I made all my trips on a Sportster across all of Europe and North Africa it is a great bike! You don't need to think about what is the best adventure or touring bike because the best one is the one you already have 🤘
@@redtobertshateshandles mine has a 4.5 gallon tank. Love the heck out of it. She turns 18 in two days. I ordered her in April 2004. Still on the honeymoon! 😎🏍☀️
When I started riding in 1964 a "small" bike was anything under 250 cc. A "big" bike was anything 500cc and above. An 883 Sportster was a huge bike. We rode everywhere we wanted to go on all those bikes. This notion that a motorcycle has to weigh at least 800 lb. and have 100 hp to go anywhere on it is a fairly recent thing, and still isn't true in most of the world. I just watched a video series about 2 guys who rode Honda Trail 125s pulling trailers from Texas to Maine, from Maine across the US to California, and, back to Texas. Admittedly that's probably going to extremes, but they had fun doing it.
Two thumbs up on this. If I had more than two thumbs, I would put them up. I 100 % agree with you. The 883 is big compared to those outside of North America and really big compared to bikes prior to 1985 or so. This video is a response to everyone that rides a bigger bike than an 883 that said I couldn’t tour on one. I love proving people wrong. 😎
You got that right. Rode a little Trail Honda 55 in 1965. In those days at 15 and 1/2 with a learners permit you could drive a motorcycle by yourself...The truth is it was so much FUN Lots of people were driving little bikes and really enjoying it. Back then you needed a bike with minimum of 16 horsepower for freeways. The highways were fine for the small bikes.
While I would never even consider riding a Sportster for any kind of long-distance tour, simply because it’s not designed for it. It is by no means a small bike. You just chose the wrong tool for the job.
When I was a kid in the 60's and 70's, if you couldn't afford a bagger, you had an XL. There were TONS of folks on the highways riding long rides on "small bikes". Great video!
I think the key to motorcycle travel is to get off every hour or hour and a half to get the vibes out of your behind. Stop and walk a little, stop and get gas, stop and get a drink (water is best so you do not get dehydrated). We've traveled up to 500miles a day, but we stopped every once and a while to refresh ourselves (my wife of almost 50 yrs. and I). Ride safely and enjoy every journey.
I put a new saddleman seat on my 2004 883, with a Memphis shades windshield. It has a stage 1 tune, so going faster than 70 it gets thirsty. progressive rear shocks are next, but right now im good for about 7 hours.
Hi Sirahuen, I put 55K miles on my 883C. The engine is perfect as ever. The notion that 883 is "too small to travel" is a mount'N of BS. People travel the world over on 250cc or 500cc, even of C90s! It's just a marketing-induced, male ego perversion. 883 is 900cc and that's more than plenty to take you as far as you may want.
Gotta love those shadow 750s man. They just don't quit giving. I know I'm going to regret selling mine but she's served me well and I've taken her as far as she can go performance with wise. Only reason I'm jumping over to the sportser is the ability to build it up a little. My goal is 80-90 hp. Take some teeth off the cam give it more highway ability
@GreatEgret I hope so. I'm looking to increase reliability or I'd go bigger. I'm looking for a upgrade to the daily driver. I ride in rain, I even started riding in the snow last winter. My goal is modern performance chopper. So I will be cutting it up and throwing a magneto on it. King and queen seat for my back and my gear. Daily that until I can add a evo road king to my collection as my old man bike. I adore the evo engine. It was the new hot when I was a little kid. I had evo posters on my wall as a kid and iron 1200 posters in high school back when they first came out. My father and my uncles all rode big bore evos in the 90s.
Great video! In this day and age when it seems motorcycles are getting bigger and bigger it is nice to get some motivation to get a smaller bike and trough it ,bigger adventures!
Rd 350 from Maine to North Carolina and back, then a year later an xt 600 same trip no issues at all, the bull thunderbolt s3t has since been my touring steed. Nice vid. Ride what ya got !
Great video joe, I’ve watched all your posts and they just get better. My sportster is back from the mechanics, after $2.5K spent I’ve decided to jeep it. Engines basically rebuilt. After lockdown hoping to have some adventures of my own. One of my best trips was throwing a back pack and travelling around Sicily on buses and trains , this pandemic has made me appreciate how important travel is for your mental health . Take care looking forward to more great content . Cheers from London 🇬🇧
My use of “small bike” is to rattle the big bike riders that call the 883 sporty small. The whole point of my channel is prove that a mid-displacement bike is ridiculously capable and is not small at all.
I feel you on the big difference between small-bike and big-bike touring. I rode an ‘89 Intruder 750 for 9 years before I got my Fat Boy. On a trip from upstate NY down to Harrisburg, PA (all on backroads) I stopped for gas about every 120 miles. In fact, I nearly ran out of gas when I got caught in traffic on the interstate outside of Philly while on reserve fuel. So there was that plus the added bonus of my Electra Glide-riding buddy busting on me for my “embarrassingly small gas tank” and frequent gas stops lol. Makes a big difference having a 5 gal tank and 250 mile range. Now, it takes hours of constant riding for me to get sore and I can pretty much ride for a whole day on a single tank of gas. But, there are definitely times when I miss touring on my Intruder. I could throw it into turns without the pegs touching down. It was also way easier to maneuver into a parking spot. I also felt confident taking it on dirt roads; I knew I could pick the Intruder back up if I dumped it. In my view, it’s like you say about Harley’s vs. other bikes. When it comes to small bike touring vs. big bike touring, one isn’t necessarily better, they’re just different styles with their own sets of pros and cons.
I agree with you Joe, stopping more often is good for you to stretch. I ha e a 4.5 gallon tank on my 883 custom. But I still stop every 120 to 140 miles to stretch ,get a drink, and use the facilities. I did a trip last year fro Central NY to Virginia and back. It was a great weekend trip and the 883 was a great bike for it.
In 1970 I spent the entire summer, living in a tent and riding a 650BSA Thunderbolt. A Sportster would have been a upgrade. Once you find the 'sweet-spot" it's all doable
I remember when a 750 was a really big bike and anything 1000 cc's or bigger was insane. People regularly toured on motorcycles under 1,000cc back in the day and many people forget that Honda made a full-dress touring bike in the early 80s that was 500cc called a GL-500 Silverwing Interstate. I toured on a gl500 Silverwing in the 90s and as recently as 2009 I was touring on an 883. A midsize bike will tour just fine. It's only a recent phenomenon since motorcycles have gotten huge that people have been brainwashed by marketing into thinking you need a huge motorcycle to tour. If you put a Mustang wide touring seat on your Sportster along with some used Roadking air shocks like I did you will be very comfortable on the Long haul.
I agree with everything you say here. This video was inspired by all the large cruiser owners that said I couldn’t tour on a Sportster. I also owned a GL500. It was a fun bike to ride.
I love it (motorcycling) and liked your video. I started with a honda 450 in 1980. where I toured calif. and arz. for the winter. In 1983 I bought a Kawa. 650 and did a 79 day trip from wash. to calif. and across the country to new brenswick. and back to wash.. Then I bought a used 76' Sportster and traveled mostly to calif and back to wash every year. And in 93' I bought a new harley electra glide and it now has 89000 miles on it. I crossed the country twice pulling a trailer. One trip was 13,336 miles and I didn't come home for 7.5 mo. And now I am replacing fuel lines and a stater and I will be on the road again. I hope as I am now 83 yrs. Have fun..... you got a good start.
I have road all over this beautiful country on my 1999 Road King Classic I put 86,000 miles on it , now I'm 65 I bought a 2021 new XL Sporty NS Iron 1200 I've added a few things to the bike to make it a little more comfortable for longer rides My butt can only handle 87 miles before I need to get off & walk around, so I might go ahead & top off the tank , was getting 50 per gallon now with the windshield 47.
I've searched across the UA-cam spectrum a few times trying to find someone touring on a small motorcycle. You da man. I appreciated your attitude and maturity during the good and tough times. I subscribed.
Thanks, bro! There’s just something fun about the challenge of touring on a smaller bike. I have more small motorcycle adventures coming up this riding season!
