HOW to TRAVEL Long Distance on a Harley Sportster!?

HOW to TRAVEL Long Distance on a Harley Sportster!? Many people say the Sportster is only good for short trips and around town types of riding. I will go through some of my experiences while traveling long distance and go through some of my tips and tricks to set yourself up for success while traveling on your sportster.
If you have any tips or recommendations for traveling long distance drop them in the comments!
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[@RogerBankerFishmiser]

I think that today's Riders have gotten spoiled, for lack of a better term. Old School riders used to go the distance on Hardtails and bikes with far worse suspension than today's Sportster. My Gramps took his bobber all over North America. lol. He swore you'd get used to it. I wish I was half as tough as that old man was. RIP Gramps.

[@TheMotoJawn]

That's so true. Could be rider on setting even smaller and more uncomfortable lol.

[@jimmansi1187]

Dude, don’t think you’re missing out on anything by riding a Sportster, they’re awesome bikes. I rode Sportsters for many yrs & did many trips & 300+ mi days with no issues at all. Being comfortable on your bike is all that matters. Sportsters have plenty of power & are fine for touring imo. You have your bike set up perfectly, nice vid!

[@TheMotoJawn]

Thanks man! Would be nice to have more power though sometimes!

[@OldManShoutsAtClouds]

@@TheMotoJawn I just picked up an 883r with the screamin eagle 1200 kit and it's got plenty of highway power now. Obviously less power than the sport bikes I used to ride, but a lot more comfortable and fun in a different way.

[@jerryhayden8720]

I'm going to be downsizing from a 2007 Streetglide to a Sportster because I can't handle a heavy bike anymore after my lower back was injured so bad I now have weak, hot pins & needles & numb legs + my hips aren't in very good shape either. I really should stay off of a bike all together but I want one so that's that.😆

[@charlesbiggs8981]

Rode my 2010 Nightster from Chicago to Utah and Montana a couple of times. Didn’t stop until North Platte, Nebraska, about 16 hours. Could have gone farther but I was tent camping on that trip.

[@pastorbobncc365]

I traveled long distance on a Honda 350 back in the 70's

[@martincvitkovich724]

i RODE A 650BSA Thunderbolt in 1970. Stayed out all summer and lived in a tent! A buddy rode with me on his 350 Honda. Great times

[@stinde666]

Agree 100% Sportys can and will go any distance 👊🏻

[@TheMotoJawn]

You know it! 💪🏍

[@donhenderson5100]

Motojawn! A fantastic review of Sportster versatility. For me, the Iron 1200 bars are a bit better. Yes, a simple Progressive Suspension fork kit and a set of 412 rear shocks about 1 inch longer puts the Suspension issues to bed. Lots of seat options too. You have a step up, the Explorer looks good too. I remember T-Bags vividly. Super popular and reliable. In my opinion, the majority of touring bikes are just 'too much'.. too heavy. Too expensive. Too complex. Too many things I really don't need. Give me a Sportster, tweak it just a bit and I'll be fine. Let me plan some back roads and I bet I smile more than the interstate burners.

[@OldManShoutsAtClouds]

In personally a big fan of mid controls for standing and balance on uneven surfaces. You can just add highway pegs to stretch out 🤷‍♂️

[@TheMotoJawn]

Yeah I prefer the mids

[@geraldscott4302]

