Handling a Goldwing Trike on twisty roads

[paid4c4]

This past weekend I rode the Tail of the Dragon both directions. This was my first time to ride the Dragon on a trike. I've ridden it many times on two wheel Harley's so I had a good knowledge of the road. To me there isn't anything mythical or special about the Dragon, just 11 miles of bad road. I just wondering how some of you ride this kind of road. I have a 2012 GL1800 CSC Viper trike. I use the push pull system around curves and corners.

For most of the Dragon I kept my Wing in 3rd gear and about 3000 rpm using engine compression to slow me down when needed and engine torque to propel me around the curves. I found better handling if I slowed down before the curves and then to use my throttle to power around and through curves. I found my CSC does much better on these types of roads than my first trike which didn't have independent rear suspension. How do you ride these roads.

Bill

 

[Gideon]

This past weekend I rode the Tail of the Dragon both directions. This was my first time to ride the Dragon on a trike. I've ridden it many times on two wheel Harley's so I had a good knowledge of the road. To me there isn't anything mythical or special about the Dragon, just 11 miles of bad road. I just wondering how some of you ride this kind of road. I have a 2012 GL1800 CSC Viper trike. I use the push pull system around curves and corners.

For most of the Dragon I kept my Wing in 3rd gear using engine compression to slow me down when needed and engine torque to propel me around the curves. I found better handling if I slowed down before the curves and then to use my throttle to power around and through curves. I found my CSC does much better on these types of roads than my first trike which didn't have independent rear suspension. How do you ride these roads.

Bill

I enjoyed the ride. It has been a few years. I had my daughter with me, so I didn't act crazy.

Like you I stayed in 3rd gear much of the time. However, my cSc is a solid axle trike.

Like I said we both enjoyed the ride. I should point out, it was in the morning and a week day.

Bob aka Gideon

 

[paul.r]

Snake Pass

This past weekend I rode the Tail of the Dragon both directions. This was my first time to ride the Dragon on a trike. I've ridden it many times on two wheel Harley's so I had a good knowledge of the road. To me there isn't anything mythical or special about the Dragon, just 11 miles of bad road. I just wondering how some of you ride this kind of road. I have a 2012 GL1800 CSC Viper trike. I use the push pull system around curves and corners.

For most of the Dragon I kept my Wing in 3rd gear and about 3000 rpm using engine compression to slow me down when needed and engine torque to propel me around the curves. I found better handling if I slowed down before the curves and then to use my throttle to power around and through curves. I found my CSC does much better on these types of roads than my first trike which didn't have independent rear suspension. How do you ride these roads.

Bill

Living in the UK (Yorkshire) we have many similar type roads in fact you can't go very far at all without going round a series of bends...one in particular i have been along many times is the "Snake Pass" a nice scenic route that goes past the Ladybower/Derwent Reservoir's...which were used for testing the "bouncing bomb".....it is around 11 miles long..I have a 2007 GL1800 Lehman Monarch ll with solid axle/EZ-Steer....i find the solid axle excellent for "twisties" and honestly think i am going round bends as fast if not faster than i did on two wheels?... Using.."the push pull system around curves and corners" like yourself but i tend to remain in 4/5th gear slowing down,by braking/de-accelerating and accelerating thro' the bends..my friend also has a 2013 GL1800 CSC Viper trike with IRS and when i have been behind him..it "sticks to the road like glue" as does my own...watch the video 11 miles in just over 4 minutes.....Just to add i am 72 in a few weeks time and i get no aches pain etc from the steering..so the EZ-Steer must be doing its job..ThumbUp

 

[CrystalPistol]

This past weekend I rode the Tail of the Dragon both directions. This was my first time to ride the Dragon on a trike. I've ridden it many times on two wheel Harley's so I had a good knowledge of the road. To me there isn't anything mythical or special about the Dragon, just 11 miles of bad road. I just wondering how some of you ride this kind of road. I have a 2012 GL1800 CSC Viper trike. I use the push pull system around curves and corners.

For most of the Dragon I kept my Wing in 3rd gear and about 3000 rpm using engine compression to slow me down when needed and engine torque to propel me around the curves. I found better handling if I slowed down before the curves and then to use my throttle to power around and through curves. I found my CSC does much better on these types of roads than my first trike which didn't have independent rear suspension. How do you ride these roads.

Last time I came through the Dragon, was in front of some HDs, the scraping noises soon faded as we left them behind. You are right, it's just a bad road. Meet a lost SWIFT truck, it get's worse. I've ridden it on two wheels, three, and four too. First time was because of curiosity in the '90s, later it was just a way to get from "there to there" on a map. I used essentially same techniques you describe on the trike, but I find the SA to be a better, lighter handling trike … as the trike itself does not lean outwards like a IRS can.

Living in the UK (Yorkshire) we have many similar type roads in fact you can't go very far at all without going round a series of bends...

LOL, you have "bends", the Dragon is a bad road at best, it is better than the Moki Dugway, but it's still bad. It has "curves" where if you look quick, you can see your backside.

Just ribbing, beautiful country there. I like the big arrow sign, but it's on the wrong side of the road. :laugh:

I like the "Back of The Dragon" (16 in Va.) better than the "Tail of the Dragon" (129 in Tenn.) myself, nice views too. But until ridden once at least, I guess everyone needs to see it for themselves. You recall "Two Lane Blactop", it ends near the tail.

 

[Jimer]

This past weekend I rode the Tail of the Dragon both directions. This was my first time to ride the Dragon on a trike. I've ridden it many times on two wheel Harley's so I had a good knowledge of the road. To me there isn't anything mythical or special about the Dragon, just 11 miles of bad road. I just wondering how some of you ride this kind of road. I have a 2012 GL1800 CSC Viper trike. I use the push pull system around curves and corners.

For most of the Dragon I kept my Wing in 3rd gear and about 3000 rpm using engine compression to slow me down when needed and engine torque to propel me around the curves. I found better handling if I slowed down before the curves and then to use my throttle to power around and through curves. I found my CSC does much better on these types of roads than my first trike which didn't have independent rear suspension. How do you ride these roads.

Bill

Bill,

IMO, your described technique of "push/pull" "power into the curves" is a text book definition of how to safely handle the twisties and the same technique I use. The only thing that I would add is: depending upon the degree of the turn, I like to down shift at the apex giving me that extra torque powering out of the curve. I also use that same technique when maneuvering 90* city turns. Jim