Harley issues

When you guys say "all day" comfortable with apes, how many miles are you talking about?

250 to 300 miles. 12" apes put my hands directly at shoulder level. No hand, wrist or shoulder pain whatsoever, which I emphatically can not say about lower bars. And, since I sit up straight with these bars, I don't have to deal with any added lower back pain. Not much of a interstate/high speed rider, but even running 75+ mph for extended periods, I've never noticed any "sail effect".

I don't do 700 mile days anymore & if I did, I'd use a different bike. Or maybe not. The Dyna series has more rider leg & arm room than the touring bikes. Doesn't ride quite as plush, but definitely more room to stretch out & get comfortable.
 
Hahaha! Read the no 700 mile days part. I don't do the super slab n it's kinda hard to get in 300 miles before lunch when I don't see a 4 lane road or speed limit much over 45 during a day's ride.
 
Last edited:
Hahaha! Read the no 700 mile days part. I don't do the super slab n it's kinda hard to get in 300 miles before lunch when I don't see a 4 lane road or speed limit much over 45 during a day's ride.

Yep, it's tough to make time on the backroads, especially this time of year with all the tourists looking at the leaves. I rode from Clt to Waynesville on the slab coming and going last Friday to meet guys for our annual Blue Ridge Gathering ride. Once in Waynesville we went 200 miles of twisties to Glenville, Franklin, Nantahala and back to Waynesville. We left Clyde's restaurant around 8:30 am and got back to Waynesville around 4. I left Waynesville at 4;30 and pulled into my driveway in Clt at 6:45!
 
I once did 750 miles in 11 hours on a hot-rodded 1200 Sportster, on my way back from Sturgis. We averaged 500 - 600 miles/day on our "travelling" days, but that was 21 years ago. I'm sure I could do it nowadays with the right bike, but I just don't like that kind of riding anymore. Spending the day meandering about the little back roads up into VA, or down into Montgomery County, or where ever the hell I wind up, is my kind of riding.

I've done the epic road trip thing, done the big speed thing, the whole bit, but I'm at a point where hectic/stress/adrenaline just aren't fun anymore. 'N as bad as traffic & drivers are getting, I'd rather just avoid as many of them as possible, while I relax & take in the scenery.
 
I once did 750 miles in 11 hours on a hot-rodded 1200 Sportster, on my way back from Sturgis. We averaged 500 - 600 miles/day on our "travelling" days, but that was 21 years ago. I'm sure I could do it nowadays with the right bike, but I just don't like that kind of riding anymore. Spending the day meandering about the little back roads up into VA, or down into Montgomery County, or where ever the hell I wind up, is my kind of riding.

I've done the epic road trip thing, done the big speed thing, the whole bit, but I'm at a point where hectic/stress/adrenaline just aren't fun anymore. 'N as bad as traffic & drivers are getting, I'd rather just avoid as many of them as possible, while I relax & take in the scenery.

I agree, I've done the Iron Butt type rides, done the fast, nowadays I just like to ride. I have a FatBoy, a Vallkyrie and an old Ironhead. Yesterday I took the Valk out for about 150 miles. Rode down to the National forest and put a bunch of miles on the Coquina NF roads. Going own there though, there is a nice, freshly paved chunk of road for a couple of miles, at least a mile of that is straightaway. No-one else around me, so I opened her up to Triple Digits for a minute, blow out some carbon.
 
I'd rather pound my nuts flat with a meat tenderizer than sit on a slab for 8 hours. No thanks.

I'll slab it for 12 to 14 hours so that I have more time when I get to the Rockies. I'm not wasting any time doing only 5-600 miles a day and having to stay over another night when all I'm doing is riding through Kansas. Kansas is best seen at about 100 mph and being there as short a time as possible.
 
I'll slab it for 12 to 14 hours so that I have more time when I get to the Rockies. I'm not wasting any time doing only 5-600 miles a day and having to stay over another night when all I'm doing is riding through Kansas. Kansas is best seen at about 100 mph and being there as short a time as possible.
That's for damn sure. Kansas is borrrrrrrrrrring

So is west Texas and 98% of Florida
 
Last edited:
20150725_145458.jpg that's my pregnant wife shooting the finger in the back ground. The white knight. 06 road king. 70k on it.
 
Last edited:
I'll slab it for 12 to 14 hours so that I have more time when I get to the Rockies. I'm not wasting any time doing only 5-600 miles a day and having to stay over another night when all I'm doing is riding through Kansas. Kansas is best seen at about 100 mph and being there as short a time as possible.

