To add to my prior post, I have a 96 Heritage in addition to my Sportster and I have toured on both.
I choose to tour on my Sportster due to weight. My riding is different from most because I regularly do 800-1,000 mile days and compete in rallies were I am riding in mountains at night were I cannot go faster than 15mph because I am outrunning my headlights. After 16-18 hours on the road the heavier Heritage takes it's toll on me. I've upgraded the suspension, added a windshield, and changed the seat to a Mustang with a backrest. My only complaint for my Sportster is I am a bit cramped with my legs on the mid controls so I have added highway pegs and also put my feet on the passenger pegs. I presently have 241,000 miles on my Sportster and have completed 2 Iron Butt Rallies and will be riding it in a third this summer
I am vertically challenged @ 5'2". I own a 2002 XL1200 stage 1 and a 2006 Dyna Super Glide, both Slammed by Burley. The Sporty's good for a 200 ml run before I've got to take a good couple hr rest. The Dyna I could ride all day no prob. I recently added a MS Batwing to cut down the wind at highway riding. I have super reach seats on both as well. Sporty runs great and handles well...but the Dyna smokes the Sporty's performance as well as handling. I throw the Dyna around with ease, and it weighs almost 100 lbs more. With a stage 1 done to the Dyna, she rolls with ease, very powerful TC, 88 ci and 1450 cc I find myself rolling the Dyna more often then the Sporty, but would never sell her, she has her place. JMO. Get a Dyna Glide!
Last edited by Tileman2692; 01-17-2019 at 05:47 PM.
So, if I may speak for the majority, a consensus emerges: Yes, you can set up a sportster for touring, BUT no it will never be as comfortable as a Dyna similarly set up.
Maybe a majority of people posting in this thread but that's about it. The only way OP can really decide for himself is to rent a Sporty for the weekend. If the rental is set up for touring with bags, windshield and plush seat then you'll soon know if you can be happy with a Sporty for touring. If not just go for a day ride and ask yourself afterwards if you could live with it for touring. If answer is yes then it'll only get better when you add the w/s, better seat and bags later. I have had a Softail for 22 years and even though I love it because I built it to suit me from the ground up ergonomically I like my 2016 48 better. I've done 300 mile days with no probem. If you're a masochist and love those 5-600 mile days then yeh maybe you'll like the Dyna better.
I also have a 2017 XL1200T. I am very pleased with my bike because I use it mostly on local rides and short tours. The stock saddle bags hold everything I need for a couple of overnight stays. I am 70+, weigh 178 lbs and am 5'7" tall; I also always ride solo.. I did the Stage 1 conversion this last weekend, and the torque and speed of the bike are more than enough for interstate highway needs, up to 80 mph--I will have no problem keeping up with larger bikes. It is comfortable enough as long as I stop every couple of hours; this is not a problem since my bladder needs a pit stop any way. The 4.3 gallon fuel tank provides plenty of range with a reserve.
No way the lighter Sportster is as comfortable on longer, all-day rides as a heavier bike. The upgraded solo seat I installed provides a significant increase in comfort. Tthe increased responsive handling in urban traffic is a solid trade-off for how i use the bike.
FYI: When my wife (who won't go near a motorcycle) and I do road trips, I plan to rent a single bike trailer from U-Haul so I will have my bike for local tours and events at our stops.
I ride alot to work and have taken many long hauls on my sporty with no issues at all. Last run was 4300 miles to Sturgis,Wy, and back with my wife on the back. Only issue was a headwind coming out of SD, but we were running 80 mph. Youll love it.
I ride alot to work and have taken many long hauls on my sporty with no issues at all. Last run was 4300 miles to Sturgis,Wy, and back with my wife on the back. Only issue was a headwind coming out of SD, but we were running 80 mph. Youll love it.
Todays Sportsers have belts, modern valve trains.
Their only dwn fall is something to do with the cam gears stripping out AFAIK.
Like ALL HD one has to make it their own.
I've done some LD touring in the past with a 98 1200 custom Sportster, with frame mounted engine. I was a lot younger then though. The 06 should have rubber motor mounts which decreases the felt vibration. On my 98 I put on a detachable windscreen, progressive shocks, a touring seat, a sheepskin seat cover, soft saddlebags and a soft luggage thing that attaches to the sissy bar, and whats allegedly called a European rear gear. (what the Sportsters in Europe allegedly have I've been told) The different rear gearing is lower rpms for the same mph speed. I had to adjust the speedometer to get it back to correct speed. The bad vibration felt from no rubber mounts on my bike started to get bad at 65 mph, but with the replacement gear I can ride up to 75 mph before the vibration starts to get uncomfortable. Of course with an 06 that's probably not an issue anyway, or at least in wasn't for me when I test rode a Sporty with rubber mounts.
For LD touring I now use a EG with air suspension. I still use the Sportster for shorter rides. You can do a lot to make a Sportster okay for touring but it's not going to be the same as a larger bike. Trying to go back to a Sportster for LD after you've gotten used to a EG would probably be tough for me at my age.
Last edited by Long lonesome highwayman; 01-22-2019 at 10:33 PM.
01-17-2019, 01:02 PM
