Touring tracking
Road Captain
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 514
Likes: 0
From: Airdrie, AB
RE: Touring tracking
For those that have cruise control, are you really comfortable taking your hands off the bars while cruising down the road at 70-75 mph? I know I'm just a newbbut I just cant see doing that.. I was amazed to learn that these bikes even came with cruise control to begin with. I'm sure I did it in the old days putting down the road on my ol HondabutI was lucky to hit 55 mph on that thing.Maybe after riding for a while I will feel more comfortable with it.
Banned
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 13,820
Likes: 6,614
From: Northern California
RE: Touring tracking
My Road Glide has pulled the the left since I got it, but I can lean to the right and it'll go straight. I wondered if that was OK, but figured that the bike had more weight on the left side so I never mentioned it to the dealer. It's probably " representative of product ", which is what they said when I asked about the whine in 4th gear ( it's an '06, not an '07 ).
I only ride with no hands when I'm straightening a sleeve or glove or something. I was going to say I also do it when I'm text-messaging on my cell phone.....but that'd go over like a phart in church.....
I only ride with no hands when I'm straightening a sleeve or glove or something. I was going to say I also do it when I'm text-messaging on my cell phone.....but that'd go over like a phart in church.....
Cruiser
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 230
Likes: 0
From:
RE: Touring tracking
Most roads are crowned,meaning theyre higher in center for water to run off to shoulders....the momentum of the tires spinning would cause most bikes to creep toward center or left...4 wheels on the other hand creep right
Outstanding HDF Member
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 2,380
Likes: 14
From: Atlanta
RE: Touring tracking
I think you guys have it all wrong. The rotational forces of the earth against the universal transverse merchator pushes all things to the left. Try this experiment: go out into the front yard and close your eyes. Pinch your nostrils closed with your left hand, and then try to walk in a straight line for 100 yards. Then turn around and look at your path - you have most likely veered left off your intended course. Then go back and try the same thing, but this time close your nostrils with your right hand. You will usually track straight in this second attempt, because you have overcome the geographic forces. This has a lot to do with the Chinese spy satellite killer technology, but I'm not allowed to tell you any more.
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 715
Likes: 0
RE: Touring tracking
I have a friend who has ridden his Heritage for 57 miles with no hands. It was fun to watch.
99% of the bikes that pull left will be cured by moving the clutch cable slightly. Those cables are big & stiff & it only takes a very slight pressure to make a bike drift to the left with no hands.....
~John
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 644
Likes: 0
From: Pekin, IN
RE: Touring tracking
ORIGINAL: AggieFan
Because the primary and belt drive are on the left. Just like your wheels act like a gyroscope, the primary and belt drive are acting like a gyroscope offcentered on the left side.
ORIGINAL: g money
I've asked it before and I'll ask it again "why do all the bikes pull left"?
Gary D.
I've asked it before and I'll ask it again "why do all the bikes pull left"?
Gary D.
Because the primary and belt drive are on the left. Just like your wheels act like a gyroscope, the primary and belt drive are acting like a gyroscope offcentered on the left side.
The other element that is not mentioned here is the level of experience on a cycle. Like anything, the more experience one has with a particular machine the more "at one" you become with that machine.
I have been on a motorcycle since I was 9 years old (45 now), I've had several motorcycles in that time. Some were off-road bikes, some road bikes. As a kid, I crashed more times that I could possibly count. Everytime I crashed as a kid, I inadvertantly learned about the handling charactoristics of a two wheeled machine. Much of that experience has carried over into the riding I do today.
I often ride down the road with no hands, cruise on, at interstate speeds for long distances. Even the wind blast from a semi won't upset the bike if your confident in the motorcycle and your abilities. The incredible balance of a Harley Davidson is one of the greatest assets of the machine and makes such a heavy bike so easy to ride.Bottom line, don't push yourself before you have that confidence, and chances are there is nothing wrong with your bike.
Steve[sm=icon_rock.gif]
Road Captain
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 715
Likes: 0
RE: Touring tracking
I often ride down the road with no hands, cruise on, at interstate speeds for long distances.
I am just as experienced a rider as you are(I built my first Harley from scratch in 1970 & I raced a pro-stock Harley drag bike for years), but I don't see that it makes a whole lot of sense to "ride for miles with no hands" -I don't care how experienced you are.
~John
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Road Warrior
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,456
Likes: 1
From:
RE: Touring tracking
Folks, I think we have some future Darwin award winners here. If you're gonna be stupid, ya gotta be tough! Taking both hands off, kicking back and cruising is like playing Russian Roulette with 5 loaded cylinders.
Road Captain
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 644
Likes: 0
From: Pekin, IN
RE: Touring tracking
ORIGINAL: jmorton10
I'm curious why you would want to do that??
I am just as experienced a rider as you are(I built my first Harley from scratch in 1970 & I raced a pro-stock Harley drag bike for years), but I don't see that it makes a whole lot of sense to "ride for miles with no hands" -I don't care how experienced you are.
~John
I often ride down the road with no hands, cruise on, at interstate speeds for long distances.
I am just as experienced a rider as you are(I built my first Harley from scratch in 1970 & I raced a pro-stock Harley drag bike for years), but I don't see that it makes a whole lot of sense to "ride for miles with no hands" -I don't care how experienced you are.
~John
Naw...just kiddin!To be honest, I guess I do it because I can...safely. I know, I know, it can't be done "safely". What if I blow a tire, what if a dog runs out, what if, what if, what if.
If I didn't like living a little closer to the edge than the majority of the population, I guess I would drive a Volvo instead of a Harley Davidson.
By the way, how did you do as a racer for all those years? Where did you race and who for?
Steve[sm=icon_rock.gif]