First ride with passenger.. Question about handling
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Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 514
Likes: 0
From: Airdrie, AB
RE: First ride with passenger.. Question about handling
Thanks for the replies, we went to a large empty parking lot and I did some coaching before she got on. Told her to keep her body in line with mine, dont fidget, how to get on and off etc..We rode around in the lot a bit so I could get the feel for the way it handled with her on.. Felt pretty good so we went out on the street for a quick ride.. I think stopping and starting is where I REALLY noticed the difference, front end seemed to pick up more when taking off. I think I will get a pump and add some air for starters. Then just continue to take it slow for awhile.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,456
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From:
RE: First ride with passenger.. Question about handling
ORIGINAL: grooveman
I took my Gf on her first ride today and the Ultra seems a little squirrley and light in the front end but not dangerously so. Tires pressures are ok, maybe I just need to get used to the different way it handles with the extra weight and higher center of gravity... Im running about 10 lbs in the rear shocks will adding more air pressure help? Thanks much
I took my Gf on her first ride today and the Ultra seems a little squirrley and light in the front end but not dangerously so. Tires pressures are ok, maybe I just need to get used to the different way it handles with the extra weight and higher center of gravity... Im running about 10 lbs in the rear shocks will adding more air pressure help? Thanks much
20lb in shocks will help with the bumps. Maybe she is working against you in the turns. Does SHE know how to be a passenger and how to lean?
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 514
Likes: 0
RE: First ride with passenger.. Question about handling
My lady is 125lbs and I run 35 cause I like the stiffer feel and the front feels a lot more solid. Better ride but there are times that I do have to say something to her when get gets ants in her pants and that can be fun to say the least. But I love the feel of someone (HER) being behind me..
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 2,340
Likes: 2
From: Omaha Nebraska
RE: First ride with passenger.. Question about handling
You will get used to the feeling of having a passenger after a while, it is kind of a different world. I still like riding solo.
Road Warrior
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,461
Likes: 14
From: Bay Area 41510 To Vegas!!!
RE: First ride with passenger.. Question about handling
That will be the begining of some good times bro!Take it nice and slow.Pretty soon she'll be beating you to the garage,and might help you shine er up a bit too!
ORIGINAL: grooveman
Thanks for the replies, we went to a large empty parking lot and I did some coaching before she got on. Told her to keep her body in line with mine, dont fidget, how to get on and off etc..We rode around in the lot a bit so I could get the feel for the way it handled with her on.. Felt pretty good so we went out on the street for a quick ride.. I think stopping and starting is where I REALLY noticed the difference, front end seemed to pick up more when taking off. I think I will get a pump and add some air for starters. Then just continue to take it slow for awhile.
Thanks for the replies, we went to a large empty parking lot and I did some coaching before she got on. Told her to keep her body in line with mine, dont fidget, how to get on and off etc..We rode around in the lot a bit so I could get the feel for the way it handled with her on.. Felt pretty good so we went out on the street for a quick ride.. I think stopping and starting is where I REALLY noticed the difference, front end seemed to pick up more when taking off. I think I will get a pump and add some air for starters. Then just continue to take it slow for awhile.
Road Master
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,016
Likes: 2
RE: First ride with passenger.. Question about handling
I ended up with 25lbs in my rear shocks. I use a little 'sports ball pump' that I got for about $5-10 at walmart. Each pump puts in about 2-3lbs of pressure. My wife is very light and don't even feel her on the back. 10lbs in the rear felt like the back-end was wanting to bottom out over chuckholes etc (whether she was on it or not). I put in several pumps... and then checked. It is right around 24-25lbs. I just figured ... lets see how that does. The back end does rise a little more than before over bumps etc, but not jumpy at all.
I might try and move 'em down to 20 see if that is a good 'medium' for solo and 2-up riding.
Fidigiting is bad.... that is for sure. My one daughter was riding with me and she had an 'itch' in the center of her back.... so she was sliding her back from side-to-side on the back to try and scratch her back as best as could against the backrest. Talk about violence. Felt I was on a ship rolling at sea being pitched left/right. A YELL from me stopped that immediately.
No issues since.
I might try and move 'em down to 20 see if that is a good 'medium' for solo and 2-up riding.
Fidigiting is bad.... that is for sure. My one daughter was riding with me and she had an 'itch' in the center of her back.... so she was sliding her back from side-to-side on the back to try and scratch her back as best as could against the backrest. Talk about violence. Felt I was on a ship rolling at sea being pitched left/right. A YELL from me stopped that immediately.
No issues since.
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Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,150
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From: Wichita, KS
RE: First ride with passenger.. Question about handling
ORIGINAL: the_icemAN
Fidigiting is bad.... that is for sure. My one daughter was riding with me and she had an 'itch' in the center of her back.... so she was sliding her back from side-to-side on the back to try and scratch her back as best as could against the backrest. Talk about violence. Felt I was on a ship rolling at sea being pitched left/right. A YELL from me stopped that immediately.
No issues since.
Fidigiting is bad.... that is for sure. My one daughter was riding with me and she had an 'itch' in the center of her back.... so she was sliding her back from side-to-side on the back to try and scratch her back as best as could against the backrest. Talk about violence. Felt I was on a ship rolling at sea being pitched left/right. A YELL from me stopped that immediately.
No issues since.
The wife and I were riding 2 up on the RK the other day and my18 y/o daughter was followingin our truck. My wife kept jerking around to look behind us to make sure the kid was doing okay in the truck....MAN!!! talk about hanging on for dear life... I finally had to yell at her to stop it before she wrecked us...