Harley Springer

euchre98 · 07-27-2006, 02:15 AM

Have you ridden a HD springer? For more than 500 miles in one sitting?

Thinking about one of the FL springers and am looking for opinions of those that have ridden one a considerable distance. NOTE: Riding your buddys for an hour or taking one for a test ride does not count as considerable.

Bueller · 07-27-2006, 04:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by euchre98

Have you ridden a HD springer? For more than 500 miles in one sitting?

Thinking about one of the FL springers and am looking for opinions of those that have ridden one a considerable distance. NOTE: Riding your buddys for an hour or taking one for a test ride does not count as considerable.

I love the springer front end, both for the way it looks and for the way it rides. Still there is probably a reason why the design was largely abandoned in favor of conventional forks, besides the fact that conventional forks are cheaper to produce. If you are looking for a long distance mount you might be better off with something else, but I guess the word "comfort" is subject to interpretation.

benwood · 07-27-2006, 05:14 AM

i have never ridden a springer, but, a guy i work woth rides one, he used to commute 300 miles one way every weekend to see his family. he told me it was extremely comfortable. i guess it all depends on the person though. i have another buddy who can ride 1200 miles in a day on his rigid frame chopper.

radon222 · 07-27-2006, 06:42 AM

What type of riding will those 500 mile days be? I day of back roads twisties or cruising on the superslab?

My girlfriend rides a Heritage Classic Springer and its great for cruising down the slab. But she definetly gets wore out if we're doing a lot of twisties. She's even contemplating picking a smaller ds/standard metric for those days.

soloyosh · 07-27-2006, 08:20 AM

I spent a week on a Heritage Classic Springer. It eats miles on the slab with ease (did 2 800 mile days on I-10). It's got a much more comfortable seat than the other softails. It does not like to be pushed in the twisties. If you keep the pace sane, its fine. Push it hard in corners and the fork assembly tends to wind-up and release creating a notchy feel. Usually the mufflers will touch to let you know you're pushing too hard. The front end itself is pretty heavy but it steers light enough. Biggest thing is, when you park it, turn the bars to the left. If you dont, the front end is heavy enough to do it on it's own and make a noise like the bike hit the ground.

Cheers
Brett

euchre98 · 07-27-2006, 02:18 PM

I'm riding a Electraglide and a Uly now. The Uly has really made me rethink having a touring rig. Always loved the wide springer. Just want to be able to know 850ish days with killing myself. I like to be able to run from Maryland to Milwaukee in one shot.

wiserthannone · 07-27-2006, 02:33 PM

I have about 7000 miles on my 05 Springer Classic and it's been a great ride. In my case the front end was not as hard to get acustomed to as the softail back end, which I think is stiff in the beginning. The springer eats up potholes and small bumps, does less well with "speedbump" type obstructions but never flexes laterally and keeps getting better and better. The weight of the front end is noticeable when bringing it off the stand and completely disappears underway. The footboards will scrape long before the mufflers but none of this is impacted by the fork. I have a glass ass and never ride 500 miles at a sitting but the Springer is very capable and comfortable and need not be feared. Harley has spent a bundle reengineering the fork and it's nothing like the '48 version.

07-27-2006, 02:15 AM	#1
euchre98 ^OP Just reading Joined: Nov 2005 Location: Southern MD land of the 10oz Bud Oddometer: 88	Harley Springer Have you ridden a HD springer? For more than 500 miles in one sitting? Thinking about one of the FL springers and am looking for opinions of those that have ridden one a considerable distance. NOTE: Riding your buddys for an hour or taking one for a test ride does not count as considerable.

07-27-2006, 06:42 AM	#4
radon222 1150GS-ADV Joined: Dec 2003 Location: Baltimore, Maryland Oddometer: 322	What type of riding will those 500 mile days be? I day of back roads twisties or cruising on the superslab? My girlfriend rides a Heritage Classic Springer and its great for cruising down the slab. But she definetly gets wore out if we're doing a lot of twisties. She's even contemplating picking a smaller ds/standard metric for those days. __________________ '05 R1150GS Adv '12 R1200RT (Wifey's bike)

07-27-2006, 08:20 AM	#5
soloyosh Dad and husband Joined: Nov 2004 Location: LHC, AZ Oddometer: 5,465	I spent a week on a Heritage Classic Springer. It eats miles on the slab with ease (did 2 800 mile days on I-10). It's got a much more comfortable seat than the other softails. It does not like to be pushed in the twisties. If you keep the pace sane, its fine. Push it hard in corners and the fork assembly tends to wind-up and release creating a notchy feel. Usually the mufflers will touch to let you know you're pushing too hard. The front end itself is pretty heavy but it steers light enough. Biggest thing is, when you park it, turn the bars to the left. If you dont, the front end is heavy enough to do it on it's own and make a noise like the bike hit the ground. Cheers Brett __________________ 2007 Aprilia RXV 5.5

07-27-2006, 02:33 PM	#7
wiserthannone You're asking ME? Joined: May 2006 Location: The deep south Oddometer: 46	Springer! I have about 7000 miles on my 05 Springer Classic and it's been a great ride. In my case the front end was not as hard to get acustomed to as the softail back end, which I think is stiff in the beginning. The springer eats up potholes and small bumps, does less well with "speedbump" type obstructions but never flexes laterally and keeps getting better and better. The weight of the front end is noticeable when bringing it off the stand and completely disappears underway. The footboards will scrape long before the mufflers but none of this is impacted by the fork. I have a glass ass and never ride 500 miles at a sitting but the Springer is very capable and comfortable and need not be feared. Harley has spent a bundle reengineering the fork and it's nothing like the '48 version.

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07-27-2006, 05:14 AM	#3
benwood Adventurer Joined: Jul 2006 Location: Las Cruces, NM land of entrapment Oddometer: 27	i have never ridden a springer, but, a guy i work woth rides one, he used to commute 300 miles one way every weekend to see his family. he told me it was extremely comfortable. i guess it all depends on the person though. i have another buddy who can ride 1200 miles in a day on his rigid frame chopper.

07-27-2006, 02:18 PM	#6
euchre98 ^OP Just reading Joined: Nov 2005 Location: Southern MD land of the 10oz Bud Oddometer: 88	I'm riding a Electraglide and a Uly now. The Uly has really made me rethink having a touring rig. Always loved the wide springer. Just want to be able to know 850ish days with killing myself. I like to be able to run from Maryland to Milwaukee in one shot.