Hello dadztoy,
I see you own a tow pac Insta trike on a GL1800. Do you still have it?
I have one on my 2005 GL1800 with my 8 inch wheels, regular motorcycle wheels for my front and rear. I have been reading your posts on how you set your bike up with the TP.
What led me to this post was my search for how to setup my own ride properly. I rode this past weekend and I noticed that I have to slow the bike way down when trying to take a left or right hand turn and when that happens one of the TP wheels usually raises up and I have to fight my steering and hang on hard. I know to push and pull but that feeling is rather unsettling and it feels like it puts a lot of strain on the attachment points (ie. rear crash bars and underneath the saddle bags where it attaches to). Not only did I feel strain etc. but there my body definitely was beat the next day...I really had a workout. Otherwise driving the highways, roads, that did not have too many hard curves were manageable.
Speaking of slowing way down even when turning a hard circle in an empty parking lot whenever I increase my speed I notice the inner TP wheel come up.
I have not gone dark side yet but have thought about it but before you went darkside what were your suspension settings, Frnt and rear wheel and TP pressures set at? I weight a 160lbs, don't carry much gear with me but would like to do so on longer trips. Right now my tires still have life in them and will probably ride it till it wears out.
Also, I wonder if having the smaller 8" wheels have anything to do with the ride handling and comfort?
I would appreciate your experience as a TP owner in this matter and hope to read your response.
Thank you so much!
Ed
Hi Ed,
Yup - still have it and still riding it - AAMOF, we're out in California right now and just rode in Sequoia N.P. today with it... Your only a few hours away from me in Eastern Tennessee and if you would like to drive up, I would be glad to give you a hand tweaking things a bit... I won't be home until August 1st but think about the offer...
OK, lets see where to start... I run a Bridgestone BT-45 up front at 36PSI but have had it as high as 41 PSI... I like the softer ride at 36 PSI and handling and wear still seem good...
I am currently running a Bridgestone DriveGuard on the rear at 28PSI and it feels great... It is a run flat tire and gives a very compliant ride...
My TowPac cart tires are 12" and I run them at 32PSI... Alignment is within 1/16" on both sides and really closer to dead on on either side... My bike suspension is set to 18 and I usually pretty much leave it there unless I am riding a passenger who is on the heavy side...
My bike is equipped with a Traxxion 4.5 degree raked billet triple tree and I also use Traxxion springs in the front end - 1.1kg/mm IIRC... Everything else is stock...
In terms of down force, it's kind of a set and ride thing to see how it works out... IIRC mine is set so that my measurement from ground level to the top of the cart bar is 11 1/4" but I usually set the right hand side a bit higher to compensate for road crown... Maybe 1/16 to 1/8 higher than the left hand side...
Steering effort will be quite high in turns without having the front end raked - it's just the nature of the beast... Again, if you want to try mine with the 4.5 degree rake kit, you are more than welcome to come up and give it a test ride...
Before going Darkside, I ran Bridgestone 704 and 709 tires... Only got about 8 k miles out of them before having to change them with the front tire cupping so badly it would shake the handlebars until I got above 30 MPH... Tire pressures on thise stones were 41 front and 42 rear respectively...
Now, running double darkside, I typically get 17+K miles out of the rear and 20K+ miles from the front and tire cost is about 100 bucks less for front and rear... Flying a wheel is not uncommon with outrigger type trikes as they are a compromise in deign... I do it on occasion, but proper down force adjustment will minimize this condition unless you drive like a mad man...
In terms of the smaller tires, they will probably effect ride quality to some degree on rough roads and potholes, but other than that, I wouldn't think there would not be a lot of difference between those and the 12" tires... AAMOF, in some respects, they will be better as they have a lower unsprung weight than larger tires...
Let me know if you have additional questions... Just be patient as Internet on the road is not always available or dependable...
Les