See my posts above

 

Bigger tanks on Sporty's only mean longer mileage range. You stop more often to check stuff out. But then again. If you want to cruse, you have the fuel for it on a 1200 custom, if your *** can handle it. Even on my Sundowner seat, I get hot butt.

 

I love how comfortable my 883 is with Progressive shocks and a Sundowner seat. I don't get the hype on 800+lb baggers that are slow and underpowered but then again I'm of age to remember when the biggest motor on the road was 1100cc and those 1100 cc inline 4s would smoke any Harley today at any level. If your going solo you can tour on a 1200 with ease and comfort. The downside is if you do 2 up touring on a Sporty you will be cramped on long rides.

 

Hi GCW,

I ride 1200c, Love my Sport. Like others say a good seat for touring is a good idea. I use a kayakin grandtour bag for backrest. I use mustang saddle for touring. I kept a sportseat for around town. Saddlebags come in handy also. One other suggestion. Put your handlebars a comfortable height for you. I run mini apes with stock riser for my custom. Works great for me. Ride safe.
Similar to these bars.

 

Did an 8000 mile trip around the country last summer. The bike did great. 20 degrees and snow in the Rocky Mountains to 130 degrees in Nevada and a 0 visibility dust storm and it never missed a beat. If you are bored and want to read of our adventures here it is haha

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/sport...al-thread.html

 

Forgot to mention is got about 20k on it now. I've seen people with way more though

 

The XL1200T is an out of the box touring Sportster. The front and rear suspension is modified from the C version. The rear shocks are the premium HD shocks found on CVO's. Just dial adjust the dampening with a dial between the saddlebag and fender. The triple trees allow more level low speed maneuvers. Quick release windshield is standard.

I did a 4K mile run to Vegas and Laughlin for River Run earlier this year. Did about 700 miles each day and got 50 to 51 mpg. I did have a Sundowner seat that I swapped off my 11 XL1200L that I traded in on the T.

I'm 6'3" and 208 lbs. I was comfortable all day long on the ride. Although I didn't care for the rain all 6 days of the ride.

One other change in the T is it uses the same front drive sprocket from the 883. My memory is not good but I think it is 34 teeth and the 1200 usually has 38 teeth. So it pulls strong loaded and running 75 on the Interstate.

 

I live ~ 35 miles from work via the Highway... but the back roads are much more fun. It takes me nearly an 1 and 1/2 each way. I do a mini tour every day.

 

Man I'm envious your a lucky rider .

 

You can definitely tour on a sportster, I wouldn't buy one and then leave on a long trip the next day though. I've been all over on my sportster, and it took a while to get it to where it was comfy enough to take long distance. Bars, pegs and seat, just as everyone mentioned. I would also recommend good shocks, really helps cut down on tailbone soreness on hard bumps. Having two sets of pegs is nice too, when my butt gets sore, I move back to the mid pegs and lean forward awhile, or stand up on the bike if I'm not going 80. But yeah, take the back roads whenever you can, going 70+ on a sportster with no windshield will beat you up some. Full face helmet mitigates the wind and noise some. You can put a bigger tank on the bike, but I find that I'm ready to stop every 100 miles after awhile.