Slow speed maneuvers
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,904
Likes: 1,422
From: Lost
I have the 14 sgs, if ypu are using the syn3 try switching the primary fluid to formula + or use the amsoil primary oil, i use the amsoil primary fluid and it helped a lot. The hydraulic clutches are definitely different than the cable, also change your fluid for your clutch.
You are hitting floorboards on your turns, so I'd echo what Black Ultra said, you are doing just fine. If you want to be able to do 360 circles with your boards dragging, that's fine too...for show-off riding. But it isn't necessary for street riding in traffic. Your skills are very good and you will be able to handle any U-turns you want to perform on regular sized roads. Just keep practicing to keep your skills where they are now. Don't beat yourself up because you "may" think you aren't riding like a COP. First of all, you don't need to. Second of all, you're already riding at a level above what is needed by States' Licensing Agencies( DMV ).
Side note: I would never tell anybody to not try to get better, but there is a point at which you reach diminishing returns. YOU have reached it, in my opinion. Past that point, you are putting YOURSELF, and your BIKE, in a potentially HARMFUL position. PLEASE< PLEASE< PLEASE have someone with you at these practice sessions if you want to advance from the level at which you are now. If you need medical help, you need to have a partner there to assist you in getting that help. At the very least, they can help you pick up that heavy bike you dropped.
And YES, that hydraulic clutch is very hard to control and hit, and stay, in the friction zone. The COPs hated it. That's one of the reasons Harley went back to cable. The other reason was it was a lousy design and they had a lot of failures with the system.I know, mine had to be fixed like a lot of others.
Side note: I would never tell anybody to not try to get better, but there is a point at which you reach diminishing returns. YOU have reached it, in my opinion. Past that point, you are putting YOURSELF, and your BIKE, in a potentially HARMFUL position. PLEASE< PLEASE< PLEASE have someone with you at these practice sessions if you want to advance from the level at which you are now. If you need medical help, you need to have a partner there to assist you in getting that help. At the very least, they can help you pick up that heavy bike you dropped.
And YES, that hydraulic clutch is very hard to control and hit, and stay, in the friction zone. The COPs hated it. That's one of the reasons Harley went back to cable. The other reason was it was a lousy design and they had a lot of failures with the system.I know, mine had to be fixed like a lot of others.
I don't practice slow speeds as much as I used to, mostly bc the place right by my house has now put in a gate (not sure if due to me riding there or not semi frequently) and my old place had a plethora of parking lots to practice in whereas new place does not.
anyway your maneuvers look pretty good. seems like you are going only a little over 2 spots width on left hand u turns and 3 on right hand. 2 is what I aim for. but I also have never done continuous circuits like you're doing. I've also never done the 360 circle. I need to start implementing that. and yes the hydraulic clutch sucks, although now that I'm back on a bike with a cable, it feels weird to me. though I haven't adjusted it yet, I really do need to do that.
2 weekends ago I did the advanced rider course or whatever that harley offers. was only 95 bucks. I don't know that it was really something I'd highly recommend as it was pretty damn similar to the basic course (then again I only took the basic course 4 years ago). it was nice to hear praise from the instructor though after watching me handle the bike in the u turn box and the other slow speed maneuvers. I've only had my road glide 5 months and have been gone for work travel for half of that time, though I did come from a street glide so I was used to maneuvering the heavier bike. was also good to actually have cones etc in place as I always just kinda eyeball objects in the parking lot to avoid.
edit:actually one thing I did really like about that course I mentioned. I had never used the ABS prior to attending the course and this was first bike with ABS. Instructor made sure he had me use it throughout the day. Not that I previously really doubted it but it was not something I had ever "used' prior. barely two days later I'm out riding around in the boonies and dump out on to a main hwy. idiot in a u haul turns left across my path and then when she sees me she stops. no where to go really for me so I hit the brakes and at first was a little shy on them bc I'm used to not being able to just grab them full force. my brain kicked in and said just mash the brakes dummy so I did and thank god bc I stopped within probably 6 inches of her bumper.
anyway your maneuvers look pretty good. seems like you are going only a little over 2 spots width on left hand u turns and 3 on right hand. 2 is what I aim for. but I also have never done continuous circuits like you're doing. I've also never done the 360 circle. I need to start implementing that. and yes the hydraulic clutch sucks, although now that I'm back on a bike with a cable, it feels weird to me. though I haven't adjusted it yet, I really do need to do that.
