Handeling corners & curves?

[Karenb1]

I've had my 99 Valkyrie Interstate with Motor Trike kit since 2000, and lifted the inside rear wheel twice when taking a corner stupidly fast. The first time, I thought I was gonna die, but it just settled down fine, and the second time, I knew it would be OK, and it was. Happened a long time ago, and don't expect it to happen again. I believe in keeping to the outside of the curve; you can see further ahead that way. Sometimes I shift my weight to the inside, sometimes I don't, but there is no problem with keeping up with the two wheelers in the twisties. After reading these entries, I'm going to try and analyze what I do while riding. At this point, I don't think about it as much as I think about the traffic, road conditions, etc. Thanks for all the previous posts, it's a lot to think about.

[WilmacMike]

I have a 2004 gold wing w/motortrike conversion. Does anyone no how much air pressure I should use in the rear airbags? I'm afraid if I use too much they will burst. I have been useing 25psi for 1 & arround 35psi for 2.

Do what you are doing now. Adjust the pressure up and down as you need it to find out what PSI works (feels good) to you. Some where around 35-45 for two up riding.

The max that MotorTrike recommnends is 100LBS. however you'll never use that much. Stay under the max PSI and you won't have to worry about hurting the air bags.

Ride safe,
Mike

[detrowe2]

Do what you are doing now. Adjust the pressure up and down as you need it to find out what PSI works (feels good) to you. Some where around 35-45 for two up riding.

The max that MotorTrike recommnends is 100LBS. however you'll never use that much. Stay under the max PSI and you won't have to worry about hurting the air bags.

Ride safe,
Mike

Thanks Mike - now I have something to go by.
Don

[detrowe2]

i find that the most important thing is assessing the curve. If you have vision of it that's great, otherwise, use some caution approaching the curve until you can assess how sharp of a turn it is before pouring the coals on. Blind curves are the worst and, if you're running all out, can get you in trouble fast even though you can slow the wing down pretty fast. If i'm running right hand curves i get as close to the road edge as i can, assess it as fast as possible, turn on the throttle and if it drifts too much towards the centerline you have time to back off some before crossing it. On left hand curves i'll do just the opposite by getting as close to the centerline as i can, assessing, throttling ahead, and backing off if it starts drifting towards the edge of the road too much. Depending on your setup you can only take curves so fast before you will run out of maneuvering area...ie: Crossing the centerline (big mistake!!) or going off the edge. It takes time and experience on your trike to get better at doing those things and as clint eastwood said: "a man's got to know his limitations!"

all i ask was the pressure in my air bags

[Puff]

The Wolf and John pointed out, do lean into the curves. This wil reduce the feeling you are being pushed to the outside of the curve. Also helps to push down on the outside footpeg - that will also help counteract the push away from the inside of the curve. <snip>

That's exactly what I do on my Valk trike (Mr Bumbles) and it makes cornering a breeze... Also, 2 wheelers don't get away from me in fact, sometimes they slow me down

[Jimsjinx]

To me, experience is the only way to get the feel of taking sporty curves. Remember, whether 2 wheels, or 18... LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO BE after the curve. Don't look just ahead of the trike. If you use your eyes to look at the place in the curve where you want to be, your brain will put you there! It's kinda like "eye hand coordination", exept this is "eye and BODY coordination. I lean into the turn all the time when I am trying to negotiate a curve at speed. Another trick I learned from racing is, You can get rid of that "Oh My God!" feeling in a tight turn, if you apply the rear brakes lightly, keep the EXACT throttle, or a tad less than when you started the turn, and progressively add pressure after going into the bend.

