Touring on a Softail VS a Bagger 

I been touring near million mile mark on softail. Starting 1984 when they came out. And still on one about 35k miles a Yr.

I'm 67 years old. When toured from Wisconsin to California, all I had was a Dyna, a sleeping bad, bottle of booze and some smokes. Times sure have changed lol!!

Those saddlebags look really nice on that low rider. I toured for two years on my 2018 Heritage and loved every minute of it. Now I've added a Street Glide and prefer it for touring with the extra storage, GPS etc., but I'm really glad I kept the Heritage.

I ride a 2020 Slim with a quick detach sissy bar, and medium sized sissy bar bag, single Mustang seat with backrest, no pillion but a quick connect rack attached to the sissy bar. I prefer not to ride around with any saddle bags but like a medium sized quick detachable sissy bar bag. I'm 6'1", 175 lbs and the Slim fits my needs perfectly. I also added a quick detachable windshield. If I want to take an extended trip, I have a large dry bag that I can easily attach to the sissy bar rack. The softail fits my style perfectly and I have no problem taking long trips. 90% of the time, I use the bike locally. For me, I prefer the softail style over the bagger but that's just personal preference.

great video guys! was nice to meet all of you yesterday, wish i couldve stayed longer and talked more but had to head back up north. look forward to the next video

I think the new Harley-Davidson launch/teaser shows the rumours on a new low rider S with a 117 and FXRT fairing is correct…

I have never seen Sport Glide bags on a Low Rider S but I have to say they look amazing on this bike. This is exactly why I went with the Sport Glide, great weekend travel bike with the removable hard bags and also added a removable chopped hard tour pak. Great content, thanks for the insight concerning touring on a softail.

You guys do an awesome job of bringing the riding life to everyone.

As a reintroduced rider, these videos are invaluable! Thank you Nick and Laidlaw Harley for continuing to educate on gear and ideas for touring. I have a ‘17 Road King and always happy to see Andrew and his Road King set up(s). Not sure that honey - bear tip will pan out in mountainous areas but anyway. Merry Christmas Matt and the Laidlaw crew!

Great video and very meaningful content- these are the very questions that many of us face- even for dawn to dusk “day trips”. Love the video- keep up the great work!

Your motorcycle is set up real nice. The saddle bags look great and hold a lot of stuff with the in line bags. Thank you for the video. Merry Christmas to all at Laidlaws!

Can definitely relate. I’ve done 2- one week long trips on my SportGlide. Next year (god willing) will be a 2 week trip on it out towards your neck of the woods (at least if SoCal isn’t being still decimated by the Rona).

Looks like an awesome time, thanks for sharing. The dark cherry color is really great too. Also the ribbed seat.

Laidlaw’s getting us ready for the new LRS/FXRT model being released next month.

I toured on my fxlrs last summer. Leatherpros, sissy bar bag and bung king crash bar made it very easy to be relaxed. . The best part was getting to my destination and being able to remove the bags and have a light bike again.

I have toured many, many times on a Harley over the last 40 years. Let me break it down to the 3 most important things, 1. Having what you need for each particular trip is more important than what you ride. 2. Make sure that what you ride will be comfortable for the distance you're planning to travel. 3. Make the necessary cargo adjustments/modifications to the bike you've chosen to carry all items in rule #1.

The quality of this video is excellent!! Merry Christmas Nick

I’ve got an FXRS, and it’s going to tour for sure if I don’t get my FLTCU up and running! I Put an FXRP handlebar on it…and it has the original bags and I’ll scare up a tail bag…I’m sure I have one somewhere…..

Great review. Totally nailed it with the individual rider’s size and if you ride solo or not.

It is amazing what one can fit on ANY Harley, if you really want to. Heck, I have a friend that did Run For The Wall all the way... on a Sporty...

Great video Nick! You guys definitely make me want to get out there. It's also important to go about in the way you do with, Amazon and items from outside the dealership, spending wisely. THANKS!

Thank you mr Nick Culver for these informative videos and waiting for more vlogs , trip adventure videos

A taller windshield really helps on the softail 1/4 fairing. Of course it breaks the factory one. The Denton performance one is a great repop. Higher quality IMO

Thanks once again for this nicely done video! Very good filming and editing. Oh, and thumbs up to Nick! He really has a talent for this and a great on screen presence. Merry Christmas!

Love that bike...and I love the R5 with RF lens. That's a serious rig my friend!

It would appear Upper Management listened and emulated your Coast Glide with a Lowrider S platform. I can't wait to see her.

On my current commute bike I have a 56 litre Givi Topbox. If I was going touring I’d get a large tank bag for small items like my phone,visor wipes etc. To that I’d add lockable panniers to keep my gear dry and secure. First up I’d trade in the Softail on a Pan American- perfect touring bike.

