Saddle Time on New Scooter

[Marcus]

The dealer delivered my new 2016 Tri Glide last Sunday. I have been too short on time to take it on a long ride, but have been out on it several times around the “Berg.” In short, I’m loving it!!

I test rode different Tri Glides twice while working up to the purchase, but I made a number of observations during my sojourns around the berg.

1) The ride is great on good roads, but can be quite jarring on bumpy or less than desirable roads. The dealership put 25 pounds of air in the rear shocks, but according the manual, I need to put more air in (based on my rather ample proportions). I am not sure adding more air pressure will help, but I am going to throw the cat under the bus and pump it up.

2) Turning corners is somewhat awkward. It feels like the trike doesn’t want to turn, and when it does, my amply proportioned butt wants to slide off in the opposite direction. (Anybody tried duck tapping one’s butt in the saddle to prevent side slippage? Just a thought.) More time in the saddle and experienced should alleviate the perceptions.

3) I am hearing popping (or farting) sounds from the exhaust during deceleration. I don’t think it hurts anything, but I hate hearing it. Back to the dealer for this one. Maybe a tuner in the future.

4) Plenty of power below 3,000 rpm. I am looking forward to exploration of life above 3.000 rpm after the obligatory break-in period.

5) The rear view mirrors suck. I am going to order the extended mirrors so I can actually see behind me (novel idea, I know). I’m usually not too concerned about what’s behind me, but I want to know who is bearing down on me from behind while stopped at a red light or stop sign.

6) The Street Cannon exhaust slip-ons sound great and the Mirror Chrome Anarchy wheels look good.

It rained here in Central California this past weekend, so no saddle time in few days. I am itching to put some miles on it to see how my butt interfaces with the Tallboy seat on longer rides.

 

[Fearless]

Check rear tire #pressure

See how much air is in the rear tire? I keep mine at 21 to 22 lbs. As for turns push and pull may help it really helped me. Changing Handle bars next to adding a tuner was the single best upgrade for me handling no shoulder strain or back issues, actually helped handling my bars are 4" wider than OEM. Welcome from warming PA soon to be out and about. ThumbUp
Ride safe fearless

 

[Peter A.]

New ride

Marcus, all of those issues will be addressed/answered
as you acquire time in the saddle' - just take it slow n
easy and you will be a veteran in no time!
Minor adjustments and adding accessories will make a
world of difference.

Per my PM I hope we can meet up soon and I can fill you in on my acquired knowledge and you can see what I have done to make that new HD of yours a comfortable / good looking and handling a real PRIZE.

Best, Pete
ThumbUp

 

[DK Custom Products]

Congrats on the new ride!

Forget the manual on the PSI in the rear shocks. Find a stretch of road that is bumpy, ride down it at your 25 psi, then start adjusting the psi up by 2 lb increments. You will find the sweet spot. Yes, as little as 2 psi can make a significant difference in ride quality.

On the rear tires, the manual says the PSI should be 26. Most dealerships are delivering the TG's with 36...they can't read. lol

If you drop it down to 22 psi it will ride even smoother.

As far as handling, you will get use to man handling it thru the curves...as already pointed out, push AND pull on the handlebars at the same time, it will make it easier.

As far as sliding off, pinch the tank with your knees, that will keep your butt planted in the seat.

The popping your hearing on decel is from the Street Cannons being opened up a bit. You can spend some money and they may be able to get rid of it. You can also get some TTI's that will reduce or eliminate it, while at the same time giving you a nice bump in low and mid range power.

After you have some miles under your belt, you may find that you want some different handlebars, if so, get them wider, that will give you more leverage to make the steering take less effort.

You may also want a Comfort Lift, this will level the TG, smooth the ride out some, and make the steering a bit easier.

Wishing you many miles of smiles!

Kevin

 

[johndeeredr]

hey marcus. the best way I have learned handle my tri glide since im new to them too, is to ride the same roads a couple of times until you feel comfortable and confident in your skills. then move on to another route a little more challenging. I rode the rode between hyw 41 threw O neals to northfork and to madera a couple of times. good road. plenty of long sweeping left and right turns. then moved on to hwy 49 threw Oakhurst and mariposa then back to madera. so far every time I go. when its not raining, I feel more and more confident. look into the comfort lift kit by dk. makes a big difference. and changing the handle bars also helps in the steering. I have the wild1 chubby 14 bagger apes installed at fresno Harley.we can get together sometime and I can see my trike and the mods I have made. fresno Harley may still have a special flat rate going on with the handle bar installation. talked to allen in service or bobby in parts, pm me if you like, both those guys know me and I think you will like them better than bob or nomar.

 

[Marcus]

See how much air is in the rear tire? I keep mine at 21 to 22 lbs. As for turns push and pull may help it really helped me. Changing Handle bars next to adding a tuner was the single best upgrade for me handling no shoulder strain or back issues, actually helped handling my bars are 4" wider than OEM. Welcome from warming PA soon to be out and about. ThumbUp
Ride safe fearless

Thanks Fearless!

I thought about lowering the air pressure in the rear tires, but was hesitant to do it because of the manual's spec of 26 psi in the rear tires. I am not opposed to, but I am going to give Kevin's (from DK Custom Products) suggestion a go first.

