interstate riding?
Road Warrior
Joined: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,269
Likes: 1
From: St. Albans, West Virginia
If you are going to do much interstate riding, you gotta get a windshield. It is amazing how it keeps you from feeling like you are being blown off of the back of the bike. I ride on the interstate every day and sometimes I take off the shield. It makes a huge difference and I soon go back and put it back on.
My bike feels fine at speeds up to around 80 or so. It will go faster, but why should I?
My bike feels fine at speeds up to around 80 or so. It will go faster, but why should I?
Road Warrior
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,387
Likes: 1
From: Saint George, Utah
lol, I remember the first few times I rode on the Interstate.....the way the bike moved scared the bejeezus outta me. Now I'm so used to it I crave my bike to move that much, I cruise at 80-85mph with just my right hand up. Do it more often and soon enough you'll be craving that adrenaline like the rest of us demented individuals 
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 812
Likes: 8
From: Cowtown, USA
I've said it before, I would rather ride in the rain than in strong winds. Just isn't any fun at all. It's the only time that I want to get where I am going when riding a bike. Well that and when I got to ****.
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 2,230
Likes: 12
From: Mount Holly, NC
its possible that one of your tires is out of balance and the bike feels more squirelly that it should be. have an experienced rider take the bike out to see how it feels, just to ease your mind.
if everything checks out ok, then chalk it up to inexperience. go ride more
if everything checks out ok, then chalk it up to inexperience. go ride more
Tourer
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 400
Likes: 0
From: Monroe, GA
+1 You'll get used to it.
It's part of the experience.
Back in October the wife and I rode from Atlanta to the Grand Canyon and back.
While on I-40 we hit some of the highest winds ever recorded. 40, with gusts to 75.
We were on our '08 Ultra, 2-up and a full load.
Blew us all over the road. Scary, to say the least.
Best thing to do in winds like that is to find a motel and wait it out.
Enjoy your Sporty and ride safely.
It's part of the experience.
Back in October the wife and I rode from Atlanta to the Grand Canyon and back.
While on I-40 we hit some of the highest winds ever recorded. 40, with gusts to 75.
We were on our '08 Ultra, 2-up and a full load.
Blew us all over the road. Scary, to say the least.
Best thing to do in winds like that is to find a motel and wait it out.
Enjoy your Sporty and ride safely.
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Tourer
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 279
Likes: 0
From: Middle River, MD
A windshield will only offer more surface area for the wind to push, so it would only make your problem worse. The windshield rides high, so gives the wind more leverage, and it also raises your center of gravity a little.
I've got an '08 and have no problems with stability. There's some buffeting when in the turbulence behind a big truck, but that's just a little rocking, not a lane changer.
I share my lane with other club members, and did it in very gusty April winds. I've also ridden across the Francis Scott Key Bridge on I-695 when they had closed it to semi-trailer traffic due to gusty cross-winds. The Sporty shouldn't have a stability problem.
Check the tire pressure. Low pressure will definitely make a bike squirrely. Swing arm bushing could be bad, but that doesn't happen all that often unless something bad happened to the bike.
No insult intended, could your confidence be a litle low, anxiety a little high, or you're thinking too hard and overcontrolling? Even seasoned riders take a while for their reflexes to adapt to a different style of bike. It works the other way around too, because I tend to be a little sloppy for the first 20 miles when on an unfamiliar bike.
Countersteer isn't just for turns, it's good for stopping an unwanted turn. If you are a new rider, some people find it easier to use the countersteer effect in a different perspective. Instead of thinking about leaning the bike or bringing the bike back up over the wheels, try thinking of it as "pulling" the wheels where you want them. For example, if the wheels are too far to the left, pull the left bar. It's the same countersteer, but for some people it doesn't seem as backwards.
I've got an '08 and have no problems with stability. There's some buffeting when in the turbulence behind a big truck, but that's just a little rocking, not a lane changer.
I share my lane with other club members, and did it in very gusty April winds. I've also ridden across the Francis Scott Key Bridge on I-695 when they had closed it to semi-trailer traffic due to gusty cross-winds. The Sporty shouldn't have a stability problem.
Check the tire pressure. Low pressure will definitely make a bike squirrely. Swing arm bushing could be bad, but that doesn't happen all that often unless something bad happened to the bike.
No insult intended, could your confidence be a litle low, anxiety a little high, or you're thinking too hard and overcontrolling? Even seasoned riders take a while for their reflexes to adapt to a different style of bike. It works the other way around too, because I tend to be a little sloppy for the first 20 miles when on an unfamiliar bike.
Countersteer isn't just for turns, it's good for stopping an unwanted turn. If you are a new rider, some people find it easier to use the countersteer effect in a different perspective. Instead of thinking about leaning the bike or bringing the bike back up over the wheels, try thinking of it as "pulling" the wheels where you want them. For example, if the wheels are too far to the left, pull the left bar. It's the same countersteer, but for some people it doesn't seem as backwards.
Last edited by mbwannabe1; Jun 6, 2009 at 10:12 AM.