@@GreatEgret Keep it coming. I read once about a dude who took his Honda Cub replica 50cc bike from California to Alaska. I've not ridden in 37 years. I'll get back up next Spring. I'm 58 & looking at retiring and moving to Eastern NC in 6 years. Thing is, there won't be a retirement. When we move, I'll be starting a small restaurant. But, before I throw the first pork butt on the smoker, I'll be doing a crazy ride. I've looked at doing this ride on everything from a Zuma 125, Honda ADV 150, Honda CB500X, Honda Rebel 300 and Honda Rebel 500. I need to drop some weight for the bike to be efficient, but I keep returning to the little Rebel 300. I want to do it on just about the smallest bike possible while maintaining a high degree of safety. The ONLY issue with the bike, I THINK is the lack of an off road tire. Pirelli has one that I think will be fitting. If you've never watched a video of Tuktoyaktuk, check this out. My ride will take me through some great state and national parks, but this portion of the ride would probably be the pinnacle. Take care. ua-cam.com/video/mDCFAAUKAvI/v-deo.html
I finished a 12 day road trip on my BMW super duper touring bike and stopped every 100 miles also! Ha ha! My butt, even though graced by a very soft and comfortable seat, needed to take a break every 100 or so miles. I agree!
Hello Joe, I am so glad you are planning more motorcycle adventures. As time goes by and when you are older, I guarantee the Sportster 883 adventure will be “the one” that you will be most proud of and remember the most! I am from the Midwest as well and hope to meet you someday and share some laughs about my first solo adventure on my new 750 Honda super sport and my 850 Norton commando from Illinois to the Florida Keys and from Illinois to Canada. That when I was young and their was no cell phones, and I had no credit cards or camping equipment. Just a leather jacket, wool sweater, military gloves with wool linings and a $19 Kmart helmet and my hunting knife. I am 65 now, but out of all my motorcycle exploits I remember and treasure the ones on my smaller motorcycles because of the more inherited challenges. That is why I was so moved by your Sportster 883 trips, your camping techniques and when you where remembering your father as you set up camp. I had the sense your father was enjoying that whole trip with you from beginning to end! Joe, I used to live in Bali Indonesia for three years not long ago, I can tell you some wild stories about how small 125/150 CC bikes are used over there From transporting 7 family members at once, to actually a guy carrying a big white ox on a Bamboo rack he attached to the back of his little 150CC bike. Thanks for sharing your Route 66 trip with us, and I am looking very much forward to your next solo trips. Take care my friend.
Thanks for the content and congratulations! Planning a big loop trip next year, route 66 Chicago to the pier, then up the PCH and back home through the mountains. Just posted my first video last week, so I'm using you for inspiration. Well done and keep riding
Awesome video, great message and the editing is really, really good. Congratulations Joe! I'll watch all your videos from now on. Yeah, the Sportster is an awesome, super reliable bike, and economical too. This helps save for actual traveling. With the right seat, the right windshield and the right suspensions, you never feel like you're lacking in anyways compared to a "truck-on-two-wheels"... OK, I'm partial, what can I say...? RIDE SAFE Brother!
I used to travel on a smaller bike, 650 Yamaha, 1000hd sportster old ridged frame panhead, shovelhead and loved it took mostly back roads and a lot of stops, now days we need windshields heated gear and stereos, but m going back to a smaller bike, I enjoyed running the back roads and slowing down
Dude, just caught the vid, great vid. I’m old enough to remember when 900 cc’s wasn’t considered small. I’ve seen people cross the country on 125-250 cc’s. Of course the speed limits were lower and they stayed off the super slabs. I’ve toured on my 58 XLH and later got a touring bike, ditched the road sofa and went back to a sportster, a 1200 this time around. Stay safe, ride slow.
Just came across this (and subscribed by the way) because I tour on an Indian Scout Bobber and have experienced the same "Why .... are you crazy .... get a tourer" types of comments. But then there's always those that applaud taking the adventure - and that is what 2-wheels is all about ... adventure!
I’ve got the same bike and the same color. It’s small next to a bigger road glide or street glide. I love my 883. I ride it every where. I have a Chevy dually for those really rainy days and when the kids want to go somewhere. Sunday morning is my time to go riding. It’s very relaxing
Use to ride my 1980 Sportster from NAS Whidbey to Forest Grove, Oregon alot. Then a 1983 FXWG that I still ride. I rode my 1978 XS650 Yamaha Special from San Diego to Forest Grove. Never had to many problems on my rides.
Regarding the 3.3 gallon gas tank, I couldn't agree more! Other riders make it sound like stopping for breaks is a bad thing, I consider it as an advantage with my 2005 XL883 Standard. Pit stop, top off the tank, talk to somebody....best "reset button" anywhere. Like you, when my odometer passes 100 miles, I start looking for gas stations. Doing that, I've never had to switch my petcock to reserve. Yes, I have a carb and it has never given me any problems at all.
Been following your stuff for a while now, keep it up buddy you’re doing great work! I’m still modifying my 883 for a long trip and this keeps me going!
I’m thinking of shipping my Dyna back to Kentucky and riding back on the Route 66 next year and this video gets me excited to do it. Now if I could only find another rider willing to do it, my original buddy will more then likely flake on me so I may have to go it alone
Did Chicago to San Antonio then on to California.(lost everything I owned except for a seabag of clothes and my Harley... So technically I was moving) San Diego to Houston and back 7 times. Did Vegas. So-Cal to Jacksonville Florida. Then back to Houston. All on a 1200 sportster...hardtail. Zero rear suspension. Did over 1k miles in a day more than once. Camping most of the way everytime. Plus all the 500+ miles weekend runs. Don't ever let anybody tell you that small bike touring can't be done or is even a bad idea. Even if I could afford a big comfy "touring" bike....I don't think I would. Chopper for life. Great content man.
@@GreatEgret is was and is. The ol gal is not running the way she should right now, but I still ride her to work, appointments and even just to the corner store for smokes and gummy bears. Any chance I get. Been married over a decade and that bike is the only relationship I've had longer. Even if she burst into flames and all I had left was a smoking Harley shaped doorstop I still wouldn't get rid of it. Choppers for life my friend.
I did 400 miles in a day on a KTM 390. Something about the challenge and simplicity of small bikes i love. I was definitely feeling those miles towards the end.
I've been riding for little less than 30 years. I'm 51 years old and until now I had never even considered buying anything bigger than a dyna. My longest trip was about 13 years ago. I was in school at mmi Orlando. I had been dating a girl from Oklahoma and we decided to take a trip to see her family . I made the trip on a Yamaha 650. It's a small bike but it did have a 5 gallon tank and could go close to 200 miles on a tank. Lucky for me my girlfriend rode an 883 sportster that was only good for about 120. After a trip home to nc and touring Florida i learned that the stock bars on the Yamaha were terrible on the highway and put a lot of pressure on my upper back. So one of the first changes I made was to swap them for a set of 16" ape hangers. It made a huge difference. I've always liked making frequent stops on the road. Meeting new ppl and seeing places is the best part of the trip. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing like seeing the country from behind bars but you cant meet anyone while you're moving. I've never understood the mentality of ppl who see sportsters as a beginner bike and take it as a given that you will eventually trade it in on a big twin. I love sportsters. I'm on my 3rd one now . My wife has a road king with a big old batwing fairing and after riding it a few times I feel like it really robs me of almost everything I love about riding . Looking out over that fairing to me feels almost like driving a car. It blocks the wind and my view. I guess it would be ok without the fairing but it's definitely a very different experience than riding a sportster or a dyna.
Good stuff. I have a 2017 Roadster. If I'm not riding 2 up, I grab it before my Roadking. I took several 650 mile trips in a day on my Buell from Orlando to Norfolk in a 12 hr ride. Also the whole Blue Ridge Parkway in one day. Great times.
