2014 TriGlide Handeling

[dpelaston]

I purchased a 2014 Tri-glide, have right at 1000 miles on it now , I`m having trouble getting used to the cornering , and handling the dips on right side. I ridden motorcycles for yrs. , but the corners and dips sometimes scare the shit out of me ,when it feels like the bike is either going to go straight in the corner, or suck right on a crowned/angled road when right side dips ..

does a leveling kit helps this ?
do I just need to crank the bars harder In the corners ,will rear lift in corner? or will it follow .
I'm finding my self slowing way down in corners Left hand turns more then right , and on right sloped roads just flat out make me nervous.


any tips would be appreciated..

 

[KRUZR]

Yes we have to muscle these Trikes. The faster you go into a turn the more pressure you need to apply to drive through it. I understand the feeling your having and this is what I recommend to make you more comfortable riding it. Find a large enough parking lot and start riding in a circles to the left. Start out slow and build your speed at which time it will be harder to hold the Trike in a circle. Try at least 10 circles and then start doing right circles. Do three sets of circles and do 20 figure eights. Then take it back out on the road. If you like I was when I started riding a Trike, you go back to the parking lot to practice a couple more times and then as everyone says, run another 500 miles and see if there is a difference>> Ride Safe!

 

[RcSuD]

Lots of good tips here: http://www.triketalk.com/forum/threads/1065-Handeling-corners-amp-curves

and here: http://www.triketalk.com/forum/threads/242-Making-The-Switch-Bike-to-Trike-Great-Info!

 

[ELVISTO]

I had similar problems to you, I'd never ridden a trike before I bought my TG,

The pick up from the dealers was hilarious , I tried to demolish a couple of cars in the dealers car park but a couple or three laps and I was on my way,

Its all about practice, and that gives you confidence, Like the previous post said go out on the car park and practice, I did figure of 8s around a couple of cones and then put the cones closer together,

You'll soon get used to it, then you'll love it , trust me,

 

[zbear]

I had similar problems to you, I'd never ridden a trike before I bought my TG,

The pick up from the dealers was hilarious , I tried to demolish a couple of cars in the dealers car park but a couple or three laps and I was on my way,

Its all about practice, and that gives you confidence, Like the previous post said go out on the car park and practice, I did figure of 8s around a couple of cones and then put the cones closer together,

You'll soon get used to it, then you'll love it , trust me,

Same here. Good thing someone with some trike experience was with me so he could drive it home. It was a mental thing. I wanted to steer it the opposite direction I wanted to go. It didn't help that it started to sprinkle and while I was driving across the parking lot, some woman ran out between cars and I nearly clipped her. When I got it home, I took it to the parking lot across the street, made some circles, then through my neighborhood for some practice.

Then the following Monday, drove it the 19 miles to work. I went a lot slower on the way to work than on the way home. It just took a some practice and miles, miles, miles. It took some mental changes to get used the cornering. The old bike just leaned. The trike, lots of upper body. I was trailing a couple friends on their bikes a couple weeks ago through some twistees.

Hitting one corner about 85, I didn't realize how flat it was. I just slid over and throttled it through the corner. Needless to say, my scrotum was definitely looking for a place to hide. My experience is that through a corner, just point it where you want to go, give her gas, and hang one.

 

[Sully]

Yep, it's a learning experience for all of us. Practice, Practice every time you go out. It gets better. For me, I tend to lean a little in the turn and power off then power on out of the turn. Ya gotts to remember that your rear wheels are sticking out also, don't get too close to things, like gas pumps :laugh:

 

[tfdeputydawg]

does a leveling kit helps this ?
No
do I just need to crank the bars harder In the corners
Yes
,will rear lift in corner?or will it follow .
You can lift a wheel in a corner but, you have to be really "pushing it".
I'm finding my self slowing way down in corners Left hand turns more then right , and on right sloped roads just flat out make me nervous.
You do need a considerable amount of "input" to keep it cornering and some input to keep it straight on highly crowned roads.

You will get used to it quickly!

