does anybody have any advice for a guy on a sportster short of buying a bigger bike? i have a sundowner seat / ultra air shocks/ bags. i think i have the gear to do a 800 mile trip and hang out with family and the 800 mile trip home. i'm more worried about my back and a$$ and getting the bike impounded over the 16 inch z bars and only one mirror. i'm going from st. louis to mobile and trying to take all highway .

 

Don't know about the hangers or one mirror but you should be Ok ridding the sporty you'll just have to stop for fuel a little more often which will give you time to stretch out and stay fresh and alert. Make sure your prepared for rain in both time and rain gear.

 

I'd go with a windshield, FF helmet, ear plugs. Maybe an airhawk pad if your seat is lacking.

 

i'm just hoping you're younger than fifty. it does make a difference, the age thing. sportsters are great bikes, i've owned a few, and have enjoyed many miles on them. the sundowner, shocks, and bags will make it much nicer for you.

 

You might be tempted to be too heavy on the throttle to get there quicker, but if you just do the speed limit and relax the right hand, you will burn less gas and make less gas stops which will help get you there quicker.

See MythBusters 08 season, episode 103 - Don't Drive Angry...and relax.

 

I rode about 4500 miles last year on a Night Rod with no windshield. Packed a weeks worth of clothes, a small cooler and everything I needed on the back of the bike.

 

You can google motorcycle laws and they give you a rundown of what's required in every State. The A.M.A has a good site as I remember.

When I was in my twenties, Sportys were considered 'big' bikes. Harley only made Sportsters and Dressers. They sold some little Italian bikes but that doesn't count. I used to ride 1200 miles to San Diego on my old Ironhead XLCH every summer to see my grandfather. I even packed an ol' lady one year and rode up the PCH to San Francisco before heading back to Colorado. I could do 500 mile days back to back, so you can do it if you want to. My neighbor and his wife both ride late model Sportys and go all over the country, and they have a kid in his mid thirtys so they ain't kids.

 

i'm only 35 but painting watertowers has taken a toll on the body the bike is a 07 sportster i have only put 20,000 on it since it was new so i know it good. the longest ride i did before was from st. louis to owensboro ky. for a poker run at a friends bar. i was alright on the the way there but on the the way home it snowed that turned to sleet and that turned to rain i had on rain gear and the wife packed my cold gear in our support truck that left us behind because he had to be back in kansas city the next day. i guess that trip is making me second guess this trip. thanks for the advice.

 

What type of grips do you have. I have the Kuryakyn Iso's with the throttle boss which is nice for longer rides when I don't use cruise control (which is most of the time). If you have some other type of grips, they sell the slide on type throttle control paddles. It does help on the longer runs since you can relax the grip of you right hand.
I had an 06 Sportster, but the longest rides trips I did were around 800-1000 miles total (round trip), plus I was over 50 at the time, and it does take a toll. One thing that really helped me on the Sporty, (and on my Ultra) is a backrest.

 

Oh, I also highly second the windshield!