If you consider 1,000 miles as a minumum trip I've ridden Electriglide (2004), 750 Norton(1969), 650 Triumph (1967), 3 Yamaha 650s (79-79&80), 550 Suzuki 2-stroke triple(1972), 175 Yamaha Enduro (1974?-ish) and a 150 Vespa Primavera (2023)....I chose the Vespa over the Harley this trip for the slow ride. I have alway ridden what I have had at the time. I've owned many other bikes over the years but these are the ones I've traveled on. All of them became a little more special once you do a week or so living on one. For one up riding if I had to do a hard ride I'd take the Yamaha 650 twins from the 1970's. Big enough for the highway and small enough to have fun on and pretty much unbreakable, The Norton and the Triumph needed alot of attention, full dress Harleys feel like riding a motor home... For just plain fun I have never enjoyed a trip more than the Vespa scooter. Going slow is great.
I always heard that the 883 was not for long distance. I bought it anyways, intending on doing some of the roads through AZ you mentioned despite what I've heard. And it's great to see that you all these people commenting proving I wasn't wrong: it'll still be FUN
The best long distance ride I did was from the twin cities in Minnesota up to Canada on my Honda rebel 250 🤣 so glad I upgraded to the 1200 sportster 😅
I went from an XL to a V Rod and toured it 6000 miles in 6 months with long rests in between. The VR makes a great touring bike. Nothing wrong with the XL, I've owned 3 of them over the past 45 years riding.
Loved your video! I am new to riding and I have a 2018 883 super low which in my opinion is a little too big for me. I was looking for videos for long rides hoping to find someone on a smaller bike and Wallah, here I am at your channel!
Reading through the previous comments I know that you already “get it” but the term “small bike” means very different things to people. My wife and I bought a “huge” Vulcan 900 for long trips after touring on our Suzuki TU250x for many years.
You’re 100% right. Small is subjective and this video is how I defined small based on huge cruiser riders telling me I can’t tour king distance on a “small”. I truly don’t believe that the Sportster is a small bike. This video is a response to those that tell me it’s too small to travel long distances. The mistake many riders are making in the comments here is using displacement as the only measurement of size. My Honda CRF300L is only 286cc, but it ginormous in size compared to this Sporty.
@@GreatEgret My son-in-law has an 883, and physically it really isn’t much if any larger than my 250. In fact the 250 is considerably more comfortable to ride. My wife tolerated the pillion seat on the 250 for 1200 mile tours without complaint. That wouldn’t have been true in a Sportster. She sat on it once and then got right off, saying “no way!” So I guess your title really is valid. I some ways the 883 is a small bike, much smaller than the displacement would imply!
Great vid brotha. i plan on touring america on my honda 750 bobber. The break downs, pain, and weather is what i’m expecting will make the trip worth it.
I have never toured on a small bike but I am thinking about downsizing my bike. I currently ride an Indian Roadmaster that is perfect for touring but it weighs almost a thousand pounds and is no ideal for commuting, which is what I mainly use it for. I figure a smaller bike would be better for commuting and it would be more adventurous when I do take the occasional trip. Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks! I now tour and commute on a 530lb tall Africa Twin. Though there are days when I just want something simple, short and, small for both touring and commuting. That’s where my Sportster of Honda 300l come in handy.
@@GreatEgret Thanks for the reply. If I had the money and the place I would have two bikes, but I don't have the money or the place for two bikes so I am forced to choose one bike. I don't know what I am going with yet, but I an fairly sure that I will downsize my bike for something smaller. One of my concerns is that if I drop my huge bike on a trip by myself I am stuck until someone comes along to help me because I can't stand the bike back up on my own to save my life; I just can't lift 908 pounds.
So good to see you back! I put a larger tank on my Sporty and we go every where. I still stop at about 100 miles because why not? Keep up the awesome work.
Since I am only 5'6" tall and have a short inseam, my 3.3 gallon tank allows my seat to move over an inch farther forward than the 4.5 gallon tank would allow. This is a second advantage to the smaller tank. As I stated above, the frequent stops - actually stopping between 100-150 miles is not really frequent for me - are like recess at school. They allow you to stretch, empty the bladder, top off the tank, get your caffeine fix and have conversations with your riding buddies or other riders you may meet. I've actually had great conversations at gas stations with non-riders about everything from motorcycles to scenery or local restaurants or attractions. After each break, my personal battery is recharged and I'm excited to start the next 100-150 miles. For me, it's always a win-win situation.
I took a 1200 mile trip on my street bob 114 (San Diego to the Grand Canyon and back) definitely taught me a lot of lessons on what I need to do on my next trip
i'm a 56 year young army vet, i'Ve been riding bikes since i was 15,Idrive 3 bikes a650 vstrom a 2015 ural and an iron 2012 that i bought brand new. of all the bikes i've had that includes a 2008 FLHTCU my favoriate bike is my iron 883 2012 it now has 65k mls. ionly changed the rocker shims THATS ALL. ITS got a memphis shade stinger wind shield. its aPERFECT WELL BUILT BIKE VERY VERY DEPENDABLE AND EXTREAMLY FUN TO DRIVE.ITS LIKE BEING ON A 60'Sold school bike
I took a 1200 Sportster from Harrisburg PA to Tucson AZ and back more frequent breaks are part of the ride for me, small tank or big tank, maybe an hour and a half, two hours at most, and I am ready to stretch my legs. I have an Ultra Classic and replaced the 1200 Sportster with an 883. I also have a few Japanese bike, it really doesn't matter what I am riding about an hour and a half is it. Touring the country began on the old 45 Harleys and Indians, 45 cubic inches....750cc's. All the old biker stories about flatheads are 750s. Smaller bikes are easier to maneuver on gravel, sand, washed out roads. Easier to get into crowded, less than ideal parking spots, I sold my 1200 Sporty when I bought the Ultra, The fairing and wind screen and the weight is great on the road, but, the SPortster will do almost everything the Ultra will do and is more nimble and cooler looking. If you want to travel on a SPortster, my advice would be highway pegs and a Gel pad, switch out between pad and no pad every couple hour and change foot position whenever your butt or knees tell you to. The old Iron head Sportsters ran too lean for real highway runs, the evo sportsters with aluminum heads and jugs run cooler and have a 5 speed gearbox. No problem for long rides, but keep an eye on the gas stations out west. I got between 80 and 100 miles per tank, there were places where I was getting to the next station close to empty.
I live in Great Britain. I know, I know but I can’t help it can I. My 1st HD was a Roadking because all the cops road them in movies when I was a kid (60’s Electra Glide’s) before you flame me. Then brought a 2005 carb XL1200R. Best all rounder ever made imo. Now you can get from top to bottom in the UK in 10 mins & west to east in 5 mins. I exaggerate ofc but only by a day & a few hrs north to south. My m8 has an 883 & we went touring. Back roads & motorways. RK is. big bike. Can’t do you turns on 95% of our roads & you gotta think very carefully about where your gonna park re curbs to bump up, quality of road or off road surfaces, gradient of road etc etc! Endless list tbh. Where as the 883 nooo problems anywhere. Next year took the Sportster. Carried all I needed inc camping gear and cooking equipment for 8 days on the road. Absolutely more fun. Just as comfy riding & just as easy on the motorway all be it tad harder in head winds. And bags more fun on the back roads. One up ofc
Up to now I've about 85% of my long distance touring on my 04 Triumph Speedmaster 800 with a waterproof bag strapped to the rack. Never had a problem keeping up with my buddies on their HDs. This year we're heading to Mexico from Alberta but I've got big changes, riding a Triumph Thunderbird Storm with proper luggage.
The funny thing about getting and using proper luggage is you feel you’ll never need it until you get it and enjoy the luxury of it. You can have an amazing adventure without it, but, man, it’s nice to have. That’s going to be an amazing ride! Have fun and I hope the Thunderbird is everything you hope it will be!
@@GreatEgret The weight of the bike and luggage is going to take some getting used to. That's one thing about the smaller bike, even with all the gear on it was easy to handle.
So true. The hardest part is the the balance in the wind, but I’m sure you’re used to wind coming from Alberta. Just balance the weight right and I bet you’ll be used to it before crossing the border.