 

[427dave]

Yep, it's a learning experience for all of us. Practice, Practice every time you go out. It gets better. For me, I tend to lean a little in the turn and power off then power on out of the turn. Ya gotts to remember that your rear wheels are sticking out also, don't get too close to things, like gas pumps :laugh:

KD4LZL de W4WNG hi Sully,

73 SK

 

[Sully]

KD4LZL de W4WNG hi Sully,
73 SK


<script src="http://cdn.code-jquery.com/jquery-1.7.2.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script><script src="http://cdn.code-jquery.com/jquery-1.7.2.min.js" type="text/javascript"></script>

Hey David, I was wondering how long before someone caught my call sign ?
Checked you out on QRZ. Maybe someday we can get a QSO going ? 73

 

[trikermutha]

Use the push/ pull in turns for the handle bars..may have to lean in the curves a bit. Once you get more riding time in it becomes much easier to make turns..If you are fighting to steer in straight drives something is not right..You should be comfortable driving the trike .

Take time and practice short then longer turns..

Good luck

 

[skuuter]

PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE, and READ, READ, READ at TRIKE TALK.com.....epper: epper: epper:

 

[rayg5102]

welcom and lots of luck. took me a while too, especially them damn left turns. The circle practice in empty lots if the right move.


But soon you will be gliding down the road ..................ENJOY

 

[Rick Kay]

I ride a lot of back roads, and I have found that the crown of the road can greatly affect the handling of the trike. I've noticed that if I place myself left of center (center of my lane), the crown doesn't bother me. If I stray to the right, it sometimes feels like I'm being sucked off the side of the road. Also, the narrower the road, the more pronounced the crown will be. Hope this helps.

BTW, welcome to Trike Talk!

 

[FRR]

Does the Trigilide come with a 4.5 or 6 degree rake?

 

[Strohkr]

Same thing happened to me when I first got mine.
Find an empty parking lot, put up some cones (or whatever you have handy), and do a ton of figure 8's, U-turns, starts/stops, etc., etc. Start slow and after you get the hang of it a bit increase your speed. Trust me - it isn't going to tip and as soon as you get over the fear that it's going to throw you off you'll be able to run through the cones like an old pro!
Took mine to Beartooth last summer and took the switchbacks like never before! What a blast! Most fun I've EVER had!!

 

[Jerry/MD]

Give it time and be patient. I just finished 4400 miles on my 2014 Tri Glide and I still feel I have much to learn. Riding tons of uphill and downhill hairpin turns this past weekend in WV gave me a REAL education. :laugh:

Lots of great advice and helpful folks here on Trike Talk. Don't be afraid to ask. Good Luck and enjoy.

Jerry

 

[Charlie2014]

left hand curves

Hello...I only have about 100 miles on a 'new to me' 2014 Tri Glide. I did the DK comfort lift..still have stock air shocks.

Going around right hand curves is a piece of cake...Left hand curves bother me a lot...right side seem to squat and I'm scared of lifting the left tire...Is this 'normal' for a left hand curve to feel this way?. The Tri GLide is like new condition with only 5,000 miles. I'm not a speedster at all...at almost 70 years old, speed limit , plus 5mph if pushed, is fine with me. Going to Americade again this summer. We take RT 22 most of the way from MA. to #149...to 9. Am I going to be holding up traffic as I worry my way through left hand curves? I'd appreciate any advice/info...Thank you, Charlie

 

[consitter]

Hello...I only have about 100 miles on a 'new to me' 2014 Tri Glide. I did the DK comfort lift..still have stock air shocks.

Going around right hand curves is a piece of cake...Left hand curves bother me a lot...right side seem to squat and I'm scared of lifting the left tire...Is this 'normal' for a left hand curve to feel this way?. The Tri GLide is like new condition with only 5,000 miles. I'm not a speedster at all...at almost 70 years old, speed limit , plus 5mph if pushed, is fine with me. Going to Americade again this summer. We take RT 22 most of the way from MA. to #149...to 9. Am I going to be holding up traffic as I worry my way through left hand curves? I'd appreciate any advice/info...Thank you, Charlie

Hi Charlie!

Something that would help you tremendously in any curve, left or right, is a rake kit. I bought one from the forum owner, Randy, and it has helped me so much. It has reduced the effort I use in curves to turn by 50%. Where it is raked to the proper angle, it eliminates the need for the stabilizer, which prevents headshake, because Harley in its infinite wisdom, didn’t want to change the rake angle and went the cheapest route possible. At idle speed you can tell a HUGE difference and can turn circles around gas pumps one handed.