BS. I've had 4 Sportsters in the past 21 years, the newest one, and my current one, is an '06 1200L. I have been all over the country on those Sportsters. 8,000+ miles trips. No problems. But long before that, way back in 1980, at age 21, I bought my first new motorcycle. A 1980 Suzuki GS450L. A 450 twin. And I did the same thing with that. I racked up 54,000 miles on it, mostly on interstate highways. 100% trouble free other than a few flat tires. The smallest Sportster is almost twice the displacement of that bike. Sportsters can be ridden around the world. My philosophy on long distance riding is to only take stuff that cannot be bought along the way. So if you are riding in the U.S. you don't need to take a ton of stuff. Some people think you have to take everything, and not buy anything but gas along the way. If you are going to do it that way, then yes, you need a huge touring bike with a lot of storage capacity. No thanks on the wind protection. If I want wind protection I'll drive a car. One of the main reasons to ride a motorcycle is being out in the breeze. Kind of like why a dog sticks it's head out the window of a moving vehicle. It feels great. I do wear a full face helmet, and foam earplugs on longer trips, but definitely no windshields. I have ridden a couple of bikes with windshields, and they caused EXTREME helmet buffeting, it felt like the wind was going to blow my head off. Without a windshield, it spreads the wind out over a much larger area. Never been an issue for me at anywhere legal speeds. I see a lot of Sportsters for sale on Craigslist with huge windshields, and I just have to wonder why. I have never "upgraded" the suspension on a street bike. Never found a reason to. OTOH, I have always upgraded the suspension on dirt and dual sport bikes. Mostly because I weigh 240 pounds, and the stock suspension just can't handle that off road. I have had a sissy bar on every cruiser style motorcycle I've ever owned. They look good, and give you a place to attach things. I do use saddlebags. Hard leather bags with Easy Brackets. They lock to the bike with a key lock, and when you remove them, the only thing left on the bike is a couple of small chrome docking posts on the fender rails. You have to be really close to the bike to even see them. I don't care what the bike looks like when I'm on a trip, or even if I just need to run to the store to pick up a few things. I throw the bags on, then take them back off when I'm done. One thing I have never used is a luggage rack. Those really do ruin the look of the bike, and most of them can't just be put on when you need them and taken off. T Bags is out of business. But that has become a generic term. Many companies make bags like that. A rigid rectangular bag on the bottom, with a roll bag that attaches to the top, and has straps that wrap around the sissy bar. They are all similar, but come in different shapes and sizes to fit almost any bike with a sissy bar. I have 2 of them, one made by VikingBags, and one made by Saddlemen. Obviously anything that touches the rear fender is going to mess up the paint on the fender. On my 2006 Sportster 1200L with the 4.5 gallon tank, I can also use a 14 liter magnetic tank bag. I have one made by Cortech. I doubt it would work on the 3.3 gallon peanut tanks.

[@peted2770]

My father-in-law rode a sporty all over the country. All he did was throw a bedroll on the back and go.

[@TheMotoJawn]

That's awesome love to hear it

[@RamboHikes]

The only part about long distance I hated when I had the 883 was how many times I had to fill up the tank.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Yeah definitely something to consider.

[@gzmask]

Can you just hang a gas container on the side?

[@BossMan302]

I think when people say sportsters are only good for around town they’re talking about the 883. The 1200 travels perfectly fine. Takes a special person to travel with an 883

[@hughkeith9185]

ROK Straps… low tech, reliable and trustworthy way to make sure your bag(s) stays where it/they need to be out on the road. Worth double whatever I paid for them a few years ago now in my opinion. And still look new BTW. Thanks for the encouragement and stay safe out there.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Good tip!

[@MichaelH416]

I miss my 2007 1200 Nightster. I had heated grip, J&M handlebar speakers, highway pegs, detachable windscreen, PlunderDog Saddlebags, and a saddleman seat. I wanted to upgrade the suspension, but ended up going to an Ultra instead. But if I could get MY bike back in my stable I would in a heartbeat.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Man I love the nightster

[@CactusJack252]

I sold my sportster to put a down payment on my truck. I recently had a chance to buy it again and I had to get it. I missed that bike so much.

[@quantumcase999]

Such an underrated channel. Great vid!

[@TheMotoJawn]

Yo thanks for tuning in! 🙏

[@dirtedirte8771]

Hell yeah !!! I toured 3,000 miles on my 48 . Strapped a two gallon tank of gas to the sissy bar. In front of that my bag of clothes. And off I went !!! My set up was less complexed as this but still a great set up.

[@TheMotoJawn]

That's awesome love to hear it

[@HarleyFatBoyJr]

Bro great share Fam!!! Getting me excited for sturgis. 🔥🔥

[@TheMotoJawn]

Yoooooo nice bro! Get ready to pack it up cuz!

[@RoadsOfOz]

My Griso is not the ideal bike for touring. Recently I done a 5750klm trip (3573 miles). It done the job nicely. You have to use what you have got.

