vertically challenged Road King guys

2615 Views 21 Replies 14 Participants Last post by fat99boy, Aug 18, 2014

9lives

Discussion Starter · Aug 6, 2014

I picked up a beautiful 09 RK Classic on Saturday. So I headed down the Oregon Coast on Monday. My first impressions of the bike were great and still are. However, right out of the gate I noticed the weight difference between it and my Wideglide. I knew that would be obvious. But I didn't realize that my 5'8" frame would struggle with the height. Any insights would be greatly appreciated. I know there are lowering kits, which relocate the shock mounts, increased reach seats, and then the whole new suspensions thing, which I really don't want to spend more money on. Has anyone made accomodations to his RK for short inseams?

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Miles Tequillya

· #2 · Aug 6, 2014

I know what you are talking about with my 5'5" frame...( that's with boots on...lol) I ride an ultra... With no difficulty any more... The bikes ride height is stock... Yes I am on my tippy toes...but I promise you you will get use to it as you enjoying the extra comforts of the rk.

I have used lowering blocks...and do not recommend than at all .. You hit bottom often especially doubling and the change of lean angle was not satisfactory at all... I would say if you are looking to touch the ground better... I would try a seat first...wether it is a reach seat...or it is your OEM seat re-worked were they may shave some off the top and sides so your legs go out less before they go down...the wider touring seats do that to us( shorter inseam people) a lot.. Hope that helps!!! There is a place that a lot of people have talked about on here that reworks seats... But for the life of me can not remember ..... It is mean street or something like that... Please someone chime in...I think that would be a great start do be able to reach the ground better
Quilty

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Jaxglide

· #3 · Aug 7, 2014

Mean city cycles in NC. I am 5 5 on a street glide. The seat mod really helped and was cheap. $125 plus shipping . Fast turn time as well

Hunt/fish 365

· #4 · Aug 7, 2014

Maybe try leg stretchers?

9lives

Discussion Starter · #5 · Aug 7, 2014

Hunt/fish 365 said:
Maybe try leg stretchers?

Ha, I read about those things (for another part of the anatomy) but they didn't work...much to the wife's chagrin.

Hunt/fish 365

· #6 · Aug 7, 2014

In all seriousness I would look into a different seat before anything else is done. The dealers all carry test seats to try.

Not rubbing anything in at all, but I am 6'2" and have found seats make a big change. The stock seat on my FXDC had me flat footed with knees bent. I changed to a tall boy seat, and I now stand flat footed sitting on the seat. My buddy got a sundowner seat for his sporty (same height as me), and had to get it tweeked to fit him as he sat too low.

Road Boss

· #7 · Aug 7, 2014

I sent my rear shocks out to Bitchin' Baggers in Arizona and they shortened them 1 1/4 " and that helped put my feet flat on the ground. I'm 5'7" with a 30" inseam and gettin' too old to balance on my tip toes. I believe it was a couple hundred for the work done.

Jaxglide

· #8 · Aug 7, 2014

Road Boss said:
I sent my rear shocks out to Bitchin' Baggers in Arizona and they shortened them 1 1/4 " and that helped put my feet flat on the ground. I'm 5'7" with a 30" inseam and gettin' too old to balance on my tip toes. I believe it was a couple hundred for the work done.

What is your experience with bottoming out with the modified shocks? Do you ride 2 up?

9lives

Discussion Starter · #9 · Aug 7, 2014

Jaxglide said:
What is your experience with bottoming out with the modified shocks? Do you ride 2 up?

That is one of the things I read about when messing with the suspension. The War. Dept. likes to ride with me - one of the reasons for justifying the Road King, so I don't like the idea of bottoming out.

mcaccamise

· #10 · Aug 7, 2014

Pick up a set of rear lowering shocks used fore around $75.00 they work great and no bottoming out I used them on my 03 RKC.

foxtrapper

· #11 · Aug 7, 2014

5'6" myself, on a good day, ~29" inseam. 04 RK. My heels never hit the ground.

