I have built a custom swingarm bike (named Stardust) where the rear fender was attached (welded) to the swingarm. Advantage: you can place the fender very close to the tire which always look better (like with a hardtail frame). Of course, the solo seat pan must be off the rear fender with enough clearance for the swingarm/fender to move freely. But Stardust was a solo seat bike. This picture shows the new 2008 Harley Rocker FXCWC being ridden with a passenger. I like the new Harley Rocker, but as a designer, I have difficulties assimilating this passsenger riding position. For me, the new Harley Rocker should be a solo seat bike. Your reaction?
Good Gods…my wife would kill me if I told her to sit there. That is unreasonably close to the operator of the bike. I don’t know about anyone else but I can’t stand it when someone gets too close to my back while I’m driving. I feel cramped and restricted. Plus, one quick shot of the throttle and you’re riding solo anyway. Gah, what were they thinking?
a one seater bike wouldnt sell nearly as well as an uncomfortable 2 seater.
the bike sucks
Seems to me, that position doesn’t look much different than the early sprung seats on rigid frame HDs, with the large chrome grab rails around the back….?
The pictured riding position isn’t much different than the Bates pillion that we used to bolt directly to the rear fender.
Scotts right,this bike does sux.i dont why the companies hire talented designers.the HEARTLAND USA,company in california,got this sollution of the twin seater.the fab and the design is really good which is offered by aftermarket.
Guys have to convince there wifes to let them buy this toy. They,ll never be successful if there is no place for them to sit.Harley has the right idea, as stupid as it seems to us to mess up the flow of the bike with some dumb looking seat, it has it’s purpose. Bodyman
( I`m not ” chuckling ” at you Cyril.) HaHahahaha its nice to smile with the first cup of the day and read some of the replies to your blog. to all have a great day!
Pillion seating position is not much different than the old “King-Queen seats. Certainly it does not differ much from the pillion seating position on sport bikes. The retro look that H-D comes up with is amazing. This is reminiscent of a rumble seat in a Model A Ford. It seems that H-D recognized that, for many a rider, a passenger is just an occasional rider and not full time as with the baggers. It seems to be a genuine removal of the rider and passenger to be one with the bike. This visual separation makes the bike seem awkward and ungainly. I guess it is supposed to be an improvement over folding up a towel and putting it on the rear fender for some bar hopping, but not much.
I gotta go and see what the load rating is because let’s face it, not all passengers are built like that lady in the factory picture.
If some of these big boned mountain gals up my way graced that goofy seat, the driver would have the risers tattoeed in his forehead and the rear fender would look like it lost a cage match with a fire hydrant.
The bike should have stayed as a solo. It’s too bad the bike is getting all the bad press just for the seat setup. I would never ask my wife to sit on something that looks that dangerous.
Second visual problem I have with the bike is the front fender. You would think after spending the amount of time designing the rear fender that they could put a complementary front fender on this bike rather than tacking on the old off the shelf one that they used. I don’t find the front fender to be ugly….just not very stylish with the rest of the bikes look.
Yeah Pops, the load rating may be a major concern. Although, maybe Cyril and the other builders can come up with some great looking gussets that would carry the “load”.
The problem with the rocker is that it looks like an afterthought bike, its like HD - R&D cam up with a brilliant idea to breath life in the Deuce since sales are low on this model, lets beef it up, hmm let see cut the struts, smack a larger swing arm, stretch the front, oops we forgot the passenger, hey lets use our strut mounting holes in the frame and squeese the passenger in there. Anymore brilliant ideas HD, the bike sucks in every peice of design. For the sticker price, I would rather go get myself a nightrain and spruce it up.
Hell you think the seat is bad, how about the speedo set up?? Talk about “what the hell were they thinking”! It looks like they took the dash and stuck a Sportster speedo on it. Back to the seat though, I don’t see how Harley’s legal dept gave the OK on this abomination. I do think the bike has potential. Lower it, swap out the tank setup, and trim down the seat… You might be surprised at the finished product.
