In all seriousness, no joking, this message is about rider safety.. writing this to Phil, et al.

May I ask, does your wife ride a three-wheeler due to some issue preventing her from confidently handling or physically riding a two-wheeled motorcycle?
A two wheeled motorcycle is technically safer with prudent operator.
Being aware of the benefits and drawbacks of each, anytime I see someone on three wheels I immediately wonder .. why did that person choose three wheels, why not two?


I ponder whether it is the feeling of added confidence that comes from the immediate stability of having a third wheel, I also question whether that person is honest with themselves about their skill level, if they are over-confident on a three-wheeler due to being less competent on a traditional motorcycle.
Must admit I also look at the person for obvious physical deformities, missing limbs or obvious medical issues such as poor health, lack of strength or obesity which deters many people from riding two wheels.
Generally, it is older folks who ride long distances, carrying more items, who go for the trikes.


If your wife is capable of riding on two wheels and she or yourself have ANY concerns in the back of your minds about what her skill level is, if you cannot say with a straight face that she is every bit as good a rider as yourself, sign her up for an intermediate MSF course. Do you follow her or she does follow you.. is it because you are her husband and she is your wife, or is there any difference in skill level?
It may save a life.


Complaints such as lack of power, not being able to maneuver, and the machine 'not doing what they want it to do' are VERY COMMON warning signs of an under-skilled operator.
Remember that.

Yes it's a heavy machine, but it can be downshifted in 150 milliseconds and rung out at higher RPM in a lower numerical gear to make it respond how you want.
There is no ego in talking about rider skill and personal safety, there is nothing misogynistic about it and I am not against women.
My experience is riding since I was a child, street riding, amateur motocross racing, and teaching a few people. Based on experience I can make the statement that women generally exhibit a lower skill level than men even after gaining several years of experience, this is due to the natural inclination of most females to take fewer risks than men.
Men who take more risks on their motorcycles achieve higher levels of skill and proficiency, that is just the way it is.
We're all equal as humans however men and women are different in terms who's generally has the edge at what.
There are of course specific skills where women leave most men totally in the dust as well, it goes both ways.

It is not my intent to hurt feelings. SAFETY is paramount and top priority, especially with talk of engine upgrades.
Don't worry about catching flak from the wife if you have concerns, voice them.
I've watched women crash their motorcycles in front of me over a sense of feminist pride, I saw a woman crash a motorcycle, she looked like an uncoordinated fawn learning how to walk.. boom she crashed right in front of me and I helped make sure she was OK and got her motorcycle sorted out for her.
People must be honest with themselves and those around in their assessments of skill level. It's all smooth and hunky-dory until you decide to overtake an 18 wheeler at 90MPH, then the wife guns it.. catches a hellacious crossdraft and you watch her ride off into the median because she never truly learned fundamentals like counter-steering and how to get that machine to do what she wants it to do.
It is rarely a matter of horsepower, but I understand her desire to have a machine equal to yours, she should if the skill is present.

Wait, who rides in front again and why?
Are you riding in front of her because you think you're better than her or cooler than her?
Ok, that last one was a joke, but it is so important to be fair in how you evaluate things. Please, don't risk anyone's safety to safeguard feelings.

If genuine concern about a persons safety makes ANYONE here uncomfortable, they should ask themselves one question:
Are you willing to do what is required to enhance your skills and increase your safety, or would you rather ignore areas of improvement and risk becoming a statistic?
Trust me, you don't want to be a statistic over something that can be prevented. If anyone reading does not consider themselves to reasonably possess advanced skills, you need additional training.
When milliseconds count, you'll have been just a second or two away from reaching safety, avoiding the obstacle, adjusting for conditions.

The first and last time I will preach this, if you've read it get off your *** whether you've got 4 years experience or 40 years.
Sign up and enroll yourself into a beginner/intermedia/expert level class somewhere, wherever you fall in. Even if you're advanced, get polished.

 

Hmmmm, she rides a trike for two reasons, #1. bad knees, #2. she thinks there cool. We have ridden for many years dirt bikes, quads, four legged **** machines however this was all out in the open desert of So Az. For myself you can add a few more years of riding dirty and being a squid.

After our move too the PNW it is a requirement here that you take the MSC and pass before you can have your endorsement for motorcycles it is a two day all day affair, for trikes it is just a one day, all day. I have both, and We had a great time doing it. Am I a better rider than her, you bet your @$$ I am but that’s only because I have more experience not that she is afraid or unwilling. So has a healthy respect for knowing her limitations ie. so doesn’t try too do the stupid stuff I pull. As for who leads when we head out, that depends on who mapped out the trip or who programmed there GPS faster than the other. But if I had too make a claim it’s nearly 50/50 on who takes the leade.

I can’t say I’ve given instructions on how too ride too women…. But once apon a time I was a Firearms Instructor for a large Dept. The women I instructed were much better than the men…. They paid more attention and fired higher scores for qualification then many of there contemporaries did. The reason being they actually had respect for the instructions they were given and for the tool they were using. You have too have both one without the other is 100% pointless.

Now back too the regularly scheduled program, the update. Parts are in and the date is set with the wrench. Soon real soon… Will give another update after install and first riding impressions, stay tuned………

 

Phil, who makes the pipe and can you show more pics of it.?? Thanks..

 

Sure I can get them in the morning any special angles? There made by FM it is there Jackpot 2-1-2 SS head pipe retaining the factory heat shields were a requirement with them being smoked chrome. With the factory SE mufflers it should sound pretty good without being obnoxious.

 

fixed it for you, pretty sure this is what you meant ...... 'I can’t say I’ve given instructions on how to ride two women'

 

Here you go. Remember these pipes have too fit under the smoked chrome heat shields.

 

^^^That's the exact pipe I went with per FM's advice. The stainless really gets it done. That pipe is formed and welded so perfectly you'd think H-D designed and built the bike around it.

 

Sorry for the late question, but can someone explain the reason for using the 55mm manifold and 5.5 fuel injectors in the cam test? Pros and cons?

 

basically the manifold is the same size as the plastic original one with little/small gain but better quality being alloy, the 5.5 injectors are because with these aftermarket cams the injectors run out of fuel at high rpm with the oem ones

 

So in other words, I did fine by ordering both with my cam? Not a waste of time and money?