So, being young, stupid, and with more than enough time to plan what may end up being a significantly crazy idea, my friends and I are planning a trip. It's a long distance trip, to say the least, from Denver Colorado, to Anchorage Alaska (via the Alaska-Canada highway, the AlCan), with some stops at various distant places on the route as well. We'll be coming back through Seattle to San Fransisco and then across to denver again. Approx distance will be 6000 miles. We're hoping to make it a 3 week trip in 2010, so there's time to prepare. I'm starting my planning and saving now though, so I'm ready.

I'm expecting that 1, maintainence will be minimal during this trip - availability, timing, etc. Roads are known to be poor - gravel in places, occasional mud, lots of dirt, and potholes that'll make you do a 3-4" drop or more that come out of nowhere, etc. Not your normal cruise down the interstate by any means. I'll need ground clearance, load carrying, etc.

Suffice to say, as much as I love my sportster, she's not going on this trip I want something more comfortable, more cargo room, and probably something faired. My original plan had been to get a BMW GS1250 Adventure for this trip, but... well, I kinda fell in love with Harley. I figured it might happen, but the last few weeks with the sportster have cemented it.

So the question becomes... which harley for this trip? Which bike will be able to take the most abuse (suspension bottoming out, extreme temps, getting dropped, etc) and keep going? I'm more than willing to do some customizing, of course, and my price range is right up there in the 18k range. The Street Glide and Electra Glide Classic have caught my eye for sure, as well as a built Road King (I prefer the SG/EGC more - I like the batwing! and full fairings to beat the wind and rain especially). I'm passing on the Road Glide - price, fixed fairing, styling is not quite my style, and insurance. Definitely open to other suggestions as well though. What's the HDFs thoughts on this? Which MoCo bike can take the pounding?

I love how all of them ride, so there's no strong personal preference there. Thoughts?

 

I think I'd go with the BWM R 1200 GS.

 

Perfect bike for that trip.

 

Street glide

 

Buell XB12X..Ulysses

..does it all, and you stay in the "family"

http://www.buell.com/en_us/bikes/adv...x/features.asp

 

Insurance is 1.5k/yr, so I was hoping to avoid that. Plus, I really want to take one of the Harley family on this trip.

Body - I'll look at that, hoping to use the bike as a tourer afterwards though, but that'd be a nice sporty-esque bike for the mountains too. Never thought about the buell side. That use the Evo engine?

 

The KLR650 is tailor made for this purpose.
It is a 650cc single cyl thumper.
The basic design and engine has remained unchanged for over 20 years, although there were some new changes just this year. It is OLD technology.
Known and documented to go the long haul, there are a few bikes around with over a quarter million miles on the clock.

Truthfully, it is not a very good street bike, and it is not a good dirt bike.
But when you have to do both, it is as good as anything else made including those that cost much more.

It's also a great "urban assault" bike for around town or as a commuter.
You can jump curbs, cut across vacant lots, etc. Far from being the fastest bike around, it'sgreat for getting from point A to point B.

It has LOTS of ground clearance. That's a negative in that it has a high profile. It catches lots of wind, it's a light bike, and you feel it in the wind.
It will do interstate speeds, easily cruises at 70 mph.

There are a few known issues, easily corrected or modified.
It is a very easy bike to wrench, even for beginner wrenches.
You can learn all you wish to know at http://www.klr650.net/forums/
It's the equivalent of hdforums.comexcept that it is dedicated to that bike.

You can also learn more by visiting:

http://multisurfacemotorcycling.com/.../klrissues.htm

 

I think If money were no object, I would pick up a used bike and prep it to your needs. Then you wouldn't need to worry about beating it to death on less than ideal roads.

 

Beemer for SURE! You could try the Buell Ulysses, but may as well go w/ the original, Ever seen the Long way Round? Ewan McGregor & his Buddy Charlie go around the world across europe into alaska to new york, they had GS Adventures they went through Siberia & stuff, it was HARDCORE!

 

1.5k/yr For the GS or the GS Adventure? I'd go with the regular GS for that trip.