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Feb 3, 2012 | 03:50 PM

#11

slyder

Road Master

Joined: Nov 2010

Posts: 1,156

Likes: 1

From: Nebraska

Quote:

Originally Posted by baust55

I TOURED coast to coast, sturgis 13 times , gulf to cannada and a lot more about 160,000 miles worth on my 76 FXE SuperGlide

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.

Feb 3, 2012 | 04:25 PM

#12

Mr HOG

Road Master

Joined: Apr 2010

Posts: 824

Likes: 2

From: O'fallon IL

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

Feb 3, 2012 | 04:45 PM

#13

iclick

Extreme HDF Member

Joined: Sep 2005

Posts: 11,615

Likes: 50

From: Baton Rouge, LA

Quote:

Originally Posted by wurk_truk

You are missing the point... A "Touring" Harley isn't about what it can 'do'... it IS about what engine and frame it has.

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.

Last edited by iclick; Feb 3, 2012 at 04:55 PM.

Feb 4, 2012 | 02:34 AM

#14

mike5511

Elite HDF Member

Joined: Jun 2007

Posts: 3,873

Likes: 13

From: NW Arkansas

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!)

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Feb 4, 2012 | 02:44 AM

#15

mac0478

Road Captain

Joined: Jan 2009

Posts: 563

Likes: 0

From: Perth, Western Australia

Quote:

Originally Posted by baust55

I TOURED coast to coast, sturgis 13 times , gulf to cannada and a lot more about 160,000 miles worth on my 76 FXE SuperGlide

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...

Feb 4, 2012 | 05:12 AM

#16

geezer glide 56

Road Warrior

Joined: Aug 2009

Posts: 1,889

Likes: 104

From: Mississippi

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.

Feb 4, 2012 | 05:27 AM

#17

jmacdonald5

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: Nov 2006

Posts: 2,144

Likes: 10

From: Mass

Quote:

Originally Posted by wurk_truk

You are missing the point... A "Touring" Harley isn't about what it can 'do'... it IS about what engine and frame it has. The Heritage does NOT have the Harley 'Touring' frame... so it is NOT a member of the 'touring' family. Also... that 103 in the King is a totally different engine than the 103 is a Heritage. The King has an ALPHA engine, and the Heritage has the BETA engine. The "A" motor is rubber mounted. The "B" motor is soild mounted and has internal rotating shafts for balancing.

The three big twin models are Touring... Softail... Dyna. These are based upon which FRAME is in the bike and has NOTHING to do with what YOU think it should be based upon capabilities.

...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...

Feb 4, 2012 | 08:25 AM

#18

ChristoHD

Road Warrior

Joined: Jul 2010

Posts: 1,812

Likes: 26

From: South Bend, IN

Quote:

Originally Posted by jmacdonald5

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.