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I learned a lot about what to and what not to do on long trips. Most of this 'wisdom' concerns what equipment to bring, selecting campsites and adjusting your mindset to get the most out of your experience.
Tip 1: Get a comfortable seat, preferably with a backrest.
I made it exactly 1.5 days into my 14 day trip on the stock seat from Harley. What a piece of crap. The gods smiled upon me when I found the Corbin factory after making a random westward turn towards Hollister. Spend the money, get a good quality seat; it's the difference between an enjoyable experience and a torture test. See the links page for more info about the Corbin seat.
Tip 2: Get a windshield.
I always hated the way these things looked until I had gone 2000+ miles in 8 days without one. Believe me, a 75 mph headwind wears a person down. I was having trouble pulling a 250 mile day without this. Once I bought the windshield in Denver, I could pull a 450+ mile day without feeling the bone numbing fatigue I was having pre-windshield. And it doesn't look so bad after all.
3. Get highway controls
These are great. A Sportster isn't a very big bike and you will become uncomfortable pretty quickly using the stock controls. The highway controls move your feet forward allowing for better circulation and a more comfortable riding experience. Plus they look great.
4. Get good quality rain gear
This is a real no brainer. Spend the money and get decent gear. The cheap stuff will blow out as soon as you need it. I was half-way across Utah with a crotch full of packing tape trying to keep the cheap rain pants together. When I got to Denver, I spent 25 bucks for a FirstGear set of rubber pants that can actually take the abuse. 25 bucks is a small price to pay for a dry crotch.
5. Get your papers in order
The only real worry for me was that I'd get pulled over and have to suffer the consequences of doing this trip on my learners permit. This was a risk I took and given the crazed nature of the past year or so of my life, it seemed a manageable risk to take. I don't recommend it to anyone else. Apart from that detail, I made sure to carry proof of insurance, current registration and proof of ownership for the bike. These documents I carried on my person and did not leave with the bike. And for what it was worth, I carried my California learners permit.
6. Adjust your brain, have fun
This is the ultimate no-brainer, and it's cheap. As a matter of fact, it pays off handsomely in that you'll get more out of your time on the road. Don't do an overly ambitious trip. In other words, make sure you have the right balance between distance and time. If you feel as though you've just got to get somewhere on your trip, you're not getting the most out of your time on the road. This country is huge and at times pretty desolate but still, no matter where you go you'll find that you're never far from a cheap motel, a gas station and some sort of food. On those rare occasions where you are far from one of the above, plan ahead; carry enough gas, rain gear, some sort of snack and a credit card. Above all, don't worry about it. Having done trips of this nature on 4 seperate occasions I can tell you that though you might feel you're alone, there is always somebody else around to help if needed. I've had enough strangers stop to ask if I need help and on one occasion actually slept in a strangers house who took pity on me as I struggled with a dead gas pump on a lonely Texas highway. Alone is mostly a state of mind and deadlines on a trip of this nature are fake. Relax, have fun and remember that someday you'll be too old to do this. |
