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BMW, and you don’t need a brand new, off the showroom floor model.

Evidence A: I worked during college summers (years ago) for a motorcycle messenger service. 30+ BMW’s (and drivers) of various models and years, though some were ancient classic models from the 60’s. With proper maintenance they go hundreds of thousands of miles. In fact short of frame damage they go in perpetuity and will take a heck of a beating (as my bike did on a daily basis). One of our guys took a “cross country” trip as you’re describing, from DC to the Canadian Rockies. He had some maintenance skills (as one should for that kind of trip) but had no problems. I’m sure there are plenty of BMW and touring clubs out on the Internet that could help your with more details. BMW’s are known for long-distance cruising/touring.

B: When I was up in Denali National Park, Alaska, in rolled several German guys who were on a world motorcycle tour, all BMWs. They’d come in from Japan to the somewhere on the Pacific Coast (Seattle?), and then up the Cassiar Highway to the Alaska Highway and onward. Not a road for pikers, 2500 miles of nothing. They had no problems. Prior to that they’d come across Russia and Mongolia from Germany. So there they were chugging through Alaska and said no difficulties other than normal expected stuff (flat tires, etc).

As mentioned BMWs are known for their longevity so don’s shy away from an older model so long as you;re near a reputable dealer of mechanic and can get a top-notch inspection and/or rebuild. Unlike many other makes, a rebuild on a BMW doesn’t signify aging or obsolescence, it’s only means that its been seasoned. Personally I prefer the older models.

Again, check some of the BMW club sites to see how often they are used for lengthy and grueling trips that might really test other makes and models.

Good luck in your search.

Unless you ride horses for a living or enjoy pain, I’d find the easiest riding bike that I could. Forget Harley Sportsters or any crotch rockets. Go with the big engined Hondas or Yamaha’s with shaft drives, water cooled engines, highway pegs, footboards (instead of pegs), a good sound system, and the most comfortable seat on the market.
My father was a horse trainer and rode horses everyday for a living. He took 3 cross-country trips on bikes, once a Honda CB750, once the same Honda only modified with the above assessories and a Honda Goldwing. By the third trip, he didn’t ride horses as much and had to get a minibike intertube to sit on and cushion the seat a little more.
Now me, I like Harley’s but then a 1 hour trip is far enough for me.
Have fun!

First things first. Can you ride a motorcycle? I'm thinking you are brand new to the sport. Welcome to the party pal.

About bikes. Most any street legal bike out there will get you cross country. Here is a writeup of a person doing a 700 mile ride on a 250cc sportbike. People were going cross country on motorcycles long before any of them exceeded 60hp. Ignore any dimwit that suggests that smaller, less powerful bikes are not up to the task. I've got three and the one I have the most fun on is the least powerful.

The question is, what do you want the bike to do for you. You've already expressed a need to travel long distances, but there are a few more options out there. If a lazyboy chair at a nice clip down the road is for you, then a cruiser with a windshield it is. Tons of choices for you. If hardcore coast to coast travel is what you want, then a touring bike is where you want to aim. If the twisties call you then a sport touring model is the ticket. Perhaps fire roads and single track call your name, then a dual sport is just what the doctor ordered. If you're not sure, just go to a few motorcycle dealerships and brouse and see what grabs you up close.

I'd suggest that you start with a good beginners board like www.beginnerbikers.org. I'm Bad company over there.

You should also look into a riding course from The Motorcycle Safety Foundation

My stable

Hello...Well, what you've outlined is a fairly long trip that's going to take place over a number of days, and in a variety of conditions. At least some of the trip, it would seem, will take place on interstates where the cruising speeds will be 70mph+...I'm also assuming that you have some experience riding.

...so let's start with basics:

- 800ccs. This is the bare minimum displacement you're going to want for a trip such as this. Yes, longer trips have been done on smaller bikes. People have ridden 650s around the world. There's what's possible, and what's optimal. 800ccs+ is your best choice.

- Saddlebags. Leather is ok, but not as waterpoof as hard bags.

- A wind shield/screen of some sort.

- A range of 140 miles +. Most bikes can manage this; some (like older sportsters or VRODs) cannot. Anything less than that, and you'll be stopping for gas too often. Also, there are places in the west where longer ranges will make the difference between making it to the next gas station or not.

I'm not sure what your budget is, but I'll make my recommendations based on what I either own or would selected...

In first place...Buell's Ulysses.

This big dual sport is based on the Harley Sportster and is equally comfortable touring the continent, chasing sportbikes in the mountains, and tackling the same forest service roads that made the BMW GS legendary. In my opinion, the finest motorcycle on the market today. BUT it is a tall bike, so if you're under about 5'8" with a 30 inch inseam, it's a no go.

In second place...Ducati's ST3.

This sport touring rig may be one of the best kept secrets in the motorcycle world. Push the starter and the sweet symphony of Desmo power rumbles to life. A fast, comfortable touring bike that handles better than almost any other on the market.

In third place...Yamaha's FJR1300

Technically, it's a superb machine. No BMW can touch it's reliability. But for all its excellent, the Feejer lacks the soul that the Ducati brings to the table. The grin after 400 miles on the Italian tourer is just that much bigger than on the Yamaha.

In fourth place...Victory's Kingpin

Sorry Harley. I like your bikes, and Victory doesn't have the same label appeal parked outside the local watering hole. It's hard to dispute that the Kingpin is a better machine rolling down the highway. Get that VROD motor into a touring rig and we might have a different story...but for now, displacement isn't the answer.

In fifth place...Harley's Road Glide

Harley's best offering for eating big highway miles.

Any list like this is by its very nature subjective. I've ranked the bikes by the particular order I'd want to pick one if I was going to disappear for a few months. There are others that would be pefectly respectable choices - both past and present models...for instance, the Buell S3T, the Honda ST1100, the Kawasaki Concours, Indian's Chief, the Harley Dynas/Softtails, or Ducati's Multistrada.

There are still others that would be capable of such a trip, but I wouldn't recommend due to a lack of parts, a lack of dealers, or both. In this category would fall Aprilia's Caponord and Futura, or anything from BMW or Moto Guzzi.

Best wishes, and if you have any questions feel free to ask.