Handeling corners & curves?

[dadorfman]

Rich,

You missed a great class in Ashland, VA, this past weekend. A total of 7 students from all over. There will be more, including an advanced class and a 1-day class on carrying passengers.

[rayg5102]

I'm new to the trike and only have about 100 miles under my belt, but I feel so natural going right....it's going left that makes me feel like a spazz.

I am so glad it's not just me.

[dadorfman]

I took a trike class over this past weekend. What most of us had difficulty with, and as confirmed by the experienced instructors, is that right hand turns are harder because your right hand is crunched while operating the throttle.

[John Luciano]

Some people on 2 wheels feel the same way. On the 2 wheeler it is not as crunched. On the 3 wheeler you are twisting the grip CCWand the bar is coming at you CW

[bert1005]

I have an 06 Goldwing with Hannigan kit and I have no trouble keeping up with the best of them through the twisties. It just depends on how much tire wear I am willing to give. The steering tire does wear out very quickly if you push hard in the turns. I have slid the rear axes around the curve more than once riding double up and never felt like I was loosing it.

[Rosy]

When I am doing turns I use the push/pull method with my left hand, so as my right/throttle hand is more "free" to excell or decell. Push going right, pull going left. I guess I don't use as much force with right arm as the left.

Regards,

Rosy
From NH

[skuuter]

Trikes are still a lot like Their "cousins", the 2-wheeler Motorcycles...even though You aren't "leaning" it into a corner, correct Trike placement, entering and exiting the corner is extremely important to Your overall enjoyment of Your Trike....

(1) Enter a corner as wide as safely possible, while trying to sight completely out the other side (this will help relieve the "leaned the wrong way feel" also)

(2) Roll out of the Throttle slightly more on entering than on a 2-wheeler

(3) Roll back into the throttle smoothly and steady

(4) Try to exit the corner as close to centered in Your Lane as possible

TIPS: ***Use lower gears to maximize engine braking and minimize actual brake useage........***Keep Your Trike fully in the correct Lane...cutting corners and crossing center lines will never teach You to be a really good Rider........***Relax, and keep Your elbows bent

Trikes are a Lot of Fun...Enjoy Yours.....

[Doctoss]

When I am doing turns I use the push/pull method with my left hand, so as my right/throttle hand is more "free" to excell or decell. Push going right, pull going left. I guess I don't use as much force with right arm as the left.

Regards,

Rosy
From NH

After putting just a few miles on my new trike I understand exactly what you are saying. It makes sense to do it that way. Do you try not to change gears in a turn and thus not have to worry about your left hand on the clutch?

[willom]

That is exactly it, well said skuuter.

[Nextbite]

Let me know what you find out please, mine feels exactly the same. The left turns are definetly harder than the right ones. I'm wondering if its a line up problem...

[ben721364]

To simplify this discussion about steering a trike, just steer it like you do a car. The handlebars are nothing but a funny looking steering wheel.

[dadorfman]

I thought I would share what I pm'ed to Nextbite:

What I find is that I don't have the same strength in each arm. What I have started doing is pushing with one arm and pulling with the other. I am hoping I can add that to muscle memory.
I forgot to add that the instructors taught us to lean into the turn. That can range from leaning, to shifting to the side while leaning, to hanging onto the seat with your knee, depending upon speed and tightness of the turn. Basically, move your body to keep the inner wheel on the ground. At the same time, don't be afraid to lift that inner wheel, as long as you don't tip over. One of the class exercises was to ride in a fast, tight circle until the inner wheel is lifted. The instructor even demonstrated driving straight the length of the range on two wheels.

The best advice is to take a trike class. You will learn through guided practice, and the instructors will correct bad form. Here are the courses offered by North Carolina:

http://www.ncmotorcyclesafety.org/3-...iderCourse.htm

You can also come up to VA to take a class. In mine, two people stayed overnight at local hotels.

If you need help with cornering, find out whether or not there is a trike class available. Google classes in your or neighboring states.

[87Trike1200]

I'm new to the trike and only have about 100 miles under my belt, but I feel so natural going right....it's going left that makes me feel like a spazz.

I am so glad it's not just me.

Ray - Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. That "left turn stuff" happens to many of us. Should get better with time and practice. Keep at it.

[ray4ausa]

Nana, just a quick note, from Ray Foret, we corresponded a while back regarding trikes and we will be doing the California Side Car Volusia kit for my wife's 07 FXST. It will be built April 23 and we will pick it up the Monday before the Arkansas Rally that we will attend in Hot Springs. thank you for your input, it was very helpfull.

[cjmitch]

What I find is that I don't have the same strength in each arm. What I have started doing is pushing with one arm and pulling with the other.

Don;t use your arms at all. LOCK your arms and use your BODY weight to push or pull.
IE if you turning right Lock your left arm then lean FOREWARD and slightly to the right into the handlebar.
Use your body weight not your shoulders.

I forgot to add that the instructors taught us to lean into the turn. That can range from leaning, to shifting to the side while leaning, to hanging onto the seat with your knee, depending upon speed and tightness of the turn.

Stepping on the INNER foot peg can help also. tends to make the bike more stable.

[aquariusbabe]

So Glad I found you guys. I'm a newbie and am learning so much on this site. I've always rode on the back of a bike and after divorce last year I bought a Trike. I have no one to refer to or ask questions So having you here is like family. pepper Thanks for all the info

[aquariusbabe]

Ray - Don't feel like the Lone Ranger. That "left turn stuff" happens to many of us. Should get better with time and practice. Keep at it.

Hey Ray, I'm a newbie also. Someone told me when I first mentioned how it felt uncomfortable taking curves to the left at any speed...that we all have our preference turns, but with time and practice we will be come more comfortable. Well I'm finding that to be true with a few miles under my belt. Last week my G/Daughter and I rode Fri. & Sat. from sunup till sundown in the country on many curvy roads. Suddenly I realized I wasn't worrying about the turns any longer but was really just enjoying the ride. It was awesome and very confidence building. Just take your time and it will come to you. It's great having all this support on this site!!!! I'm so happy I've found you Guys and Gals!!!! The information here is priceless!!!

[Bill Reber]

It is sort of fun moving from the "this thing sucks" factor to "I love this dam thing " Just some time and miles is all it takes. Can't tell you how many time I started a for sale add then backed away from it !

[Ricomaq]

just got back riding the Black Hills in South Dakota.....just got the champion trike kit installed a week before we left......debated hard on amount of rake but went six degrees. it cornered beautifully and went down the interstate great.....on the needles highway I left four two-wheelers behind.

[Barnaclebill]

Comanche has it dead to rights! I never took lessons on a trike. Rode two-wheelers for forty odd years then moved to my Honda Goldwing 1500 GL through necessity - wish I'd done it earlier! Ease into corners, look ahead, choose your exit and (gently) accelerate out. I'm taking bends and corners along with a bunch of two-wheelers and holding my own!