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I agree...doesn't sound like he's a very skilled rider at all...afraid to use the front brakes

 

+1 Quick story... A friend rented an 08 SG and wanted to see the difference from stock to stage 1 so I let him ride mine.&nbsp\\; Turning around in the driveway, he hits the front brake.... I never liked how my bike looks on it's side[:@]

 

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I use my front brake almost all the time to stop. Coming to a stop sign or light where I know I have to stop, I just try to be more deliberate about the stop and use both brakes while keeping the front wheel straight and my eyes up and out. You just have to learn how to be better balanced when the bike stops, the wieght of an Ultra make you pay a bigger price if your not. Make your lane position adjustments or whatever before you have to completely stop, then get those bars back straight. If I know it will be off balance at all, I will use the front brake exclusively so both feet can go down at the same time. The front brake allows me to make sure that bike doesn't move ahead another inch after my feet hit, there is no way to hold it up if its off balance and rolling at all. 99% of the time I don't even notice the wieght when stopping anymore, there is that 1% of the time it will remind you just how heavy she is.
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On the other hand, if I am coasting up to a light or rolling along hoping the light changes before I have to stop..its just my rear brake at those times. I will only use the front brake for the final complete stop. Owning an Ultra will make you learn how to friction-zone ride at 2-3 mph for sure. Lose that balance a little or have to keep turning that front wheel will make your stop an event you won't like.

 

I will put my bagger up against most anything out there in low speed handeling, even two up, it I can turn it around and do a 360 in less than 19 foot... Do not let any one kid you about the handeling of the bagger....&nbsp\\; Like all have said, practice practice practice, rear brake only in slow speed stuff, front and rear for most everything else... &nbsp\\;

 

You better trade&nbsp\\; the bike in before it ages you prematurely.My baggers handle like dirtbikes,given the hp, tq and upgraded brakes.They were built for one&nbsp\\; purpose, and for the masses, to cruise.Need more response it's up to you.

 

I have an Electra Glide Standard so I'm not as "lumbering" as you(those Ultras are heavy).&nbsp\\;But, it is taking me some time to get use to the weight.&nbsp\\; I initially had trouble when coming to a stop where it seemed the bike would be "tippy" in that last few feet, especially where the pavement was "wavy".&nbsp\\; My solution to that was to drop my left leg off the floorboard but not quite touching the pavement in just those last few feet.&nbsp\\; This seemed to lower the COG just a little but enough to create some more stability and I could depend on the bike leaning the the left at the stop because of that little more weight on that side.&nbsp\\; If I kept both feet on the floorboards to the last second that is when I got that tippy feeling.&nbsp\\; This goes against what someone else said here but this seems to work for me.&nbsp\\; But you have to be sure you don't plant your foot on the pavement and then roll another couple feet - not good.&nbsp\\;Just keep your foot&nbsp\\;just above the pavement and then plant at the stop. &nbsp\\;I do have the Ride Like a Pro (RLAP)video and using the clutch friction-zone and rear brake does work.&nbsp\\; I've had mostly metrics in my life and it seemed a little easier to apply the RLAP techniques on those bikes than on my EGS.&nbsp\\;I haven't yet got that total feeling of control when I&nbsp\\;play the friction zone/ rear brake combination.&nbsp\\; It seems a little harder to&nbsp\\;feel the rear brake&nbsp\\;"drag" on my EGS than on other&nbsp\\;metrics I've owned.&nbsp\\; &nbsp\\;I think the difference is the rake of the EGS versus the metrics.&nbsp\\; Most of the metrics have more rake (like 32 degrees) versus the EGS (26 degrees).&nbsp\\; The lower rake of the EGS creates better/quicker handling but also, in slow maneuvers, more chance for error because it reacts so much quicker to rider input. You have to get use to that with practice.

 

My Ultra handles much better than my Fat Boy did.&nbsp\\; Slow speed manuevers are a breeze on my lumbering beast, I love it!
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Ron, nice to see you are getting to ride the "beast."&nbsp\\; Practicing the RLAP techniques for slow speed manuverability is good advice, and recognizing situations that you can't handle helps to avoid dumping the bike.&nbsp\\; Something as simple as looking where you are going to put your foot/feet down and avoiding gravel, wet spots, etc. helps.

 

I have almost dropped mine at a stop 2 or 3 times when two-up but haven't done it yet.&nbsp\\; I am getting my seat lowered so I can lower the Center of Gravity and touch down more easily (30" inseam).&nbsp\\; I have found, when stopping, that if I touch down with my left foot first, it doesn't get as wobbly and obviously leaves the right foot in place on the brake.&nbsp\\; Whenever I try to put my right foot down or both, it never works out, probably because of the front brake issue.
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Before I bought the Ultra I rented a Road King and dropped it at the first stop when going around the parking lot showing the dealer I could ride.&nbsp\\; He picked it back up and blamed it on himself saying that he distracted me.&nbsp\\; Not sure I would have rented it to me after that, but that was the only time it happened and probably a good time to so it.&nbsp\\; Although&nbsp\\;it was reasonably embarrassing!&nbsp\\;

 

Geez, you must be carrying your anvil collection in the tourpac if its that top heavy.