Hydroplane scare

[Texan]

Well, been pulling my underwear out of my A$$ since Saturday. Was riding over to NM this Saturday to have a dealership in Clovis do some work on my trike. Ran into a couple pretty good rain showers that left puddles of water in the road. Was running about 65mph in a 75. All of a sudden I was sideways in the highway recovered to only hit another and go back the other way. I had it at about 30* in the air when I recovered the first time.

There is a lot of heavy truck traffic on this road (2 land) and water accumulates in the ruts and really can't be seen that well especially when it's raining. Needless to say it was 45mph the next 25 miles 'til the road was dry.

Made mention of this to one of my riding buddies Sunday and guess the same thing happened to a lady in south Texas not too long ago but she was not so lucky and went over.....she fared pretty good but the trike was totaled.

8~\o

 

[msocko3]

I only had something like that happen one time, a good downpour and about 35 mph was my speed. The back end kind of moved around a touch, and that was about the extent of it. I did hit a pretty good water puddle one year with the wife on back. It was raining so hard I couldn't see the car in front of me, folks were pulling off the interstate. I hit his puddle that was large enough, it rolled right up into my lap and onto the wife. It filled my horn with water and shorted out my Garmin Zumo GPS mount, it was like hitting a wall.

The rest of the time I've had pretty smooth sailing, I've ridden in a bunch or rain while running 75 mph or better. Maybe I've just been lucky, or its where I place myself in my lane. I try to stay out of the low spots as much as possible. Glad your episode only ended up with some soiled shorts.

 

[gr8phun]

just curious

What brand of tires are you running.

I'm running Kumos on the rear and a Bridgestone 709 on the front with no problems before I triked or after I triked

 

[jaxbobg]

Have had a couple of butt pucker moments myself. Worst was on the BMW Hannigan trike, about 40 mph, heavy rain, hit standing water and started to fish tail. Fortunately, the trike straightened out right away.

You realize, of course, the same thing happens to the cagers. I once saw a sports car on the interstate hit standing water, slide left into the concrete median barrier then 360 across three lanes to land in the ditch on the right side.

Lesson learned, when in heavy rain, go slow or pull off the road.

 

[Trikindan]

Have had a couple of butt pucker moments myself. Worst was on the BMW Hannigan trike, about 40 mph, heavy rain, hit standing water and started to fish tail. Fortunately, the trike straightened out right away.

You realize, of course, the same thing happens to the cagers. I once saw a sports car on the interstate hit standing water, slide left into the concrete median barrier then 360 across three lanes to land in the ditch on the right side.

Lesson learned, when in heavy rain, go slow or pull off the road.

:Agree::Agree:

 

[Texan]

just curious

What brand of tires are you running.

I'm running Kumos on the rear and a Bridgestone 709 on the front with no problems before I triked or after I triked

Running Goodyear Eagle All-Weather on rear and OEM Harley on front.

8~\o

 

[msocko3]

Running Goodyear Eagle All-Weather on rear and OEM Harley on front. 8~\o

On Triglide I've only run the factory Dunlop on the back. When my dad was due for replacement tires on the rear of his 09 Triglide, the factory replacements got the nod.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Well, been pulling my underwear out of my A$$ since Saturday. Was riding over to NM this Saturday to have a dealership in Clovis do some work on my trike. Ran into a couple pretty good rain showers that left puddles of water in the road. Was running about 65mph in a 75. All of a sudden I was sideways in the highway recovered to only hit another and go back the other way. I had it at about 30* in the air when I recovered the first time.

There is a lot of heavy truck traffic on this road (2 land) and water accumulates in the ruts and really can't be seen that well especially when it's raining. Needless to say it was 45mph the next 25 miles 'til the road was dry.

Made mention of this to one of my riding buddies Sunday and guess the same thing happened to a lady in south Texas not too long ago but she was not so lucky and went over.....she fared pretty good but the trike was totaled.

8~\o

Wow! Happy to hear it turned out ok.

I've felt mine get a bit skittish a few times...and some very short (1 second or so) where it was full hydroplane, but must have never hit that big of a "puddle".

After reading your post, I'm certainly going to be more careful. Thank you!

btw, from your pic it looks like a Tri-Glide is what you're riding, or is it a conversion?

Oh, and another question...what PSI are you running in front and in back?

Kevin

 

[seeso200]

Great information for me just starting out with my Tri-glide, Thanks

 

[Texan]

Wow! Happy to hear it turned out ok.

