Looking for some feedback. (mostly on the sound levels)
I purchased the Trike to be our long ride cruiser and make sure we are both comfortable doing so. But I still want the cool factor. I purchased the Street Canons before even riding the bike assuming, like the other bikes, it would be too quiet. Took the wife out for our first ride on the new bike for a short ride to feel things out. Comfort of ride (suspension related), comfort of control, comfort of seating, buffeting and sound level comfort. We live in the country so we have hills, curves and straights. We have short roads and long. So we have a good mix to try things out.
Ride was comfortable for us both. I already have the DK lift installed, and will play with air level in shocks to find a good two up sweet spot if not already there. As long as the wife is comfortable.
Controls...My first trike and my first touring at the same time. I just need to get used to the hand controls, radio and the steering. Especially the steering on our country back roads. My wife says I'm trying to lean in the corners still.
Seating...The wife says she is comfortable as is. I felt a little crowded by her and like I was sitting on the tank. The Touring bikes having larger tanks could be part of that. It appears the seating position is closer on a touring bike compared to my Dyna Switchback. The only things I see I can change here is possibly add a tour-pak relocate to push her back some and maybe change the position of the handlebars.
Comparing buffeting to what I had on the Switchback, so far so good. I will need more ride time to better evaluate this. I am currently using a 10” HD smoked wind splitter windshield. It has the curved shape to help direct the air flow and extends about 2” on each side farther than the fairing. Again so far so good.
And now the big one. Exhaust. I put on a set of street Canons from the start without ever hearing the stock. I figured it would be too quiet for me and they look better. On our first ride we were both wearing our ¾ helmets. After the ride the wife informed me it was louder than our other bike from her seat. I have to agree, louder from rider’s seat too. I really like the low muscle sound, but for some reason the pipes sound louder on a trike than on an Ultra. I don’t care if it’s loud for people following me, but I don’t want it too loud for the wife on longer rides. She said she would get used to it and just wear her noise canceling headphones on long rides. That defeats the purpose of having headsets.
I was wondering if anyone has experimented with reducing passenger sound levels from the exhaust? I’m thinking since the difference is the trike body itself, either the sound gets multiplied by the empty trunk area, or the sound gets trapped by the bottom of the body. I will experiment with filling the trunk with foam blocks, pillows or something to absorb sound. Then I will experiment with something to deaden the sound on the bottom of the body. If it’s the inside of the trunk I can add sound mat under the liner like is done in building hot rods under the carpet. If it’s the bottom of the body, maybe I can find something like sound mat that can handle the muffler heat. If neither helps any I guess I quiet down the canons. Any feedback is welcomed.
I purchased the Trike to be our long ride cruiser and make sure we are both comfortable doing so. But I still want the cool factor. I purchased the Street Canons before even riding the bike assuming, like the other bikes, it would be too quiet. Took the wife out for our first ride on the new bike for a short ride to feel things out. Comfort of ride (suspension related), comfort of control, comfort of seating, buffeting and sound level comfort. We live in the country so we have hills, curves and straights. We have short roads and long. So we have a good mix to try things out.
Ride was comfortable for us both. I already have the DK lift installed, and will play with air level in shocks to find a good two up sweet spot if not already there. As long as the wife is comfortable.
Controls...My first trike and my first touring at the same time. I just need to get used to the hand controls, radio and the steering. Especially the steering on our country back roads. My wife says I'm trying to lean in the corners still.
Seating...The wife says she is comfortable as is. I felt a little crowded by her and like I was sitting on the tank. The Touring bikes having larger tanks could be part of that. It appears the seating position is closer on a touring bike compared to my Dyna Switchback. The only things I see I can change here is possibly add a tour-pak relocate to push her back some and maybe change the position of the handlebars.
Comparing buffeting to what I had on the Switchback, so far so good. I will need more ride time to better evaluate this. I am currently using a 10” HD smoked wind splitter windshield. It has the curved shape to help direct the air flow and extends about 2” on each side farther than the fairing. Again so far so good.
And now the big one. Exhaust. I put on a set of street Canons from the start without ever hearing the stock. I figured it would be too quiet for me and they look better. On our first ride we were both wearing our ¾ helmets. After the ride the wife informed me it was louder than our other bike from her seat. I have to agree, louder from rider’s seat too. I really like the low muscle sound, but for some reason the pipes sound louder on a trike than on an Ultra. I don’t care if it’s loud for people following me, but I don’t want it too loud for the wife on longer rides. She said she would get used to it and just wear her noise canceling headphones on long rides. That defeats the purpose of having headsets.
I was wondering if anyone has experimented with reducing passenger sound levels from the exhaust? I’m thinking since the difference is the trike body itself, either the sound gets multiplied by the empty trunk area, or the sound gets trapped by the bottom of the body. I will experiment with filling the trunk with foam blocks, pillows or something to absorb sound. Then I will experiment with something to deaden the sound on the bottom of the body. If it’s the inside of the trunk I can add sound mat under the liner like is done in building hot rods under the carpet. If it’s the bottom of the body, maybe I can find something like sound mat that can handle the muffler heat. If neither helps any I guess I quiet down the canons. Any feedback is welcomed.
