Touring Set-Up Farkles For Spring --

Spring here comes in around February 14 (Valentine's Day). The daffodils are out by then. It doesn't snow here, just wet and windy.

So I'm setting up for some long-distance touring -- 500 mile day or more, day in, day out. (Retired, no obligations.)

2010 Street Glide -- some of these "farkles" derive from the Iron Butt site:

7" LED Headlight. This the H-D option. Expensive but worth the outlay. This is an amazing improvement in illumination.

We had the Stage I SE Nightstick exhaust, intake. Added a K&N filter. 96" engine, no cats. Digital dipstick gauge farkle shows the operating temps at about 225F in cold weather. Plugs look perfect. This engine config is perfect for touring. Ample power, not fussy and doesn't run hot.

H-D Road Zeppelin seat. This has adj. air cushions fore and aft, a third cushion for the passenger. Mostly it's 20" wide and offers a lot of hip, lower back support. Secured w/ the billet knurled knob. No tool removal. We ditched the grab strap. Fits w/ the existing H-D adj. backrest, and Passenger Grip Rails. We added the rails as a point of support for baggage, a place to secure tie downs.

10" Windsplitter windshield. I'm pleased and amazed with this improvement. I have a 4" and 7" standard shield. The Windsplitter is wider, has a "spoiler" at the top edge, is "scooped" at the sides. This has virtually stopped the wind buffeting. I can hear the audio at highway speeds, reduced wind noise. Today in a light rain I noted that the rain goes over my helmet. The face shield is staying clear of water drops. 3 Pocket accessory windshield bags.

Adj. Fairing Wind Deflectors, dark smoke. These further reduce buffeting under the fairing, under the arms. And the larger frontal surface improves the audio, reduces wind noise. There is no highway wind noise to speak of.

4 pt. bracket and luggage rack. I have a medium sissy bar w/ passenger back rest, but I rarely use it. Luggage rack to the rider back rest is 22" for baggage. Passenger Grip Rails add a front platform for securing baggage.

511Tactical.com offers a luggage bag. RED (Responder Every Day) 8100. This bag is high vis. red, reflective strip on exterior pocket. Heavily reinforced 1050 wt. Denier nylon (Kydex). Interior hang pocket, light color interior for finding items in low light. It's designed/engineered for firefighters, law-enforcement, emergency responders. Measures 32" w X 19" X 16" h -- which is about 2" above the rider back rest when secured on the grip rails. Width of saddle bags is 32" to outside edge of the closures. I don't like baggage stacked high behind the rider. Tour-Pak sits too far to the rear, and is not large enough.

eBags.com offers this bag for MSRP $79.99 and free shipping. 511Tactical.com has other similar designs.

We have highway pegs, cruise control, ABS brakes . . .

Just picked up H-D heated jacket and pants. These are mfg'd by Gerbing. I've done a lot of riding wearing a LOT of cold weather clothing. Even in August I got caught in coastal fog / dew one night and damn near froze to death wearing every piece of cold weather gear I own. As close as I've ever been to "comfortable" in cold weather is "not too cold." These pants and jacket actually keep me toasty, warm -- like sitting next to the pot bellied stove. I can't believe I didn't get serious about heated gear any sooner! :clap:

Highway touring for me entails camping. I pack a tent, sleeping bag, some food prep options. Most of the time I eat in a restaurant, but like to have the option to buy and fix simple food out of groceries. (We're slightly diabetic and can't live off the fast food road fare.)

I was looking at Iron Butt -- 1,000 miles in 24 hrs. but then got to thinking that I'd just as soon smell the roses. We're looking at Nevada, Hoover Dam, Death Valley, Vegas (Just to pass through . . . It's a carnival.), maybe the Grand Canyon some more, and I have a sister in Grand Junction, Colorado.

!worthless

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