Difficult steering at low speeds
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 97
Likes: 5
From: La Quinta, CA
Difficult steering at low speeds
My wife bought her first bike this summer, a 2012 883 SuperLow. It's a great first bike for her, and she's doing very well.
I have ridden her bike several times and noticed that it is very difficult to initiate low speed turns. The bike feels as though it's resisting your attempt to turn it as you accelerate from a stop. It's not stiff but feels almost as though the geometry is off and tries to prevent the bars from easily turning at low speeds. It feels exactly the same whether you're turning left or right from a stop. A combination of lean angle, counter-steering and throttle achieves the desired results, but it just feels so odd!
None of the bikes I've owned or ridden in the past have felt this way. My wife doesn't notice it because it's the first bike she's ever ridden. I've mentioned this to the dealer, and they've taken it for a ride and said that everything is just fine.
Has anyone else noticed anything like this?
I have ridden her bike several times and noticed that it is very difficult to initiate low speed turns. The bike feels as though it's resisting your attempt to turn it as you accelerate from a stop. It's not stiff but feels almost as though the geometry is off and tries to prevent the bars from easily turning at low speeds. It feels exactly the same whether you're turning left or right from a stop. A combination of lean angle, counter-steering and throttle achieves the desired results, but it just feels so odd!
None of the bikes I've owned or ridden in the past have felt this way. My wife doesn't notice it because it's the first bike she's ever ridden. I've mentioned this to the dealer, and they've taken it for a ride and said that everything is just fine.
Has anyone else noticed anything like this?
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 568
Likes: 1
From: New Jersey Somerset
Compared to my previous bike (Honda crf150), my xl 1200 custom is definitely harder to steer at slow speeds but thats only due to it being so heavy. Maybe you want to grease up where the "steering-column" is, might help it alittle bit
Thread Starter
|
Advanced
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 97
Likes: 5
From: La Quinta, CA
Thanks for the suggestions. Tire pressure is right on, and there's no excess friction in the fork head bearings. This particular issue doesn't feel at all like a friction or force issue, but rather a very weird "unbalanced" feeling as if the steering or frame geometry is way off. Although the dealer says it's okay, I'd really like to ride another 883 SuperLow to see if this is how all of them are.
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 568
Likes: 1
From: New Jersey Somerset
Thanks for the suggestions. Tire pressure is right on, and there's no excess friction in the fork head bearings. This particular issue doesn't feel at all like a friction or force issue, but rather a very weird "unbalanced" feeling as if the steering or frame geometry is way off. Although the dealer says it's okay, I'd really like to ride another 883 SuperLow to see if this is how all of them are.
Club Member
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 16,320
Likes: 306
From: Boynton Beach, FloriDuh
Contrary to the popular belief of many, the somewhat top heavy Sporty, is neither a "girls" or beginners bike. The Sportster is built for an active (assertive), not passive, rider.
Last edited by cHarley; Oct 7, 2012 at 03:07 PM.
Trending Topics
Road Warrior
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 1,898
Likes: 67
From: Saint Amant, Acadiana
Fun fact: The worst turning bike I've ever ridden was a 1940 DKW. Those old engines had heavy flywheels, so heavy that when revved up the gyro effect simply would not let you turn. The feeling is hard to describe, you gotta try it. Basically, it just went straight regardless what you were doing.
HD Forum Stories
The Best of Harley-Davidson for Lifelong Riders
7 Times Harley-Davidson Chucked Tradition Out the Window
Verdad Gallardo
7 Surprising Harley-Davidson Products that Are Not Motorcycles
Verdad Gallardo
8 Best Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Worst Harley-Davidson Motorcycles Ever
Pouria Savadkouei
Killer Custom's Jail Break Is The Breakout That Refused to Blend In
Verdad Gallardo
Crazy Bunderbike Build Looks Amazing, But Is It Impossible to Ride?
Verdad Gallardo
Harley-Davidson Reveals Super Cool Cafe Racer Concept
Verdad Gallardo
Engraved Rebellion: Inside Bundnerbike's Glam Rock II
Verdad Gallardo
10 Motorcycles You Should Never Buy
Joe Kucinski
Road Captain
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 568
Likes: 1
From: New Jersey Somerset
Fun fact: The worst turning bike I've ever ridden was a 1940 DKW. Those old engines had heavy flywheels, so heavy that when revved up the gyro effect simply would not let you turn. The feeling is hard to describe, you gotta try it. Basically, it just went straight regardless what you were doing.
Last edited by Knights2TheEnd; Oct 7, 2012 at 06:36 PM.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
XL1200C_0112
General Harley Davidson Chat
32
Aug 14, 2018 02:16 PM
XL1200C_0112
Dyna Glide Models
31
Mar 2, 2018 11:24 PM