Making the ride to Sturgis has been a "bucket list" item for me for quite some time. Only in the last year has it become a realizable goal. My late wife had always been opposed to my owning a bike ever since I crashed my Kawasaki triple with her on the back only a week before our wedding. That was 1976. I never argued with her about that because I had a drag race car, and that has been my extra curricular activity from that time till now. It was also something she enjoyed as much as I.

She passed away after a three year battle with cancer in June of 2013, and to try and fill the giant hole it left in my soul, I was back on a bike within two months. Riding, especially riding solo gives me peace.

So, over the past several months, I have been preparing, both body and bike. I'm not young anymore, and I want to do this while I still can. It is, after all, a 3500 mile round trip from Central California. I will be taking my time.

I have two viable bikes to use. A 2014 Triumph Bonneville and a 2006 Softail Deluxe.

The Bonneville has the appeal of riding a naked, well handling bike across a big stretch of land. Even without a windshield, I can and have ridden on all day rides of over 300 miles. It has the advantage of being lighter and better handling, along with better fuel mileage. With a slight leaning forward position, a windshield isn't necessary. The ride is firm but comfortable.

The Deluxe on the other hand, rides like a Cadillac in comparison. But then it handles like one too. And the not sporty kind. More like the 70s Coupe de Ville kind. The Deluxe has a full windshield and a big comfy seat with an upright riding position with very wide handlebars. Very pleasurable to ride at 55mph and under. Above that, there is some helmet buffeting.

I kinda wanted to do the ride without the windshield, but that is just not possible. The riding position turns me into a parachute, with a huge amount of wind pressure against my body. It beats the crap out of me after 100 miles.

So, with the Deluxe, the windshield has to be on. I have a 20" HD windshield that I have to look through. I also bought a 16 recurve from LRS that I can see over the top of. However, the helmet buffeting is so bad with that, I can't use it. I still get a bit of buffeting even with the 20".

I ran across the idea on this forum of adding some tubes behind the windshield to relieve a low air pressure area that was supposed to reduce or eliminate the helmet buffeting. That did nothing for my particular combo. So now, I'm gonna try a set of lower deflectors. First, I'm trying the Memphis Shades clear deflectors. They were fairly inexpensive. Cheap enough to take a chance on. It looks like they have the benefit of adjustability, where the Nat'l Cycle switchblades do not. I'm hoping that the lowers will allow the use of the 16" screen too.

As of now, I'm leaning heavily toward riding the Deluxe to Sturgis, but there are those comfort problems to overcome. There are still several weeks to get it sorted.
Until then, the jury is out.

 

Mike - First of all I am soo very sorry to hear about your loss. I just can not imagine that but Sir I am glad your doing ok and found a way to enjoy the years you have left on this earth until you rejoin your bride. It is truly a way to relax and enjoy yourself that can not be explained to a non-rider. I too am planning on going to Sturgis for the first time (bucket list thing) and even though I (we) know how crazy it will most likely be, I want to be able to say I was there for the 75th and have a t-shirt to prove it ..! Enjoy and ride safe my friend ..!

 

If you are riding to Sturgis and you have a choice of which bike to ride. I would take the Harley. You have plenty of time to work out the kinks with the Deluxe. I'm riding my 2007 Deluxe to Sturgis and I can't wait!!!

Enjoy your trip!

 

I am sorry to hear about your wife. It makes me think real hard, my wife beat breast cancer.
Harley makes a little device that looks like half of an upside down ashtray that bolts to the bottom of the triple tree. It does a pretty good job of stopping the air from coming up from under the front of the gas tank.
Also do you wear a full face helmet? Helps a lot on the long ride.
I have ridden to Sturgis from SoCal half a dozen times. The key is to pace yourself, stay hydrated and enjoy the ride. We usually make a 3 day trip out of each way.

 

Glad you are riding again and making the trip. It is a bucket list item for me, too. This will be my first year and if it is going to be as crazy as they say then it will take me 25 years to get the nerve up to go to the rally again...just in time for the 100th.

 

Thanks guys. One of the important lessons learned from losing my wife is that we just don't know what tomorrow brings. So Papa, I say do it. There may not be a tomorrow.

Apendejo, I'll look into that gizmo and yes, I do use a FF helmet. I'm actually using four days each way, with a stop to visit family on the way out.

Maybe, just maybe, us "Bucket Listers" will meet up there and hoist one (or two) to scratching another item off the list!

 

Since its Sturgis, the Harley is the obvious choice. I do see the appeal in riding the Triumph, however. But I'm mostly interested in the 3rd bike in your photo...

I'm in a similar situation as you with the windshields, and am working on solutions also. I did the ride there a couple years ago--granted, I'm only 600 miles from Sturgis--without a windshield, and I was fine most of the time, but the inevitable rain storm had me wishing for one. If I was you I'd try to figure out the Deluxe.

 

Go with the shield no matter what. Also make sure the ride is most comfortable my first trip to Sturgis was on my fat boy Lo going again this year On the ultra. In fact hope to finish a bucket list item as well. Planning on getting the last 7 states I need for the lower 48, and it will be all on this current bike of 2 1/2 years

 

Reindeer, the third bike is a '02 Sportster. I rescued it from someone who bought it for his wife and she was afraid of it. It had 1500 miles on it when I bought it in January 2014. I put tires on it, did the rocker box gaskets, new clutch with Mueller Easypull ramp, and did a complete service. It now has 6200 miles on it. It's in absolute perfect condition, and that bike can even be ridden across the country today, if one was of a mind to do so. For me though, it would need quieter pipes. It has the same Cycle Shack system I had when I bought it and is by far the loudest of the three. I keep it that way because I ride it to work every day, and it pisses off my neighbors!

 

Love that reason.