2007-05-22 05:24:59 · 7 answers · asked by ohiomike 3 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Motorcycles
It's a personal thing. Everyone has their preferred riding position. If you are long legged forward controls help a lot with comfort. I have a Harley Super Glide. The mid controls that were standard made my legs feel cramped. With the forward controls the riding position went from cramped to comfortable. This change also sealed the deal for my purchasing the Harley. Some people get forward controls for the looks, but some of us have them for physical conditions. Which is better? Whichever feels right for you and your riding style.
2007-05-22 06:38:49 · answer #1 · answered by BikerBob 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Most riders choose their motorcycle at least partially based on image. This is also true with cars, but I think more so with bikes. Most Harley riders clearly love the Harley image, whatever they perceive that to be. If you were choosing a bike purely based on dependability, the stats show that for bikes sold during the past 3 years, the Japanese bikes have about 1/5 the problems as Harley and BMW. 1/5 is a big difference. Oddly, BMW's have the reputation of being very dependable, but it varies from model to model. The same is true with Harleys, certain models had a lot of problems, others didn't. Personally, I ride a BMW. I admit that the decision was partially because I don't like the image of owning a Japanese bike, I wanted to good touring bike and I don't like the chrome cruiser styling of Harley's. Many companies have copied that styling and the V-Twin because it sells, not because its better in any way. Bikes are hot sellers for many reasons. Some want speed and performance or a sleek design. Some want the cruiser styling or the Harley sound. Some prefer one image to another. Some buy what is popular to the masses. Some want something more unusual. In the end, buy what you like, for whatever reason you like it. There are a lot of people out there that will tell you "Harley is the best" when what they really mean is that they like that image the best or they like that its American, or whatever. There are no statistics that support that opinion. I was once at the basic riders course that all riders are required to take in Florida. They supply the bikes and you are not allowed to ride you own. It was early, the sun coming up behind the 3 rows of Kawasaki, Yamaha and Honda 250s they use for the course. The bikes were in silowette in front of the sunrise and I thought it would make a good picture. I took my iphone (I like the image of Apple over Samsung, its an American company, I think the phones are pretty much equal) and took a pic, and a scruffy, elderly man on a bicycle pedals by and says "why don't you take a picture of something worth taking a picture of, like a Harley?" He looked like a homeless person on bicycle. I didn't say anything, and I have no idea why the man would feel this way . . . nor do I care. Other than I realized that's how many people feel, for reasons that have nothing to do with the quality of a Harley, but probably much more to do with them being American, big, heavy, shiny and loud.
2016-05-20 00:36:10 · answer #2 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This all depends on riders body configuration, comfort and preference.
If you're not comfortable, over time you can't concentrate on what you're doing, which makes control harder.
I'm 6'4", so with a mid set, I have to rock my whole body to the left to get my right foot up on the brake pedal. That's why I prefer forward controls. My bike in my 360 actually has the pedals/pegs moved forward 2" after the pictures where taken, and it fits me fine.
2007-05-22 06:00:37 · answer #3 · answered by strech 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Forwards are more comfortable. Mids put you in a better posture to ride aggressively.
If you are just cruising then forwards. I ride hard once in a while so I have mids and highway pegs to stretch out on longer rides.
2007-05-22 06:14:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
I have forward controls on my Harley Deuce. I sat on a lowrider with midcontrols and I felt cramped and uncomfortable. I'm female and 5'7". I was afraid of the forward controls when I first saw them , but I wouldn't get any other kind now.
2007-05-22 05:49:25 · answer #5 · answered by purpledeucegirl06 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
depends on what you like... personally, I don't like to have my feet underneath me, I feel more comfortable with forward controls and I'm getting ready to order a set for the bike I just got last year.
<-- 03 hugger
2007-05-22 05:41:20 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depends on the individual, some like the mid and some like the forward.
Also, depends on their leg length and comfort zone.
2007-05-22 05:33:38 · answer #7 · answered by james 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