FIRST RIDE ON MY FREE WHEELER - and DISAPPOINTING

[Gorilla]

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR INPUT - - today I lowered the rear tire pressure to 22 - this helped a bit. Then I took bike to the dealer - - they will adjust shocks to between 10 & 20 PSI as I do not have the special tool.

Rode the bike on a freeway at between 55 and 65 MPH - still not a comfortable ride. And on the rough road from my house even with lower rear tire pressure, nothing ike my Heritage on this road.

Will continue to do some test rides after dealer makes adjustments -- but rain forecast again so may be a while.

It is nice to belong to a group like this, and all of your experience and input is really appreciated

Will post after my next ride.

Cheers,

Larry keep working at it. The idea is to get the ride as comfortable as possible for the trike it is. Things to think about, NO TRIKE will ride as good as your heritage. Your 2 wheeler went down the road pretty much with BOTH tires in the same track. A trike has 3 tires of which NONE is in the same track as the other 2. So you have 3 times more road to feel then on the 2 wheeler.

So things to keep in mind. As far as road feel independent rear suspension will feel better then straight axle. The longer the wheel base will make for a better ride. Independent suspension will not handle the twisting roads as well as a similar straight axle.

TRI glide/Free wheeler have had many members make changes to them to improve the ride over stock. Riding a trike takes at least 400 to 1000 miles for the new rider to get a true feel for it. If you still think you want better go to DK Customs (ad this web site) Kevin has done extensive testing of ways to improve the ride on the Harley Trikes.

Good luck give it a chance to grow on you.

 

[FreeJoe]

Don't give up.. in time you will find it to be a blast to ride. Purchased my wife's Freewheeler used as well. My first impression riding it was much like you but quickly got used to it. The wife loved it the moment we got it. Since then, like others have suggested, lowered the rear air pressure and it made a difference. But the biggest improvement was getting rid of the crappy air shocks and installing the DK custom Convertible Comfort Lift & Pro Action Shocks. Not only did I immediately notice a huge ride improvement, the wife was thrilled with the "New" trike. DK will set the shocks up to your specs before you even install them so no needing to adjust thereafter. Huge improvement!!! look them up, currently running a sale on the combo kit!

http://www.dkcustomproducts.com/combo-package-14-harley-trike-series-shocks-comfort-lifttm.htm

 

[FuzzyWuzHe]

As an "Oh By The Way" ... when I first thought I wanted to get a Trike (started having issues with my knees that scared me on a 2 wheeler) ... the test drive was eye opening (my trike wasn't in yet so I test rode one they had) ... actually cancelled the Tri order I had made ... when the Ultra Limited I ordered instead came in ... I flip flopped again because I knew it was the only way, with my knees I could stay in the wind. The good news, the Tri I had ordered was still available.

Took me forever to get "comfortable" with the Trike. I'm on my third now and none of them where/are ever gonna ride like a two wheeler. I long to be back on a two wheeler and drool over bikes for sale almost every day, but, it's not realistic even with two knee replacements. The knees are sound, I can walk and hold the bikes up, but, I just "feel" more safe on a trike.

Hang in there. if you stay with it, you will get to where you can ride it anywhere. In my case, best I can hope for. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to be back on two, but, that is just a pipe dream. Tried after my first knee replacement and just never was really comfortable holding the heavy bikes up with the replaced knee.

So, do I love the trike ... yep ... does it float over the road ... nope ... it is what it is. And what it is, is the old gal that will keep me in the wind for another 10-15 years ... ... God willing and the Creek don't rise.

 

[LadyonaMission]

THANK YOU EVERYONE FOR YOUR INPUT - - today I lowered the rear tire pressure to 22 - this helped a bit. Then I took bike to the dealer - - they will adjust shocks to between 10 & 20 PSI as I do not have the special tool.

Rode the bike on a freeway at between 55 and 65 MPH - still not a comfortable ride. And on the rough road from my house even with lower rear tire pressure, nothing ike my Heritage on this road.

Will continue to do some test rides after dealer makes adjustments -- but rain forecast again so may be a while.

It is nice to belong to a group like this, and all of your experience and input is really appreciated

Will post after my next ride.

Cheers,

I traded my second Road King for my Freewheeler, at first I did think about how much I missed my Road King, then I realized that was pointless. Kinda like telling your wife your first girlfriend was really hot.

Embrace the new adventure and soon I hope you will love your Freewheeler and have fond thoughts of trips you have taken on it to go along with your Heritage memories. I have also found many new friends in the world of three.

