How bad of a time am I in for? This past October my dad traded up from a 2008 Ultra Classic Electra Glide to a 2011 Electra Glide Ultra Limited. I had the option to take his paid off 2008 or he offered to trade it in for something I'd like to ride. I chose option B and got a 2012 Nightster, denim black that I've since made just the way I want it... for now. We've been planning since about early November to head to Strugis and now I'm wondering if I would have been better off taking his 08 Electra Glide. I've done a couple of good lenght day rides... say 250-350 miles and while a bit tight and butt sore by the end it wasn't downright unbarable and up until getting the Nightster it had been years since I'd ridden a bike so I know it will take a little time to get back to good "riding shape". My question is this... am I going to have a horrible time and be uncomfortable as F on this thing or will I be okay. I'm very much looking forward to the trip and don't mind gutting it out on a long trip for what I'm expecting to be some amazing roads and rides through the black hills. If you would please share your long distance sportster trips and experiances.

 

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/sport...-in-a-day.html

 

+1.......read that thread......

If your not a ***** you should be OK.

 

It's the bike you chose. Are you going to trade it in for a bigger bike because of what you read on here? You'll get a thousand opinions. If your purpose in riding long term is to go on long trips, you probably have the wrong ride. If your main purpose is for smaller day trips and local cruises with groups or alone time, getting to work etc., you've got a great time. I think riding the sporties are awesome because they are so light, nimble, maneuverable, it kind of reminds me of throwing the ol' dirt bikes around. A lot of fun in the twisty roads; which, once you are in the hills, you'll really be thankful for. Enjoy what you got!! If this is a rare one off trip, you'll be fine.

 

When I bought my '06 883L conversion last year, it'd been about 25 years since I'd ridden. A buddy wanted to do a run to BC in the summer, about 750 KMs. The bike was fine, but I learned a few hard lessons on that ride.
1. get a good seat, I'd suggest a Mustang. Mine came with the factory seat and a Sundowner. I didn't like the extra height of the Sundowner, so I opted to use the factory seat with a gel pad. Yeah right. I managed to get half way there, then I was stopping about every 15 mins cause my butt hurt so bad. Turned what should have been an 8 or 9 hour ride into about 11. I had my wife put the Sundowner on the bus, rode back on it. I've since bought a Mustang.
2. Stupid loud pipes aren't fun on a long trip. I had Short Shots on it. I don't have them on it any longer. I still have hearing damage.
3. Break up the ride. We broke the ride back into 2 days. Way nicer. Spend some time enjoying the ride, not just trying to get there.
4. A windshield works. So do highway pegs if you don't have forward controls.
5. Pack smart, don't forget the rain gear. For me, I hadn't expected to hit rain/SNOW on that trip. I ran with saddlebags and a TBag, I was packing for a week.
6. I should've changed my 883 conversion to 1200 gearing before that trip.

When I was in Vegas at the end of October I rented a new Nightster for a day. It was just fine on the highway. It's never going to be an Electra Glide, it'll hurt more on the bumps and get pushed around more in the wind, but it'll eat up the highway miles just fine.

 

A good seat is a must............everything else is secondary.

 

ear plugs ....long rides with loud pipes and loud wind sucks.

 

A nightster is still a pretty good size bike, but you wont be able to take as much crap with you as you could with the dresser.

All bikes are a compromise, so if most of your riding is close to home with say a yearly long trip, it'll do nicely. If you plan to travel long distances two up on a regular basis, you may have made a mistake.

I have a sportster and a e-glide standard. My wife & I have traveled on both bikes. A 4500 mile trip on the glide felt about like the 2600 mile trip on the sporty.

I can take the sporty anywhwere, anyplace & get out; the glide & I have put ourselves in situations where I had to have help. I cant believe that there are off road places you're not supposed to take a bike.

The sportster is still my favorite for daily riding.

 

Understood... I admit I have plenty of reading to do being new here and all. As for toughness I am/was a US Marine so I can deal with being uncomfortable!

 

You hit the nail on the head... I chose the bike I did because I do use it to commute when I can (days I don't have a kindergartener to take to school), day trips with my dad or alone, or to just tinker around town. I would say 95% of my riding will not be long distance and if and when the finances allow I would like to get a dedicated long distance bike. However, I did get the sporty for the exact reasons you listed, light weight, nimble handler... much like the Triumphs and Ducatis I started out on. It is set up exactly as I'd want it and is a blast to ride... I just won't be as comfortable as the older guys on cruisers but hey I'm a young man, 37, and I can put up with just about anything!