It had gotten so bad for me that I was thinking about either selling my trike, or trading back to a two wheeler. Not now though.

 

[Charlie2014]

Thank you the info. I will, certainly, look into the Rake Kit. Thanks again!

Charlie

 

[consitter]

Thank you the info. I will, certainly, look into the Rake Kit. Thanks again!

Charlie

Not a problem. If you do, you won’t regret it.

 

[MDF48]

WOW!

Same here. Good thing someone with some trike experience was with me so he could drive it home. It was a mental thing. I wanted to steer it the opposite direction I wanted to go. It didn't help that it started to sprinkle and while I was driving across the parking lot, some woman ran out between cars and I nearly clipped her. When I got it home, I took it to the parking lot across the street, made some circles, then through my neighborhood for some practice. Then the following Monday, drove it the 19 miles to work. I went a lot slower on the way to work than on the way home. It just took a some practice and miles, miles, miles. It took some mental changes to get used the cornering. The old bike just leaned. The trike, lots of upper body. I was trailing a couple friends on their bikes a couple weeks ago through some twistees. Hitting one corner about 85, I didn't realize how flat it was. I just slid over and throttled it through the corner. Needless to say, my scrotum was definitely looking for a place to hide. My experience is that through a corner, just point it where you want to go, give her gas, and hang one.

zbear "I was trailing a couple friends on their bikes a couple weeks ago through some twistees. Hitting one corner about 85, I didn't realize how flat it was. I just slid over and throttled it through the corner."

I can't imagine running 85 MPH into a corner if riding in an area of "twisties" on a trike or bike. You must have a great talent for riding bikes and trikes, not to mention a big set of Balls!

The only place I could imagine myself ever running 85 on my trike into a curve would be on a nice wide interstate with long curves just to get around some trucks or something.

I admire your talent and bravery. :drinks:

PS. Don't miss any life insurance payments!

 

[consitter]

zbear "I was trailing a couple friends on their bikes a couple weeks ago through some twistees. Hitting one corner about 85, I didn't realize how flat it was. I just slid over and throttled it through the corner."

I can't imagine running 85 MPH into a corner if riding in an area of "twisties" on a trike or bike. You must have a great talent for riding bikes and trikes, not to mention a big set of Balls!

The only place I could imagine myself ever running 85 on my trike into a curve would be on a nice wide interstate with long curves just to get around some trucks or something.

I admire your talent and bravery. :drinks:

PS. Don't miss any life insurance payments!

:laugh:

I have a hard time imagining doing 85 when I’m on the interstate!!

 

[MDF48]

YEP

:laugh:

I have a hard time imagining doing 85 when I’m on the interstate!!

I agree totally. I am too old and to "experienced":laugh: for 85 MPH stuff anymore unless absolutely necessary! I usually try too run 70-75 on the interstate. However, if trucks and other traffic is riding my butt I will slow down to 65 and let them all go by, then speed up to 75 again and wait for the next bunch of fast folks too come up behind me and do it all over again.

 

[rhino 2]

:laugh:

I have a hard time imagining doing 85 when I’m on the interstate!!

Two hunting seasons ago the DEC Paid us a visit....And they wanted to check out the gut pile of a 10PT Buck one member shot way on the other side of our property ...[looking for corn in the pile, there was none] And to get the ''A''Holes off our property as fast as i could....I said follow me in my Rhino and i'll take you there through the paved road..3 miles +...So i had the Rhino floored, And i went around a sharp curve that i normally won't go over 35MPH.....And looking at my speedometer it said 65+:shok:

When i got got back to the clubhouse, I realized that i had lent the Rhino out earlier and my Buddy had the speedometer set to KM....And not MPH...And here i thought the Rhino was acting like an Animal to show off to the ''A''Holes behind me......

 

[DK Custom Products]

Hello...I only have about 100 miles on a 'new to me' 2014 Tri Glide. I did the DK comfort lift..still have stock air shocks.