I once knew a man who rode an early 80's Sportster from Dallas, TX to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada and back. Sadly he was killed about 10 years ago on his big Road Glide being T-Boned at an intersection.
Man I get so much crap for loving my sportster! I have to say most people have never ridden on tho and not everyone want and 800lb + bike to have fun. Put some money in one and you can have an awesome bike! Enjoy what you got!!👌
This video reminds me of my bike trips inThailand. I lived there for almost 3 years. During that time I toured almost everywhere with my 200cc Honda Phantom. It was a great little bike. I oved riding it. Size doesn't matter. Right? Wait...
Unfortunately, no. I sold it to a young kid who was thrilled to have it. I figured he would get more use out of it than me. It was a nice bike. I just didn’t use it that much.
GREAT VIDEO!! In 11 days i am setting off for Key West from Omaha Nebraska the long route intended! I'm retired so i have no schedule and a tent! I'll be posting a video to my channel when i get back!
I rode a KZ1000 Kawasaki from metropolitan LA to Grand Junction and back. It was brutal. Inline four m/casks the torque to handle the winds in open territory. But it was an adventure of sorts.
I rarely ride in an area where fuel stations are more than 100 miles apart and I’ve ridden in some pretty desolate areas. That “tiny” 3.5 gallon tank is lighter the big 5s on the other Softails and you can still get to the fuel station without running out of gas.
People are confused what a small bike is, 883 is big. I did a 1000 mile tour (4 riding days) on a 110cc 8hp scooter (Honda Supercub style bike). Top speed was 50 to 55 mph. I concur about the many stops, I kinda rode from MacDonalds to Macdonalds, stopping at a restaurant every 90 miles for pee break, coffee and donuts. It was a hotel to hotel trip, I had everything in a big duffelbag tied on the passenger seat. It was a trip to visit my parents 500 miles away, i hope to repeat it one day on one of my Shovelheads. At the moment they require too much fixing for me to try it, but hopefully next year Ill feel confident for one of them (got 3) to make it.
Yup, I agree that an 883 is not a small bike. See my responses to the other comments here. The point of this video is to say to those riding big American made touring bikes that the 883 is more than capable.
i've recently changed the brass shims inthe rockers so i did a compressiontest front cyl=170 rear cyl=175lbs with 65000 milles,, this engine is perfect simply perfect
Cool! This year I prepared my 48 for a long round trip through France, but Covid stopped the plan. So I did this year 9500 mls of riding in my area. Maybe next year I have a go?
My 1960 sportster xlh had a4.8 gal tank, n would wonder upwards 210mile before needin a refil. I sold it when she hit 110,000miles. N she ran very good then
I love Sportsters and would own, and tour on one. Only problem is I'm a little too tall. So I ride a Road King and I'm in love with it. PS, Bronson road a Sportster in his travels around the country. 😊
I know where you're coming from. I write a 650V star. Full bagger. I get about 144 miles. Before I like to fill it. Those short breaks when you're filling it does. Recharge your batteries. Making it a lot easier to continue.
Great editing, man! And very happy to see you back on a bike. My son and I are doing a father/son trip out to Milwaukee next June. I'm hoping we can hook up and ride some with you while we're in the area.
@@GreatEgret I'll shoot you our route and dates as soon as we lock them down. Really looking forward to this trip and seeing you again would definitely be a highlight.
I made all my trips on a Sportster across all of Europe and North Africa it is a great bike! You don't need to think about what is the best adventure or touring bike because the best one is the one you already have 🤘
True words, my friend!
Sportster is simple and reliable. Just has a tiny, nearly useless sized fuel tank.
@@redtobertshateshandles mine has a 4.5 gallon tank. Love the heck out of it. She turns 18 in two days. I ordered her in April 2004. Still on the honeymoon! 😎🏍☀️
I love it when a honeymoon last that long!
@@XenaTheQuadCamBikah *If I can find a walnut tank in denim I'll switch out my peanut tank tomorrow.*
When I started riding in 1964 a "small" bike was anything under 250 cc. A "big" bike was anything 500cc and above. An 883 Sportster was a huge bike. We rode everywhere we wanted to go on all those bikes. This notion that a motorcycle has to weigh at least 800 lb. and have 100 hp to go anywhere on it is a fairly recent thing, and still isn't true in most of the world. I just watched a video series about 2 guys who rode Honda Trail 125s pulling trailers from Texas to Maine, from Maine across the US to California, and, back to Texas. Admittedly that's probably going to extremes, but they had fun doing it.
Two thumbs up on this. If I had more than two thumbs, I would put them up. I 100 % agree with you. The 883 is big compared to those outside of North America and really big compared to bikes prior to 1985 or so. This video is a response to everyone that rides a bigger bike than an 883 that said I couldn’t tour on one. I love proving people wrong. 😎
Itchy boots on 400-500 cc bikes and she rides all round the globe only with small bikes
For sure. I love watching her videos for that very reason.
You got that right. Rode a little Trail Honda 55 in 1965. In those days at 15 and 1/2 with a learners permit you could drive a motorcycle by yourself...The truth is it was so much FUN
Lots of people were driving little bikes and really enjoying it. Back then you needed a bike with minimum of 16 horsepower for freeways. The highways were fine for the small bikes.
While I would never even consider riding a Sportster for any kind of long-distance tour, simply because it’s not designed for it. It is by no means a small bike. You just chose the wrong tool for the job.
When I was a kid in the 60's and 70's, if you couldn't afford a bagger, you had an XL. There were TONS of folks on the highways riding long rides on "small bikes". Great video!
I think the key to motorcycle travel is to get off every hour or hour and a half to get the vibes out of your behind. Stop and walk a little, stop and get gas, stop and get a drink (water is best so you do not get dehydrated). We've traveled up to 500miles a day, but we stopped every once and a while to refresh ourselves (my wife of almost 50 yrs. and I). Ride safely and enjoy every journey.
This is so well said! I'm a few years shy of 50 and I can agree with everything here.
Ahhhh. I was so happy to find this, been wondering how well an 883 did on a long trip. Now I’m more excited to get my adventure started in the spring.
Nice! I hope your journey is amazing. Check out the Route 66 series and my long-term review of the 883 for more info on adventures with an 883.
I put a new saddleman seat on my 2004 883, with a Memphis shades windshield. It has a stage 1 tune, so going faster than 70 it gets thirsty. progressive rear shocks are next, but right now im good for about 7 hours.
Hi Sirahuen, I put 55K miles on my 883C. The engine is perfect as ever. The notion that 883 is "too small to travel" is a mount'N of BS. People travel the world over on 250cc or 500cc, even of C90s! It's just a marketing-induced, male ego perversion. 883 is 900cc and that's more than plenty to take you as far as you may want.
Don’t put your bike up, ride all winter long, be a man.
You have the most fun on a small bike! I put over 40,000 miles of road trips on my Honda Phantom 750 and enjoyed every mile.
Gotta love those shadow 750s man. They just don't quit giving. I know I'm going to regret selling mine but she's served me well and I've taken her as far as she can go performance with wise. Only reason I'm jumping over to the sportser is the ability to build it up a little. My goal is 80-90 hp. Take some teeth off the cam give it more highway ability
@YerGoodBuddyKeith you have a great plan with a Sporty for sure!
@GreatEgret I hope so. I'm looking to increase reliability or I'd go bigger. I'm looking for a upgrade to the daily driver. I ride in rain, I even started riding in the snow last winter. My goal is modern performance chopper. So I will be cutting it up and throwing a magneto on it. King and queen seat for my back and my gear. Daily that until I can add a evo road king to my collection as my old man bike. I adore the evo engine. It was the new hot when I was a little kid. I had evo posters on my wall as a kid and iron 1200 posters in high school back when they first came out. My father and my uncles all rode big bore evos in the 90s.
Great video! In this day and age when it seems motorcycles are getting bigger and bigger it is nice to get some motivation to get a smaller bike and trough it ,bigger adventures!
Thanks, man! That’s what it’s about, the biggest adventure possible.
