Turns left easy, right not as easy
Thread Starter
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Joined: Jul 2016
Posts: 63
Likes: 4
From: Arizona
OK, here's what I'm talking about. I'm going down the road , say 75 or 80, I have the same amount of beer in each bag. I come to a left sweeper and I just have to think about the turn and around she goes. Then down the road a little ways a right sweeper, but on this one I have to give the right bar a little more push. not much, but more than the left.
Road Master
Joined: Aug 2018
Posts: 757
Likes: 443
From: Baltimore, MD
If you have a case of Corona in the left and Bud Light in the right which would account for the extra pressure as the Bud Light weighs less.
Or it could be you are used to more pressure when making a right turn in the street and you do have to think about it more as compared to a left turn.
So it just carries over when doing those sweeps.
Or it could be you are used to more pressure when making a right turn in the street and you do have to think about it more as compared to a left turn.
So it just carries over when doing those sweeps.
Too me left hand turn seem more natural or easier to ride through than right hand.
Of course I'm left handed and this could have something to do with it.
This could all simply be in your head. Like me.
Of course I'm left handed and this could have something to do with it.
This could all simply be in your head. Like me.
Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Jun 2017
Posts: 5,315
Likes: 4,272
From: Granville New York
Its the tighter radius of right handers. My bike used to drift to the left if i took my hands off the bars. I put all the tools i carry in the right side bag and now i could ride with no hands for miles.
Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2016
Posts: 1,854
Likes: 944
From: Lincolnshire, IL
Check your tire pressures.
I'm not sure if this helps but 3 days ago my Ultra Limited began feeling "strange" when turning at slow speeds (10-35mph).....I thought it was an issue with the front tire so I checked its air pressure, all was OK........stupid me....I failed to check the rear tire air pressure. Had I done that I would have discovered it was VERY LOW, probably due to the large Phillips head screw stuck in my new, less than 1,000 mile old American Elites.....OUCH!!!!....a few hundred dollars later I now have a brand new rear tire.......lesson learned and it now rides like it always did.
I'm not sure if this helps but 3 days ago my Ultra Limited began feeling "strange" when turning at slow speeds (10-35mph).....I thought it was an issue with the front tire so I checked its air pressure, all was OK........stupid me....I failed to check the rear tire air pressure. Had I done that I would have discovered it was VERY LOW, probably due to the large Phillips head screw stuck in my new, less than 1,000 mile old American Elites.....OUCH!!!!....a few hundred dollars later I now have a brand new rear tire.......lesson learned and it now rides like it always did.
Grand HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 4,928
Likes: 285
From: Edmond Oklahoma
Depending on where you feel the issue, it can be several thing. First, follow the clutch cable and it might be pressing against the engine guard hard enough to add just a little bit of pressure. I found this issue with my 03 RK. Some folks find turning one direction easier than the other; that has a lot to do with either the clutch hand or throttle hand maintaining smooth control when pulled out farther or tucked in closer during a turn. I had bike with beach bars and that made the problem even worse. I understand ape hangers exaggerates the situation as well. Then there is the drifting during hands-off riding. That is a matter of balance, whether that is the bike or riding style.
Beary
Beary
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Joe Kucinski
Tourer
Joined: Jul 2014
Posts: 329
Likes: 108
From: North Alabama
I notice this same thing on my 2019 Road King. Bike tips in easier to a turn at speed to the left than it does the right. I carry some tools in a crash bar bag on the left side of the bike. If I move everything over to the right side, seems better, as does just shifting a bit to the right in the seat. I'm going to get another crash bar bag for the right side and put the tools in there.
Someone else said somewhere (maybe here?) it's the weight of the primary+fluid hanging off the left side of the bike that accounts for the slight difference in feel. Seems possible, all else being equal (and you don't have a wheel alignment issue)
Someone else said somewhere (maybe here?) it's the weight of the primary+fluid hanging off the left side of the bike that accounts for the slight difference in feel. Seems possible, all else being equal (and you don't have a wheel alignment issue)
HDF Community Team
Joined: Jan 2020
Posts: 1,434
Likes: 801
From: Colorado
Get bike on lift, and get engine alignment tool on rear swing arm so you have the swing arm in line with the frame center line, then check rear tire axle to front of swing are pivot distances.
Get frame level with alignment tool still on bike, the get string line down the front and rear tires to get the front tire aligned with the rear tire that is aligned with the frame, then put an angle gauge on both the front rotor and the back rotors, and make sure both front and back rotors at reading 90 degrees on the money.
If front rotor is not reading 90 with it straight down the frame line, then you have a problem with either bent fork, head tube not welded true, or triple clamp is bent instead.
On the back end, it's a frame thing, and just need to use the motor top turnbuckle once you remove the alignment tool to get the rear tire/ swiing arm 90 to the frame (leave the front turn buckle alone, since the alignment tool already set that correctly to begin with).
As for the whole level the frame, then angle gauge on the front tire to get it to 90 for string line use, does not tell you if the front wheel is actual pointing down the frame center line to begin with or not. And if not, then your going to be pulling the rear end way the hell out of frame center line to get it on the same line as the front tire isntead.
From here, check all your brake calipers to make sure that they are kicking back freely, and not bound up to hold the pads tight to one side of the rotor.
Note, do not use a petroleum base grease on the brake parts, since it will swell the rubber parts up on them to cause the caliber/pistons/guide rods to bind.
Get frame level with alignment tool still on bike, the get string line down the front and rear tires to get the front tire aligned with the rear tire that is aligned with the frame, then put an angle gauge on both the front rotor and the back rotors, and make sure both front and back rotors at reading 90 degrees on the money.
If front rotor is not reading 90 with it straight down the frame line, then you have a problem with either bent fork, head tube not welded true, or triple clamp is bent instead.
On the back end, it's a frame thing, and just need to use the motor top turnbuckle once you remove the alignment tool to get the rear tire/ swiing arm 90 to the frame (leave the front turn buckle alone, since the alignment tool already set that correctly to begin with).
As for the whole level the frame, then angle gauge on the front tire to get it to 90 for string line use, does not tell you if the front wheel is actual pointing down the frame center line to begin with or not. And if not, then your going to be pulling the rear end way the hell out of frame center line to get it on the same line as the front tire isntead.
From here, check all your brake calipers to make sure that they are kicking back freely, and not bound up to hold the pads tight to one side of the rotor.
Note, do not use a petroleum base grease on the brake parts, since it will swell the rubber parts up on them to cause the caliber/pistons/guide rods to bind.
Last edited by Dano523; Aug 6, 2020 at 05:59 PM.
