[Closed] Harley Davidson across America!

It’s a good idea, but from what I’ve read not as romantic as it might sound, on account of Harley’s breaking down. A lot.

OK well it doesn't have to be a Harley I suppose - just something more comfortable for the pillion than my Triumph Daytona which she refuses to get on these days...and we are well past the romantic phase 🙂

just something more comfortable for the pillion than my Triumph Daytona which she refuses to get on these days

Like a Winnebago?

A couple of weeks isn't enough to cover the whole place, so pick a quadrant. I'm sure there are places you can hire these things, as that kind of razzmatazz is big business.

The idea of riding a bike on a big trip like that sounds ace

But I think I'd get a big annoyed by a Harley after a while - heavy, lardy, unrefined

A Pan or 1200RT (or whatever the latest version is now) would be a much comfier way for 2 people to get around

Like a Winnebago?

Nope

A Pan or 1200RT (or whatever the latest version is now) would be a much comfier way for 2 people to get around

Thanks for the advice - I might test drive a few over here first.

“So, what did you see on your trip through America “

”Back of a helmet, back of a helmet, back of a helmet, back of a helmet......”

“So, what did you see on your trip through America “

”Back of a helmet, back of a helmet, back of a helmet, back of a helmet……”

If I get that I will be upset as it was her idea!

Might be worth looking up Henry Cole's 'Worlds Greatest Motorcycle Rides' series. Its repeated pretty often on Travel Channel and probably on demand somewhere. He's done a few trips across America on various bikes. One was some crazy chopper but I think one was on a Harley. Its a good show as travel shows go.

Its quite an easy place to travel around and pick up accommodation as you go. Some stunning scenery, but its a big place and there is a lot of nothing too.

Edit: looks like its on tomorrow: http://www.travelchannel.co.uk/shows/worlds-greatest-motorcycle-rides

Fair enough.

It just strikes me as being an awesome experience for the driver and a horrible experience for a pillion passenger.... but I’ve hated every pillion ride I’ve ever had.

looks like its on tomorrow

Cheers - I will see if I can find it

horrible experience for a pillion passenger

I have a firm mandate for a comfy seat - preferably with a back rest

I assume Mrs T doesn't ride? Might be better doing it in a convertible, similar experience, but you can share the driving? Assuming she drives.

I’d opt for an old Mustang convertible or a massive Cadillac convertible. Bikes are fine, but 50-60miles is enough IMO.

Something like this would be most awesome..

She does drive but not ride. But when she has been pillion she has really enjoyed the whole experience apart from the insecure feeling of being perched way up high on the postage stamp seat of the Triumph. (which I completely understand and I wouldn't want to do it either). she seems to prefer the idea of motorbike to car and I am happy with that. I agree though - we need to find an area where the distances between places isn't vast. I don't like the idea of spending hours and hours of the holiday traveling whether by car or bike. We both like mountains - I like the idea of the Rockies ?

If you want to tour around the USA on a Harley go for it, I wouldn't compromise by using a Honda instead. But I have thought about it in the past and I've done a few European motorcycle tours and my conclusion is that I'd rather tour around in more comfort and with aircon. It's hard to cover huge distances on a bike due to fuel stops and arse ache plus some of the roads in the states can become a little tedious if your main pleasure is cornering

Have a read of Tom Cunliffe's book, Good Vibrations about touring the US on Harleys. They had one each, he shipped his over from the UK and she bought one there and sold it at the end of the trip.

I think the biggest stumbling block was insurance, IIRC it was very difficult to get insurance as a non citizen without a fixed address, in the end they had to phone HD corporate offices directly and play the "two people trying to live the harley davidson dream but being screwed over by the man" card.

I'm trying to convince the OH to get into motorbikes, if that doesn't work I'm taking my dad for his 70th.

but from what I’ve read not as romantic as it might sound, on account of Harley’s breaking down. A lot.

Some bloke on the internet said they were unreliable?

Have a flick through some US based harley forums and the topic's "250,000 rebuild, what should I change" is about as common as "what tyres for Swinley" is on here. Cheap petrol and big distances mean there's some absolutely phenomenal distances racked up by retired guys without issues.

Great big engines, low compression, low revs, belt drive. 90's manufacturing issues aside (they pretty much did a BL/Rover, but survived) they're great at what they're built to do.

Then compare it to an apparently reliable japanese bike which has a service schedule that includes "12,000 miles: strip the whole thing down to a bare chassis and engine to change spark plugs, then strip a bit more off to check valve clearance". Or Ducati and their "cambelt must be changed every 3rd tank of petrol".

I don’t like the idea of spending hours and hours of the holiday traveling whether by car or bike. We both like mountains – I like the idea of the Rockies ?

South to North California, start in the desert and end up in the Cascades?

Never even crossed my mind to do anything like this before

That's because before you weren't middle aged, now this idea has come into your head you are officially middle aged whatever protest you might make.`:-)

Binners, at least the first two of those aren't Harley's though!

That’s because before you weren’t middle aged, now this idea has come into your head you are officially middle aged whatever protest you might make.`:-)

I have no comeback to this - It must be true 🙂
Those cow horns are ace!

An old college mate did it, but not two up - him & his brother both on hired Harley's another mate has done Sturgis on a hired Harley and covered some pretty big distances too.

No, they are not unreliable. I've had 3 from new, and never had a breakdown. They were used for long haul rides in Oz.

Almost any problems you read about are because some knuckledragger has made "performance" modifications because he knows better than the engineers at the factory about gas flow, optimum port size, etc etc, and who needs a front brake anyway and why did my piston crown melt?

For comfort an Electra-Glide (or its current equivalent). They have excellent low speed handling, you can easily do figure 8s in a narrow street, fully loaded. Then there's a comfy passenger seat, a screen to take the windblast (appreciated after a long day in the saddle), and plenty luggage space.