Love the 883. Its thumped around this great country for ever.
One of the best things I ever did was my ride out to Sturgis and back on my "small bike" can't wait for the next one.
I bet it was an amazing ride, brother!
What did you ride?
@@rider14mcd63 Scout 60
Rd 350 from Maine to North Carolina and back, then a year later an xt 600 same trip no issues at all, the bull thunderbolt s3t has since been my touring steed. Nice vid. Ride what ya got !
Great video joe, I’ve watched all your posts and they just get better. My sportster is back from the mechanics, after $2.5K spent I’ve decided to jeep it. Engines basically rebuilt. After lockdown hoping to have some adventures of my own. One of my best trips was throwing a back pack and travelling around Sicily on buses and trains , this pandemic has made me appreciate how important travel is for your mental health . Take care looking forward to more great content . Cheers from London 🇬🇧
Oh, man! You and me both on realizing how important travel is for your mental health because of this pandemic. Truer words have rarely been spoken.
Glad to see you out there having fun, but what I would call a small bike is anything less than a 650cc.
My use of “small bike” is to rattle the big bike riders that call the 883 sporty small. The whole point of my channel is prove that a mid-displacement bike is ridiculously capable and is not small at all.
I feel you on the big difference between small-bike and big-bike touring. I rode an ‘89 Intruder 750 for 9 years before I got my Fat Boy. On a trip from upstate NY down to Harrisburg, PA (all on backroads) I stopped for gas about every 120 miles. In fact, I nearly ran out of gas when I got caught in traffic on the interstate outside of Philly while on reserve fuel. So there was that plus the added bonus of my Electra Glide-riding buddy busting on me for my “embarrassingly small gas tank” and frequent gas stops lol. Makes a big difference having a 5 gal tank and 250 mile range.
Now, it takes hours of constant riding for me to get sore and I can pretty much ride for a whole day on a single tank of gas. But, there are definitely times when I miss touring on my Intruder. I could throw it into turns without the pegs touching down. It was also way easier to maneuver into a parking spot. I also felt confident taking it on dirt roads; I knew I could pick the Intruder back up if I dumped it.
In my view, it’s like you say about Harley’s vs. other bikes. When it comes to small bike touring vs. big bike touring, one isn’t necessarily better, they’re just different styles with their own sets of pros and cons.
I agree with you Joe, stopping more often is good for you to stretch. I ha e a 4.5 gallon tank on my 883 custom. But I still stop every 120 to 140 miles to stretch ,get a drink, and use the facilities. I did a trip last year fro Central NY to Virginia and back. It was a great weekend trip and the 883 was a great bike for it.
Setting up my 883 custom for a big trip next year. Screen, bags and sissy bar luggage rack. Thanks for the inspiration.
Thanks for watching, Dioraí! It’s a lot of fun to share these adventures. Good luck on your big trip.
get a saddleman seat! its worth it!
Agreed!
In 1970 I spent the entire summer, living in a tent and riding a 650BSA Thunderbolt. A Sportster would have been a upgrade. Once you find the 'sweet-spot" it's all doable
So true about the sweet spot!
I remember when a 750 was a really big bike and anything 1000 cc's or bigger was insane.
People regularly toured on motorcycles under 1,000cc back in the day and many people forget that Honda made a full-dress touring bike in the early 80s that was 500cc called a GL-500 Silverwing Interstate. I toured on a gl500 Silverwing in the 90s and as recently as 2009 I was touring on an 883. A midsize bike will tour just fine. It's only a recent phenomenon since motorcycles have gotten huge that people have been brainwashed by marketing into thinking you need a huge motorcycle to tour. If you put a Mustang wide touring seat on your Sportster along with some used Roadking air shocks like I did you will be very comfortable on the Long haul.
I agree with everything you say here. This video was inspired by all the large cruiser owners that said I couldn’t tour on a Sportster. I also owned a GL500. It was a fun bike to ride.
i actually like stopping when riding. nice to just stretch and grab a drink.
It’s almost as much fun as riding...almost.
Like eating beer
Liquid bread. I don’t need much.
@@GreatEgret lol I’m with ya. Awesome ride and adventure brother, be safe
Thanks! You too, my friend!
I love it (motorcycling) and liked your video. I started with a honda 450 in 1980. where I toured calif. and arz. for the winter. In 1983 I bought a Kawa. 650 and did a 79 day trip from wash. to calif. and across the country to new brenswick.
and back to wash.. Then I bought a used 76' Sportster and traveled mostly to calif and back to wash every year. And in 93' I bought a new harley electra glide and it now has 89000 miles on it. I crossed the country twice pulling a trailer. One trip was 13,336 miles and I didn't come home for 7.5 mo. And now I am replacing fuel lines and a stater and I will be on the road again. I hope as I am now 83 yrs. Have fun..... you got a good start.
Thanks for sharing all of this Fred! So inspirational! I hope our paths will cross someday.
I have road all over this beautiful country on my 1999 Road King Classic I put 86,000 miles on it , now I'm 65 I bought a 2021 new XL Sporty NS Iron 1200 I've added a few things to the bike to make it a little more comfortable for longer rides
My butt can only handle 87 miles before I need to get off & walk around, so I might go ahead & top off the tank , was getting 50 per gallon now with the windshield 47.
I've searched across the UA-cam spectrum a few times trying to find someone touring on a small motorcycle. You da man. I appreciated your attitude and maturity during the good and tough times. I subscribed.
Thanks, bro! There’s just something fun about the challenge of touring on a smaller bike. I have more small motorcycle adventures coming up this riding season!
@@GreatEgret
Keep it coming. I read once about a dude who took his Honda Cub replica 50cc bike from California to Alaska. I've not ridden in 37 years. I'll get back up next Spring. I'm 58 & looking at retiring and moving to Eastern NC in 6 years. Thing is, there won't be a retirement. When we move, I'll be starting a small restaurant. But, before I throw the first pork butt on the smoker, I'll be doing a crazy ride. I've looked at doing this ride on everything from a Zuma 125, Honda ADV 150, Honda CB500X, Honda Rebel 300 and Honda Rebel 500. I need to drop some weight for the bike to be efficient, but I keep returning to the little Rebel 300. I want to do it on just about the smallest bike possible while maintaining a high degree of safety. The ONLY issue with the bike, I THINK is the lack of an off road tire. Pirelli has one that I think will be fitting. If you've never watched a video of Tuktoyaktuk, check this out. My ride will take me through some great state and national parks, but this portion of the ride would probably be the pinnacle. Take care.
ua-cam.com/video/mDCFAAUKAvI/v-deo.html
I traveled 5000+ miles on a 750 Honda shadow 750. It was great!! Def looking forward to it again
That’s a solid bike bike for adventures! Dead reliable. I bet it was a blast.
@@GreatEgret it was. San Antonio to va beach and back. Then San Antonio to Arizona and back. All back highways
I finished a 12 day road trip on my BMW super duper touring bike and stopped every 100 miles also! Ha ha! My butt, even though graced by a very soft and comfortable seat, needed to take a break every 100 or so miles. I agree!
Hello Joe, I am so glad you are planning more motorcycle adventures. As time goes by and when you are older, I guarantee the Sportster 883 adventure will be “the one” that you will be most proud of and remember the most! I am from the Midwest as well and hope to meet you someday and share some laughs about my first solo adventure on my new 750 Honda super sport and my 850 Norton commando from Illinois to the Florida Keys and from Illinois to Canada. That when I was young and their was no cell phones, and I had no credit cards or camping equipment. Just a leather jacket, wool sweater, military gloves with wool linings and a $19 Kmart helmet and my hunting knife. I am 65 now, but out of all my motorcycle exploits I remember and treasure the ones on my smaller motorcycles because of the more inherited challenges. That is why I was so moved by your Sportster 883 trips, your camping techniques and when you where remembering your father as you set up camp. I had the sense your father was enjoying that whole trip with you from beginning to end! Joe, I used to live in Bali Indonesia for three years not long ago, I can tell you some wild stories about how small 125/150 CC bikes are used over there From transporting 7 family members at once, to actually a guy carrying a big white ox on a Bamboo rack he attached to the back of his little 150CC bike. Thanks for sharing your Route 66 trip with us, and I am looking very much forward to your next solo trips. Take care my friend.
