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I'm sure you're right, especially about the narrow front tire. When I use the front brakes even just a little bit while leaning into the beginning of a corner I can feel under-steer, the front end just wants to push out of the corner, but let off the brakes and it dips right back in. I'm asking too much of a two inch wide piece of rubber. It uses up a certain percentage of it's available traction to hold its share of the 620 lbs well 790 lbs with me on it against the momentum behind that weight. Asking it to also use some more of it's traction to slow that weight just puts it beyond the traction that skinny tire has available.
I very thoroughly inspected everything & I think everything (other than the missing shock) is in great working order. I'm sure the 17 years have taken a small toll on the springs but do you think they could've lost so much of their spunk as to harm my handling? I mean the bike has 11K miles on it & is a 1995 but it's been babied and the front end has never been taken apart or modified.
Very interesting to hear that your impressions of the springer are so different from mine. Maybe something is wrong with mine. I mean on a curvy road I could not keep up at all with my friend... He was on a 50cc scooter. Sure on the straights I caught him but he could brake so much later because his scooter is only 150 lbs and all the corners were banked even leading into them and it was hilly so I had to be so careful about braking early or I'd carry too much speed & not be able to slow down enough before I had to start leaning. It was still a blast, a curvy road through the woods is bliss but I'm glad no one was watching the puny scooter that had to wait for me to catch up. I just assumed all springers sacrificed this much handling ability in favor of the looks & lack of need of maintenance.
Seriously, make sure all of the components are present and is good adjustment on yout bike. That will give you a strong idea of what your bike is actually capable of.
I can tell you, without reservation, that the springer front end on my bike handles better than any Harley I have ever ridden. And I have ridden quite a few. Less braking dive, light handling when slow, great high speed cornering ability, etc. Truely magical. It does require a little bit more maintanence than a standard front end, but it is well worth the little bit of extra effort. Listen to hspring03 and adjust fall away, bearings and bushings.
Posted these on another thread but in case you haven't seen them this is what Warrs of London do with Springers, all kinda old Skool if that's your thing.
They have all been built for customers useing mainly Crossbones as a base, you could order one but they'd be pretty expensive, better to take a pic and get an American builder to make one, here's another one.
I'm sure you're right, especially about the narrow front tire. When I use the front brakes even just a little bit while leaning into the beginning of a corner I can feel under-steer, the front end just wants to push out of the corner, but let off the brakes and it dips right back in. I'm asking too much of a two inch wide piece of rubber. It uses up a certain percentage of it's available traction to hold its share of the 620 lbs well 790 lbs with me on it against the momentum behind that weight. Asking it to also use some more of it's traction to slow that weight just puts it beyond the traction that skinny tire has available.
I very thoroughly inspected everything & I think everything (other than the missing shock) is in great working order. I'm sure the 17 years have taken a small toll on the springs but do you think they could've lost so much of their spunk as to harm my handling? I mean the bike has 11K miles on it & is a 1995 but it's been babied and the front end has never been taken apart or modified.
Very interesting to hear that your impressions of the springer are so different from mine. Maybe something is wrong with mine. I mean on a curvy road I could not keep up at all with my friend... He was on a 50cc scooter. Sure on the straights I caught him but he could brake so much later because his scooter is only 150 lbs and all the corners were banked even leading into them and it was hilly so I had to be so careful about braking early or I'd carry too much speed & not be able to slow down enough before I had to start leaning. It was still a blast, a curvy road through the woods is bliss but I'm glad no one was watching the puny scooter that had to wait for me to catch up. I just assumed all springers sacrificed this much handling ability in favor of the looks & lack of need of maintenance.
If you have 11K on your front end and it's never been serviced, you need to do it NOW.
I would beat your neck bearings are shoot, maybe your rockers also and put the shock back on.
I,m close to you, If I can be of any help PM me.
Here is my take on the FXSTS.
It is a 2000 with screamin eagle cams, ported and polished heads, vance and hines competition series exhaust, dechromed, custom made rear fender, lowered in the rear.
Soon to be lowered in the front and maybe some pinstriping.
Nice looking bike, is the rear fender a cut down Harley fender or made from scratch ?
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