As soon as you cross into New Mexico, Route 66 turns to gravel for about 10 miles. NM and AZ are pretty good, especially from Kingman to the CA border. We lost the route in CA (yes we had the maps). Lots of closures, detours. Have fun!

 

Stop for a slice of pie at MidPoint Cafe in Adrian. There are some good, still in operation, examples of the old motels in places like Tucumcari.

Since Route 66 actually has/had several paths through New Mexico you'll have to decide if you're going to head North through Santa Fe or stay South through Albuquerque. (the Santa Fe route would be my choice)

There a nice little Route 66 museum in Barstow in the train station; it's worth a look if you're not pressed for time.

As others have said you don't need to pack a lot of gear if you don't mind doing a load of laundry every few days. If you have the room a spare gallon of gas wouldn't hurt. You should be fine without it but there are a few stretches where gas can be scarce.

Regardless of what clothes you take pack some good rain gear. Nothing will make you more uncomfortable than been wet and cold.

The bottom line is just have fun and enjoy the ride.

 

Don't forget to take a camera to show us stay at home dudes what it's like !...b.

 

The last 50 or 60 miles is nothing but ill timed street lights, boarded up stores, and lots of traffic. At times you'll think you made a wrong turn and ended up in Tijuana. Stop at the Wigwam Motel in Rialto, then its just a 2 or 3 hr ride to Santa Monica.Be careful where you stop after leaving Rialto. The mountains north of 66 offer some great rides. If yo have time do the back way thru Mentone up to Big Bear Lake and Idlewild out by Palm Springs, both great rides. A must is the Rock Store out in Hollywood Hills. Google maps is your friend. Have fun -ride safe.

 

I would switch to the 4.5 gallon sportster fuel tank. That extra 25-30% fuel will make all your trips that much better.
Stage 1 perf. upgrade only.
The highway pegs are a good addition. Moving your legs around during long hours in the saddle can give you a little extra range between stops.
A "Go Cruise" throttle lock.
A "T-Bag" duffle for the passenger seat. (When filled firmly, it makes a great backrest for you.)
FF helmet
Visine eye wash stuff.
Ear plugs - you would be surprised how protecting your hearing can help with comfort on long trips.
An Airhawk pneumatic seat cushion or beaded seat pad (personal preference).
Anti monkey-butt powder. (Yes, it really works, especially in really hot weather!)

Daily distance depends on what your goals are and the time you allow yourself for this trip. 350 mile days are fairly easy and will allow you time to stop for sightseeing, leisurely gas stops and meal breaks making for a more enjoyable trip experience. 450-500 miles per day are doable for maximal mileage unless you have high winds or other weather to deal with. Remember too that taking the path less traveled you won't get as many miles as you could burn up if taking the slab.

What time of year are you thinking for this trip? This has a great bearing on what you bring due to temperature variations.

 

Avoid the stretch between Ludlow Ca and Barstow Ca, stay on the 40. Pavement is not good. Really not good. Before that the part that runs through Amboy Ca is great and well worth seeing.

 

When I was 18, I rented a Ducati 250 in Rome. All I packed was a jug of wine and a loaf of bread.

 

Go visit adventurerider.com and check out the sportster section. There is info from others who have done very long trips on HD Sportsters. There is also a lot of good info on packing for a trip and what you need and don't need. (There is a little bit of brand-related teasing, but it's all good. All brands are welcome, and the info is very valuable.)

 

It would be pretty cool to say you did that stretch on the original Route 66. But like others have said, a ton of it just isn't there anymore. I would pick the good stretches to ride but avoid some of the rest of them. We have made long trips out west and generally stay off interstates. However, when your U.S. Route or State Route takes you through a large city it is a quick way to turn a projected 400 miles day into a long 200 mile day. We will use the big slabs to avoid large cities and get around them quickly.

 

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a very informative site. I agree with everyone, at 22 it'll be a breeze to do 500/600 miles a day. My buddy & I did that on these bikes at 54...Also, the larger gas tank is a great thing.