Thanks so much for this comment, Paul. It's one of the best I've received since starting this channel. I'm incucling it at the end of the next video!
outstanding, those are the facts . you are legend 👊
Thanks for the content and congratulations! Planning a big loop trip next year, route 66 Chicago to the pier, then up the PCH and back home through the mountains. Just posted my first video last week, so I'm using you for inspiration. Well done and keep riding
Awesome video, great message and the editing is really, really good. Congratulations Joe! I'll watch all your videos from now on. Yeah, the Sportster is an awesome, super reliable bike, and economical too. This helps save for actual traveling. With the right seat, the right windshield and the right suspensions, you never feel like you're lacking in anyways compared to a "truck-on-two-wheels"... OK, I'm partial, what can I say...? RIDE SAFE Brother!
True words ! I changed the seat and the suspension of my 1200 Sportster and I use it only for long trips. No problems at all
I used to travel on a smaller bike, 650 Yamaha, 1000hd sportster old ridged frame panhead, shovelhead and loved it took mostly back roads and a lot of stops, now days we need windshields heated gear and stereos, but m going back to a smaller bike, I enjoyed running the back roads and slowing down
The back roads are the very best roads!
Dude, just caught the vid, great vid. I’m old enough to remember when 900 cc’s wasn’t considered small. I’ve seen people cross the country on 125-250 cc’s. Of course the speed limits were lower and they stayed off the super slabs. I’ve toured on my 58 XLH and later got a touring bike, ditched the road sofa and went back to a sportster, a 1200 this time around. Stay safe, ride slow.
You’re not the first one to say on here that they went back to a Sporty. Such a great bike!
Just came across this (and subscribed by the way) because I tour on an Indian Scout Bobber and have experienced the same "Why .... are you crazy .... get a tourer" types of comments. But then there's always those that applaud taking the adventure - and that is what 2-wheels is all about ... adventure!
I’ve got the same bike and the same color. It’s small next to a bigger road glide or street glide. I love my 883. I ride it every where. I have a Chevy dually for those really rainy days and when the kids want to go somewhere. Sunday morning is my time to go riding. It’s very relaxing
I freaking love this bike and the color is one of the best H-D has ever put on a bike.
Use to ride my 1980 Sportster from NAS Whidbey to Forest Grove, Oregon alot. Then a 1983 FXWG that I still ride. I rode my 1978 XS650 Yamaha Special from San Diego to Forest Grove. Never had to many problems on my rides.
The 08 1200 Sportster Custom 4.5 gal tank, less stops more riding 👍
There were definitely some days where I wished I had a bigger tank. Especially in some looooooong stretches in the desert.
Thank you for the tour. I ride a 865cc Triumph T 100. Respect to the smaller bikes.
Regarding the 3.3 gallon gas tank, I couldn't agree more! Other riders make it sound like stopping for breaks is a bad thing, I consider it as an advantage with my 2005 XL883 Standard. Pit stop, top off the tank, talk to somebody....best "reset button" anywhere. Like you, when my odometer passes 100 miles, I start looking for gas stations. Doing that, I've never had to switch my petcock to reserve. Yes, I have a carb and it has never given me any problems at all.
Exactly! When you’re on a motorcycle adventure, it’s not just about riding. Those breaks are essential!
you sound like me
in 91 i traveled from conn. to florida on a 450 Rebel. no problem and so much fun.
I love the challenge of a smaller bike. The 450 Rebel sound like it would be a blast to do that ride on!
Buddy you have inspired me so much I have made my plans to do route 66 in early March of 2024
Have fun, brother!
Been following your stuff for a while now, keep it up buddy you’re doing great work! I’m still modifying my 883 for a long trip and this keeps me going!
That’s awesome, Héctor! Thanks! Keep me posted on your trip. I live to hear about others’ adventures.
I’m thinking of shipping my Dyna back to Kentucky and riding back on the Route 66 next year and this video gets me excited to do it. Now if I could only find another rider willing to do it, my original buddy will more then likely flake on me so I may have to go it alone
Dude, that would be a fun ride! Even alone a ride like that is worth it.
Did Chicago to San Antonio then on to California.(lost everything I owned except for a seabag of clothes and my Harley... So technically I was moving) San Diego to Houston and back 7 times. Did Vegas. So-Cal to Jacksonville Florida. Then back to Houston. All on a 1200 sportster...hardtail. Zero rear suspension. Did over 1k miles in a day more than once. Camping most of the way everytime. Plus all the 500+ miles weekend runs. Don't ever let anybody tell you that small bike touring can't be done or is even a bad idea. Even if I could afford a big comfy "touring" bike....I don't think I would. Chopper for life. Great content man.
Man, that sounds amazing!
@@GreatEgret is was and is. The ol gal is not running the way she should right now, but I still ride her to work, appointments and even just to the corner store for smokes and gummy bears. Any chance I get. Been married over a decade and that bike is the only relationship I've had longer. Even if she burst into flames and all I had left was a smoking Harley shaped doorstop I still wouldn't get rid of it. Choppers for life my friend.
Man, that just about made my night. Thanks for sharing your story, brother!
@@GreatEgret anytime
I did 400 miles in a day on a KTM 390. Something about the challenge and simplicity of small bikes i love.
I was definitely feeling those miles towards the end.
That’s it exactly! That challenge is what makes it fun! But, man, you do feel those miles.
I've been riding for little less than 30 years. I'm 51 years old and until now I had never even considered buying anything bigger than a dyna. My longest trip was about 13 years ago. I was in school at mmi Orlando. I had been dating a girl from Oklahoma and we decided to take a trip to see her family . I made the trip on a Yamaha 650. It's a small bike but it did have a 5 gallon tank and could go close to 200 miles on a tank. Lucky for me my girlfriend rode an 883 sportster that was only good for about 120. After a trip home to nc and touring Florida i learned that the stock bars on the Yamaha were terrible on the highway and put a lot of pressure on my upper back. So one of the first changes I made was to swap them for a set of 16" ape hangers. It made a huge difference. I've always liked making frequent stops on the road. Meeting new ppl and seeing places is the best part of the trip. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing like seeing the country from behind bars but you cant meet anyone while you're moving. I've never understood the mentality of ppl who see sportsters as a beginner bike and take it as a given that you will eventually trade it in on a big twin. I love sportsters. I'm on my 3rd one now . My wife has a road king with a big old batwing fairing and after riding it a few times I feel like it really robs me of almost everything I love about riding . Looking out over that fairing to me feels almost like driving a car. It blocks the wind and my view. I guess it would be ok without the fairing but it's definitely a very different experience than riding a sportster or a dyna.
I rode 2500 mile road trip on a 680cc vtwin honda.
It was great!
Those lower displacement and physically smaller bikes are often a lot more fun to ride than a bike designed for that kind of riding!
Damn Joe, video quality is outstanding man!! Thank you for everything you do!!
All I can say is I can’t wait to ride with you again, my friend! You’ll have to take me out on those Kanza trails!
Good stuff. I have a 2017 Roadster. If I'm not riding 2 up, I grab it before my Roadking. I took several 650 mile trips in a day on my Buell from Orlando to Norfolk in a 12 hr ride. Also the whole Blue Ridge Parkway in one day. Great times.
Can't wait to see which one you are getting. Nice video Bro!
Thanks, man! I’m super excited about the new bike.
Saw the brewer hat and subscribed immediately!
I caught a foul ball last week when they played the Pirates! I gave it to my 12-year-old nephew.
