ORIGINAL: 61panhead


The KLR650 is tailor made for this purpose.
It is a 650cc single cyl thumper.
The basic design and engine has remained unchanged for over 20 years, although there were some new changes just this year. It is OLD technology.
Known and documented to go the long haul, there are a few bikes around with over a quarter million miles on the clock.

Truthfully, it is not a very good street bike, and it is not a good dirt bike.
But when you have to do both, it is as good as anything else made including those that cost much more.

It's also a great "urban assault" bike for around town or as a commuter.
You can jump curbs, cut across vacant lots, etc. Far from being the fastest bike around, it'sgreat for getting from point A to point B.

It has LOTS of ground clearance. That's a negative in that it has a high profile. It catches lots of wind, it's a light bike, and you feel it in the wind.
It will do interstate speeds, easily cruises at 70 mph.

There are a few known issues, easily corrected or modified.
It is a very easy bike to wrench, even for beginner wrenches.
You can learn all you wish to know at http://www.klr650.net/forums/
It's the equivalent of hdforums.comexcept that it is dedicated to that bike.

You can also learn more by visiting:

http://multisurfacemotorcycling.com/.../klrissues.htm

ORIGINAL: BadBobOk

1.5k/yr For the GS or the GS Adventure? I'd go with the regular GS for that trip.

ORIGINAL: Lopoetve

So, being young, stupid, and with more than enough time to plan what may end up being a significantly crazy idea, my friends and I are planning a trip. It's a long distance trip, to say the least, from Denver Colorado, to Anchorage Alaska (via the Alaska-Canada highway, the AlCan), with some stops at various distant places on the route as well. We'll be coming back through Seattle to San Fransisco and then across to denver again. Approx distance will be 6000 miles. We're hoping to make it a 3 week trip in 2010, so there's time to prepare. I'm starting my planning and saving now though, so I'm ready.

I'm expecting that 1, maintainence will be minimal during this trip - availability, timing, etc. Roads are known to be poor - gravel in places, occasional mud, lots of dirt, and potholes that'll make you do a 3-4" drop or more that come out of nowhere, etc. Not your normal cruise down the interstate by any means. I'll need ground clearance, load carrying, etc.

Suffice to say, as much as I love my sportster, she's not going on this trip I want something more comfortable, more cargo room, and probably something faired. My original plan had been to get a BMW GS1250 Adventure for this trip, but... well, I kinda fell in love with Harley. I figured it might happen, but the last few weeks with the sportster have cemented it.

So the question becomes... which harley for this trip? Which bike will be able to take the most abuse (suspension bottoming out, extreme temps, getting dropped, etc) and keep going? I'm more than willing to do some customizing, of course, and my price range is right up there in the 18k range. The Street Glide and Electra Glide Classic have caught my eye for sure, as well as a built Road King (I prefer the SG/EGC more - I like the batwing! and full fairings to beat the wind and rain especially). I'm passing on the Road Glide - price, fixed fairing, styling is not quite my style, and insurance. Definitely open to other suggestions as well though. What's the HDFs thoughts on this? Which MoCo bike can take the pounding?

I love how all of them ride, so there's no strong personal preference there. Thoughts?

ORIGINAL: R1Geezrglide

A trip like this is all about suspension travel. Even though I have a 'Glide', I would seriously consider a Truimph Tiger, Buell Uly, or a GS-maybe the new 800GS. The FL suspension is simply not that good-you would get the crap beat out of you. The other thing is posture. Riding on rough road surfaces in the standard HD seating position is hard on your spine. The riding position on the 'Adventure' bikes places your feet underneath you thereby giving you better spinal alignment and allowing you to stand at a moments notice.

ORIGINAL: AK_Hog_Herder


If you plan on just the Alaska Highway and the ones in Alaska, you can do the trip on just about any Harley that don't make your butt hurt after 10 hours in the saddle.

Road construction and seal coating areas are short for the most part and only a few miles long.

If you are planning the Dempster, Dalton, or Top of the World Highways you may want to consider something other than a Harley as these roads are gravel for a couple hundred miles or so.

But I have done two round trips to Sturgis and back on the Alaska Highway on my 03 Heritage and two on my 06 Ultra. Other than a couple of small chips to the paint here and there, no problem.