Topic: Just got my wife an HD sportster 883, need some advice

[q2418130103p]

So I just picked up a 2000 HD sportster 883 for my wife.

She is short, so I am trying to figure out the best way to get her to fit on this bike.   It already has a low seat, but I am sure there is something lower.

I can get a 1" drop kit for cheap, which moves the mounting point for the struts, I can also get a 2.5" drop kit which is a bit more money, and it involves replacement shocks.

Anyone have recommendations?  Perhaps an alternate dropping method, or a shorter/thinner seat... etc.

[Skunk Stripe]

How short is she? the sporty is an already low bike. Anyways, lowering with shocks is usually better as the geometry stays somewhat stock. Do you have links to either kit?

[q2418130103p]

She is 5'1".

Here is a geometry changing kit (allows a 1"-3" drop): http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2000-01-02-03-Harley-Davidson-Sportster-Lowering-Kit-3-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem230a505743QQitemZ150496892739QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_1151wt_1165

Here is the Burly shock kit (2.5" drop front and rear): http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1998-THRU-2003-SPORTSTER-BURLY-SLAMMER-LOWERING-KIT-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem2562d2bdd0QQitemZ160571768272QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_538wt_1165

[Skunk Stripe]

Hard call there. The first kit looks to keep the geometry the same and that is good. Only issue is the back is going to lower then the front but it might be ok. The second kit lowers both ends but I do not like how it lowers the forks. Forks only have so much travel and by dropping 2 inches, you might be halving that distance. Over small bumps, no big deal but larger bumps may cause the forks to bottom.

I think, for the price, I would do the first kit. If it is a piece of junk, you can always ask for a refund. Plus it will take about 15 minutes to install.

[q2418130103p]

This listing shows what the bike looks like when lowered the full 3" with the first kit:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Sportster-Lowering-Kit-Adjustable-1-3-inches-05-2011-_W0QQcmdZViewItemQQhashZitem5d2e513fdcQQitemZ400209035228QQptZMotorcyclesQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories#ht_2198wt_939

The angle of those struts is a bit freaky...

[Kong]

Bud,

I bought my wife a 2005 883L two years ago (used bike with 297 miles on it).  She had the same problem, being even shorter than even the "Low"version of the Sportster allowed for.

Not a problem now though.  First off I believe the 883L shocks are an inch shorter than the standard Sporty shocks (they didn't make the L model in 2000 but they might very well fit).  Then I bought a really nice set of lowering blocks (chromed billet) for it that took it down another inch.  Finally she got a solo seat for it that was more accommodating of her as well as being a bit lower than even the stock solo seat that came on the bike.  We also got rid of that Peanut tank (which I have always hated) and replaced it with a later model Sportster 5-gallon tank which also lowers the bike's appearance, something that has to help psychologically.  Also note that it has Mid-controls rather than forward-controls, which helps a good bit.  Oh, and she also wears boots that have a thicker than normal sole - not outrageously so, but still, probably an extra quarter inch and every bit helps.

The blocks and the seat did it, now she has no problems at all.  In fact they did so well that often when we're out riding and stop there are ladies who are interested in her bike, who often say that everything they've tried was too tall for them, then sit on it and immediately fall in love with the thing.

[q2418130103p]

I think I am going to start with the lowering blocks, and so how much lower it needs to go.  I dont feel comfortable going the full 3" with lowering blocks, but maybe 2".  If it still needs lowering after that then I will try to pick up some shocks.


How tall is your wife?  Does she stand flat footed on it now?

[Kong]

She's about 5-2, but with short legs.  She can stand flat footed but just barely.  The hardest thing for her is the toe-reach for the side-stand.  By the way, that seat is a gift from the gods for an old person's butt. 

[tramp]

if you lower the bike it makes hi harder to go through curves
and the 883 is low enough

[q2418130103p]

She's about 5-2, but with short legs.  She can stand flat footed but just barely.  The hardest thing for her is the toe-reach for the side-stand.  By the way, that seat is a gift from the gods for an old person's butt. 

I noticed that seat did look awful cushy.  The one we have is rather thin, but still good.  My wife also has a very hard time trying to get that site stand down.

if you lower the bike it makes hi harder to go through curves
and the 883 is low enough

Yea, I am aware of problems like this, but I don't really have a choice.  That is why I like the 1-3" drop kit, at least I can try it at only 1" drop, hopefully that will be enough.