2 weekends ago I did the advanced rider course or whatever that harley offers. was only 95 bucks. I don't know that it was really something I'd highly recommend as it was pretty damn similar to the basic course (then again I only took the basic course 4 years ago). it was nice to hear praise from the instructor though after watching me handle the bike in the u turn box and the other slow speed maneuvers. I've only had my road glide 5 months and have been gone for work travel for half of that time, though I did come from a street glide so I was used to maneuvering the heavier bike. was also good to actually have cones etc in place as I always just kinda eyeball objects in the parking lot to avoid.
edit:actually one thing I did really like about that course I mentioned. I had never used the ABS prior to attending the course and this was first bike with ABS. Instructor made sure he had me use it throughout the day. Not that I previously really doubted it but it was not something I had ever "used' prior. barely two days later I'm out riding around in the boonies and dump out on to a main hwy. idiot in a u haul turns left across my path and then when she sees me she stops. no where to go really for me so I hit the brakes and at first was a little shy on them bc I'm used to not being able to just grab them full force. my brain kicked in and said just mash the brakes dummy so I did and thank god bc I stopped within probably 6 inches of her bumper.
I was cut off by a pick up truck on my Goldwing on my way to Sturgis. I had cruise set at 70, Came up to a pick up truck on my right side. Noticed I was in his blind spot for longer than I should be. As soon as I thought about it and rolled on the throttle he had already come in my lane. Bike was totaled, and I was lucky to just walk off with a rash. That was in WV where I had recently moved, was not used to wearing helmet living in KY but WV is helmet state and I'm glad I was wearing one that day.
Last edited by pyuchem; Mar 20, 2023 at 10:21 PM.
Road Master
Joined: Apr 2019
Posts: 1,157
Likes: 565
From: TX
Congratulations on your new scoot. Glad you are safe.
I was cut off by a pick up truck on my Goldwing on my way to Sturgis. I had cruise set at 70, Came up to a pick up truck on my right side. Noticed I was in his blind spot for longer than I should be. As soon as I thought about it and rolled on the throttle he had already come in my lane. Bike was totaled, and I was lucky to just walk off with a rash. That was in WV where I had recently moved, was not used to wearing helmet living in KY but WV is helmet state and I'm glad I was wearing one that day.
I was cut off by a pick up truck on my Goldwing on my way to Sturgis. I had cruise set at 70, Came up to a pick up truck on my right side. Noticed I was in his blind spot for longer than I should be. As soon as I thought about it and rolled on the throttle he had already come in my lane. Bike was totaled, and I was lucky to just walk off with a rash. That was in WV where I had recently moved, was not used to wearing helmet living in KY but WV is helmet state and I'm glad I was wearing one that day.
not 20 minutes earlier I almost got taken out in a head on collision as some jack *** had come over the top of the hill in my lane. he decided a no passing zone with a hill was the perfect spot to pass three cars. I was able to scoot over in my lane to have a "large" gap of a few feet as he went by me. had I been in a car I'd have been straight f'ed as this was 2 lane road with no shoulder. what really probably saved me was I had just slowed down for a car in front of me to turn right and was accelerating back up to speed. had that car not been there I would have, or he would have, smacked right in to that idiot on wrong side of road as he crested the hill
days like that I wonder wtf I'm doing on 2 wheels
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,904
Likes: 1,422
From: Lost
So what modifications do Cops make to their bikes for slow speed control ? I'm always wondering that.
I swear my bike rides differently when its 75ş and above, it gets sluggish and it's like there is no friction zone at all. Whatever friction zone there is, it's only apparent during fall/spring and early morning starts.
BTW my bike is stock no tune or stage I.
I swear my bike rides differently when its 75ş and above, it gets sluggish and it's like there is no friction zone at all. Whatever friction zone there is, it's only apparent during fall/spring and early morning starts.
BTW my bike is stock no tune or stage I.
Tourer
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 421
Likes: 218
From: Lowcountry
[QUOTE=pyuchem;21125815]Decided to go out and do some slow speed practice...dusting off winter rust. This year I plan to focus more on slow speed drills, improve my riding technique a bit. I'm having a hard time with Harley friction zone. It's been close to 60k miles and I'm still not comfortable with it. It seems when bike is cold there is bit of friction zone but when it gets hot there is almost none (ON or OFF), especially in summer months it's really bad.
/QUOTE]
Good job on the figure eights, I do the same drill often. I think allot of skills learned on the slow speed maneuvers transfer over to everyday riding, the improved confidence is beneficial also. Carry on.