 

[chester]

I traded my second Road King for my Freewheeler, at first I did think about how much I missed my Road King, then I realized that was pointless. Kinda like telling your wife your first girlfriend was really hot.

Embrace the new adventure and soon I hope you will love your Freewheeler and have fond thoughts of trips you have taken on it to go along with your Heritage memories. I have also found many new friends in the world of three.

Should have done more research!

 

[pcombe]

Weather was finally good enough for my first ride.

Was like ridding a horse with each leg a different length.

Granted I only rode for 40-miles, and almost all was on the side roads/streets here - they are paved, but do have some bumps.

I thought I would get bucked off....

Coming from a Heritage, and ridding the same roads this was a big disappointment.

I road several miles on our local highway,. and felt every bump and grove in the pavement - - again nothing like ridding the Heritage

At this point, I consider it unsafe for me to ride this bike.

Have any of you had these problems, while getting use to the Free Wheeler ?

Bought the Free Wheeler used, but only 1100-miles -dealer did complete service and safety check. All noted Okay, which included a check ride by service tech.

Any and all input is appreciated -- would hate to have to sell it.

Thanks,

My friend you are experiencing the learning curve from two to three wheels and that is all you know about your trike.

May i explain?

first you want to make sure you have the max air pressure in your front tire. and maybe around 26 lbs in your rear tires?

Tire pressure helps to steady the trike on road grooves etc, wind affecting your steerage and other factors.

Next you must understand the basics of a trike vs two wheels.

Your trike is and exercise in push and pull on the handle bars, Learn to push in a corner by straightening the arm you push with using your shoulder and upper body to push the handlebars.?

Much less effort and better control.

next it will be much better to run your trike in a gear where the engine is pulling at all times, If you lug it you may experience whats called head shake on the front end which is frightening at any time.

running your trike in a gear where it pulls a little, throttle or a bit of braking brings it out of that.

next?

learn to shift your butt in a hard corner, planting your foot more steadily on one foot board giving you a better stance, planting yourself more securely on your seat in a corner.

I guarantee you my friends on dressed two wheelers cant even keep up with me in corners.



Its a just a learning curve, nothing more than that, you haven't made a mistake.

its your problem, not the trikes.

try it and see how wonderful it really is?

 

[Mykneesbehurtin]

I traded my Road Glide for my first trike in 2016 because my wife could no longer get on a two wheeler and my knees where getting bad and to be honest i just hated the trike and it took me a good 2500 miles to get comfortable with it.Once i got thru the learning cure it was a whole other ball game,fast forward to 2020 and the trike was the best thing for the wife and i.By taking advice from folks on this site on tire and shock pressure along with the way i turned the trike and stance has made a huge difference.Just hang in there and give yourself at least a 1000 miles before you make a decision.

 

[Burnerboy]

Back maybe 5 yrs ago, I test rode a Trike while at Sturgis rally.................I HATED IT! IT TOOK THE WIND RIGHT OUT MY SAILS...........



Well fast forward the five years, till present, I got real sick two years ago while riding the Tail Of The Dragon...[ I had a Major seizure ] and to be helicopter out and get to hospital fast...

Doctors told my wife that no more M/cycle riding for me... (Well, I then decided to trike my Goldwing out) instead of giving up completely......

It took a few 100++ miles to get used to it......(yes! It's a total different ride) BUT once I got used to it, you can not pry those handle bars out of my hands

.....riding is different, yes, but more thrilling, .................

Remember when you first started to ride a bicycle, and keep falling over, and you thought, "I can't do this"..........BUT once you learned and got used to it, I bet you were like the rest of us kids making jumps and doing tricks........and placing baseball cards in the spokes to make an engine noises ..LOL ( those were the fun daze)

ride on with a smile, it does get better, (I promise) ...BUT not smoother, you'll have to get used to the bumpy ride.............

Ronnie

 

[Kmark]

Another thing that helps me to smooth out my ride is to go ahead and hit manhole covers with your front wheel. Not nearly as jarring as running over it with a single back wheel. You'll get used to the ride in no time and by the time you are use to it, you won't want to get off of it. My wife and I had a Goldwing trike back in 2006 and for some reason we went back to two wheels. All was well until I broke a leg in 2018. It was a very bad break and healing took forever. Long story short, I picked up my new Triglide a week before the 2019 Trike Talk rally in Maggie Valley. In the last year and a half I have put almost ten thousand miles on it. Good luck.

 

[Old Road Dog]

The OP has been posting the same smack on every forum in the Milky Way. Trikes arnt for you. Sell it and take up golf.