I hadn't given any thought to changing the handle bars up until now. With all the positive comments I received about wider/higher bars, I going to look into it. Did you have to change the handle bar control wires and hydraulic lines when you installed the new bars?

I've only had the trike for two weeks or so. I don't want to throw a whole lot of new parts on it until I know what I need and want.

Regards!

- - - Updated - - -

Marcus, all of those issues will be addressed/answered
as you acquire time in the saddle' - just take it slow n
easy and you will be a veteran in no time!
Minor adjustments and adding accessories will make a
world of difference.

Per my PM I hope we can meet up soon and I can fill you in on my acquired knowledge and you can see what I have done to make that new HD of yours a comfortable / good looking and handling a real PRIZE.

Best, Pete
ThumbUp

Thanks Pete!!

I look forward to meeting with you and picking your brain for all the info I can get. April is still looking good for me.

Regards.

 

[Marcus]

Congrats on the new ride!

Forget the manual on the PSI in the rear shocks. Find a stretch of road that is bumpy, ride down it at your 25 psi, then start adjusting the psi up by 2 lb increments. You will find the sweet spot. Yes, as little as 2 psi can make a significant difference in ride quality.

On the rear tires, the manual says the PSI should be 26. Most dealerships are delivering the TG's with 36...they can't read. lol

If you drop it down to 22 psi it will ride even smoother.

As far as handling, you will get use to man handling it thru the curves...as already pointed out, push AND pull on the handlebars at the same time, it will make it easier.

As far as sliding off, pinch the tank with your knees, that will keep your butt planted in the seat.

The popping your hearing on decel is from the Street Cannons being opened up a bit. You can spend some money and they may be able to get rid of it. You can also get some TTI's that will reduce or eliminate it, while at the same time giving you a nice bump in low and mid range power.

After you have some miles under your belt, you may find that you want some different handlebars, if so, get them wider, that will give you more leverage to make the steering take less effort.

You may also want a Comfort Lift, this will level the TG, smooth the ride out some, and make the steering a bit easier.

Wishing you many miles of smiles!

Kevin

Kevin,

Thank you for your great feedback.

I just got a hand pump for the rear suspension system. I going to try the method you suggested to work through the suspension air pressure issue. I have 26 psi in the rear tires now, but think I will hold off on lowering it until I get closer to the sweet spot in the shock air presure.

I want to reduce or elliminate the exhaust popping as much as possible. What are the "TTI's" you mentioned in your post? Is the popping a tuning issue? Tuning problems are a little above my pay grade.

A Comfort Lift is on my radar. Do the fuel gauge and headlight need to be adjusted after installation of the Lift?

No one told me that the biggest problem after buying a Tri Glide was trying to prioritize and decide which accessories and upgrades to do first.

Regards.

 

[Marcus]

hey marcus. the best way I have learned handle my tri glide since im new to them too, is to ride the same roads a couple of times until you feel comfortable and confident in your skills. then move on to another route a little more challenging. I rode the rode between hyw 41 threw O neals to northfork and to madera a couple of times. good road. plenty of long sweeping left and right turns. then moved on to hwy 49 threw Oakhurst and mariposa then back to madera. so far every time I go. when its not raining, I feel more and more confident. look into the comfort lift kit by dk. makes a big difference. and changing the handle bars also helps in the steering. I have the wild1 chubby 14 bagger apes installed at fresno Harley.we can get together sometime and I can see my trike and the mods I have made. fresno Harley may still have a special flat rate going on with the handle bar installation. talked to allen in service or bobby in parts, pm me if you like, both those guys know me and I think you will like them better than bob or nomar.

Hey johndeeredr,

I was looking at the area in Madera County you mentioned in your post just yesterday on a map. As it happens, I was looking for half-day routes to ride to get in some saddle time.

I'm still in for a get-together. I am having a minor med procedure next week, and it will probably be a week or so until I can go for a ride. Peter A. from Spring Valley also wanted to meet up. Maybe we can do a three trike meet meetup!

I'm starting to think about new handlebars and would like to see your. Unfortunately, my list of "want-to-dos" is longer than the assets column on my bank statement.

Regards.

 

[Peter A.]

Meet

Excellent idea - hope we can all meet......nice to compare notes/machines!

Just for info I normally make my Yuma, AZ. run each year, first long trip of the year in April.......looks like its April 14 this year.......ya hooooo......
epper:

 

[Recycledteen]

Marcus, here is the link on the TTI's
http://www.dkcustomproducts.com/Thunder-Torque-Inserts-158-Model-Family-DK-TTI-158.htm

Rick

 

[jc1300]

lol - yep, turning is a learning curve for sure. In the beginning I found it more comfortable pushing on that outside bar to keep me from leaning / Sliding from side to side. Very soon you will find your comfort zone on pushing and pulling that works best for you. Now.....understanding the break-in period and them not wanting you to keep the RPM's constant for too long.....but I'd be more concerned about keeping it below 3K on the tach. Lugging a new motor will do more harm that the higher rpm range. {Let's see if I get smacked for this }

