Scraping Floorboards
Novice
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Charlotte, NC
+1 Just like scuffing up a tennis racket. If you don't have some scuff marks on your boards, you're not playing (or riding) hard enough! Ride safe, adjust your lean, and let the sparks fly!
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 362
Likes: 1
From: New York
My scoot is lowered 2" and I've never scraped the floorboards. How hard do you guys ride? I'm not proud to say I grew up on Asian bikes and loved to throw down. I did make the switch to HD's 10 years ago. I "get on" my scoot from time to time but jeeze, it's a 700 pound slob. Where is everybody going? Maybe some of you need an Asian scoot as a second toy for the days you feel like ripping it up. ( :
Last edited by BigJoeNY; Apr 30, 2009 at 03:54 PM.
Road Captain
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 673
Likes: 0
My scoot is lowered 2" and I've never scraped the floorboards. How hard do you guys ride? I'm not proud to say I grew up on Asian bikes and loved to throw down. I did make the switch to HD's 10 years ago. I "get on" my scoot from time to time but jeeze, it's a 700 pound slob. Where is everybody going? Maybe some of you need an Asian scoot as a second toy for the days you feel like ripping it up. ( :
You wanna know what surprised me most about my HD?
I've owned a few Japaneses bikes, for example a RD400, RZ350, 850 Maximum X (to name a few) and I can't believe how easy it is to toss around this "700 pound slob!"
I fully expected it to be strictly a straight up hwy cruiser. Until I took it for the first ride...
I was amazed (and still am) at how planted it feels cornering. Now I am not going to lie to you and say it is equally tossable as the cafe racers I owned but it is certainly the equal of the larger cruisers I rode.
I think it is in the rigidity of the frame. I have never felt any flex in it as I have on larger Japenese cruisers.
Now if only the brakes were worth a chit...lol
And by the way, you don't have to ride it hard to lay it on the boards.
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 2,806
Likes: 1,754
From: New Bern NC
Your only scraping the boards? When I was doing my 20,000 mile service I noticed that I had ground off part of my outer primary where it bulges around the lowest rear mounting bolt. The edge of the bolt is a little ground too. Guess I better order a few extra allen head bolts.
Road Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,127
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
It's funny, I used to scrape all the time and mine is lowered 1" and have long pipes. ...but I hardly ever do anymore. Maybe I subconsciously adjust my riding style or take corners slower, I dunno. ...but really even if you do scrape, no one can see your loss of chrome unless they are laying underneath your bike.
Give it some time and I bet you will stop scraping as much too.
Give it some time and I bet you will stop scraping as much too.
Road Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 1,127
Likes: 0
From: Houston, TX
Your only scraping the boards? When I was doing my 20,000 mile service I noticed that I had ground off part of my outer primary where it bulges around the lowest rear mounting bolt. The edge of the bolt is a little ground too. Guess I better order a few extra allen head bolts.
Road Master
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 907
Likes: 0
From: Ontario
Thats what I did. I still scrap but I like it better with pegs. Got the stock rocker pegs with the 'curb finders' on the end.
Tourer
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 271
Likes: 1
I stopped scraping the boards when I put the pegs on, I did drag the pipe tips off a couple of times. Good times
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Tourer
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 362
Likes: 1
From: New York
Absolutely with out a doubt for 700 lbs it's not bad at all. I'm just calling it a slob compared to sport bikes. But body attitude is very important when the weight goes up. The lighter racers are very forgiving and even an inexperienced rider on a sport bike can zip around turns with a half a#* lean and a twitch of the bars. A 700 lb Harley needs perfect body attitude to negotiate the twisties properly. Just like in some previous post, the rider needs to lean more keeping the bike straight up so to speak. More like finesse it through the turns not carve it through. But hey, everyone seems very happy scraping the pavement so what the heck... scrape on!
I'm sure the day will come when I have to carve my mark in the road. You know when I realize at the last second that I'm about to miss my exit...
I'm sure the day will come when I have to carve my mark in the road. You know when I realize at the last second that I'm about to miss my exit...
You wanna know what surprised me most about my HD?
I've owned a few Japaneses bikes, for example a RD400, RZ350, 850 Maximum X (to name a few) and I can't believe how easy it is to toss around this "700 pound slob!"
I fully expected it to be strictly a straight up hwy cruiser. Until I took it for the first ride...
I was amazed (and still am) at how planted it feels cornering. Now I am not going to lie to you and say it is equally tossable as the cafe racers I owned but it is certainly the equal of the larger cruisers I rode.
I think it is in the rigidity of the frame. I have never felt any flex in it as I have on larger Japenese cruisers.
Now if only the brakes were worth a chit...lol
And by the way, you don't have to ride it hard to lay it on the boards.
I've owned a few Japaneses bikes, for example a RD400, RZ350, 850 Maximum X (to name a few) and I can't believe how easy it is to toss around this "700 pound slob!"
I fully expected it to be strictly a straight up hwy cruiser. Until I took it for the first ride...
I was amazed (and still am) at how planted it feels cornering. Now I am not going to lie to you and say it is equally tossable as the cafe racers I owned but it is certainly the equal of the larger cruisers I rode.
I think it is in the rigidity of the frame. I have never felt any flex in it as I have on larger Japenese cruisers.
Now if only the brakes were worth a chit...lol
And by the way, you don't have to ride it hard to lay it on the boards.
Last edited by BigJoeNY; May 1, 2009 at 06:14 AM.
Tourer
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 362
Likes: 1
From: New York
On another note. You complained about the HD brakes. You just proved you really did own those sport bikes. The HD front brake setup is weak for a 700 lb beast especially coming from the sport bike world. And I've squeezed a few just to be sure it wasn't just my bike. The rear brake is hard and responsive but not the front. I thought changing to braided lines would do the trick... Nope didn't do it! Still mush. I was very surprised when I went with chrome hand controls from CC. The kit comes with a chrome Master Cylinder. Installed the setup, bled the brakes.. Wow
... a rock hard brake lever. I was shocked. One finger effortless front braking. In short, the Harley Master cylinder is the cause. Some may like the mushy setup. Sought of like anti-lock but not me. But that is another topic.... sorry
... a rock hard brake lever. I was shocked. One finger effortless front braking. In short, the Harley Master cylinder is the cause. Some may like the mushy setup. Sought of like anti-lock but not me. But that is another topic.... sorryLast edited by BigJoeNY; May 1, 2009 at 07:27 AM.