Harley Sportster Tourers?

[Buzz Kanter]

I remember when we thought all Harleys, even Sportsters were fine for touring. Wonder how many people still tour with a Sporty any more?

Do you? If so what did you do to mod your Sportster?

Harley and or aftermarket parts?

Harley gave birth to my Bike in 2004. It started out as a 883C Seirra Red and Grey. Didnt much care for the colors that year.

Upgraded to 1200. Harley jugs. SE 10:1 pistons, Cams and ignition. Left Heads as is. If I go up to a 1250 this winter I will get another set of heads and work done.

Added a breather system from JPcycles to keep oil from blowing out Air Cleaner when I hit it hard for a long time. Cleaner burn. Motor ran a little cooler.

Sheee. Now were to start.

Stock seat was real bad. For the price I went with a Harley Sundowner 2-Up.
Tall sissy bar and pad. Luggage rack in flat black.

Put on saddlebag mounts and got a real nice set of thick leather bags at a swap meet.

Tank Bra to tuck Maps in.

Progressive 412 Shocks

Harley Oil stick with built in temp gauge. Works okay. Gives you some idea.

Put on Crash Bar with a set of Hi way pegs to stretch out.

Black Widow pegs from Kuryakyn. Can rest my foot flat. Feel like a mini floor board.

Swapped out handle bars for a set off a 2005 sporty low to bring em back a little.

Nice cushy leather carved grips from Coolsac.com. Handle bar mounted Air Temp and Clock.

Ran a line to plug in some Heated gloves for the 20 degrees and below days.

Harley Sport Winshield.

All new bulbs. Brighter.

Chopped front fender. Painted all tin with Plasti- Kote flat black bed liner .

Drag heel across tank. Rocks bounce off and hail wont even touch it. No need to wax or worry about rust. Just hose off. If it gets damaged just a quick spray to touch up.

Bunch of other Chrome goodies and Braided lines.

Tool kit. Extra gaskets,plugs and FirstAid kit.

My wife said I should have just got a Bagger. Baggers are not as quick or agile. Sporty maintinence is pretty easy.

Almost 20,000 on it. Not bad for having two young kids. 4 to 500 mile days no problem. Ride year round in Minnesota. Seems like I am alone half a year then all the riff raff come out in spring.

Can post a picture as soon as I take a few.

[Sportster Gar]

Hi Buzz,

I set my '04 XLH1200C up for touring with Harley bags, aux headlamps, rear brake lights and running lights conversion kit, rejetted the carb , screaming eagle a/c, screaming eagle 7K rpm ignition and python3 slip ons, avon www front and rear, luggage rack, tall sissy bar and pad, and mustang vintage seat and pillion. No windshield, if I want a windshield I'll drive my truck. Last summer went to North Carolina from Maine for 2 weeks, previous 2 summers took 2 weeks and went to new Hampshire, Vermont, New York, PA, and South NJ shore areas. Bike runs very well and rides better than I could have ever hoped. Very quick and easy to move in a hurry if I neeed to. My old '72 rigid sporty was brutal. There's no comparison. I can even see in the mirrors! There's a huge difference in the rubber mount sportsters, and I feel that if you set it up right there's absolutely no reason not to tour on a sporty. One of the best things is that my friends who ride the bigger Harleys are all surprised by how good mine sounds and performs. I hear a lot of "I didn't know a Sportster was that quick!" I wouldn't trade my sporty for any other bike .... although someday I may own a Road King Custom in addition to the sporty.

Alright. Finally bought a modern camera and took a picture of my bike. It may not have the Character of the older rides but it has mine. So once the Moderator (Admin) approves you all can see.

I went with a 30t, up from a29t. It's only one tooth, but it made my bike feel better at higher speeds on the interstate. Dropped rpm by 225-250, or about 5mph. So now, 80mph feels like 75mph! My speedscreen works great at taking the windblast off my upper torso. These changes have made high speed travel more better IMO.

[Fackler Rebel]

I've got a HD touring seat on mine, highway pegs, a windshield, a backrest, and replace the passenger pegs with floorboards for the wife. I've also got saddle bags on her too, the bike, not the wife. I can do 500 miles a day, no problem and I'm 57 years old. I usually run at 85 or 90 on the Interstate, and yes that is with stock gearing as far as I know. She is smoothest at 80 miles and hour. Go figure. Am I just lucky or what? I use blue locktite on everything, and on a 1500 mile trip last summer, had NOTHING vibrate off, and yes, mine is a 2000 rigid mount.

Stuck in Kuwait without my Sportster.

Reb

[EASTCOASTCHOPPERS]

I TOUR MINE GEARED FOR HIGHWAY 24T 48T CHAIN OF COARSE---ITS A 1999 1200 WITH 07 HEADS ANDREWS CAMS, DYNA SINGLE FIRE, 200 TIRE AND 21X3.5 IN FRONT -----NEVER WILL SELL, ALL DONE BY YOURS TRULY

Mine was until yesterday an 02 'Luxury Blue' XL883. Touring in the UK is pretty limited, small country.... However last year I did 'LE JOG' OR LANDS END IN CORNWALL TO JOHN O'GROATS IN SCOTLAND. From my home in North Wales I rode to Mousehole (Moussal), Cornwall about 300 miles stopped over then to Lands End the next day the weather was hot.. so I rode the 890 miles in 28 hours none stop...

My add ons were:
412 progressives
Kuryakyn Hypercharger
Kuryakyn grantour bag - great for a backrest.
Passing lamps
FOGS

I use screaming eagle twin electrode plugs - made a difference...

I put 20000 miles on the bike in 14 months, I use it to commute from my temporary accomodation in Kent to work, a total of 66 miles a day and at weekends and at weekends a 634 round trip to my home in Tanygrisiau..

I love it but decided to upgrade last week, I tried a used Road King yesterday and hated it... so I bought a Brand New solid black 1200c takre delivery next week... only problem is the cost of HD,s in th UK... £7500.00 for the 1200c or roughly $15000,00 of your US Dollars...

[Chick4]

I'm kinda new at this forum stuff, but i've done a bit of riding on my Sportster and thought I would add my 2 cents worth, as well as ask a question. I"ve got a 1990 1200 Sportster and that's all I've ever toured on. Been to Sturgis 3 times from way down south in Ga. North Carolina often and Florida all the time. It's a 4 speed, but I put a 23 tooth sprocket on, so it goes down the highway at 70 turning about 3500 rpm. I put forward controls on it and a Corbin seat with backrest (a concession to my back), so I can kinda relax going down the road. A windscreen and a pair of those round SAC bags thrown over the passenger seat and it's ready to go. A highway bar is next if I can keep riding it but..... does anyone have a suggestion for where to get the engine rebuilt??? I've got about 80,000 miles on the original engine and it's starting to show! I can get the engine out but I'm no engine mechanic! I'd like to find someone within a reasonable distance from home which is southeast Georgia. I would like to keep travelling on this bike if possible. It has performed flawlessly for many 2-3000 mile trips and a few 5-6000 mile jaunts. Thanks for any help.

Chick4:

You looking at rebuilding Top, Bottom or Both. How much are you looking at spending? Rest of the bike in good shape?