If you consider 1,000 miles as a minumum trip I've ridden Electriglide (2004), 750 Norton(1969), 650 Triumph (1967), 3 Yamaha 650s (79-79&80), 550 Suzuki 2-stroke triple(1972), 175 Yamaha Enduro (1974?-ish) and a 150 Vespa Primavera (2023)....I chose the Vespa over the Harley this trip for the slow ride. I have alway ridden what I have had at the time. I've owned many other bikes over the years but these are the ones I've traveled on. All of them became a little more special once you do a week or so living on one. For one up riding if I had to do a hard ride I'd take the Yamaha 650 twins from the 1970's. Big enough for the highway and small enough to have fun on and pretty much unbreakable, The Norton and the Triumph needed alot of attention, full dress Harleys feel like riding a motor home... For just plain fun I have never enjoyed a trip more than the Vespa scooter. Going slow is great.
8:11 Nice Sportster Squad t-shirt! Got the same one in black :)
Im 6' and rode my sporty from Ont to the Cabot trail twice.
I bet it was a blast!
I always heard that the 883 was not for long distance. I bought it anyways, intending on doing some of the roads through AZ you mentioned despite what I've heard. And it's great to see that you all these people commenting proving I wasn't wrong: it'll still be FUN
Proving other wrong on the 883 was almost as much fun as riding it!
The best long distance ride I did was from the twin cities in Minnesota up to Canada on my Honda rebel 250 🤣 so glad I upgraded to the 1200 sportster 😅
I went from an XL to a V Rod and toured it 6000 miles in 6 months with long rests in between. The VR makes a great touring bike. Nothing wrong with the XL, I've owned 3 of them over the past 45 years riding.
After riding a ton of different bikes, it’s nice to go back to the XL and experience it’s simplicity. I bet the V Rod is a ton of fun.
Loved your video! I am new to riding and I have a 2018 883 super low which in my opinion is a little too big for me. I was looking for videos for long rides hoping to find someone on a smaller bike and Wallah, here I am at your channel!
Thanks! this was a fun video to put together. I
Reading through the previous comments I know that you already “get it” but the term “small bike” means very different things to people. My wife and I bought a “huge” Vulcan 900 for long trips after touring on our Suzuki TU250x for many years.
You’re 100% right. Small is subjective and this video is how I defined small based on huge cruiser riders telling me I can’t tour king distance on a “small”. I truly don’t believe that the Sportster is a small bike. This video is a response to those that tell me it’s too small to travel long distances.
The mistake many riders are making in the comments here is using displacement as the only measurement of size. My Honda CRF300L is only 286cc, but it ginormous in size compared to this Sporty.
@@GreatEgret My son-in-law has an 883, and physically it really isn’t much if any larger than my 250. In fact the 250 is considerably more comfortable to ride. My wife tolerated the pillion seat on the 250 for 1200 mile tours without complaint. That wouldn’t have been true in a Sportster. She sat on it once and then got right off, saying “no way!” So I guess your title really is valid. I some ways the 883 is a small bike, much smaller than the displacement would imply!
Great vid brotha. i plan on touring america on my honda 750 bobber. The break downs, pain, and weather is what i’m expecting will make the trip worth it.
Starting my Cross county adventure. From California to Southern Indiana. 3/11/2022 thanks for sharing!
Coming up quick! Let me know how it goes!
I have never toured on a small bike but I am thinking about downsizing my bike. I currently ride an Indian Roadmaster that is perfect for touring but it weighs almost a thousand pounds and is no ideal for commuting, which is what I mainly use it for. I figure a smaller bike would be better for commuting and it would be more adventurous when I do take the occasional trip. Great video. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks! I now tour and commute on a 530lb tall Africa Twin. Though there are days when I just want something simple, short and, small for both touring and commuting. That’s where my Sportster of Honda 300l come in handy.
@@GreatEgret Thanks for the reply. If I had the money and the place I would have two bikes, but I don't have the money or the place for two bikes so I am forced to choose one bike. I don't know what I am going with yet, but I an fairly sure that I will downsize my bike for something smaller. One of my concerns is that if I drop my huge bike on a trip by myself I am stuck until someone comes along to help me because I can't stand the bike back up on my own to save my life; I just can't lift 908 pounds.
Harley Iron 883 is a small bike! Here in India we do long tour even on many 100cc bike. 😄 Great video. 👍
So good to see you back! I put a larger tank on my Sporty and we go every where. I still stop at about 100 miles because why not? Keep up the awesome work.
Thanks, man! A 4.5 gallon tank makes so much sense on a sporty. If I didn’t love how my tank looked, I’d probably put a longer one on it too.
Since I am only 5'6" tall and have a short inseam, my 3.3 gallon tank allows my seat to move over an inch farther forward than the 4.5 gallon tank would allow. This is a second advantage to the smaller tank.
As I stated above, the frequent stops - actually stopping between 100-150 miles is not really frequent for me - are like recess at school. They allow you to stretch, empty the bladder, top off the tank, get your caffeine fix and have conversations with your riding buddies or other riders you may meet. I've actually had great conversations at gas stations with non-riders about everything from motorcycles to scenery or local restaurants or attractions. After each break, my personal battery is recharged and I'm excited to start the next 100-150 miles. For me, it's always a win-win situation.
👍🏾you look approachable. thanks for sharing 👌🏾👌🏾 nice bike.
Thanks, man!
I took a 1200 mile trip on my street bob 114 (San Diego to the Grand Canyon and back) definitely taught me a lot of lessons on what I need to do on my next trip
From I hear, that little bike rips! It was a tough call to decide between that bike and my FXLRS. In the end, the larger tank won me over.
Also, that 1200-mile trip must’ve been amazing!
i'm a 56 year young army vet, i'Ve been riding bikes since i was 15,Idrive 3 bikes a650 vstrom a 2015 ural and an iron 2012 that i bought brand new. of all the bikes i've had that includes a 2008 FLHTCU my favoriate bike is my iron 883 2012 it now has 65k mls. ionly changed the rocker shims THATS ALL. ITS got a memphis shade stinger wind shield. its aPERFECT WELL BUILT BIKE VERY VERY DEPENDABLE AND EXTREAMLY FUN TO DRIVE.ITS LIKE BEING ON A 60'Sold school bike
The iron is an amazing bike! That Ural must be fun to ride too!
I took a 1200 Sportster from Harrisburg PA to Tucson AZ and back more frequent breaks are part of the ride for me, small tank or big tank, maybe an hour and a half, two hours at most, and I am ready to stretch my legs. I have an Ultra Classic and replaced the 1200 Sportster with an 883. I also have a few Japanese bike, it really doesn't matter what I am riding about an hour and a half is it. Touring the country began on the old 45 Harleys and Indians, 45 cubic inches....750cc's. All the old biker stories about flatheads are 750s. Smaller bikes are easier to maneuver on gravel, sand, washed out roads. Easier to get into crowded, less than ideal parking spots, I sold my 1200 Sporty when I bought the Ultra, The fairing and wind screen and the weight is great on the road, but, the SPortster will do almost everything the Ultra will do and is more nimble and cooler looking. If you want to travel on a SPortster, my advice would be highway pegs and a Gel pad, switch out between pad and no pad every couple hour and change foot position whenever your butt or knees tell you to. The old Iron head Sportsters ran too lean for real highway runs, the evo sportsters with aluminum heads and jugs run cooler and have a 5 speed gearbox. No problem for long rides, but keep an eye on the gas stations out west. I got between 80 and 100 miles per tank, there were places where I was getting to the next station close to empty.
I love to hear/read other’s adventures. Thanks for sharing an a ton of good tips here.
I live in Great Britain. I know, I know but I can’t help it can I. My 1st HD was a Roadking because all the cops road them in movies when I was a kid (60’s Electra Glide’s) before you flame me. Then brought a 2005 carb XL1200R. Best all rounder ever made imo. Now you can get from top to bottom in the UK in 10 mins & west to east in 5 mins. I exaggerate ofc but only by a day & a few hrs north to south. My m8 has an 883 & we went touring. Back roads & motorways. RK is. big bike. Can’t do you turns on 95% of our roads & you gotta think very carefully about where your gonna park re curbs to bump up, quality of road or off road surfaces, gradient of road etc etc! Endless list tbh. Where as the 883 nooo problems anywhere. Next year took the Sportster. Carried all I needed inc camping gear and cooking equipment for 8 days on the road. Absolutely more fun.