V-rodder
ok harley the joke’s over you can bring out the real 08 model’s now
this bike was made for the guy who has good ins on his wife because when a cager does something stupid and you have to get out of the way look out she will hit the pavement and you know harley did not test this bike before trying to sell it
there is an option seat for those that want to take the old girl with them.Harley only give you the basics on any of there bikes and then you spend the money on changing it to how ya want it.
i think the bike is great if ur looking for something like a chopper. but as for the seat i don’t think it’s ment to take ur wife on a cross country tour. looks more like taking the blonde from the bar to the motel. besides 90% of the time it’ll be tucked away and you’ll be riding solo anyways. good job harley!!
Well guys don’t blame HD for trying to capture a part of the market that customs have. One, it’s business. Two, there’s definitely enough room for another kind of Harley rider. Besides, my girlfriend not only has her own Harley but is 118 lbs. And when we ride together we like to be close. 34Ds on my back is never a bad thing. So instead of paying outrageous $30K for a Big Dog or Ironhorse and having no place to service it I chose this bike. A splash of the old and new. Besides, what Harley rider isn’t looking at changing something right off on almost any bike they get? Oh remember, the trick seat isn’t out if you are riding it solo. Many people forget that. That’s why it is called ‘trick.’ Where’s the love?
JaCrazy has hit it! HD have already captured the market for you old ageing, once-was a biker types, but you are not going to keep them in profit for much longer. The Rocker is obviously aimed at a newer, younger market, with the philosophy that “Once we get ‘em, we hang onto ‘em”, and therefore sell a few more bikes going forward. I am 65, ride a Fatboy, a 1971 ElectraGlide & a 1974 Rigid Chopper. I think the Rocker Custom is the pick of the new models. Young bucks with a young chick on the back will love ‘em too. I’d buy one ….. if I was 40 years younger!
My wife loves it! I’m 25 and she’s 24. I like the custom look with the dependability of an HD. I’m picking mine up this Sunday! Cant wait!…..don’t like the bike, don’t buy it. There are thousands to choose from. Not sure why everyone gets all worked up whenever HD comes out with something different?
For pete sake, forget about the seat. Get some brains, that bike was not really intended to hull someone else. It’s one of the best bikes harley ’s put out. No I don’t think I would hull anyone on the back. It’s ment to be a chopper. Yea some custom made choppers have back seats, but then again I don’t consider them choppers then.
Damm, boys why all the commotion over a new bike? H-D is just trying to appeal to us all, and any good bussiness should. I had a black 175 HD dirt bike in early high school and got out performed by the Yamahas and Hondas all the time. Then in later high school I got a black AMF Sportster. Neither of which I would buy today, but I had a Harley none the less. Later this year I’ll be rotating back to the U.S. for my last tour of duty and my retirement present is a Black Harley of the FXCW type and I am a happy MF. My wife insistes on the solo bike cause I deserve some time to air things out. A different seat and a Tank with some curves to the bottom of it, WTF it’s unique and it’s yours. Hope to see some of you guys out there, America is a great place and ride free.
replace the rocker -c seat with the rocker seat, looks better, but still just for one person, but why not
Seat is very strange and appears dangerous. Tank is too bubbly. Yamaha’s Raider design flows much nicer. Nice try though, perhaps next time they will get a public opinion or do some more field research before releasing the final design. HD name will make people overlook the flaws.
i think it’s better have a saddle.
I agree that the passenger seat sux! I call it the Elroy hover seat. I just bought the new Rocker (not the C). The FXCW is the Bomb, Baby. I love it. My old lady doesn’t ride so an extra seat was not even an option for me. The straight Rocker is just Harley’s answer to the chopper. Before anyone goes criticizing, you need to check out the FXCW. Harley and Custom fans both will be impressed. 240 rear end! Oh Hell Yeah!
I bought the FXWC (not the C). I bought the touring package for when I want a passenger and it looks great! The rack setup alone looks good enough to keep on the bike all the time, but when I want a passenger I just pop on the extra sit and backrest in a stap! Not only is it bigger and beefier for the passenger, It also is a great backrest for the driver. Forget the stupid seat on the “C” model. If I had bought the “C” model I would have changed to the other seat setup ASAP!
