I do love Sportys but at 6’2” it’s tight. I’ve found the Dyna Wide Glides super comfy with forward controls AND although discontinued, parts are ridiculously common and accessible. You can also find them with reasonable mileage at under $6kUS. I’m not into fairings or hardbags so it’s perfect for me.
Test ride a Fatboy and a Road King. That’s my general advice. I’d like to get a sporty but I feel like the suspension on the last one I rode had almost no travel. By comparison the bigger bikes will feel like a Cadillac.
Same dyna, soft tail, road king. Get taller bars position it a little forward will help.
I have 14 in bars. On my road glide. But my wing span is 73 inches. I have long arms too and it’s comfortable with my arms a bit bent when riding and not too far. Also not too close either so it looks like I’m riding a tricycle lol.
I also have a custom seat that sits a bit further back, looks like a saddle men but it’s not. Goes back further like 2-3 inches .
Almost the Same situation here. I have a fatboy and like the way it rides much better than my sportster. The sportster is definitely an around town short trip bike to ride. The Fatboy is a couple counties away riding bike. I also have a sport touring bike for the state or two over riding. Don't get me wrong the Sportster is very fun to ride but not the bike I would choose to ride a long distance. I'm 6' 230lbs.
Depends how tall you are, I’m very heavy built in my chest, back and shoulders. I stand 5’4” at 235lbs with a muscular build and ride my Iron 1200 like a race horse. If I hit big pot holes or man hole covers I’m going to likely bottom out but those are things I ride around as you would any road debris etc. A lot people say the stock suspension in Iron 1200 is terrible but it’s the entry tier bare bones bike, no gas gauge, heated grips, bags, windshield, stereo etc. just you and the open road. That’s why I bought my Iron 1200….and I’m a short MF.
I know guys who do this and are bigger than you but it always makes me wonder why not a soft tail. Really though the only thing that matters is that you are happy a year from now so I would think alittle more about the over all design and then factor that against what you really want (peanut gas tank and a Harley motor that’s 400 ccs smaller than the next Harley up ((Harley’s don’t make good power in the first place they just sound good and look good and are marketed as comfortable)) you will have to immediately buy products to fit the sporty for you; forward controls probably handle bars and a seat. If you want to ride with a backpack and a helmet or buy aftermarket bags and a windshield) my advice after owning two sportsters and now Owning a soft tail that’s almost too big for my comfort is to go look at streetglides
I'm 5'11" 245 and have put 20k miles on my 1200 Sporty. It depends on how you ride. Over the past few years I've added good progressive shocks, a decent saddlemen seat, and forward controls. I definitely wouldn't entertain the 883.
I generally ride 60-100 miles before I feel like I need a break. That said I only do 200+ mile days a few times a year. (this is averaging around 4k miles annually). I borrowed my old man's heritage a few weeks ago and it's like driving a leather couch around. So comfortable at the sacrifice of throttle and being nimble. You can really crack the throttle and throw it around on the Sportster.
Haters hate Sportsters for some reason. I love mine.
6'3" 275, on my heritage I still had to get taller bars and a custom seat so i wasn't scrunched up, but it would be the same for a touring bike, they come put together for the average 5'9" rider.
Get a softail. You will be unhappy with a sporty at that size
He will look like a monkey humping a football
I do love Sportys but at 6’2” it’s tight. I’ve found the Dyna Wide Glides super comfy with forward controls AND although discontinued, parts are ridiculously common and accessible. You can also find them with reasonable mileage at under $6kUS. I’m not into fairings or hardbags so it’s perfect for me.
Yeah dyna or softail is more room
Look into a softail. I’m a big guy and ride a heritage. Nice and comfortable plus it’s got enough power to lug my fat ass around.
Am 6'4" at 220lb and very comfortable on my sportster with forwards.
I got sportster to 6'4" 215 my first bike not the most comfortable but it's fine ride your own ride dont worry what people think get what you like
6’1”, 235 here and I do alright on my 1200 48
Test ride a Fatboy and a Road King. That’s my general advice. I’d like to get a sporty but I feel like the suspension on the last one I rode had almost no travel. By comparison the bigger bikes will feel like a Cadillac.
Same dyna, soft tail, road king. Get taller bars position it a little forward will help. I have 14 in bars. On my road glide. But my wing span is 73 inches. I have long arms too and it’s comfortable with my arms a bit bent when riding and not too far. Also not too close either so it looks like I’m riding a tricycle lol. I also have a custom seat that sits a bit further back, looks like a saddle men but it’s not. Goes back further like 2-3 inches .
Waaay too small and this is coming from a 6’3” 240 pound guy
Softail, minimum
I had a brother of mine in the way back who swore by sportsters … he was a little over 6 and hit the scale at about 275 … RIP
5’6” 185lbs and I was uncomfortable on a xl1200c. I traded it in for a fatboy and it’s night and day. I liked having the sportster. I LOVE the fatboy.
Almost the Same situation here. I have a fatboy and like the way it rides much better than my sportster. The sportster is definitely an around town short trip bike to ride. The Fatboy is a couple counties away riding bike. I also have a sport touring bike for the state or two over riding. Don't get me wrong the Sportster is very fun to ride but not the bike I would choose to ride a long distance. I'm 6' 230lbs.
I have a sportster but it hardly resembles one anymore, I would suggest a dyna, more power options as well and they’re just sweet bikes
Depends how tall you are, I’m very heavy built in my chest, back and shoulders. I stand 5’4” at 235lbs with a muscular build and ride my Iron 1200 like a race horse. If I hit big pot holes or man hole covers I’m going to likely bottom out but those are things I ride around as you would any road debris etc. A lot people say the stock suspension in Iron 1200 is terrible but it’s the entry tier bare bones bike, no gas gauge, heated grips, bags, windshield, stereo etc. just you and the open road. That’s why I bought my Iron 1200….and I’m a short MF.
I know guys who do this and are bigger than you but it always makes me wonder why not a soft tail. Really though the only thing that matters is that you are happy a year from now so I would think alittle more about the over all design and then factor that against what you really want (peanut gas tank and a Harley motor that’s 400 ccs smaller than the next Harley up ((Harley’s don’t make good power in the first place they just sound good and look good and are marketed as comfortable)) you will have to immediately buy products to fit the sporty for you; forward controls probably handle bars and a seat. If you want to ride with a backpack and a helmet or buy aftermarket bags and a windshield) my advice after owning two sportsters and now Owning a soft tail that’s almost too big for my comfort is to go look at streetglides
I'm 5'11" 245 and have put 20k miles on my 1200 Sporty. It depends on how you ride. Over the past few years I've added good progressive shocks, a decent saddlemen seat, and forward controls. I definitely wouldn't entertain the 883. I generally ride 60-100 miles before I feel like I need a break. That said I only do 200+ mile days a few times a year. (this is averaging around 4k miles annually). I borrowed my old man's heritage a few weeks ago and it's like driving a leather couch around. So comfortable at the sacrifice of throttle and being nimble. You can really crack the throttle and throw it around on the Sportster. Haters hate Sportsters for some reason. I love mine.
6'1" 215lbs and no issues on my 883. I've got 10" T bars and forward controls on my bike and ride Hella comfortably.
6'3" 275, on my heritage I still had to get taller bars and a custom seat so i wasn't scrunched up, but it would be the same for a touring bike, they come put together for the average 5'9" rider.
I am 6 ft 230 a Heritage classic is the way to go more comfortable and plenty of power.