Where I lived I didn't need to ride to Colorado to find good roads. I was surrounded by them. I'd never ride 12-14 hours to find a decent road. I'd stick my bike on a trailer or do a track day. Guess I got spoiled.

I rode from Auburn CA to Phoenix straight through, in August, on a 1987 FZ600. Nearly 800 miles (and through LA traffic halfway there) and the temp never dropped below 95 degrees and was well over that most of the time. And, I rode it back. I did my time and lost interest in that kind of riding. It's not fun unless you are riding a barkalounger and I haven't owned bikes like that.
 
New battery, it spun over strong. Been a crappy week, taking my 16.5 year old dog to vet to help him cross the bridge, he died in my arms during the ride. Not felt much like wrench turning the past couple days.
Well that certainly sucks - sorry brother.
 
New battery, it spun over strong. Been a crappy week, taking my 16.5 year old dog to vet to help him cross the bridge, he died in my arms during the ride. Not felt much like wrench turning the past couple days.
My dog was hit by a car Monday of this week. I put him down. My sisters 12 year old Alaskan Malamute died yesterday. Sorry for your loss.
 
Last edited:
New battery, it spun over strong. Been a crappy week, taking my 16.5 year old dog to vet to help him cross the bridge, he died in my arms during the ride. Not felt much like wrench turning the past couple days.
Sorry for your loss bud.
 
574686_10150714195134005_383512151_n.jpg
His name was Patriot, named by the soldier that gave him to me. He was the "asshole dog" growing up as he growled at everyone for even looking at him but he was harmless, just trying to lead the pack. This picture is in his younger years but one of my favorites.

Thanks everyone for the thoughts, today was a tough day, actually emptied and put away his food and water bowls, which makes it real to the mind that he's not coming back. Tomorrows another day and just trying to help my sons through it and explain about what happened and where he is now.
 
Last edited:
That's the only downside to having a dog, knowing that that day will come. Sounds like he had a good long life. Sorry for your lost.
 
Blasphemer! ;)

I went to a Harley Shop once and they were great. Friend's KLR lost a brake caliper bolt on a camping ride and they just happened to have the exact bolt which was a bit surprising what with the whole metric/SAE thing.
20161104_193612.jpg
(that's the KLR owner not me btw)

I do like dogs. @McDirkale and @Mightyox04 my condolences for the loss of your pets.
 
Last edited:
About the same thing though right?
I rode straight back from Daytona bike week to Raleigh in a day only stopping for food and fuel oh yea and the one guy whose bike wouldn't do over 67mph without the front brake starting to drag. I abandoned his ass at Fayettville could not stand to go that slow anymore.
 
I rode straight back from Daytona bike week to Raleigh in a day only stopping for food and fuel oh yea and the one guy whose bike wouldn't do over 67mph without the front brake starting to drag. I abandoned his ass at Fayettville could not stand to go that slow anymore.


The last day of about 7400 mile road trip with excursions for work at Ft. Hood, and fun stops in Roswell, Vegas and Colorado we stopped in Mt. Vernon IL. After 20 days, that many miles, and riding through a hurricane I was done... Made the last leg of that trip (over 750) miles in under 10 hours, 7 hours of it in the friggin rain... stopped for gas and once for food. Not gonna do days like that again. Lol
 
The last day of about 7400 mile road trip with excursions for work at Ft. Hood, and fun stops in Roswell, Vegas and Colorado we stopped in Mt. Vernon IL. After 20 days, that many miles, and riding through a hurricane I was done... Made the last leg of that trip (over 750) miles in under 10 hours, 7 hours of it in the friggin rain... stopped for gas and once for food. Not gonna do days like that again. Lol
You are right about that. My old ass is done with crap like that. I am greatful I didn't have to do it in the rain. I at least had 2 different lids so I coulb switch to the lighter one when my neck got tired.
 
I passed a bunch of Son's of Silence guys coming out of Indy. They must of had to be somewhere because it was raining cats and dogs on their whole I75 procession. I guess they made it to where they were going as I passed them up rather quickly. Riding in t-shirts, brain buckets and no windshields may look cool but they sure we're having a tough time seeing where they were going. I'll take my FF, electric windshield, rainsuit and heated gear any day over looking cool. And yes, we rode from Indy to Clt in one day. I've ridden from Madison, Wisconsin to Clt in one day. I love to ride and 14-16 hour days are part of the fun, at least it's fun for LD riders. Some folks just don't get why LD riders ride like they do. But, we just like to ride.
 
Back
Top Bottom