Left turn Clyde!!

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Jul 23, 2010 | 08:46 PM

Robcat

Thread Starter

Cruiser

Joined: Feb 2010

Posts: 212

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From: Ohio

Left turn Clyde!!

Fatboy likes to turn left without my permission. Anyone have any suggestions. Not that this happens very often, but if I'm ridin on a long stretch with the cruise on and take both hands off the handlebars for a little arm stretching, the bike goes left in a hurry. Is this a normal thing? Balance issue? Wheel alignment off? If I lean my body to the right it straightens out. Just looking for suggestions. And yes, I'm aware of the first suggestion to not take my hands off the handlebars so lets try to get past that one. I know somebody wouldnt have been able to resist!!

Jul 23, 2010 | 08:57 PM

ElSupremo

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Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 1,308

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From: WA - The State

My first 2 thoughts are the steering neck fall away and wheel balance/true.

Jul 23, 2010 | 09:22 PM

Gman in NC

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Joined: Sep 2009

Posts: 1,257

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From: Gastonia, NC

I've tried that on my Heritage before. I believe it goes left too. Could even be the way we are sitting on the bike at the time.

Jul 23, 2010 | 09:54 PM

ROMPUS

Road Master

Joined: May 2010

Posts: 932

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From: Tuscaloosa Alabama

is the rear wheel set the same on both sides?

Jul 23, 2010 | 10:04 PM

Sumpnut

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Joined: Jun 2008

Posts: 1,022

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From: Sweden

more weight on the left side of the engine

Jul 23, 2010 | 10:14 PM

Mal74

Outstanding HDF Member

Joined: Jun 2005

Posts: 2,172

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From: Clermont, GA, CSA

Don't take both hands off the handlebars and it'll stop going left!!

Duh.

.

Jul 23, 2010 | 10:23 PM

colonelangus1

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Joined: May 2010

Posts: 762

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From: mission bc canada

i noticed my bike does it too not much just wanders left..my sporty didnt do it..on the softail the rear belt is on the left as is the primary chain on the sporty the rear belt is on the right cancelling out so to speak the torque from the primary drive ..if that makes sense..tires do not show signs of wear or defects and for the most part the bike is wider on the primary side which may also cause it to wander

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Jul 24, 2010 | 12:07 AM

ElSupremo

Road Warrior

Joined: Jul 2007

Posts: 1,308

Likes: 2

From: WA - The State

Quote:

Originally Posted by j1mmy

the primary is hanging out on the left side, it is pretty heavy, it pulls you that way.. lean right a little..

Going down the road a bike should want to continue going in a straight line, due to the centrifugal force.

Now if it only drifted a bit one way or another, weight might have something to do with it, but if I'm reading the post correctly he said it pulls quickly, which it shouldn't. If everything is correct on the bike it should continue in a fairly straight line.

I'm no Isaac Newton and I'm sure I'll be corrected if wrong, but that's my understanding.