Just bought my frist Harley about 2 months ago (see below) and I'm getting the itch to go for a long ride either to a rally or just go and see where I end up. I've been thinking about buying a set of bags just for when I want to go on trips also.

My question is, how far have you guys gone on your 883s and how was the trip?

 

Congrats on the new scoot. Now get off here and ride.
I did an 800+ mile day once, with a brick of a seat too.( i think my butt is still numb ) I found that if you use a rubber backed bathroom mat, shaggy type, it's helps with the monkey butt problem.

 

Doing 10+ hour days is not a problem if you have a good/comfortable seat. Another key to reducing long distance fatigue is a windshield. Many people will buy them just for use on long rides and wind up leaving them on full time because of the added comfort.

 

Spring break this year, went on a 2,000 mile, 5 day ride with my 9 year old son. We went through the Carolinas....it was awesome! Windshields are over rated....don't do 80 all the time and it's not a big deal....you get used to it after awhile anyway.

Rev. George.....Chattanooga, TN

 

Change the seat and you can ride as long as you can buy fuel.

 

Its all in the seat and bars.

 

Farthest I went when my bike was still an 883 was about 500 miles in one day.
farthest I've been since the 1250 conversionis a little over 1000 miles in 18 hours with no problems. I had to have a Mustang seat and windshield though.
This Friday we are leaving on a 1300 or so mile 4 daytrip.
Even though I've converted my 883, it doesn't really matter, your 883 should be fine with any amount of miles. The question is are you up to it?

 

back in the day, I spent 18 months on a 63 Iron Head. left Ga. went to Alaska, Kaliland, Pan American Hiway to Ecuador and back to Ga.

 

1700 miles on my Sportster. Stock seat, bags, windshield. Two of the days were 10 hour days. The bike will go anywhere you can.

 

The bike isn't the limiting factor, and here is a good example.

Back in the mid 1970's I was riding with a MC on the east coast.

A couple of us rode straight through from Philadelphia to Kansas City to take care of some stuff. Stayed in KC a couple days, then turned around and back. It was about 1,200 miles each way.

I was riding a chopped '49 Panhead, solid frame (no rear suspension), no front brake, and you felt every little bump in the road.

The ride didn't send me to an early grave, but that was probably the roughest riding Harley I've ever owned.

When the new 1200FX SuperGlides came out in the early 1970's they were considered the 'high performance elite cruiser' of the Harley line. I bought one and have no idea how many times it was ridden from coast to coast, and if you look at specifications it was about the same physical size as today's Sportsters.

Any Harley is perfectly fine for long distance cruising, it's the rider that is the limiting factor. Some people require more comfort than others.