Softail fer me . Baggers too bulky and heavy - ✊🏻👍👌

I used to tour on my Dyna super glide I added a windshield, saddlebags and highway pegs! 600 mile days were common. But these days I'll stick to my Road Glide Special! I'm not as young as I used to be! But great video!

Whatever keeps the "bears" away 😂 Cheers!

I had 2 RK’s and decided to switch to a brand new Sport Glide this year. After 4 months i traded it in for a RK again. A Special from ‘18. The Softail was to small for me and i got a lot of backpain!! I did travel not so far to Germany and Luxemburg (due to Kajona it was not possible to travel far!!) and it goes fine with tht SG. But now I’am happy again with the RK, with backrest and all. I’am from Holland and 198pds/6.2ft

Great vid Nick....I tour on an 07 Sport Glide....love it....can take it anywhere, did a couple of 10-12 hour one ways this past summer....as close to old school I want to get lol.

I do one trip of two weeks and averaging 3K miles once a year, plus numerous 3 to 5 day trips. I have done these for several years now on a Dyna (Fat Bob), softail (two Slims) and now I am on a Road King Special. Saddle bags, even if they are throw overs, are a huge improvement. I also use a good rear rack and a rear back rest ( for securing cargo). Since I am usually solo, the passenger portion of the seat is also a good place to put cargo. I use the rear rack for cargo bags. Backpacks are great storage, too. Lastly, I use ratchet straps to secure everything. They are much better than bungees, rope or web straps. Enjoyed your video. I always like seeing how others do it their way.

Watching this vid after the release of the 2022 ST and having placed an order, Im lovin that bag liner tip and will look at getting some ASAP.

Nice video, excellent production.

Lol at Pepto Bismol! A must!

Would love for Harley to build a softail with the street glide fairing and bags, the chassis is plenty big enough

Very cool. Very nice trip ... I did a lot of road work on my FX, and the only thing that really became undesirable, of all things, were the forward pegs. I would have rather had regular mid-low mount pegs. The FX's standard fwd's were up too high and mounted too close to be comfortable to me. Lots of miles with my boots resting on top and poking out ... A regular, plain black Electra Glide is a bike I hope I can get at some point in the future. I've always wanted one and the people I rode with never got tired out beat up by wind or road. Just great bikes. Thanks for posting this adventure!

Great video Nick.

Good video!! Please tell us how many miles/day you travelled and the comfort! PS: You have a good style...Please do a review on your camera and that big lens!!

Did a 11 day trip, (first trip on the deluxe) hitting all the national parks from Oregon to Utah on my 2020 deluxe. No saddle bags but I did put a emo box on the side for my camera being the emo box are waterproof. I had no problem bungees are my friends and a tall sissy bar. I just love the handling on the deluxe and it had the power I needed. For 2 long trips Sturgis and Grand Canyon I actually used an 2017 883. Lol. So you can imagine the difference. They weren’t bad trips but I definitely felt the difference with my deluxe.

I have a sport glide with a givi 56 top case and a givi 85L dry bag for the passenger seat. Work great in 2021 went to Tennessee for tail of the dragon and Sturgis and Cody Wyoming for Yellowstone and Beartoolh Highway, I have a road glide 2020 that got delivered in January but feel I new the softail better so I took it. Next year the road glide will be my touring bike. Take a look at givi top case for your softail. From a old guy on a motorcycle enjoy and ride safe

As always a great pro video, thanks

I have a 2019 Sports Glide, which I love BTW and am hoping to take a few overnighter in 2022 now that I am retired. ANy chance you could post the part # for those saddlebag liners? Thanks for the great video.

I think the new color in the low rider s is great

Best Harley Channel

For someone who puts miles on my Night rod ive always considered a road king or sportglide. That being said the VRod does well, sure I stop more frequently but its also nice to take quick water and stretch breaks. Would still love to add another bike to the garage tho

I do a lot of traveling on my low rider was thinking about getting hard bags it looks like I probably have to do a two into one ex

Would be nice if the 2018 and on heritage had better saddle bags like those. The heritage is a great bike but they cheaped out a bit on those bags. Good video

The Heritage is a Swiss Army knife and also a sleeper.

your tour gear is very different than mine. first where is your dog? i ride with a 90# pitbull and we camp every night. we circumnavigated the U.S this past spring/ summer/ fall. now to be far i rid a roadking but there is a dog in my top box spot so we have the same pack space. im broke but that cool because we did the whole trip for like 4k. when your traveling with a dog on the cheap. i dehydrate about a months worth of food, cook stuff is a rocket stove and something to boil water in and water that goes in my left bag. my right i like to keep pretty empty but its got more water, sun glasses/ screen. all my leathers/ rain gear for me and Izzi go in a duffle on the forks/ triple tree. all our camp gear tent two expeds two sleeping bags tarp fire stuff axe saw and tarp go in a big duffel on the back seat on top of thatcis a small dry bag with two changes of clothes and sandles. we have to travel light but we've been everywhere we wanted to go and if you look you might see us out there again this year although i plan on spending a lot more time in the northwest this year. being here in ohio itll have to wait till march. in the mean time we still ride every day snow or not. tip: if you ride in 0° degrees put 10w 40 in your bike. especially if your only riding 20 or 30 miles at a time.

