Hey alancorcoran, Look here

[alanmcorcoran]

Yeah, I'm pretty happy that the thing has been down TWICE already and the damage is mostly confined to scratches on the windshield. One (of many) lessons learned - heavy bikes are most problematic when they are not in motion.

[Sarris]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

heavy bikes are most problematic when they are not in motion.

Heavy bikes are problematic with inexeperienced newbie riders on board.

:skull:

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

I'm in third and I'm on the throttle and I'm leaned over to the right about as far as I can go without scratching the foot rest.

Good description of the events; how about a little analysis ??

The only thing that stands out for me is "3rd gear". I think that is a hint that you might have been going a bit too fast or been a gear too high or both.

And yes, I know the cages probably tear up to the light at 30 mph or more.......but do they then stop abruptly if it turns red?

No criticsm here, just wondering.

[mrlmd1]

When the bike went over to the right side and you let it down, was the front wheel turned to the right as you were going to turn that way?, and did you apply the front brake moving slowly ahead, then the bike went down? If so, applying the brake with the wheel turned over to the side brought it down. And once something that heavy starts to go, it probably will. The only way you may have stopped it would have been to turn the wheel straight and try to give it some throttle. The next time you going real slow and are trying to stop with the wheel turned to the side, use more rear brake, it tends to make the bike more upright and doesn't change the front end geometry.

[music man]

Originally Posted by Sarris

Heavy bikes are problematic with inexeperienced newbie riders on board.

:skull:

:plus1: :plus1: :plus1: :plus1: :plus1: :plus1: :plus1: :plus1:

[alanmcorcoran]

Originally Posted by mrlmd1

When the bike went over to the right side and you let it down, was the front wheel turned to the right as you were going to turn that way?, and did you apply the front brake moving slowly ahead, then the bike went down? If so, applying the brake with the wheel turned over to the side brought it down. And once something that heavy starts to go, it probably will. The only way you may have stopped it would have been to turn the wheel straight and try to give it some throttle. The next time you going real slow and are trying to stop with the wheel turned to the side, use more rear brake, it tends to make the bike more upright and doesn't change the front end geometry.

I'd be guessing about most of this becuase it was one of those things where it happened real fast, and I'd probably be remembering things the way I preferred them to happen rather than what actually happened. I can't be 100% sure, but I probably didn't use the rear brake. I was pretty good with using both brakes back in June when i was learning, but I've gotten lazy and tend to mainly use the rear bake to keep the bike from rolling forward or backward when I release the front.

I got REAL careful about appying the brake when turning after the front slid out from under me the FIRST time, so I probably tried to get the bike straight and upright before I braked. I think where I blew it is, I was too focused on "it's a steep hill" "I don't want to roll down it" "And I don't want to be stuck in third when I got to go again" instead of "Make sure you get both feet down!"

[alanmcorcoran]

Originally Posted by Easy Rider

The only thing that stands out for me is "3rd gear". I think that is a hint that you might have been going a bit too fast or been a gear too high or both.

Possibly, but I don't think so. This is kind of a steep and tight ramp. You need to go a certain speed just to get up it, but you can't go too fast or you will drift into the outer lane. The speed I can go is pretty much dictated by the geometry. If I was going too fast, I wouldn't have been able to maintain my lane. As it was, I set the bike down at the inner edge of the ramp suc that the bars were over the curb and in the soft dirt. The people in my own inner lane were able to go around me and the bike until someone helped me pick it up.

Originally Posted by Easy Rider

And yes, I know the cages probably tear up to the light at 30 mph or more.......but do they then stop abruptly if it turns red?
No criticsm here, just wondering.

These things are a real pain in the ass. They aren't on but a few hours of the day, some allow one, two or three cars per "green", sometimes its "per lane" other times it's per "green." There's no yellow. Some people routinely blow through them, some people panic stop. Sometimes the outer lane is "carpools" only, sometimes not. Sometimes (a lot of times now right now) there are cops sitting on the shoulder just past them and ticketing everyone that is in either the car pool lane or didn't follow "the rules"

It's manageable when there is already a line, and it's not rocket science when you are in a car, but, as with most things on the freeway, not much consideration was given to two wheeled vehicles.

[alanmcorcoran]

Originally Posted by Sarris

Heavy bikes are problematic with inexeperienced newbie riders on board.

Well, y'all can fire away here, but:

1) Many of the "experienced" riders I have talked to have confessed to me, that they have had a whoopshit or two with their Beasts (often at slow speed, in a driveway or a parking lot) and had to set them down. Shit happens.
2) I don't know where the "newb" chart can be looked up, but at 5000 miles, I consider myself at least a novice. I am also aware, I will be considered a "newb" by some of you until I die, especially if it's underneath the Beast or neatly separated by a guardrail. Good way to go IMO.
3) I think the best thing newbs can do is get experience. (I don't ride like a maniac.) The only way I'm going to learn how to ride a heavy bike, is to ride a heavy bike. Some of you will argue that I should have "worked my way up" and there might be some merit to that, but I'll bet you also would have made the same comments if I had, say, a 600 pound bike.
4) I have never even been close to this isue with the GZ. The reality is, riding the GZ does not teach you much about handling an 800 pound bike. You need an 800 pound bike for that.

I'm learning, and I have a long way to go (and will probably never be an "expert" rider) but I don't buy the argument that you need to have a ten year plan to learn to ride a full size cruiser. Hopefully my frequency of fuckups will go down with time and none of the early ones will kill or maim me.

[Sarris]

My point is, 3000 miles on a GZ does not qualify you or anyone else to ride a Road Yacht.

I am in favor of graduated licensing and have pushed legislators in FL to pass it.

If it goes, you would have to get a m/c learners permit and be limited to 500cc or less for 24 months or 24K whichever comes first.

A whoop-shit on a 250 can be very forgiving. Not so on a Road Yacht.

Way too many guys get hurt or hurt other people because they assume that just because they put 3000 miles on a GeeZer that they can handle a Road Yacht.

Two drops in a week. Hmmmm........... I'm convinced.

:skull:

[Easy Rider]

Originally Posted by alanmcorcoran

The only way I'm going to learn how to ride a heavy bike, is to ride a heavy bike.

Yes, IF you do it properly.

Some of your comments indicate, however, that you are picking up some BAD habits.......like not using the rear brake.....and worrying too much about what gear you are in......or maybe counting too much on your new found torque and not BEING in the right gear so you don't have to worry about it.

Anyhow, continuing to have small mishaps is probably NOT a good sign.