When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
I just got back from a small road trip with one of my sons. Riding a 98 FLSTS and him on my 01 FXSTS. I road from East central Indiana and he road from just North of Chicago. We set a destination of the head waters of the Mississippi and I let him set the route as he had limited time. He picked some good roads and lodging and we saw some good scenery. As this being his first multi-day road trip, he learned it is way different on a softail than a car or even a touring bike. I saw that a few days were going to be long but doable.
Lessons he learned. If on an interstate, you can just do 65, you do not have to go 75. This is about the ride, not just getting somewhere. Dropping speed to 55-65 saves one body a lot of wear and tear but till you experience it you just dont know. Also you dont have to ride a tank out, you can stop and enjoy a view or just take a break. Yes it adds to the day but that is what you are there for, the ride.
Over all, great trip and great memories with my son, these are few and far between. At my age now only two riding buddies that I enjoy a trip with are left and its doubtful they will do any anymore. I just hope my sons realize the value of these trips in their lives.
That's really cool.. Glad you got to enjoy that with your son.. AND I agree 70 mph beats the crap out of me for long rides on the Interstates on my Fatboy... By just going 5 mph slower is way easier on the body.. Ride on Brother....
Excellent story...Prolly due to limited time that you rode Interstates...I do Not...but...no place to go, and All Day to get there.. No Interstate for Me Thanks.. 65 is wayyy fast...55 suites me Fine..tho I usually drift Up from there...
Glad you had a big time together..
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Slideshow: The bar-and-shield logo shows up on far more than motorcycles, some of the company's most unexpected products have nothing to do with riding.
Slideshow: From the troubled AMF years to modern misfires, these bikes earned reputations for reliability issues, questionable engineering, or disappointing performance.
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Slideshow: The Swiss custom shop has taken a Harley Softail and stretched it into something so long and low that it looks closer to a rolling sculpture than a conventional motorcycle.
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Slideshow: A standard cruiser becomes an intricate metal canvas in the hands of a Swiss custom house known for pushing Harley-Davidson platforms far beyond their factory brief.
Slideshow: Harley-Davidson's challenges aren't abstract; they show up in dropping shipments, shrinking dealer traffic, and strategic decisions that aren't yet translating into growth.