Hi, I am new to the forum. I have been riding since I was 16 years old. I have owned 3 Harley Davidson ultra classic in the past few years. I really like the ultra classic because my wife likes to ride also. There comfortable and handle well. My wife and I have made many long trips. Some of the long trips have been to Sturgis. I am turning 65 today. A couple of weeks ago, I purchased a 2014 Harley Tri Glide. I am very happy with it. I did however run into a problem, and if there is trike riders in this forum, I am hoping you could give me your opinion, or tell me if you have ever heard of anything like this. I was riding along on my new Trike at around 40 MPH on a service road getting used to riding it. Everything was fine, and I hit the rear brake and ended up in the ditch. The dealer has driven it and it didnt do it, now they are going to pull the wheels to make sure there is nothing loose. I would appreciate if you have any idea what happen or what it could be. If the dealer doesnt find anything could it have been just inexpierience riding a trike for the first time. Any help would be appreciated:ic on_werd:
Thanks in Advance
Richard

 

What happened in between you hitting the rear brake and winding up in the ditch? Did the trike veer off to the ditch real suddenly? Were you going straight or turning? Was the "service road" paved? And were you also applying the front brakes? Has the trike braked normally before and since?

Help us out just a bit here with more clues if you will.

 

Were you over or under 20mph? Under front and rear brakes work independently just like they always have over 20 mph they are linked applying rear brake gives you some front brakes.

 

The trike is hydraulically linked vs electronically linked like the 2 wheel touring. The 2 wheel touring is the only linked system which does not link at speeds below 25 mph, the trike is linked at all times.

Its possible the OP could have had a caliper hang up which would make the trike pull.

 

What happened in between you hitting the rear brake and winding up in the ditch? Did the trike veer off to the ditch real suddenly? Were you going straight or turning? Was the "service road" paved? And were you also applying the front brakes? Has the trike braked normally before and since?

Help us out just a bit here with more clues if you will.
It happened kind of fast, I was breaking and it seemed as though it just went to the right and i was in the ditch. The bike did veer off suddenly, going straight, service road was paved. wasnt applying the front brake, well it did this twice, the first time I kind of blew it off, but the second time it seemed as if I didnt have control. The dealer looked at it today and said it didnt do it for them, and then removed the tires to make sure there was nothing loose or obvious. I am going to pick it up tomorrow and drive it home, hopefully it wont do it again. I will let you know what my experience is tomorrow. I am starting to think it has to do with me not being familar with the trike.
Thanks for replying to my post.
Richard

 

My riding experience is similar to yours; I started when I was 12 and I'll be 65 next month. Given especially that you have so much dresser time, I cannot imagine a situation where the trike pulled so violently that you couldn't either overcome it or think fast enough to realize what was happening and release the brakes, especially at 40 mph. Sure, trikes ride altogether different from 2 wheelers, but your experience and reflexes would surely have prepared you for something like this.

I have no idea what happened, but if it was actually a mechanical malfunction you will have just triggered a large recall, and probably more than a few lawsuits. On a motorcycle scale something like this would be as big as Audi's "sudden unintended acceleration" trouble back in 1985 or whenever.

 

I'm voting rider inexperience.

 

You could also have some caliper problems, or one side in the rear grabbing under braking . Things like oil or grease on the rotor might cause the same problem. But usually it is a constant symptom. It could be intermittent, but I would think maybe something loose or maybe even a poorly bled brake system. Wet pads on one side ? Maybe even ABS problems also.
If you haven't had problems with it other times I wouldn't think experience has much to do with it.
Depending on what the dealer comes up with, go back to the same place & try to replicate the same thing happening at the same track in the road.
Just don't hit the ditch !
Ride Safe !

 

Thanks to everyone who responded to me. The bike only had 11 miles on it when this happened. Maybe it went through some type of problem and then it became okay. I will tell you this afternoon if it does it again. I hope this is not a can of worms here on a new bike. I am hoping it was me just not use to riding the bike. I dont want to encounter a life time problem with a 30 grand plus bike. I never had a problem with the two wheel baggers I had. Once again thanks for responding
Richard

 

I would have said that too if not for him having a lifetime of experience on Harleys, albeit 2 wheelers. That should have taught the OP to be prepared for anything.

And granted trikes are a little bit different, but he was going 40 mph on a straight road and no doubt being careful since it was new. No matter how violently it jerked, it's hard to see how he couldn't control it.