Road King on a diet
Cruiser
Joined: May 2014
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
From: Delaware
what I did to make my police bike more manageable.
get rid of sprung saddle
get a narrow saddle
install 12.5" shocks
wear boots
removed:
rear crash bars
saddle bag rails
radio rack (installed a softbrake under taillight tag mount)
rear fender stay trim
front fender rubber bumper and trim
rear fender rubber bumper and trim
tach
light bar
heel shifter
Do all that and you will feel a difference. Also the one tip about pumping the forks works, plus you can get off the bike, and lean the saddle into your butt, and back up just about any bike on gravel, etc.
get rid of sprung saddle
get a narrow saddle
install 12.5" shocks
wear boots
removed:
rear crash bars
saddle bag rails
radio rack (installed a softbrake under taillight tag mount)
rear fender stay trim
front fender rubber bumper and trim
rear fender rubber bumper and trim
tach
light bar
heel shifter
Do all that and you will feel a difference. Also the one tip about pumping the forks works, plus you can get off the bike, and lean the saddle into your butt, and back up just about any bike on gravel, etc.
Last edited by mtiberio; Nov 11, 2014 at 12:24 PM.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 3,105
Likes: 1,760
From: Atlanta, GA
Lowered my RKC with Progressive Monotubes w/ 1" lowering up front, Street Glide shocks 1" low on back, and a MCC seat mod that gave me an additional 1+" lower seat height. Made a huge difference for me on being able to move the bike around, and I'm a lot smaller than you.
Road Captain
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 577
Likes: 20
From: Reno
!
LMAO - Best Suggestion!
To the OP... is removing 50lbs... really going to make a difference on a 850lb bike?
Get rid of your LE Seat set up and put on 12.5 rear shocks!
LMAO - Best Suggestion!
To the OP... is removing 50lbs... really going to make a difference on a 850lb bike?
Get rid of your LE Seat set up and put on 12.5 rear shocks!
Thread Starter
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Tourer
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 497
Likes: 0
From: PA
It's been considered but I don't have time/space/equipment for all that.
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 6,157
Likes: 2,564
From: CT/FL
A helpful hint - you may already do this - when I had the cop seat I found it easier to back up by reaching down and grabbing the top of the saddle bag crash bar for better leverage. Pulling back on the handlebars wasn't as effective. Joe
HDF Community Team
Joined: Nov 2012
Posts: 6,190
Likes: 2,419
From: USA
A bike weighing in at close to 800 pounds is still a very heavy bike, even with a 100 lbs pulled off (which isn't a realistic weight loss).
Reverse isn't cheap, but it sure is effective. I'd love to find a used one cheaply at a swap meet, but that hasn't happened yet.
Lowering the seat or the bike, or both, gives you a lot more leverage to shove it backwards with your feet while straddling it. But, it's still a heavy beast and it's just not easy unless you're on smooth level ground. Which as you know, the world is not always covered with.
Reverse isn't cheap, but it sure is effective. I'd love to find a used one cheaply at a swap meet, but that hasn't happened yet.
Lowering the seat or the bike, or both, gives you a lot more leverage to shove it backwards with your feet while straddling it. But, it's still a heavy beast and it's just not easy unless you're on smooth level ground. Which as you know, the world is not always covered with.