[Vinish]

As do I. I would be happy to ride with you down here in FL if you are here in the winter 6 months.

 

[Vinish]

While the VTX (1300 or 1800) are great bikes, they are, at their core, cruisers and not touring bikes. Like any bike, they can be used for touring and can be modified to be better at touring but this does not make them ideal touring bikes. In their stock forms, some of the features they lack that would make them better touring bikes and which most/all modern touring bikes have are:
-Wind protection via fairing and some form of lowers
-Music and sometimes GPS
-Lots of storage space in saddle bags and trunk
-Large range - at least 200 miles at highway speeds - 1300 can reach this but not the 1800
-Comfort in the seats and seating position
-Cruise control - not a throttle lock but a true cruise control
-6th gear

I have ridden VTX bikes and have toured on cruisers (VTX and HD Softail). I have also done a fair amount of touring on a true touring bike (Victory Cross Country Tour). The difference is very significant. Even when a VTX is modified to make it a better touring bike, it is not as good at this role as a bike designed to be a touring bike.

Please do not misinterpret the above discussion as me disliking the VTX line of bikes. I think they are great. My point is that there are "horses for courses" and for touring, nothing beats a true touring bike.

 

[Vinish]

Finances are always a consideration. Well, I should say finances SHOULD always be a consideration. Touring bikes will tend to be more expensive than cruisers. All those geegaws and gadgets on a touring bike are not free The many people who have added fairings, lowers, saddle bags, trunks, cruise, etc. to a VTX know how expensive these are.

 

[Vinish]

When truly touring, I find three of the "fancy tech" quite useful - the first is integrated GPS, the second is a true cruise control, and the the third is music. Admittedly, the third, music, is the least important as the ambient road and wind noise over about 45 mph is so loud that it will damage hearing over the long-term so I use a Sena helmet mounted communication system that pipes music to sound-blocking in-the-ear-canal type ear buds. I can listen to music or take a phone call and hear things at a non-damaging sound level even at 80 mph on the interstate. I can also speak into the helmet mounted microphone and the person to whom I am speaking on the phone doesn't even know that I am on a bike.

 

[Vinish]

As you well know, there is not a lot of good riding in Florida, especially not in central FL. We go out to the Ozella trail or to the Ocala Natl. Forest when we go for longer rides. "Tail of the Gecko" is about right