For entertainment I spent a long time last night reading opinions on the web about using Sportsters as touring bikes, like I did last summer on my 06 883 standard, (see my current profile picture) to visit my folks, taking four riding days averaging about 450 miles/day. A very engaging ride, albeit a little exhausting. So I spent much slack time reading about others experiences--along with the predictable opinions that yes you can tour on a Sporty just fine, or you really shouldnt get one if tourings what you really want to do, or you spend a lot making a Sporty a tourer so why not buy a tourer so if you want to tour get a touring bike, or (my favorite) bikes are built for a purpose and thats not what a Sportsters built for. Finally a kind of logic (which works for me) dawned on me that I think puts it into perspective for me: You can make a Sportster into a tourer, perhaps with a lot of money and a little lacking in comfort relative to the really pricey bikes, but can you make a tourer into a Sportster? If I want to ride my Sportster like a Sportster, thats easy enough, and if I want to take it on a tour I pack it down, put on some ergonomic improvements (seat, more pegs, some say windscreen but I dont) which incidentally I can leave on it, and its a fine touring bike even for my 62 self, AND it will still ride the twisties and around town like a Sportster. (Mines not all lowered and such. You can actually lean it.) But can you make a Road King or Ultra Classic ride like a Sportster? I think not. (Heres where DesCartes disappears, heheh.) That said, to each their own. Some folks can ride the big twins very well and make them dance, but the videos where they shoot sparks and lowside on The Dragon make them less appealing to me. Anyhow, thats the logic that works for me: setting a Sporty up to tour is easier than setting a touring bike up for sporty riding. Some opinions may differ.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 01:17:25 +0000
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