Not too sure why everyone is so hell bent on trashing the Rocker, the pictures don’t do the bike justice. If any of you people trashing the bike even went to a dealer to see one you would probably change your tune. I bought the Rocker and love it, it handles nice and for a solo seated bike it sure draws a lot of attention, and not bad attention either, every comment I’ve gotten has been a possitive one. I know all the diehard bikes think Harley made a bad choice with this model, but suck it up guys and deal with there decision to produce this model.
Well I bought one and my wife, (54 kilos) will sit on the back quite nicely. I am told Harley did significant load tests, regardless it is an awesome bike, seat out and in.
Just bought one about 30 minutes ago Rocker in black. Will be picking this bike up on Thursday. Also bought the touring package minus the sissy bar which easily comes on and off in less then a minute for a passenger. The bike rides great and to me looks awesome in person. My wife and daughter love this bike also. We orig. went in to buy a nightster but it didnt handle well and felt like a hardtail, checked out all the new ones and this rocker was the hottest test drove it and was amazed.
are you kidding go buy another street glide or road king . how about putting your couch & tv on there too.
have any of you ridden this ? how about on the back? I have done both, and your right a little close is comfy nothin wrong with the double d’s in the back. as far as a load test ,who wants a load on the back of there bike? if your into big passengers get a bigseat but by all means live & let live. I guess the saying goes
“If I have to Explain It You Would’nt Understand”
Harley hit the nail on the head with this bike. Once you ride one, you will want one. I already had an 05 FL so this one is for fun. Slapped a race tuner on it, V&H Big Radius, Big Sucker air cleaner and the new Corbin seat and what a ride! This bike gets ohhs and aahs everywhere you take it. My wife has no intentions of ever getting on it and she is the one that actually bought it for me. She feels much more at home on the FL with all the comforts of home (plus the storage for all the crap she buys). Guys, if your looking for a bad ass scooter with Harley reliability, then this is the one for you. When you compair the price and comfort of the Rocker to the other “chopper” type bikes out there, you can’t go wrong with the Rocker!
How cares about the seat the bike it self is beautiful it rides like a dream just got my new rocker c and love it rides nice and looks great got the bike home and tore the seat off of it and custom installed a nother one ant it looks hot . The 240 rear tire is unreal so what if the origanal seat looks like shit everyone customizes ther own bike most of the time the bike rocks.
I just purchased the rocker c my girlfriend is very small but has a little back problem. I don’t understand why they cannot come out with a seat that will clip on to the other one that has a small back rest. Something that you could leave in your garage. Corbin has two seats out they are custom-made over $900. Totally ridiculous. All I want is a small seat for the back with a back rest for the passenger.if anybody knows about something similar to what I am looking for please e-mail me mmercier43charter.net thank you
hdwideglidehd - Wow you put Vance & Hines Big Radius pipes on the Rocker…that is impressive considering V&H does not make pipes for the Rocker…yet. You must have installed regular softail
pipes from V&H…which is a BIG NO NO. Yes , the pipes will bolt up but if you would have done some research, you would’ve found that the V&H pipes you installed are too close to the tranny lines and oil tank. This will cause your bike to run hotter and void the warranty. The good news is that V&H already has “the Rocker” part number (26043) listed on their website (www.vanceandhines.com). They are supposed to be available towards the end of Aug. I too like the Big radius pipes but I am wait ing for the correct fitting ones before I make the change. Feel free to call Scott at V&H(562- 926-5291) and ask him about what I have just mentioned. If your local Harley dealer installed the set-up, maybe they will replace them once the correct pipes are realeased. Don’t feel bad…many new Rocker owners have made the same mistake (primarily from local Harley dealers just wanting to make an additional sale and not speaking directly to the manufacturer about proper fitting). I have noticed that many softail products are not interchangable with the Rocker…just because something will fit an 08 softail does not mean it will fit the Rocker.
The first thing I did with my Rocker-C, was to change seat with FXCW seat. It’s softer, lower and more narrow too. Bought the touring kit with removable pillow/backrest. Works like a dream.