Don't freak and lock em up, don't let off the gas, just apply enough rear brake pressure to be able to feel the rears getting loaded. Then keep that pressure, adjusting more/less as needed, till you come out the end of the curve. This Pre-loads the braking system, as well as the suspension, and adds another control input by you, as to speed, and keeps the trike biting into the turn. If you practice this, and I could'nt get it at first, you will immediately recognize the solid feel I'm talking about. Keep your eyes up ahead on the exit of the curve, and it is a great feeling! Once I mastered it, I can keep up with the Harley and 1800's no probleme'!! Be safe, and try it! My wife even says the trike feels "more in control" when negotiating curves at speed! jimsjinx

[Papa Zook]

I know this is a bit off topic for your question, though not your thread title, so for the sake of safety I want to say to every trike owner reading this: ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS take it easy in the curves until you really get used to how your particular trike takes curves. I know of several trike owners who gunned it through curves and ran off the road. One good friend of mine was on his new trike, hit the curb in a turn, flipped and rolled it down a 15 foot bank and got seriously hurt when the trike landed on top of him. Once you get thoroughly used to your trike, you can take curves with the best two wheelers, but it takes time to adapt to steering, not leaning through curves.

[Jimsjinx]

AAA+++ Zook! jimsjinx

[Saltywheels]

Maury: +1. Secret is to go in with a steady throttle & light on the rear brakes. That 'solid' feeling you talk abt is priceless. Learned that on the track with 2w also! Letting off the gas is just as bad on 3w as on 2w. Easy does it!

And...go take a course....it really helps!

[gbsb]

I had a 2008 GL 1800 Champion Trike with straight axle. A very good ride plenty of power and handled great I could corner with the two wheelers no problem. I bought a 2011 Tri Glde in July and love the trike. Wing would drift a little in curves but Harley seems to have more traction and the tires really hold the road. Anyone else notice this or just me. gbsb

[adaptolife]

Slow down! After reading the replies to this topic, it seems obvious that some of us are maybe hitting the curves too hot. Just like cars, different trike designs are going to handle a particular curve at different speeds. Take the time to learn your bikes limits, and operate within them.

[Barnaclebill]

Thanks to everyone for a superb posting. I too had my fears on cornering when I bought my trike in 2011. I'd been riding 2-wheels for over fifty years and had always followed the bike through curves -we call them "bends" in UK - and also widened the curve by "wide entry-clip the apex-wide exit" procedure. The group that I travel with - all 2-wheelers - average 160 kph, topping 190 kph frequently. I've definitely lifted the inside wheel on many occasions trying to keep up, and now lay back in the curves, hoping to catch up on the straights. It's exhilarating to say the least, and at my age (78 years young) sometimes exhausting. But i love every moment of it. Thanks again for the most useful advice. As they say, keep the rubber on the roads!

[skuuter]

I know this is a bit off topic for your question, though not your thread title, so for the sake of safety I want to say to every trike owner reading this: ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS take it easy in the curves until you really get used to how your particular trike takes curves. I know of several trike owners who gunned it through curves and ran off the road. One good friend of mine was on his new trike, hit the curb in a turn, flipped and rolled it down a 15 foot bank and got seriously hurt when the trike landed on top of him. Once you get thoroughly used to your trike, you can take curves with the best two wheelers, but it takes time to adapt to steering, not leaning through curves.

Yep, GREAT Advice. Every Rider, Their Abilities, Experience, Every Trike, Every Area Road Type, etc. vary a lot. Just ALWAYS keep in mind:

NEVER Over Ride Your Comfort Zone or Abilities...if You're even "slightly" stressing at the pace You are riding, then, You are riding Over Your Head...!!!

...and I can never stress this enough: When on twisty, curvy roads, ALWAYS look as far through EVERY curve as possible...

[omycapt]

I just rode my 1st trike 1200 miles from PA to FL and absolutely loved it; at least on the highway, which I usually avoid on my 2 wheel Wing. In any case, I noticed as I spent considerable time in the passing lane, the trike wanted to ride off the left lane; as a result, serious cupping...?