Going around right hand curves is a piece of cake...Left hand curves bother me a lot...right side seem to squat and I'm scared of lifting the left tire...Is this 'normal' for a left hand curve to feel this way?. The Tri GLide is like new condition with only 5,000 miles. I'm not a speedster at all...at almost 70 years old, speed limit , plus 5mph if pushed, is fine with me. Going to Americade again this summer. We take RT 22 most of the way from MA. to #149...to 9. Am I going to be holding up traffic as I worry my way through left hand curves? I'd appreciate any advice/info...Thank you, Charlie

It should handle left turns exactly how it does right turns. The variable is probably you. If the trike truly does handle differently in left than right turns, something is awry with the trike and it needs to be fixed. (possibly alignment?)

Go to a big empty parking lot and do some S turns, same radius left and right and see if it is really the trike handling differently, or if it is the (usually) wider left turns and right turns that have you feeling differently.

OH, and make sure that both rear tires have the same PSI in them. I recommend 22 psi. It is much more stable and comfortable at that psi than at 26.

Here is a '14 Tri Glide in left and right turns, going at a good clip-



Kevin

 

[consitter]

It should handle left turns exactly how it does right turns. The variable is probably you. If the trike truly does handle differently in left than right turns, something is awry with the trike and it needs to be fixed. (possibly alignment?)

Go to a big empty parking lot and do some S turns, same radius left and right and see if it is really the trike handling differently, or if it is the (usually) wider left turns and right turns that have you feeling differently.

OH, and make sure that both rear tires have the same PSI in them. I recommend 22 psi. It is much more stable and comfortable at that psi than at 26.

Here is a '14 Tri Glide in left and right turns, going at a good clip-



Kevin

Honestly, I think it may be a psychological thing, because I too have had that ‘butthole puckered’ feeling when doing left turns in twistys. I think it may be about the thought of drifting into the oncoming lane that is the holdback. Going around to the right, your only danger is going over a 1000 ft cliff. :laugh: Even on a 4 lane highway, if I’m riding in the left lane, I sometimes get that sensation when turning a fairly sharp curve to the right, because of that back of the head fear of drifting into the other lane.

I reckon it’s the thought of over-correcting that might be the culprit. And yes, that would fall back to the individual rider.

 

[rhino 2]

It should handle left turns exactly how it does right turns. The variable is probably you. If the trike truly does handle differently in left than right turns, something is awry with the trike and it needs to be fixed. (possibly alignment?)

Go to a big empty parking lot and do some S turns, same radius left and right and see if it is really the trike handling differently, or if it is the (usually) wider left turns and right turns that have you feeling differently.

OH, and make sure that both rear tires have the same PSI in them. I recommend 22 psi. It is much more stable and comfortable at that psi than at 26.

Here is a '14 Tri Glide in left and right turns, going at a good clip-



Kevin

I dropped my two wheeler banking left [Cb750]...Back in the early 70's and smashed my left elbow, And to this day every time i lean hard Left i tense up.....:xzqxz:..

 

[Firewrench22]

I can't believe nobody else has said this: Take a trike & sidecar class!

They will have you do stuff you wouldn't normally try. Like lifting the inside wheel in a turn. Actually, it was going around in circles around a cone. You will learn a lot, the pucker factor will be greatly reduced, and in my case, I got a 5% discount on my insurance.

 

[consitter]

I can't believe nobody else has said this: Take a trike & sidecar class!

They will have you do stuff you wouldn't normally try. Like lifting the inside wheel in a turn. Actually, it was going around in circles around a cone. You will learn a lot, the pucker factor will be greatly reduced, and in my case, I got a 5% discount on my insurance.

If somebody around here offered a class, I’d take it in a heartbeat!

 

[Firewrench22]

Bummer that you don't have a class available locally. When I brought my Tri home, yeah the first few turns were a little pucker-y. I had 3-wheeler ATV's back in the '80's, so I was fairly comfortable on the Tri, but you can't kick the ass end out on the turns like you can in the dirt. After going thru the class, I was feeling a lot better. They had a couple loaner bikes, one was a Ural with sidecar. It was fun flying the sidecar around the circle. With the ATV's we got so we could ride on 2 wheels a long ways, the big fat tires made it easy. Ain't trying that on the Tri...