Hey, I am thinking about getting rid of My 06 Heritage, and a sportster has made it to the short list for a possible new bike. Does anyone have any experience touring on a sportster? Does the 5 gear transmission annoy you on the highway? I would probably get a 1200, add saddle bags, luggage rack and a detachable windshield, as well as hand guards. Any insight that anyone could provide would be great. I am not looking to do any super long days. 300 miles would be a very rare max. Mostly trips around KY, TN, WV, OH, IN, PA, WI and NY.

Other option would be a Dyna, with the same upgrades.

Interested to hear your guys thoughts.

 

 

I feel like the Heritage is just too cumbersome to use on a daily basis. Not sure if Dyna would be much better. I test Rode a Dyna yesterday, Hard to tell if I liked it considering it 34 degrees F out and I was too busy focusing on not feeling my hands.

 

You can make a sportster comfortable for touring. Seats, shocks, windshield, etc. But it would not be as comfy as a Dyna. You just can't replace that bulk.

 

I depends on you. I did fine last summer on a 1k 5 state tour. The guy on the right is the baby of the group, the rest of us are high 60's. The touring bikes are more comfortable sure. The biggest issue is the suspension which is great if you are in the 150 lb class. I'm not (240), so heavier fork springs help, as do the fat tires. If you go Sporty make sure you pick one of the full height models, then consider adding aftermarket suspension if you are bigger. Sporty has 40k now.

 

I have done 241,000 miles on my 2006 1200R and in my opinion it handles the road just fine. I regularly cruise at 80mph on the highway and the Sporty handles it just fine and I have plenty of power when I need it.

It does need some changes such as improved suspension, seat and if like me a windshield

 

Can be done....but I too say a Dyna would be better.

IMO the 5 speed is not an issue if you stay under 75 mph IMI over that speed, one could say
the 5 speed can be perceived as uncomfortable or a nuisance.

Have fun on your adventure.

 

I just sold my 1200C in August and traded over to a Road King. It's not a Dyna, so not the exact question you were asking.. but I owned that Sporty for 4.5 years and put some miles on it. I put on a mustang seat and had some luggage and did a few 300 mile days and I'll tell you, I loved riding, but that bike just didn't have the rear suspension for long distance and it was just to light to take any impacts from bumps and potholes. I have a six speed gearbox now on the King, but I hardly use it. You'll never miss that extra gear on the highway under 90, I don't feel. Honestly, I really started to "feel the burn" after 120 miles on her, but I really enjoyed that bike for day to day duties. I moved to the R.K. because I wanted to ride longer distances like 300+ and be able to FUNCTION once I got where I was going, so that's why I switched it up. I'd really consider not getting a Sportster if you are doing 300 mile trips. It's not just what it was designed to do *well* and I feel like you'll regret it.

 

I went from a Dyna to Sportster and I don't miss it a bit. For me the Dyna was too wide down low, the heat from the pipes and the engine was a killer, even with a ward's fan and no cat. The Sportster is lighter but has a higher center of gravity, a higher seat height still allows for heels down with the narrower profile. I still keep looking for 6th gear, but the 1200's engine is more of a revver than the BT so it's not an issue for me. Stock shocks pre-16 are junk, but an easy fix.

 

We have a number of threads of members' touring Sporties, so seek them out and take a browse through them. My SuperLow is an 883 and perfectly capable of travelling in the 80's, with around 90 being as fast as I normally want to go on it. I bought it long before the SuperLow 1200 came out and had already by then converted mine to a look-alike. In other words it has a qd windshield, detachable bags, highway pegs and modified suspension. Be aware that there are few Sportsters with decent suspension as new, you either need an iron butt or deep pockets to improve the ride quality, especially when 2-up or on longer trips. Everything you need is out there.