Long Distance on 2016 Softail Slim S
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Novice
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 17
Likes: 0
From: Florida
Long Distance on 2016 Softail Slim S
Whats up to my HOG family?!
I own a Softail Slim S which I purchased as an around town cruiser but Im planning a long distance ride (approx 600mi).
Im hoping someone can give me some insight on what its like taking this bike on a long distance trip?
Hows the comfort, reliability, etc? Any review or tips and tricks would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
I own a Softail Slim S which I purchased as an around town cruiser but Im planning a long distance ride (approx 600mi).
Im hoping someone can give me some insight on what its like taking this bike on a long distance trip?
Hows the comfort, reliability, etc? Any review or tips and tricks would be much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
Tourer
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 405
Likes: 30
From: Amsterda
Did a few of those, 500km, 3000km and it was not very comfortable. Doable but not great. And I had a modified sear with silicone padding and all. A backrest would have been n ice but that ruins the looks...
Reliability is great though. Was stage 1 103 ci 2015 model btw.
Reliability is great though. Was stage 1 103 ci 2015 model btw.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 68,021
Likes: 3,276
From:
To me personally, conditioning and comfort go hand in hand when it comes to taking longer rides. If a person conditions themselves properly they can take most any bike and ride long distance with it. From personal experience, I met people that have ridden a Sporty long distance and didn't have any issues what so ever. Like I said, conditioning is one of the key things to being able to ride long distance.
Cruiser
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 213
Likes: 24
From: Oklahoma
None of my business as I ride a dyna and dresser but since I'm browsing..
My dad is 61 years old, 6'3", 200 lbs. He rides a 96" Heritage Softail. For what it's worth, he has farmed his whole life and enjoys manual labor so he is in good shape as far as that goes.
We have ridden nearly all over our part of the country. On our longer trips, we often put down 650-675 miles a day, and then go again the next day bright and early. He has factory seat, factory bars, and no highway pegs. He does; however, have a back rest.
My point: try and get your bike as comfortable as possible and then go for it. You'll know when you get back whether or not you need to make some more adjustments/purchases. Just so happens for my dad, he just needs a backrest and a windshield (No windshield makes the trip ENTIRELY different, some ways good and some ways bad)
Good luck and have a blast.
My dad is 61 years old, 6'3", 200 lbs. He rides a 96" Heritage Softail. For what it's worth, he has farmed his whole life and enjoys manual labor so he is in good shape as far as that goes.
We have ridden nearly all over our part of the country. On our longer trips, we often put down 650-675 miles a day, and then go again the next day bright and early. He has factory seat, factory bars, and no highway pegs. He does; however, have a back rest.
My point: try and get your bike as comfortable as possible and then go for it. You'll know when you get back whether or not you need to make some more adjustments/purchases. Just so happens for my dad, he just needs a backrest and a windshield (No windshield makes the trip ENTIRELY different, some ways good and some ways bad)
Good luck and have a blast.
Last edited by OldManLeadSled; Mar 7, 2018 at 05:11 PM.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2016
Posts: 406
Likes: 98
From: North Carolina
Last summer I did around 2,000 miles on a week long trip with no windshield and stock seat. The sheep skin seat cover and cruise control made it comfortable. Without these 2 things it would have been miserable. It’s all about the set up that works for you, so go ride for 3 hours straight and see what changes you need to make. Once your dialed in you can ride all day on just about anything. A good example of how it really is a personal thing is a lot of people prefer a back rest on long trips, but for me they don't work at all because I'm a sloucher and can slouch and hang on all day.
Last edited by NCBANDIT; Mar 7, 2018 at 10:48 PM.
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Tourer
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 466
Likes: 16
From: Montgomery,Il.
Not sure what your time frame is but I would stop for frequent breaks if possible.Let us know how it goes and have a safe trip.
Last edited by durtyburt; Mar 8, 2018 at 07:41 AM.
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Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2015
Posts: 1,469
Likes: 382
From: Ontario Canada
I have done three long trips on my slim S and this is what I have found. You don't want to do it on the stock seat. You need to find a nice after market seat. This is the most important part of your bike when it comes to travelling. I would say the next thing you want to do is give yourself alternate foot positions. Keeping you legs in one position for too long a period gets very tiring. I built highway pegs for my footboards, which helped, but for this years trip, I am getting a highway bar with pegs, so I can have more flexibility. I found I was getting some chaffing under my legs on the seat. I want to be able to lift my feet higher for next trip. Now I would highly recommend a backrest. Not everyone likes the look, but I am 53, with some back issues, and the backrest is a God send. Just lean back and hit the gas. Takes all the stress off of your hands, arms, and shoulders. You will also want a shield of some kind for the front of your bike. Wind in your face is fun for a little bit, but gets tiring pretty quick on a long trip. Otherwise the bike was great. Lots of power. Good fuel economy. Suspension is acceptable. Cruise control is amazing! Works so nicely.
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Novice
Joined: Dec 2017
Posts: 17
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From: Florida
This is her! 100% bone stock. I need to get a new seat and windshield ASAP!
Have any of you had problems with the 110 overheating? I’ve noticed if I’m running her hard and I stop at a gas station or something, I have to wait until she completly cools down or she’s won’t start up. This is really my only concern bc I don’t want to end up stranded in BFE.
Thank you all for the info., I’ll post some pics when I get back at the end of the month.