more choices on what you will do with the rest of your money...you will find that soon you will be throwing the sporty around too.....that's why we all like them....just plain fun to ride.
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Cruiser
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RE: pull back risers?? or reach seat?
thanks for all you replies.I am really want to be comfy riding and able to control the bike the best I can. I think after I finish the mfs class we will look into changing up some things.. We might start with the risers and go from there as I can reach the ground with both feet.. The dealer we use is about an hour away, so I am not sure when we can get up t here to have them let me try out some seats.. my dhs best friend is a salesman there. He looked at some pics of me riding and thought that a seat would be a good idea first. so if I can find one on ebay cheap I might go for it too, he said even though I can touch would get more stability if my legs for a little more spread out..