[@TheMotoJawn]

That's a long one!

[@AdaMoto83]

Love my sporty. Not the best for distance but still love it. Good vid bro

[@TheMotoJawn]

Yooo thanks! Not the best but it gets the job done.

[@HarleyFatBoyJr]

Man suspension sounds so good right now 🤷🏽‍♂️🔥

[@BikesBeardsAndBrews]

You don't need a big crazy bagger but you totally should have it anyway lol

[@TheMotoJawn]

I think I can agree with that 😂😂

[@conchitogarcia7791]

I found a lot of T-Bag motorcycle gear on Ebay both new and used, pretty much anything you could want. Thanks for the tip. I don't really want to add saddle bags to my Sportster, too much of a hassle. Also my 2005 1200C has plenty of git up and go, plenty of power. I also have a Ultra Classic.

[@TheDorkKnight23]

Sissy bar is king. Get yourself one My personal favorite is made by this is guy from Whittier CA called Skooter punk. He makes custom sissy bars for a reasonable price about the same price you would pay for one on Amazon. I also used 23 dollars saddle bags made from canvas. I thought they would be shit but they lasted me well past the worth of the bags so I definitely got my money's worth from them. I ditched my suspension all together and got solid struts didn't bother me at all on long trips. Also ditched my stock seat for the ugliest old man looking sporty seat and it the world of difference. Having that lower back support helps a lot when dealing with high speeds on a sportster.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Sounds like a good time

[@ozarkwheels4158]

On my Iron 1200, I put a cylindrical bag under the headlight to hold my rain gear, so I always have it. Wish there was a place to store my rain boots. I have two swingarm bags for a little more storage. Not happy with my sissy bar. It’s a short, chrome job with a rack on the back. It came over from my previous sporty with lots of chrome. I did put a black rack on the fender. With a sissy bar like yours, it should support a lot.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Mine works pretty well.

[@ozarkwheels4158]

I also added rear pegs and highway pegs so I can change my foot position often. That helps a lot.

[@user-lr3di2gp7o]

Stock suspension on sportsters are more than adequate you just have to adjust it properly cause it set up too soft from the factory

[@bertbirge3617]

My first long range trips were on a Yamaha 650- road many miles on that thing.. there's a bunch of people riding all kinds of smaller bikes all over... the guys saying you can't tour on something probably never left their own state...

[@TheMotoJawn]

Could be haha

[@chicagodeserts8982]

i like the video an tips im a fan have a sposter 12oo my self heavy modified up in chicago to indiana an back an thats nice tips i use a book bag mainly but i love the bags you have i like the video brother an been sub you a year ago keep ushing brother

[@TheMotoJawn]

Thanks for tuning in!

[@rogervonschleusingen4603]

THANKS FOR ALL THE TIPS AND ENCOURAGEMENT, STAY SAFE BROTHER !!

[@RussianAllmighty]

Dude, awesome video, I am currently in the market for a Sportster, I want to take my girl, some bags and go across the country! Im in NY, so it would be a nice NY to LA, type deal. I currently ride a Honda VFR800. Amazing machine, sport-tourer. But I just feel its not as comfy for 2up riding. What do you mean the 1200cc engine is not enough for highways? This always puzzled me, because my 800cc has plenty of power regardless of how much weight is on it, or how fast we are going. Thank you!

[@TheMotoJawn]

Some people say 1200 air cooled harleys aren't enough. Harleys engines are typically restricted and underpowered from the factory. But it will still take you anywhere you want

[@corysargent7057]

Just started riding recently got me a 2008 orange and black nightster 1200 I want to go from WV to Gaitlinburg so thanks for the video! I've debated getting forward controls and getting a saddlemen black and orange seat.

[@TheMotoJawn]

That's awesome man enjoy

[@javiergallegos5777]

Am taking my 05 883C on the next El Diablo Run. My plan is to switch the springs in back for struts becueas I love pain.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Sounds like a good time

[@TREEHUGGAH1]

much respect and safe travels.

