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New to Trikes
I just bought my first trike (2006 Honda Goldwing GL1800 CSC) a few months ago. I've been riding two wheels for about 35 years. I am having such a hard time getting use to the trike that I'm about ready to give it up. I live in Michigan so the roads here are rough and this trike feels like I'm riding on a rock, it's just so different. Any advice would be appreciated.
Hi Cherie, don't give up
Try lowering your rear tire pressure to 22 PSI
Nuff Said," Were Burnin Daylight, Lets Ride"(Sober 37 years)
Current ride : 2021 FREEWHEELER M8, oldest ride 1960 FL
You can try your Tire Pressure settings and Shock Adjustments, even a Airpod Seat Pad.......
2013 Tri-Glide with a few extras
Vietnam Vet 66 / 67
CQ CQ DE KD4LZL
Member Patriot Guard Riders
If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
It's just a fact that 3 wheels ride rougher than two. No way around it that I know of. Better shocks may help. Also I only run about 10 #'s in my rear tires and it still rides rougher than I'd like. (2012 Triglide.)
Beware of liberals posing as Americans.
Cherie welcome
Stallion #406 // 2013 Tri-Glide
running 10lbs of air is very dangerous> Run 22#
Originally Posted by Phu Cat
Remember you have more weight and wheels on the ground with the Trike. Try changing your Tire Pressure both front and rear to find what's best. And check Shock adjustment. More people I'm sure will chime in. Best of Luck to you..
2013 Tri-Glide with a few extras
Vietnam Vet 66 / 67
CQ CQ DE KD4LZL
Member Patriot Guard Riders
If you lend someone $20 and never see that person again, it was probably worth it.
22 psi in the rear tires can smooth out your ride
What is your rear air pressure for your suspension set at?
Nuff Said," Were Burnin Daylight, Lets Ride"(Sober 37 years)
Current ride : 2021 FREEWHEELER M8, oldest ride 1960 FL
Sorry for the rough roads. 22 psi in the rears and 41 psi in the front is what I use.
"Those who hammer their guns into plowshares will plow for those who do not" Thomas Jefferson
"Ignorance can be educated, crazy can be medicated, but there is no cure for stupid."
Cherie, welcome to Trike Talk!
"I don't need a map. I still have a road in front of me!"
The thing to remember is with 2 wheels you can glide around pot holes 'sunken manholes covers.....Not so with with 3 wheels on most rough roads..If you avoid one or two wheels from hitting them the third wheel in most instances will find that pothole..Coming off of years of riding 2 -[50 years?] wheelers and avoiding most potholes in my travels around town then in 2008 i got my first street trike...I was surprised how many potholes and sunken manholes covers my Trike smacks into.....Nature of the beast...
Sometimes a Cigar is Just a Cigar.....
2019 Tri-Glide.......
Welcome from Greenfield, Indiana!!
Besides running your rear tires at around 20-22psi, you may consider lowering pressure on your front tires as well depending on what front tire you have. Most of the popular front tires on Goldwing trikes are bias ply tires and running those at 41psi can be extremely rough. I have had the Bridgestone Battlax BT-45 (now BT-46) as well as the Michelin Pilot Activ. Many of the roads in NE Illinois could probably rival the roads you are riding but will agree that some of the Michigan roads especially in the cities are pretty rough. bTDT. But I had to drop the pressure on my front tire down to 36psi and the ride was tremendously better. I have since switched to the Avon AV-91 Cobra Chrome Trike tire which is a radial. On this one, I run it at 41psi and it just soaks up the road imperfections. If you do switch front tires to the Avon, be aware that there are 2 AV-91 tires in the same size. Make sure to get the "Trike" version which will actually say Trike on the sidewall.
Another thing I didn't see mentioned is that the ADV (also known as the anti dive valve) located on the lower left fork is known for sticking and when this happens, you will get pounded while riding around. There is a shim that you can find on places like ebay for about $20 or so that also comes with slightly longer bolts. Takes all of about 5 mins to add the shim and the ADV is disabled. The valve really provides no benefiy for trikes. And especially if you have aftermarket springs in the forks like the Progressive Suspension springs like I do, the ADV is not needed. Not recommending this seller but this is what I'm talking about. It's as simple as removing the 2 bolts separating top and bottom half, slip shim onto lower part, then insert new bolts and tighten down. That's all there's to it...
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Anti-dive-F...-127632-2357-0
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