Just as comfy riding & just as easy on the motorway all be it tad harder in head winds. And bags more fun on the back roads.
One up ofc
Back in 1973 rode a Honda cb 450 from Wisconsin to Colorado and back, then rode it down to ft Myers for the winter.
The year I was born. I’m in south central Wisconsin. Where did you ride from?
Racine
Love your videos and what an awesome bike i really like those handle bars, keep it up, love from France
Thanks, Vincent! Those handlebars are amazing!
Up to now I've about 85% of my long distance touring on my 04 Triumph Speedmaster 800 with a waterproof bag strapped to the rack. Never had a problem keeping up with my buddies on their HDs. This year we're heading to Mexico from Alberta but I've got big changes, riding a Triumph Thunderbird Storm with proper luggage.
The funny thing about getting and using proper luggage is you feel you’ll never need it until you get it and enjoy the luxury of it. You can have an amazing adventure without it, but, man, it’s nice to have. That’s going to be an amazing ride! Have fun and I hope the Thunderbird is everything you hope it will be!
@@GreatEgret The weight of the bike and luggage is going to take some getting used to. That's one thing about the smaller bike, even with all the gear on it was easy to handle.
So true. The hardest part is the the balance in the wind, but I’m sure you’re used to wind coming from Alberta. Just balance the weight right and I bet you’ll be used to it before crossing the border.
I once knew a man who rode an early 80's Sportster from Dallas, TX to Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada and back. Sadly he was killed about 10 years ago on his big Road Glide being T-Boned at an intersection.
Just bubbling up a gourmet coffee and about to enjoy this video 🤘😎☕️
I’m just about to pour a cup myself! This may be a weekly thing here on out 👊🤘✌️
I toured from Lisbon (Portugal) to Rome on a XV535...lots of fun!
That had to be an amazing ride! I have an old XV535 non-runner that I'm trying to fix up. It's a hell of a project.
@@GreatEgret It was a trip to remember! Went with two friends who had H-D, little XV535 went all the way and back
Man I get so much crap for loving my sportster! I have to say most people have never ridden on tho and not everyone want and 800lb + bike to have fun. Put some money in one and you can have an awesome bike! Enjoy what you got!!👌
Exactly!
Really informational! Great video, loved it thoroughly! Keep it up!
Found your channel from 5 dirty bikers love all you guys do!
Thanks, man!
My man is back! Great work & Great video please keep them coming!
Feels great to be back. If you keep watching, I’ll keep creating!
@@GreatEgret I love your content and one of your biggest fans. I will support you in every way I can.
It’s an honor to hear that from you!
5 gallon tank and tr explorer seat are really great for touring on an 883
Definitely! Both would improve the experience. 💪
Always looked for this video, thank you!
You're welcome, man! I had fun putting it together.
Toured with my wife on a Yamaha bolt did about 680 miles in 2 days. Needless to say we overpacked
I recently rode 2000km around Australia through heat, floods and hail.
The bike was a 2006 Suzuki intruder 250cc.
That's a small bike
This video reminds me of my bike trips inThailand. I lived there for almost 3 years. During that time I toured almost everywhere with my 200cc Honda Phantom. It was a great little bike. I oved riding it. Size doesn't matter. Right? Wait...
That sounds like a fun bike to tour on. Do you still have that Sportster I sold you in 2020?
Unfortunately, no. I sold it to a young kid who was thrilled to have it. I figured he would get more use out of it than me. It was a nice bike. I just didn’t use it that much.
Rode a 1980 ironhead 2000 miles to sturgis a few times. It was pretty uncomfortable but worth the experience
I have a Royal Enfield 350 classic and tour on that....its a lot of fun
Now that’s what I call a small bike. Super fun to ride!
It's great to see you doing moto content again!!
Thanks, dude! Thanks have plenty more coming down the pike!
@@GreatEgret Looking forward to it!
I intend to do some touring on my 2005 HD Sportster 1200C. But start with single overnight adventures.
That’s a great way to get started! It gets addicting!
Great video and information.
Thanks, man.
GREAT VIDEO!! In 11 days i am setting off for Key West from Omaha Nebraska the long route intended! I'm retired so i have no schedule and a tent! I'll be posting a video to my channel when i get back!
Man, that should be a hell of fun adventure! Looking forward seeing the video.
I toured the UK on 1970’s 50cc Suzuki scooter from lands end to Jon O groats.. was my most enjoyable ride, I wish I was into youtube back then 🤘😎
That’d be a hell of a trip to follow on UA-cam.
@@GreatEgret I think next year depending on Covid and my work Schedule I will do a trip or two into Europe on my Iron 👍
I rode a KZ1000 Kawasaki from metropolitan LA to Grand Junction and back. It was brutal. Inline four m/casks the torque to handle the winds in open territory. But it was an adventure of sorts.
Just having a quick laugh at the idea of an 883 being a small motorcycle. I had some great touring holidays on my Yamaha DT175… Safe journey
Good stuff, was planning on doing the same with a street bob 3.5 tank. Feel better about it now.
Same here Duane. I’m just going to tour on my Street Bob. Ride safe!
I rarely ride in an area where fuel stations are more than 100 miles apart and I’ve ridden in some pretty desolate areas. That “tiny” 3.5 gallon tank is lighter the big 5s on the other Softails and you can still get to the fuel station without running out of gas.
People are confused what a small bike is, 883 is big. I did a 1000 mile tour (4 riding days) on a 110cc 8hp scooter (Honda Supercub style bike). Top speed was 50 to 55 mph. I concur about the many stops, I kinda rode from MacDonalds to Macdonalds, stopping at a restaurant every 90 miles for pee break, coffee and donuts. It was a hotel to hotel trip, I had everything in a big duffelbag tied on the passenger seat. It was a trip to visit my parents 500 miles away, i hope to repeat it one day on one of my Shovelheads. At the moment they require too much fixing for me to try it, but hopefully next year Ill feel confident for one of them (got 3) to make it.
Yup, I agree that an 883 is not a small bike. See my responses to the other comments here. The point of this video is to say to those riding big American made touring bikes that the 883 is more than capable.
i've recently changed the brass shims inthe rockers so i did a compressiontest front cyl=170 rear cyl=175lbs with 65000 milles,, this engine is perfect simply perfect
The Iron is tough as nails and super reliable!
Cool! This year I prepared my 48 for a long round trip through France, but Covid stopped the plan. So I did this year 9500 mls of riding in my area. Maybe next year I have a go?
My 1960 sportster xlh had a4.8 gal tank, n would wonder upwards 210mile before needin a refil. I sold it when she hit 110,000miles. N she ran very good then
Great story! That’s a ton of miles on that Sporty!
Ive nicknamed my 2020 Street Bob, which also has a 3.3 gallon tank, the Adventure Bob.
Perfect name for a street bob!
Wearing Levi’s whilst pumping gas at a 711.. man thats gold! I never noticed that comment 🤣🤣🤣
I haven’t seen her here in a while, but now that I’m doing motorcycle content again, I have a feeling good ol’ Samatha Barton will be back.
I love Sportsters and would own, and tour on one. Only problem is I'm a little too tall. So I ride a Road King and I'm in love with it.
PS, Bronson road a Sportster in his travels around the country. 😊
I know where you're coming from. I write a 650V star. Full bagger. I get about 144 miles. Before I like to fill it. Those short breaks when you're filling it does. Recharge your batteries. Making it a lot easier to continue.
100% true!
Great editing, man! And very happy to see you back on a bike. My son and I are doing a father/son trip out to Milwaukee next June. I'm hoping we can hook up and ride some with you while we're in the area.
Dude, I’m leaving whatever dates you’re coming open. It’d be amazing to see you again!
@@GreatEgret I'll shoot you our route and dates as soon as we lock them down. Really looking forward to this trip and seeing you again would definitely be a highlight.
For sure, brother! Can’t wait.
Holy transition music bikeman!
Yeah, not my best work