I've felt mine get a bit skittish a few times...and some very short (1 second or so) where it was full hydroplane, but must have never hit that big of a "puddle".

After reading your post, I'm certainly going to be more careful. Thank you!

btw, from your pic it looks like a Tri-Glide is what you're riding, or is it a conversion?

Oh, and another question...what PSI are you running in front and in back?

Kevin

`

Yeah, it's a '13 Tri-Glide. I run 32# in the front and 26# in the rear.

8~\o

 

[aj-john]

I am in agreement with seeso200. I'm new to Triking and this is great information to remember when the water pools more here in wet Oregon. :clapping: When I was 2 wheeling I ran Dunlop of EOM equivalents and did not have a problem.

Keep that great information coming epper: but most of all I'm glad you were fine after your "experiences" :xzqxz:

aj

 

[waynerid1]

Well, been pulling my underwear out of my A$$ since Saturday. Was riding over to NM this Saturday to have a dealership in Clovis do some work on my trike. Ran into a couple pretty good rain showers that left puddles of water in the road. Was running about 65mph in a 75. All of a sudden I was sideways in the highway recovered to only hit another and go back the other way. I had it at about 30* in the air when I recovered the first time.

There is a lot of heavy truck traffic on this road (2 land) and water accumulates in the ruts and really can't be seen that well especially when it's raining. Needless to say it was 45mph the next 25 miles 'til the road was dry.

Made mention of this to one of my riding buddies Sunday and guess the same thing happened to a lady in south Texas not too long ago but she was not so lucky and went over.....she fared pretty good but the trike was totaled.

8~\o

I bet that was scary wife and I was in a heavy down pour in Florida just south of Daytona pulling our little trailer in the dark on interstate 95 in a construction zone where they were working on the road there was deep pools of water had it slowed down to 45 with trucks passing us throwing water all over us as if we weren't getting enough of it we were very lucky we didn't crash before we got to an exit don't want to do that again especially in the dark glad you made it ok very scary

 

[Springman2007]

Running Goodyear Eagle All-Weather on rear and OEM Harley on front.

Sorry to tell you this......But, Goodyear Eagles (of any kind) SUCK! I won't even have them on a 4 wheeled vehicle, let alone a trike.

Springman

 

[tfdeputydawg]

Sorry to tell you this......But, Goodyear Eagles (of any kind) SUCK! I won't even have them on a 4 wheeled vehicle, let alone a trike.

Springman

Interested in knowing what prompted this comment????
Thanks

 

[trikermutha]

Interested in knowing what prompted this comment????
Thanks

Must have had a bad experience with them?? :blush:

 

[Texan]

Interested in knowing what prompted this comment????
Thanks

Hummmmmmm!!! Me too ?????

Consumers rates them in the Top 5 .


8~\o

 

[Springman2007]

Hummmmmmm!!! Me too ?????

Consumers rates them in the Top 5 .


8~\o

Having them and using them.....

Springman

 

[HarleyPap57]

Well, been pulling my underwear out of my A$$ since Saturday. Was riding over to NM this Saturday to have a dealership in Clovis do some work on my trike. Ran into a couple pretty good rain showers that left puddles of water in the road. Was running about 65mph in a 75. All of a sudden I was sideways in the highway recovered to only hit another and go back the other way. I had it at about 30* in the air when I recovered the first time.

There is a lot of heavy truck traffic on this road (2 land) and water accumulates in the ruts and really can't be seen that well especially when it's raining. Needless to say it was 45mph the next 25 miles 'til the road was dry.

Made mention of this to one of my riding buddies Sunday and guess the same thing happened to a lady in south Texas not too long ago but she was not so lucky and went over.....she fared pretty good but the trike was totaled.

8~\o

A friend of mine told me about the trikes hydroplaning in heavy rain because there is no weight in the back like a car. Then again I see cars and tractor trailers hydroplane a lot. I try to slow down some but now even more so since you shared this with us. I run 20psi in my back tires which are stock HD Dunlop's and so far after 18,000 miles I have not had an issue. Glad your safe and able to tell the tale.....ThumbUp

 

[Keystone]

Picked up a GW trike with a MotorTrike kit on it last week in TX and rode it back to MN. Three times in less than a half hour the rear broke loose on me on wet roads. Twice when there was plenty of water. Third time was well under the speed limit on just a wet road in the middle of an easy corner. I have had my TG do this when there is plenty of water on the road, but never had it happen with just a little. That last one caught me off guard completely.