For a two up bike they are hard to beat.

Solo, I'd take a BMW though.

For comfort an Electra-Glide (or its current equivalent). They have excellent low speed handling,

Really, I had a few rides on one in the late 90s - IMO it handled like a kingsize bed.

Did a three week tour two up on a Harley as a honeymoon. Started in SF, went east across Sierra Navadas to Vegas, Death Valley, Grand Canyon, then down and around back to LA and the up the coast highway back to SF. Was epic and bike was faultless. On the ‘back of helmet’ view opinion, couldn’t be more wrong. Open face helmets and out in the open means you don’t just see the scenery, you smell it, feel it, taste it. A truly epic experience that I would heartily recommend. Don’t believe the bollocks about Harleys being unreliable; there’s millions of them over there, and they are so unstressed that they don’t do themselves much harm. Exceptions exist, obviously. RegRdkng the weight/unwieldness of Harleys; evidently written by someone who hasn’t ridden one. The low saddle height and comfy position completely negates the weight. They aren’t a speedy bike, but that’s not what they are for anyway.

mossimus
Really, I had a few rides on one in the late 90s – IMO it handled like a kingsize bed.

Yes, really.

To be specific, I am talking about the Electra-Glide and its derivatives, not the FX series, springers, or soft-tails, some of which handle as you describe.

Just a word of warning - I ride sports tourers and went for a test ride on a HD, they let me have it for four hours, I was handing the keys back after 15 minutes on it (one roundabout and a total feeling of impending doom!).

Really horrible - try a Triumph, go for a "test ride" at a T dealer before you choose your hire bike.

A one-time acquaintance of mine rode across the States on a motorbike, but he did it sort of off-road. Him and his mate bought trail bikes and sold them at the other end. I think they used Honda 250s (it was long before all these mahoosive Paris-Dakar type bikes). Sounded brilliant to me.

cyclelife
Just a word of warning – I ride sports tourers and went for a test ride on a HD...

But which model HD?

Little old ladies cruise around the USA on HDs.

Just a word of warning – I ride sports tourers and went for a test ride on a HD, they let me have it for four hours, I was handing the keys back after 15 minutes on it (one roundabout and a total feeling of impending doom!).

But they don't have roundabouts in the States!

I can definitely see the appeal in crossing the US on a Harley - to the non-motorcyclists.

IMO it handled like a kingsize bed.

To be fair on them, they're touring bikes.

Do you fly first class and think "I wish this was less like a king sized bed, I wish I was in economy with my knees cramped and a harder seat".

Have a look at the very good "See the World" series of videos on YouTube by Iohan Gueorguiev, a bicycle tourer, to get a good understanding of the immensity and emptiness of the USA. He conveys it very well.

I can definitely see the appeal in crossing the US on a Harley – to the non-motorcyclists.

If all you get from motorcycle riding is head down, bum up speed thrills, you’re absolutely right. But there’s more to it than that, imho. But what do I know?

V8ninety - long time owner of a KTM 990 SuperDuke

But they don’t have roundabouts in the States!

They do.

v8ninety
...But there’s more to it than that, imho. But what do I know?

V8ninety – long time owner of a KTM 990 SuperDuke

Agree. Longtime owner of bikes ranging from tiddlers to the full gamut of UK classics (including Velocettes, ISDT T100s, Gold Stars, Nortons), to BMWs with 4 HDs thrown in (remembered another 🙂 ), and hundreds of thousands of long distance miles under my belt.

However, I reckon I wouldn't enjoy riding a big HD on most UK roads. I'm planning downsizing from my G/S100 to something around 500/650cc for the roads up here in the Highlands.

But for cruising big countries like the USA or Oz with a passenger and gear, a HD tourer is a great choice.

I ride a ZX6R on road and track. The only bikes I've ridden in USA are Harleys and every time has been a great experience. Don't let the miserable cynics put you off.

Edit: two weeks would barely scratch the surface!

I'm not a motorcyclist but I do know the US. Don't underestimate the distances (and tedium in between places of interest). There are amazing experiences (riding through the Redwoods, around the Southwest national parks etc but the thought of five hours riding pillion chugging along at 50mph in between stops probably counts as a CIA-approved stress position. What about getting around by car / RV then hiring a bike in specific locations for one or two days of riding? You'd get the best of the riding and minimise the discomfort in between.

I can definitely see the appeal in crossing the US on a Harley – to the non-motorcyclists.

That's me then. Iv had the bike for over 10 years - before I even had a driving licence but these days I just use it to commute on occasionally. I still enjoy riding it (fast in a straight line) but I am not a motorcyclist. If there is a sunny day I will be reaching for the mountain bike every time. That's my passion.

Appreciate all the comments including the negative ones - Still in the 'humming it over' phase so good to hear the negatives as well as the positives.

the thought of five hours riding pillion chugging along at 50mph in between stops probably counts as a CIA-approved stress position.

Again with the not understanding HDs. My then new wife, when not chatting or watching the world go by, would read a book or doze. She wasn’t uncomfortable. And that was on a screenless heritage softail. We cruised between places at 55-65mph; any faster was uncomfortable; 55mph was ideal for nattering.

read a book

Really!
My Mrs loves a good read
How does that work?

Mate did part of Route 66 on a hired Harley looks great to me. Got to be a Harley in the States.

How does that work?

There’s quite a lot of space on the back of a Harley, and the small back rest, comfy seat, good weather and nice bit of dead air just behind me meant she could quite easily have a read. Apparently. I was quite impressed to be fair, lol. Also impressed she could doze; first I’d know is a gentle ‘bump’ of lids touching.