[SD750F]

I did a similar conversion to an 883 for a gal that was about the same height. And a combination of a drop kit and forward controls did the trick. And I think the forward controls made this gal a lot more happy and stable at stops.

Scott

[q2418130103p]

I did a similar conversion to an 883 for a gal that was about the same height. And a combination of a drop kit and forward controls did the trick. And I think the forward controls made this gal a lot more happy and stable at stops.

Scott

Well thats good to know, this bike came with forward controls.

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

When I replaced the seat on my Fat Boy it made an unexpected difference. Narrower and lower. Legs straight and not bowed. Taske a good look at the seat AND get ger some boots with taller soles.

[q2418130103p]

SHe is def going to get some tall boots.

I am going to have to poke around for new seats though.  The height on the current one is great, its just too wide.

[tramp]

maybe she'll grow into it
 

[q2418130103p]

maybe she'll grow into it
 

lol, lets hope not.

[754]

You guys got to stop worrying about cornering clearance when someone does not even fit the bike..
 It will be a long while before they need all that clearance.Not everyone lives in a roadrace.
 And some of you seem to forget that chicks that are 5'1" tend to be lighter than most of us guys...ssooooooo the bike probably sits higher, ie close to where it would unlowered with a heavier person on it..
 And to that response at the beginning, Sporties are not really low as some bigtwins are..

[74cb750]

Hope you get it all set up for her.

My wife, 5'3" thought the KH400 I had was too tall for her. Sometimes I think just getting used to the
bike itself is all part of the problem.

peace,4
michel

[q2418130103p]

Does anyone know the stock length for the rear shocks on the 883?  This thing has 13.25" shocks, that seems a bit long for stock shocks.

[q2418130103p]

So I ended up putting a Burley slammer kit on.  This kit replaces the rear shocks with ones that are around 3" shorter, and replaces the front springs with a shorter main spring, a helper spring and a spacer.

So I installed the kit, and the bike height is PERFECT.  I had to modify some brackets, and cut from plastic trim, for clearance issues.  Everything is great except the front end.  The front end is WAY WAY WAY too soft.  Anyone have some ideas?  I figured I would replace the fork oil with something thicker.

[Kong]

I'd try the heavier oil first, I believe Harley sells their fork oil in 3 grades, though as I recall none of them have the numerical viscosity number on them anywhere.  When I put the 2" lowering springs (Progressive Suspension) in the front of my Deuce (FXSTD) I used their "High Performance" fork oil and it was noticeably stiffer than stock, but unfortunately the springs aren't stiff enough to stop bottoming out under hard braking.

My preference on the bike would have been forward controls too.  The bike is just plain uncomfortable at a stop because of the footpet placement; they hit you in the ankles.  I was going to put a set of forward controls on it for her but the leg reach on them was about an inch and a half longer than mid-controls so she-who-rules nixed the idea right there on the spot.  Oh, that reminds me.  I also put a different set of foot pegs on her bike for her.  The old ones were more or less round but the new ones are wider and flatter.  I don't know if its just because she can now plant her feet more firmly and solidly on the bike, but about the same time they went on her riding style (which has always sacred the living #$%* out of me) really loosened up and got a lot more smooth and flowing.  I think it may have had something to do with the increased feeling of stability.  Could be right, could be wrong, who knows?

On her Sporty the stock springs are still in it.  Lowering the rear of the thing an inch or two isn't going to have enough effect on effective neck rake to make any great difference and what difference it does make is on the side of making the bike more stable in a straight line - something my wife is very much in favor of.  Just remember this; all riders are not looking for a bike with the rear end jacked up a foot and so little neck rake that the thing is as twitchy as a unicycle.  Such a bike will just fly around corners, but when my wife is at the controls the bike is not required to fly around much of anything and if the day ever comes when she does actually drag a foot-peg I'm going to bake here a cake and shoot off fireworks.

Oh, on the soft forks, don't some guys drill and tap the fork plugs for air valves and just blow a couple of pounds pressure in them to dial them in?  I dunno, never done it myself, but I think I've seen that solution mentioned in the past.

[q2418130103p]

I contacted the company that made the lowering kit, and they recommended either using the heavier oil or putting in a longer spacer.  I put in a 4.5" spacer, which is what they recommended.  I think I will up that to a 5" spacer and put in the heaver fork oil and see what happens.  Hopefully that doesnt change the ride height too much, because its basically perfect where it is.


It looks like the exhaust that was put on this bike would not allow the stock controls to be put back on anyway, so thats that.