 

[FreeJoe]

I noticed the OP hasn’t been back w any positive comments. Agreed w previous post, sell it and get into something that doesn’t piss you off and need to tell the world how much you dislike it.

 

[52edub]

:clapping:

 

[USMC Old Dog]

Have you checked the air in shocks. I understand what you are going thru, as I moved from Heritage Classic to Freewheeler. Took me a couple hundred miles to settle in and really enjoy my ride now. Not only check air in shocks (do not use air compressor to adjust) and also tire tire pressure to your liking. Took a while but I settled in on 36 psi in front tire and 28 psi in rears. 28psi in shocks. I bought a hand pump with gauge for the shocks.

Takes a bit of different adjustments to get it where you want it but it will get better.

Ride safe

 

[balloo]

Thanks OLD DOG - - yep, done that....as previously posted, - - many thanks for all the positive input from members, and that I needed to take more time in the saddle - -also, as posted, I took the Free wheeler back to dealer - - they found that shocks were at 3-pounds - - set them for 12-pounds - - even called Harley regarding tire pressure. Should be left at what the manual states. They test road twice -- and said all checked out fine. I'm impressed with the dealer.

Had a day of no rain, so I took it on a longer ride, and avoided the crappy roads near my house. Boy what a difference. Even took it on the freeway and up to 70/75 for short distance. I'm still in the learning curve, but more confident.

Decided to relax my grip and allow it to move around a bit.

Note to: FREE JOE - - golf is not an option -- don't even have clubs, but do have a Freewheeler --

Note to: OLD ROAD DOG - - my only intent was to ask for help and advice, which I received and appreciate.

Looking forward to another rain free day, and another ride.

Cheers

 

[wlivin2]

I triked my sporty due to needing hip replacement and wife knew I would never stop riding. on the first ride I hated t but it was to late to undu . the more I rode it and adjusted it tire pressure shocks and the way I rode i began to love it. this past Dec I traded it in on a used 2010 triglide ultra BIG step up from sporty trike with the paughco trike kit LOL

 

[FreeJoe]

balloo....... my apologies, I based my comment on someone else’s response and truly reacted in a negative way thinking this just a thread like some others that are started just to get the group riled up.. again my apologies and as I wrote before don’t give up and glad to hear things are improving.

 

[balloo]

balloo....... my apologies, I based my comment on someone else’s response and truly reacted in a negative way thinking this just a thread like some others that are started just to get the group riled up.. again my apologies and as I wrote before don’t give up and glad to hear things are improving.

THANKS FREE JOE:

Your a "big man" for posting the above.

My faith is renewed....

Now just waiting for weather to change, so can practice some more.

Living in the Seattle area, most of you can understand that we have some challenges this time of the year. And even with all the rain we receive, it is an outstanding place when the weather is nice.

Had summer on a Wednesday last year (joke ! _)

Cheers,

 

[Jack Klarich]

THANKS FREE JOE:

Your a "big man" for posting the above.

My faith is renewed....

Now just waiting for weather to change, so can practice some more.

Living in the Seattle area, most of you can understand that we have some challenges this time of the year. And even with all the rain we receive, it is an outstanding place when the weather is nice.

Had summer on a Wednesday last year (joke ! _)

Cheers,

The more you ride the more memory muscle you will develop, this will be a BIG plus, as you use your upper body strength to steer

 

[Texan]

TRI glide/Free wheeler have had many members make changes to them to improve the ride over stock. Riding a trike takes at least 400 to 1000 miles for the new rider to get a true feel for it. If you still think you want better go to DK Customs (ad this web site) Kevin has done extensive testing of ways to improve the ride on the Harley Trikes.....

Talk to the guys at DK. As indicated, they have done extensive testing and development in the riding and handling of trikes.

I have several of their products on my bike and they improved the ride a lot.

Don't give up. I rode two wheels for 65+ years and was forced to go to 3 due to Parkinson's. Just glad I had that option.

8~\o

 

[balloo]

Talk to the guys at DK. As indicated, they have done extensive testing and development in the riding and handling of trikes.

I have several of their products on my bike and they improved the ride a lot.

Don't give up. I rode two wheels for 65+ years and was forced to go to 3 due to Parkinson's. Just glad I had that option.

8~\o

Well Texan - - I am impressed with your number of years ridding, but more impressed with your ability to ride due to the Parkinson's - - keep at it, gotta be good for moral as well as physical activity. Guess they make them tough in Texas.

Balloo