I've got an older reach version of the comfort stitch seat. That helps. I've also got a current reach seat, that's actually kinda worse than the older comfort stitch in that it makes my legs stick out sideways more.

I've got and used the 12" shocks instead of the 13" shocks. Helps, but not as much as you'd think because they are more strongly sprung. When I sit on the 13" shocks the bike sags down about 1/8-1/4", on the lower 12" shocks the bike does not sag at all when I sit on it. The ride is a little harsher with the 12" shocks, but playing with oil viscoscity in the shocks has helped. Currently I'm running the 13" shocks because I prefer the ride quality they offer more than I prefer the ~1/2" seat lowering I get with the 12" shocks.

Handlebars also help me. The stock ones had me leaning forward and reaching. Which did not help with stability when maneuvering in parking lots. Switching to a Heritage bar, which extends backwards towards me a few inches helped tremendously. Far more comfortable for day long riding, but also far more secure in manuevering the bike around parking lots.

Thick soled shoes also help. Not platform shoes from the 70's, but boots with vibram soles and such. You can gain upwards of ~3/4" with this, without looking goofy.

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Rum Runner

· #12 · Aug 7, 2014

Try Mean City cycles, have not heard any negative feedback

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avidarchers

· #13 · Aug 7, 2014

I have a 09 RKC had same prob. You can't use the kits to just reposition the angle of the rear shocks cause of the way the classic bags are formed around the shocks. The only way to do it and have good results is lowering shocks. HD makes great ones there in the catalog. Worked great for me. Not to expensive. No bottoming out probs at all

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Road Boss

· #14 · Aug 8, 2014

Jaxglide said:
What is your experience with bottoming out with the modified shocks? Do you ride 2 up?

I haven't had any problems with bottoming out but so far I have only rode solo. Wife hasn't rode in three years so I can't tell you about the two up ride. If she does go I'll add more air to compensate the added weight

000RK

· #15 · Aug 8, 2014

9lives said:
That is one of the things I read about when messing with the suspension. The War. Dept. likes to ride with me - one of the reasons for justifying the Road King, so I don't like the idea of bottoming out.

my RK is lowered 2"....not because of my inseam, purely for looks....when the wife's on the back there's no bottoming out....fyi I'm 260lbs

Miles Tequillya

· #16 · Aug 8, 2014

000RK said:
my RK is lowered 2"....not because of my inseam, purely for looks....when the wife's on the back there's no bottoming out....fyi I'm 260lbs

I'm curios about your lean angle... How much did you loose lowering it that much!!!

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000RK

· #17 · Aug 9, 2014

mquilty3 said:
I'm curios about your lean angle... How much did you loose lowering it that much!!!

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quite a bit....never really a major problem though you just have to be aware.

In the small village I live in I have to do a left hand sweeper but there's a bridge in the middle of it, the pavement lifts about an inch and a half at the expansion joint (this may not seem a lot but after a couple of footboard touch downs you start to think)....I was nervous whenever I passed over it but it wasn't to long before my confidence level rose and I don't even think of it now.....you end up finding the limits of the bike and it becomes second nature.

hope this helps

Mojo the Monkey

· #18 · Aug 9, 2014

I have a reach seat that came off of a 2012 road king for sale in excellent condition. $150 plus shipping. Message me if you are interested.

Miles Tequillya

· #19 · Aug 9, 2014

I just installed the Harley hammock seat and am amazed that I can touch the ground a lot better... I don't believe that I could put up with loosing lean angle... I like to dig into turns too much... I was dealing with tippy toeing it... But this seat is amazing. Just think to yourself what your riding style is and what will suit you... There are many ways to skin this cat ?

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scspartan

· #20 · Aug 9, 2014

I ditched the stock seat for a Mustang Wide seat. It not only added much more comfort for long rides, but the seat narrows toward the tank so when you come to a stop both my feet are flatfooted on the ground. I am a little over 5'9" and have a 30" inseam.

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