/QUOTE]
Good job on the figure eights, I do the same drill often. I think allot of skills learned on the slow speed maneuvers transfer over to everyday riding, the improved confidence is beneficial also. Carry on.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,174
Likes: 1,466
From: Charleston, SC
So what modifications do Cops make to their bikes for slow speed control ? I'm always wondering that.
I swear my bike rides differently when its 75ş and above, it gets sluggish and it's like there is no friction zone at all. Whatever friction zone there is, it's only apparent during fall/spring and early morning starts.
BTW my bike is stock no tune or stage I.
I swear my bike rides differently when its 75ş and above, it gets sluggish and it's like there is no friction zone at all. Whatever friction zone there is, it's only apparent during fall/spring and early morning starts.
BTW my bike is stock no tune or stage I.
AS far as the hydraulic clutches, I don't know what they did during those few years Harley made the hydraulic clutches. I do know that some of the members here installed some aftermarket clutch slaves(or whatever they called them). If you research some of the Clutch change threads here, you will find names like Recluse and Meuller(sp?) as items added that made the friction zone a little easier to hit, and even enabled them to hit the friction zone closer to the grip, rather than almost all the way out like the stock hydraulic was.
HDF Community Team
Joined: Oct 2018
Posts: 4,347
Likes: 3,392
From: Seattle
Many of the cops cut out the turn stops so they can turn the handlebars farther left or right.
AS far as the hydraulic clutches, I don't know what they did during those few years Harley made the hydraulic clutches. I do know that some of the members here installed some aftermarket clutch slaves(or whatever they called them). If you research some of the Clutch change threads here, you will find names like Recluse and Meuller(sp?) as items added that made the friction zone a little easier to hit, and even enabled them to hit the friction zone closer to the grip, rather than almost all the way out like the stock hydraulic was.
AS far as the hydraulic clutches, I don't know what they did during those few years Harley made the hydraulic clutches. I do know that some of the members here installed some aftermarket clutch slaves(or whatever they called them). If you research some of the Clutch change threads here, you will find names like Recluse and Meuller(sp?) as items added that made the friction zone a little easier to hit, and even enabled them to hit the friction zone closer to the grip, rather than almost all the way out like the stock hydraulic was.
I'm going to be installing one on my Fat Boy here soon because women's hands and fibromyalgia patients don't exactly have the best grip strength in the world and pulling the clutch in a lot during traffic is a real pain(literally). I got a set of Oberon Adjustable levers for my bike last year and they work fairly well. But there's a need for an easier to pull clutch.
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Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,174
Likes: 1,466
From: Charleston, SC
Meuller Power Clutch.
I'm going to be installing one on my Fat Boy here soon because women's hands and fibromyalgia patients don't exactly have the best grip strength in the world and pulling the clutch in a lot during traffic is a real pain(literally). I got a set of Oberon Adjustable levers for my bike last year and they work fairly well. But there's a need for an easier to pull clutch.
I'm going to be installing one on my Fat Boy here soon because women's hands and fibromyalgia patients don't exactly have the best grip strength in the world and pulling the clutch in a lot during traffic is a real pain(literally). I got a set of Oberon Adjustable levers for my bike last year and they work fairly well. But there's a need for an easier to pull clutch.
Thread Starter
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Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,904
Likes: 1,422
From: Lost
Meuller Power Clutch.
I'm going to be installing one on my Fat Boy here soon because women's hands and fibromyalgia patients don't exactly have the best grip strength in the world and pulling the clutch in a lot during traffic is a real pain(literally). I got a set of Oberon Adjustable levers for my bike last year and they work fairly well. But there's a need for an easier to pull clutch.
I'm going to be installing one on my Fat Boy here soon because women's hands and fibromyalgia patients don't exactly have the best grip strength in the world and pulling the clutch in a lot during traffic is a real pain(literally). I got a set of Oberon Adjustable levers for my bike last year and they work fairly well. But there's a need for an easier to pull clutch.
But my biggest gripe is there is barely any friction zone on my street glide (Hydraulic clutch). Its like ON/OFF.
Second biggest issue is my bike is different below 70° in a way theres at least tiny friction zone I can feel. Come summer time when temps are over 80° or when bike is hot, friction zone moves farther away from grip and its barely noticeable. Also bike gets sluggish during summer. Not sure if this only related to my bike.
Im thinking about going stage I to see if that helps me anyway. I remember Jerry Paladino saying something about it in one of the videos. He had some kind of electrical gadget that enriched fuel.