Let the butt be your guide for the comfort settings. And my {usually useless} opinion on the popping is give the engine a bit more time. JMO

And congrats on the new bike!

jc

 

[johndeeredr]

no problem marcus and pete. will set up meet marcus when your ready and this rains lets up a bit. has for your decal popping, sounds like there may be a problem with installation of your mufflers or you develop a exhaust leak in your headers. just installing the mufflers with the stock exhaust system should not cause it to decal pop. has for tuners, the vance hines fuel pak 3 works very well. east to install and tune with your I phone and there app that you can download. installed one on a buds street glide after stage 1 up grade. just finished this past weekend doing my tri glide stage 1 up grade but haven't test drove it just yet. another thing I forgot to mention is get rid of that front Dunlop tire and get a avon trike tire, will make all the difference in the world in the steering department. got mine installed in madera Honda for 190 bucks. some guys also run a rear tire in reverse and seems to work has well has the avon. I guess what ever flips your switch!:gah:

 

[HDB0B]

Chrome Mirror Extension Kit V-Twin Mfg replaces OEM 91907-87, P/N 37-9188 Get Lowered Cycles E-Bay
I can see behind me perfectly with these mirror extensions. With & without pics for reference.

 

[graygoat]

I just ordered a set of the HD extensions to help me see beyond my arms. I assume my result will be similar to yours.

 

[DK Custom Products]

Kevin,

Thank you for your great feedback.

I just got a hand pump for the rear suspension system. I going to try the method you suggested to work through the suspension air pressure issue. I have 26 psi in the rear tires now, but think I will hold off on lowering it until I get closer to the sweet spot in the shock air presure.

I want to reduce or elliminate the exhaust popping as much as possible. What are the "TTI's" you mentioned in your post? Is the popping a tuning issue? Tuning problems are a little above my pay grade.

A Comfort Lift is on my radar. Do the fuel gauge and headlight need to be adjusted after installation of the Lift?

No one told me that the biggest problem after buying a Tri Glide was trying to prioritize and decide which accessories and upgrades to do first.

Regards.

Hi Marcus,

Sorry, just now saw these questions.

It may work the same to lower the tire pressure after adjusting the PSI in the shocks...not sure. The sweet spot for the shocks may be affected by the tire pressure, I don't know for sure, because I've never done it that way.

Decel pop is fuel burning in the exhaust tract. When you install TTI's it alters the Air/Fuel mixture in the exhaust tract (NOT in the engine) and that will reduce or eliminate the decel pop. The way it does that is the TTI's reduce the amount of reversion (air) in the exhaust tract and that changes the air/fuel mixture to one that is not conducive to the fuel burning. While the TTI's will reduce/eliminate decel pop, that is not their main purpose. You will pick up a nice bump in low and mid range power from the TTI's.


When you install Comfort Lift, the headlight needs to be adjusted. It is an easy adjustment, 10-15 minutes.

When you install a Comfort Lift you should see no difference in your fuel gauge accuracy. All 14-up fuel gauges that I've seen are dead-on accurate, whether there is a shock lift kit or a tank lift. HD seems to have finally figured out how to make an accurate gas gauge.

Yes, part of the fun of HD's is to customize them. Taking your time, riding a lot, and planning out what you really want can be very rewarding.

Kevin

 

[Marcus]

Hi Marcus, Sorry, just now saw these questions. It may work the same to lower the tire pressure after adjusting the PSI in the shocks...not sure. The sweet spot for the shocks may be affected by the tire pressure, I don't know for sure, because I've never done it that way. Decel pop is fuel burning in the exhaust tract. When you install TTI's it alters the Air/Fuel mixture in the exhaust tract (NOT in the engine) and that will reduce or eliminate the decel pop. The way it does that is the TTI's reduce the amount of reversion (air) in the exhaust tract and that changes the air/fuel mixture to one that is not conducive to the fuel burning. While the TTI's will reduce/eliminate decel pop, that is not their main purpose. You will pick up a nice bump in low and mid range power from the TTI's. When you install Comfort Lift, the headlight needs to be adjusted. It is an easy adjustment, 10-15 minutes. When you install a Comfort Lift you should see no difference in your fuel gauge accuracy. All 14-up fuel gauges that I've seen are dead-on accurate, whether there is a shock lift kit or a tank lift. HD seems to have finally figured out how to make an accurate gas gauge. Yes, part of the fun of HD's is to customize them. Taking your time, riding a lot, and planning out what you really want can be very rewarding. Kevin

Kevin,

Thanks for the additional feedback.

A couple of other Harley riders advised me to lower the tire pressures first and then adjust the shock pressure as you suggested. Got to go with the wisdom of those with more experience (and probably brain matter) than I. Should have listen to you the first time.

Thanks for the explanation on decal popping. (The decal popping irritates me kind of like a thorn in the jock strap. The TTI’s look interesting and would probably solve one of my issues, but…see below.

I am interested in the Comfort lift kit along with about a dozen or two other upgrades but will have to work on them as time and $$$ permits. My next upgrades will be floorboards extensions, a longer brake lever and elimination of the heel shifter. I am looking at your web site now...

Regards.