[@rugershooter5268]

How many long trips you taken.......how many miles per day do you consider long trip If you get a decent seat you'd realize them shocks aint bad Now that you got memphis shades, you can quick change it to their drop top windshield

[@HarleyFatBoyJr]

Those bags look solid. Nice.

[@chisoxfan773]

My dad always hated it cause of a small tank and said it's not a trip bike .. he never left the city on his bikes lol

[@TheMotoJawn]

Yeah its small. Gets ya over 100 miles though.

[@geraldburrow3524]

You need more lighting could not see in your garage, I got the h-d hwy kit had to buy pegs, short h-d windshield, small saddle bags, now have new larger solo backrest seat , windshield pouches, duel horns , Cruze control different than the h-d screw type.

[@ronnironn2986]

Thank you / should do a major run to west coast & back!!

[@TheMotoJawn]

That would be a bucket lister for sure.

[@12395rusty]

Name of the sissy bar I haven't found any I like to look of and I really dig the way yours looks! Do tons of long distance rides on my sporty and the saddle bags are an eye sore

[@TheMotoJawn]

Innoglo. Should be able to find it on Amazon

[@HarleyFatBoyJr]

What are doing for lighting Fam? On point. 👊🏾

[@TheMotoJawn]

Leds all around, ring light for production haha.

[@richardmorholt1175]

What about the tank?

[@EXECUTI0N619]

Can i still have passenger pegs on my bike with the swing arm bag installed?

[@TheMotoJawn]

Yeah my pegs fit

[@balmoralpjk]

Still waiting on that video request ☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️

[@IronBornRider]

What's your recommendation for swass (sweaty a$$) while long distance riding on a sportster?

[@TheMotoJawn]

Just let it rip and then rinse at the next gas stop if needed.

[@piratekingthaszar7912]

There are mesh saddle covers that you can get that are designed to allow air to flow between your butt and the seat.

[@HarleyFatBoyJr]

Looking to get bags and a windshield for the trip

[@TheMotoJawn]

Set that jawn up for travel!

[@HarleyFatBoyJr]

@@TheMotoJawn 🔥🔥

[@kellssea73]

I have a 2018 Sportster Iron 1200 and plan on driving it to Sturgis from NC in 2025. What is the farthest you have driven yours in a trip?

[@TheMotoJawn]

Farthest so far in one trip is 1500

[@IronBornRider]

also missed opportunity for tea bag joke.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Lol I know I did hold back a little giggle there, trying to keep it professional

[@insanedb]

can you share the link to that side bag with straps?

[@itsaRooster]

Theres a difference in mileage. Is it a rubber mounted engine or a solid mounted engine

[@waltswild]

in what world is a 1200cc bike small..

[@user-bl4xv4dx2t]

It always baffled me why a 1200cc motorcycle isn't considered useful for long distance touring.

[@DEATHMETALCYCLE]

You have to hardtail it to go long distance

[@martincvitkovich724]

Do we really need someone on a video to tell us this? No one told me squat in 1970 when I packed up a 650 BSA and hit the rode for 3 months

[@premswarooppaul1109]

Is 1200cc too less for U.S. roads? This thinking is going too far.

[@freemaysin5088]

why does that sportster look bigger than a bagger?

[@HarleyFatBoyJr]

🔥🔥

[@randomdewd4837]

Obviously sportster can do long rides ! its maybe a little Harley but it's still a big bike !

[@HarleyFatBoyJr]

Wow 100 bucks for the sissy bar. That’s not bad at all.

[@roberttolley5055]

Is 60 miles considering to be long distance?

[@peted2770]

60 miles is just a short ride. My default Sunday loop is 110 miles.

[@richardmorholt1175]

Why talk about bags that are no longer available.

[@LA-ff6zk]

For some reason you don't sound like the same person doing the video's before you revealed your face.

[@TheMotoJawn]

Probably the helmet mic makes it sound different

[@balmoralpjk]

☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️

[@ripperstoolbox]

Nothing new we all didn't already know. I want my 12 minutes back. Also, try not to slap and tap every item you are explaining. Super annoying. Then again, you are from Philly. Just sayin...

[@oldbuzzard76]

Wow! Your one of those rare guys that knows everything . Just sayin...