I just had my 2nd hernia operation and my wife wants me to get rid of the "heavy" Ultra Classic. It doesn't help that i'm 5'5" tall! She wants me to get a Heritage so i can move the bike around easier. This past summer i went to Milwaukee from FL. We averaged 500 mi a day with the highest mileage day of 628 miles.

What's the most you've done on a Softail?

 

One month after a 2nd back surgery...Austin to Grand canyon...one day about
685 miles...

 

Did 560 miles on a day trip last August on my Heritage. 4 hours there, 4 hours back.
No problems and felt fine after the trip. Could have gone much further.

 

I did little over a thousand in one day on my 06 TRAIN. I went from MD to Venice FL. It was long and sweltering hot. I did it in august this past year. RT. 95 is hell when you have your bike lowered to. We averaged between 80-90 mph, because otherwise the cagers would kill ya. Then went to Miami the next day. Two days later came all the way back.

 

One day, I did 740 miles from Myrtle Beach to home in Pa. on a '98 Heritage Springer soft tail. I will never do that again. I was freakin whooped the day after.

 

Did 750 miles two days in a row on my Heritage; made for some good sleep.

 

540 on my '02 Heritage....went from Portland Oregon to Seattle Washington back to Portland then back to Seattle...don't ask me why... long story...lol..but a fun ride!!!!!...actually by the time I was done closer to 600.

 

Fully equipped in running order, a 2008 Ultra weighs 851, a 2008 Heritage is 750. That is not what I would consider enough difference to switch bikes for. Take the tour pack and lowers off the Ultra and your probably less then 70 pounds difference in weight.
Tom

 

Did 1200 in 24hrs coming back to NJ from the Cabot Trail. That was after riding 300 on the Trail via Nova Scotia. It was all solo with stock seat. Backrest was mandatory. In my case I used my tourpak in solo mode.

The stock pillion on my 08 Heritage is brutal and I wouldn't recommend it for anything but 50-100 mile trips unless your girl has an iron butt. It appears that the 09 model has more padding. Not an issue for me anymore since the wife has her own bike.

Heritage will do the job for ya. If you want an even lower and lighter feeling bike you may want to look at the Deluxe. That's what my wife has and they definitely "feel" and handle different. You can tell the difference just by taking it off stand. The seat is not as comfortable but that can be remedied.

 

The Deluxe is only 26 pounds lighter then the Heritage when they are both in running order. The reason the Deluxe seems more lighter then that is that it is lowered in the rear.
Since they both use the same length jiffy stand, when the Deluxe is on the jiffy stand, it does not lean over as far as the Heritage, making it easier to lift upright. This makes it feel lighter.
Tom