Hello everyone,
I just joined and have a question. First though I would like to say I joined because I have read several posts here as a result of information searches and always found good info. It seems to be a great site and I thank you for being able to join.
I have ridden for many years. My first Harley a 47 flathead 41 years ago. it was rusty, had a 12 over springer, no front brake, no front fender, but I thought it was cool as hell and I rode the hell out of it. I have been on softails a long time, my last a 2002 FLSTCI. I have ridden to California, Sturgis, and many other great places and most folks consider me a rider. Not braggin but I love interstate speed. In June I bought a 2011 FLHTK root beer brown, put a lot of chrome on it, exhaust, intake, dyno, all the things that finish a bike for me. First thing I did was ride it to Sturgis and I love it, I ride the heck out of it. It handles better than I ever imagined i big bike could, so much better than my softail. The problem is I still do not feel comfortable riding it at low speed, gravel, and just stopping at a light. I have over 6000 miles on it now and still I have not become a part of the bike. In my opinion anybody can ride at high sppeds but low speeds are different but this is the first time I have ever had a problem. I hate stop and go traffic because i can not relax and am absolutely paranoid about it. What do I do? I hate to sound like a big sissy but it is a problem. One thing I have to add is that I bought this mostly because of my lady friend who loves to ride and was really a trooper on the back of my softail. Now that I have this she is there everywhere I go in fact, I probably don't have 500 miles without her. Do I need to just ride by myself awhile until I can deal with the slow speed stuff? Thanks and sorry for such a long post.

 

Well, part of it is skill, and you sound like you have that. Maybe check out the "Ride Like a Pro" Videos. Even though I've ridden all my life, they taught me a couple things. Or, take an advanced riding class.

The other thing though, is that an FLHTK is just a big *** heavy bike, and that Trunk sitting up there making a high center of gravity doesn't help.

If you have to stop on an angle, or on gravel, it can get dicey.

I love my FLHTK, but I removed the Tour Pak and it's a totally different bike. Put on the docking hardware and the detachable backrest for when the wife is with me.

 

What Talldog said. It's a big bike. As long as it's upright, you're ahead! Actually, I had an 09 EG Classic & got my Ltd in June also. Just keep it level & you'll be fine. At slow speeds, if you lean too far (and it doesn't take much) the only thing you can do is get out of the way. Found out once the hard way, on my Classic, and now I'm real proud of my great memory! (Leaned it just a little too far when it was stopped, and that's all it took. Once it started going, I couldn't muscle it back up. Good thing I was riding with a few people. Did some damage too --- my ego --- it hasn't been the same since.

 

I dropped it once on the way to Sturgis and once after I got there. the first time was at a stop sign when I thought the truck ahead of me was going to be out of my way when I got past all the slope in the road but he changed his mind and I had to stop on the slope, low on the right and I didn't lean to the left enough. The distance to the ground on the right side was past my ability to hold it up. My leg was weak anyway because my back was messed up and I was sceduled for surgery when I returned. It went right down and I used every ounce of strength I had trying to hold it up. A young man stopped and picked it up by himself which I could not believe. My legs were so weak I crawled to the left to pull the stand down. I knew I was gonna have asphalt stuck in the tank but there was NOTHING wrong with it except the highway peg was out of adjustment. The second time I had to stop on a water trough built into a parking lot. It had gravel in it. Down again. No damage again. Good thing I keep tools in my bags cause I had to adjust the highway peg again. I'm alsmost past being embarrassed when I drop it. This is the first time i have dropped a bike since the 70s when as a dumbass kid I drank and rode my rigids regularly. we all did. I could ride with a beer between my legs with a suicide clutch and no front brake. Not braggin, just saying. For the last couple decades I won't touch my bike even after just one beer. I haven't ridden since I got back from Sturgis because of the surgery. I figure I'll be allowed to ride it in a month or so. So I've been sitting around the house recuperating from surgery and dreading dropping it again. I'm hoping the weakness in my legs played a part in it but when I slow to a stop I am shaky on it so I am certain that was not the reason. I think the way the triple trees trail the neck screws me up too. I have noticed backing up quickly down a hill is way different then on my softails. I am looking to take a riding course. I'd like to find one that provides the bagger and teaches the CHP stuff. Those guys amaze me. I was at Street Vibrations a couple years ago. The camp site next to ours was a couple CHPs with their families. One of them got on his bike every mornig with his 6 year old son and repeatedly scraped his boards at just a few miles an hour over and over doing figure 8s and circles and his son just sat in his lap like it was a typical ride to the corner grocery. I haven't found anything in Alabama yet. There is something in Daytona but the web site isn't very detailed.

 

My advice, at least until your legs get stronger, get the detachable setup so you can remove the trunk for a while, it will help a bunch and you can regain your confidence and get used to how the bike handles.

 

Yep, I think taking off the trunk is a good idea. I'm thinking lowering it a bit will help and maybe some taller bars. I am used to apes, these bars don't give me any leverage.

 

Welcome from Virginia....

 

Welcome to the HDForums from southeastern Michigan, U.S.A.

 

Welcome aboard from New York.

 

Greetings and welcome to the forum from sunny Arizona.