[skuuter]

No, I cannot go as "Fast" on my Trike as when I'm on a Sport Bike...Yes, I can go "really close" to about the same speed as I can go on a Cruiser. I, too started out "leaning" on the Trike, but have since, pretty much given it up (maybe ever so slightly in really tight/narrow corners at fairly high speeds), I simply adjusted to the Trike's "different" lean characteristics through a corner........"Wizard": I could easily do what You described when I had the stock Dunlop front radial tire on my Trike. After installing the "Rear" Michelin Pilot Activ Bias-ply, it moved the "break-traction" point on a stutter bump in a corner to a much higher MPH...also if You do break traction, it re-hooks much quicker. I think a lot of this seems to be due to the rear Tire's wider contact patch, stiffer side wall, and quicker turn-in (You don't have to cut the Bars as sharp to get the same amount of turn/easier to square the corners).....

[earlyriser4444]

Staying up with the two wheelers was the reason I went with the Independent Rear Suspension (IRS). I have a MotorTrike kit on my 2005 Goldwing. Love it and I DO stay up with the two wheelers....regardless of what they are on.......and I am 75 years old.

[meredog]

Staying up with the two wheelers was the reason I went with the Independent Rear Suspension (IRS). I have a MotorTrike kit on my 2005 Goldwing. Love it and I DO stay up with the two wheelers....regardless of what they are on.......and I am 75 years old.

Staying up with the two wheelers was the reason I went with the Solid Rear axle. I have a Champion kit on my 2007 Honda VTX 1800. Love it and I DO stay up with the two wheelers....regardless of what they are on.......and I am 68 years old.

[Cycleguy]

I just rode my 1st trike 1200 miles from PA to FL and absolutely loved it; at least on the highway, which I usually avoid on my 2 wheel Wing. In any case, I noticed as I spent considerable time in the passing lane, the trike wanted to ride off the left lane; as a result, serious cupping...?

Trikes tend to follow road crown. Mostly the problem is two lane roads. So trikes are frequently set to pull left a bit, to counteract the tendancy to go right on two lane roads.

That makes the situation on the left lane of a four lane divided highway worse. There's no cure, you either pick one or the other problem to address, or compromise on both.

[Jenkinsrawhide]

Wolf, that makes sence to go into the curve from the outside and move into the inside. I can see where that would work.
The rake sure makes it easier in the curves. Before I had the rake installed it seemed to want to wash to the outside and that was a spooky feeling. I'm getting a little more comfortable with it after riding the last three days. Today we didn't have very much wind and it was really great riding.
I was also wondering if a trike properly ridden could keep up with a touring bike. I know I can't keep up with the sport bikes because I couldn't do it on my harley, and really didn't want to, especially at 64 years Old.
Okie
Tulsa, Ok

Beware of any loose gravel on climbing curves. They can cause your bike to skip or slide to the outward apex. AS for keeping up with a two wheeler, acting a damned fool I raced a buddy on a two wheel Harley at speeds in excess of 100mph on the interstate. Knowing him like I do, that he would not give up, I backed off. No need to get killed. At that speed it feels like the bike might want to slightly dance around a little bit. I don't reccommend doing it and I have quit it. I am 75.

Logan "Rawhide" Jenkins
Lebanon, Tennessee

[jireland]

Good comments, here.
When turning, I lean whatever is comfortable; passenger, too.
On sharper turns, I lock my elbow straight, then use my shoulder to control the steering.
I installed a GW 1500 rear tire on the front of my GW1800, installed backwards, and found better performance, but had a little hydroplaning during a freak/heavy rainstorm where I should have just pulled over to wait it out. MUCH better mileage, too!
Front tire presure is crucial to avoid cupping, and have better control.
On sharp turns, squeeze the tank with the knees, put weight on the pegs, and reserve some push/pull on the handlebars in case for those unexpected bumps, decreased radius turns, etc.;
At 65, and after many years of pushing the limit in the twisties, I feel satisfied that I can now retire, enjoy the scenery more, ride safer and hopefully longer on the trike.