Did 8000 miles in four weeks last summer on a Ninja 250. From NC to CA/OR, then across the top to Wisconsin.. down to Ohio to visit some family, and then down to NC to wrap up.
Of everything I could say, I'll offer up the most important bit.
Prepare yourself for the long haul.
Let me put that into perspective for you. I took a Ninja 250, which most people would write off as a bike not capable of cross country riding. The haters were wrong - I made it just fine. Would I ever do it again on a Ninja? Probably not.
There was very little highway riding on my trip. More in the last week to get home, and a little bit at the front to get myself from NC to CO as fast as I could. (Kansas is a big state!) For all of the 55-65 mph backroads, the Ninja wasn't a problem. Even on the highway, the bike itself had no problem 'keeping up'... the problem is that *I* couldn't keep up. Thirty straight days of 200-350 miles per day wears you out. The wind protection just wasn't there on the Ninja, and after 2.5 weeks, I really started to feel it. 70mph in South Dakota with a 20mph headwind was absolutely miserable, and here we are some 12 months later and I have a little hearing damage / tinnitus as a result. Yes - earplugs, trying to stay tucked, wrapped a scarf around my neck to fill the gaps.. still wasn't enough.
If I did it again, I'd take a bike that was meant for touring. You need a bike that's designed to keep YOU in the game for as long as possible, with the absolute minimum impact on your body. I'd never make that trip again on a naked bike, or one with a half fairing, or small fairing, or whatever. At lower speeds and backroads, it wasn't a problem... but you'll have days that you MUST make time on, and that really requires a bike with size and wind protection.
But what about sporty riding? Truth be told, there is relatively little sport riding on that sort of cross country trip. You've likely got so much weight on the bike anyway that that all chance of "sport" has disappeared! And even then, you shouldn't be pushing hard period on a trip where you're so far across the country. I used to think "oh that huge bagger/cruiser/goldwing can't handle for shit - what fun would that be exploring western twisties?" It's more about where you are going and what you are seeing. If you are trying to haul ass through all of it, you're missing the point. You can still have enough fun on almost any motorcycle - Goldwing included.
Would I take your trip? Absolutely. I was worn out at the end, but after one or two days back at my home after 30 days on the road, I was ready to get up and go again. I loved living off the bike.
Would I take your trip on an SCR950? Probably not. I'd buy a cheap ST1100, Concours, Old-Wing, Cruiser with huge fairings... ANYTHING that will minimize the impact on your body. When you're trying to consistently make distance day after day, week after week, you need to minimize the damage to your body (and hearing), and keep yourself in good riding condition. Touring bikes excel at that. A huge fairing on a bike not meant for it usually just results in a shit ton of buffeting.
Anyway, that's what I've got for you. I regret very little of that trip. But do yourself a solid, and do it on a bike that was meant for touring. Buy something, do maintenance before you leave, take the trip, and then sell it when you get back. You're better off taking that trip on a bike that was built to do it.
My favorite places? Utah and Nevada. I love mountains, but something about those deserts just stuck with me. To those things I must return.
I think you gotta ride thru the middle once before you understand that.
