Ya cant really count sturgis can ya? I mean its only like 5 hours from me. But in your pic your standin infront of Dillon so im guessing your another 2 hours south of me. So thats 7 hrs. I dont really have a point....I just wanted to prove I can do math.

 

It's just a Harley label. Hell, you can tour on a Vespa if you want.

 

I agree that "Touring" is just a title for a family of motorcycles and that you can tour on almost anything given the will and individual need for comfort and convenience features. Softails are obviously not exempt from touring, which is evident by the number that you see on the road. On my second trip to Sturgis, which involved 5k miles and 11 days, a friend rode his '96 Sportster that was equipped with a WS, backrest, and saddlebags. Was it a touring bike? Well, it's not in the touring family, but you can certainly tour with it (if you had to). That said, I'll pick something else to ride from S. LA to Sturgis back, but y'all get the point.

If you get right down to it, the SG is hardly a good touring platform in stock form. The 12" shocks are awful and the stock WS isn't good for anything except looking good in the showroom. It took quite a bit of accessorizing to put my SG up to my touring standards. If I had to choose between a stone-stock Heritage Softail and a stone-stock SG to ride 5k miles, I'd probably pick the Softail for the WS advantage alone. Softails don't have great shocks either, IMO, and the rear suspension is more of a nostalgia-oriented styling exercise than a design with comfort the biggest priority--but at least it has a decent WS.

 

I toured on my 97 Softtail Heritage Classic, and was completely satisfied with it. It is still my favorite bike. Wish my Ultra was the same color. But my wife kept looking at the rest of the group I rode with and admiring their nice passenger seats and the extra room in the tour pack versus my military back pack on the sissy bar. Not to mention we always had to ride in the middle because of no communications with the rest of the group. So because of a seat, tour pac, and a CB radio, I now own a Ultra Classic!! (wish I could have afforded to keep the Heritage too!)

 

I don't know which point makes you luckier in my eyes:

1. You have owned a Shovel-I wanted to buy a FXE 12 years ago but my ex missus would not entertain the idea (there is a reason she is my ex);

2. Traveling the Gulf to Canada - I am from Australia and riding the length and breadth of the US has been a dream of mine since I was a kid; and

3. 160000 miles riding- wish I had the time...

 

I would say suspension has more to with it...Air adjustable shocks and heavier load capacity...plus dual disc front brakes...But as mentioned you can tour on just about any Harley.

 

...this is the best answer I've seen....pretty much sums it up..you can "tour" on a skateboard if you want...but Harley created a line of bikes that THEY felt was the best set-up for long distance(touring)...and those bikes got a certain frame, and a certain motor type...that's their Touring line..the Heritage, although fully capable of touring..is a compromise between form and function...still a real nice bike though...always thought it was a great value for a softail...

 

I think Joe explained the answer best to the OP's question.

 

Great valid points and comments everyone. Thank you.

 

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