Tall riders on hardtails?

[heyjamesguesswhat]

I've got a 2001 1200XLS that I have an itch to hardtail. I'm 6'5", long torso, and hate riding forward controls. Most hardtailed sporties I see look like they would have me riding pretty cramped in my hips but maybe its just the ones with dropped seats. I've been looking at ledsled and lowbrow weld-ons (4 and 3 inches of stretch respectively).
Any tall folks on here riding a hardtail?

[misfitJason]

I think being 6-5 and riding a Stock Sportster in general would be cramped.

You can have a frame manufacturer create a frame to your specs. For me a hardtail with mids would be perfect. I hated forwards as well. But I am smaller than you. But I think you’ll be fine.

[farmall]

You can stretch the front downtubes and backbone too. It ain't just about hardtails.

If want mids welding on mid blocks anywhere they fit YOUR legs (not just stock position) isn't a big deal.

Fab thee a frame jig and have at it thus preserving the stock neck and not needing to fuck with the title. Sportster (protect the VIN stamping) necks are easy to de-gusset and another 33er took pics of the process. This frame isn't stretched but pic shows how to free the neck for classical gusseting:

http://www.chopcult.com/forum/showth...l=1#post457011

[heyjamesguesswhat]

I think being 6-5 and riding a Stock Sportster in general would be cramped.

Its not bad, surprisingly. The only thing is I wish I could move my ass back a couple of inches. The rear fender hump on a stock sporty prevents that. Plus, I bought this bike hoping to chop it up eventually.

[tzienlee]

I'm not quite 6ft tall & I find sportsters too small for me, they feel like I'm on a moped !!

[10scDust]

I'm not quite 6ft tall & I find sportsters too small for me, they feel like I'm on a moped !!

I'm 6'2" and feel the same, and if it's an 883, you'll truly be disappointed in HP.

[tzienlee]

I'm 6'2" and feel the same, and if it's an 883, you'll truly be disappointed in HP.

ya not wrong, I had not ridden an evo sporty since my 87 1100 which flew,
then last year I had to ride a girl I knows 883 back to her after ddoing some work on it,
& christ is was a slow, gutless slug,...
I've ridden 250's with more powere & pickup, dunno how anyone puts up with em,
even my 45 Magnum was faster !!

[heyjamesguesswhat]

You can stretch the front downtubes and backbone too. It ain't just about hardtails.

If want mids welding on mid blocks anywhere they fit YOUR legs (not just stock position) isn't a big deal.

Fab thee a frame jig and have at it thus preserving the stock neck and not needing to fuck with the title. Sportster (protect the VIN stamping) necks are easy to de-gusset and another 33er took pics of the process. This frame isn't stretched but pic shows how to free the neck for classical gusseting:

http://www.chopcult.com/forum/showth...l=1#post457011

Thanks for an answer that's actually somewhat helpful! I'm always surprised at how non-tall people want to speculate on my comfort level and tell me shit wont work. As if I haven't lived my entire life in a world made for averaged size people. Shit, I'm not even the tallest person I know.

[farmall]

The other, functional way to get a Sporty designed for tall people is make it a Dirtster instead and run a desert sled style functional thick seat, tall suspension etc.
Besides being more technically interesting than a chopper (choppers exist to CONFORM to a very rigid folk art standard!) a Dirtster looks proportional with a a tall rider which Sporty chops really don't. Instead of dodging bumps you get the option not to care.

http://xlforum.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=343

Choppers are nice but of course ride like shit as do stock Sportsters with their pathetic but nice looking no-travel stock swingarms and awful geometry. Dirtster conversions drastically improve suspension and ground clearance in a manner tall riders can take great advantage of while riding something really different instead of just another "wish it was a big twin" Sportster whose engine layout just is not the classic big twin divorced gearbox industrial design that inherently makes better folk art.

The mods are easy (frame loop to ditch all the shit hanging off the back end, extended swingarm, dirt bike forks with wheels and brakes of choice. Sportster began as a "dirt bike" when most US roads were dirt and did superbly.

[heyjamesguesswhat]

The other, functional way to get a Sporty designed for tall people is make it a Dirtster instead and run a desert sled style functional thick seat, tall suspension etc.
Besides being more technically interesting than a chopper (choppers exist to CONFORM to a very rigid folk art standard!) a Dirtster looks proportional with a a tall rider which Sporty chops really don't. Instead of dodging bumps you get the option not to care.

http://xlforum.net/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=343

Choppers are nice but of course ride like shit as do stock Sportsters with their pathetic but nice looking no-travel stock swingarms and awful geometry. Dirtster conversions drastically improve suspension and ground clearance in a manner tall riders can take great advantage of while riding something really different instead of just another "wish it was a big twin" Sportster whose engine layout just is not the classic big twin divorced gearbox industrial design that inherently makes better folk art.

The mods are easy (frame loop to ditch all the shit hanging off the back end, extended swingarm, dirt bike forks with wheels and brakes of choice. Sportster began as a "dirt bike" when most US roads were dirt and did superbly.

Yeah, a dirtster makes way more sense for me. Could easily make a bench seat and chop my existing fender up. I already am running 15 inch shocks and tracker bars. Would be a fun build for sure, and more practical for the mile of gravel road I have to travel every day.
Would have to figure out a fork situation. The sportster sport has those adjustable forks with the guts that nobody seems to make parts for.
Anyways, I have the rest of winter to work it out.

[farmall]

See the xlforum and ADVRider. There are a few front ends that work (I have Dirtster lust too and most of the parts but too much other shit going on...) including Honda.

Your forks will be easy to sell for more than the non-Sport 39mm and Trackerdie make extended damper rods if you decide to use 39mm.

[heyjamesguesswhat]

I've been scoping out front end options, since I have become familiar with the woes of updating the sporty sport forks. I really like the triumph tiger front end swap that purpose built moto did on one of their adv sportsters.