Rode to a DR appointment today and went to change lanes only to realize that i was on uneven lanes, my lane was a inch or 2 lower than the lane that I wanted to move too. I didn't really even notice till I hit it. I kinda felt like I was rubbing a curb for a few seconds. Scared the hell out of me, I thought someone clipped my rear tire and I was about to go down. I had another experience with uneven lanes the first time I got my WG, I went down to the lower lane and at one point I was to change back to the higher lane, but it was at least 3 to inches higher, so I just stayed in the lower. I don't know if it's just in my head or what, but it just does not seem or feel right with uneven lane changes with this skinny front tire on the WG. Anyone else have issues with uneven lanes?? I had a sport bike in the past and I never had any issues with uneven lanes, I just hated the groved lanes.

 

When there's that much of a difference I just stay where I am, in my head or not they scare the bejeezus out of me!

 

The key point here is that you did not realize the lanes were uneven. Not trying to be a jackass, but not paying attention enough to notice things like that will get you killed and may be more dangerous to you than the teenager that is texting while driving.

When transitioning to an uneven lane, first move to the far side of the lane you are in, then deliberately swerve from that far point to the land you want to get in. The point of this is to make the transition quickly and if possible, increase the angle of contact when you cross over. A 90 degree angle would be idle but is obviously impossible. What you are trying to do is avoid the instability of the rub.

If it is too big of a drop or climb, don't do it and instead go around, take a different route etc.

The touring bikes use wider front tires for this and other reasons.

 

Yeah, they suck. But... How do you not see them!?

 

it just caught me off guard. i use that road a lot and never noticed it before. its concrete and no road work going on now. on the way home i checked it out and the concrete has just shifted and moved the lanes. its only like that for about 50ft or so. i guess i should just consider myself lucky and got a free pass this time. next time i think i will just avoid changing uneven lane all together.

 

Not to pile on here, but yea, you've got to always be looking at road surface conditions. Last weekend I took a long ride, I'd moved to the right in a passing lane section of road to let a couple of hard charging brodozers pass, as the road began to fade back to two lanes and I needed to move to the left you could see the large gap in the asphalt between the lanes; easily 4" and my Wide Glide front tire could get caught in it and dump me in an instant. Just like train tracks... right angles or as much as you can manage. I moved as far right as possible, pushed the left bar hard and hit the throttle to lighten the front end, up and over it and back in to the left lane... my friend behind me on a Gold Wind was like, what's that all about? But that fat front tire on a GW isn't going to fall in that huge crack and bin him

Grooved lanes are simple, be light on the bars and let the front end float; feels a bit weird but a light touch is the only way; fighting the front will make you crash...

 

+1, what he said

 

Glad it didn't end differently for you.