I got a 2018 iron any suggestions just kidding. I'm good bar hopping. Love this channel. My ? Is where do you get your hair cut

I have been on many a trip with my Superglide and my wife! I had a sissy bar bag and Saddleman soft saddle bags. Just have to be smart on what you bring and how to pack. One thing though, we do not camp, so I do not need those items.

Great video as always from the team at Laidlaw's. What seat are you running on your Low Rider?

🤘⚡️🤘✨✨ fxrt fairing on lowrider s is perfect for touring.

Fuel range is a concern on longer trips too.

Can you add links to the sleeping bags, tent etc. gear Nick used?

I tour on my fat Bob 114. And I love it. Of course I had to make some modifications for comfort. My one major drawback is gas tank. I truly wish there was a 5 gallon option. If anyone knows of any please let me know.

I took an electra glide basic out for a test today, just too big for me and I do long distance trips

Nick, what year is your Low Rider? Can you talk to us 2021+ California owners about Stage upgrades? Have 2021 FXFBS and 2021 FLHR and still can't tune them or install the Screamin' Eagle parts.

The Lowrider ST is in my opinion the best all around bike. For some reason people including myself I thought that you have to have a bagger in order to say that you have arrived at the pinnacle of Harley Davidson Life … but I do not believe that’s true anymore, you only need one bike to achieve all writing styles, if you’re too tall for the Lowrider Estey you can always put forward controls on it problem solvedThen you can always get the tour pack Hardshell from advanblack

Hi Nick. Thanks so much for this very helpful video! But my question is off topic: Why did you give up the Slim after a relatively short time with it? You seemed so happy with it when you got it. I'm really curious so really hope you'll answer. Thanks.

If you could only have one do it all bike would it be the Pan America or the LRS? I saw the new 2022 colors and Harley has me considering a trade

So, 2022 LRS Touring it is.

I have a 2022 softail standard and I’m looking for bags for it. I would like some hard bags like the ones on your bike. How can I find those?

Common, do u really need a how to video for this? Just pack your bags and go. You are all so fancy. I've traveled the Europe on A Sportster 883 with a backpack.

Which kuryakyn bag are you using with the sissy bar?

useful ! farrewell, 🤟

I didn't catch the saddlebag name. I might want a set. thanks

👍🏻

Are the sport glide bags for sale on their own from harley? Or do I have to hunt for them in the used market?

I just didn’t feel a road king was any better than heritage softail. The heritage had a better feel to me. More comfortable riding position as I felt I sat down IN the bike rather than on it. Sure an Ultra would be better for long tours but for non fairing bikes I didn’t feel the road king was superior to the heritage. Just a matter of taste. I could have bought either one of them with cash…I chose the heritage

Nick, what made you choose the sport glide bags over Leatherpros?

8:15 I was wondering why you bothered to take a basketball with you until you pointed out that it is in fact your helmet hahaha

Anyone know that song that’s in the background from 5:31-7:00?

Riding in Europe, Softails are the only choice if you only have one bike. Lane splitting and filtering through traffic with a bagger is a nightmare. Also wondering wether or not huge, 6 speed,1500+cc bikes are fit for touring is comical. With minor modifications I tour around on my Honda Rebel 500 at 6ft 2" and 215 pounds at ease.

Where are your tools, puncture kit, and air compressor? Just a thought.

I kind of struggle with the idea that a softail isn’t big enough to tour on. I used to tour Europe on an FZR thousand back in the day. I’m looking at a 6 week trip around the Med this summer I want a soft tail slim set up for two as the rest of the year (summer) it’s just me rather than me and squeeze. I’m 5’10” and 84kg my squeeze is 5’2” and 51kg surely a softail is big enough?

For me anything less than a 3 star motel is camping. Where is your first aid kit.

My question is did he have to fuel up as often as the tourers?

Your camping gear did you load them into a duffel bag and attach it to your sissy bar? Did you have a bag on your handle bar. How big was your sissy bar?

Rip Nick’s Low Rider S :(

Wow Danielle your one cool chick🥺love your bike. You look so cool on it. Smoking!!👌Hi from the uk. ❤

Deep voice for a tiny feller.

It must suck having to make Death Valley be 80% of your destination content. I’ve been to California once and seen the ass crack of the world called Death Valley and will never have a need to go near it again

LOL , No your not putting anything in my bagger because your riding a softail. 🤣🤣🤣

I forget men are small sometimes.