[ben721364]

Can you ride a cruise quickly? Well now why not come over heah and we will go on a ride with my bud. Nam marine vet Harley has a 130 hp engine You will see him ride off and that's will be the last you see of his bike till the last stop. Or a valk has a blower? or a......... them new victorys will burn ya fast

???

 

[jerbearyukon]

We I rode with a fella that kinda likes to take off.....so my brother kinda likes to smell the roses...I was torn.....so after a few incidences we had a talk.....sorted it out.

It's best to ride with ppl that are at your level or interest level atleast......it's always going to be hard to ride with others...period...

I like to travel alone if I have lots of thinghs I want to do....just easier....if I want to fish...I fish...eat...eat....ride fast.....stop....stop etc.

Jer

 

[markj]

???

Read the title of the thread, can you ride a cruiser fast? why yes you can, there is that better?

Some seem to think the wing is the fastest thing on 2 wheels lol or I say LOL ROTFLMAO

 

[Frank Parker]

Can you ride a cruise quickly? Well now why not come over heah and we will go on a ride with my bud. Nam marine vet Harley has a 130 hp engine You will see him ride off and that's will be the last you see of his bike till the last stop. Or a valk has a blower? or a......... them new victorys will burn ya fast

I don't believe the OP was whether a Harley rider or any other cruiser can ride fast, but rather why do they seem to want to ride so slow and block others who wish to ride faster. No doubt there are faster bikes than a GW, but who really cares. If it were a faster bike I wanted I'd have bought a zoom-splat.

 

[CruiseControl]

I don't believe the OP was whether a Harley rider or any other cruiser can ride fast, but rather why do they seem to want to ride so slow and block others who wish to ride faster.

Nope, Frank, that was not my intention at all, although, lots of people have read that into my question.

No, what I hoped to learn from some of the cruiser riders on this forum is if it really was the limited lean angle of the cruiser style bikes, or just poor riding skills. "Oh, Cruise is saying everyone who riders slower than him is a bad rider!" Not at all. But you can't honestly say someone is a skilled or a safe rider if they ride well under the speed limit and still drag their floorboards. Notice I said under the speed limit. Under. Slower than. As in below. As in not speeding or street racing.

Either the bikes are unsafe to ride at normal speeds (you know normal, like the posted speed limit), or the riders are doing something wrong.

I'm about convinced these riders must be starting on a bad line, braking hard, braking late AND pushing their bikes under. Otherwise, I just don't see how they can be dragging anything at those speeds.

PS
Cruising at 35 in a 45 zone is not a choice if the bike or the riders can't make any other choice. The tester in the video has no problem riding his bagger.

 

[azsandrider]

What is considered fast?

Isn't that subjective?


Folks back east probably think anything over 65 mph is fast and in AZ or Ca if you are not going 80 mph + on the freeway you will be run over.

Also, if you are used to riding 100+ often, 70 is slow, but if you are used to 65 then 80 is fast.


Being fast is meaningless UNLESS you are riding in a controlled fashion and are smooth in the transitions, staying in your lane. Smooth is fast and has nothing to do with RPMs or MPHs.

 

[ben721364]

Thanks for clarifying. As I understand, your beef is with those who poke along in packs without regard for others who share the roadways, rather than the type vehicle they operate. I agree. Other than the tupperware, Goldwings have much in commonwith what are commonly called cruisers; low and forward placed pegs, low saddles, suspensions tuned for comfort, etc.

Nope, Frank, that was not my intention at all, although, lots of people have read that into my question.

No, what I hoped to learn from some of the cruiser riders on this forum is if it really was the limited lean angle of the cruiser style bikes, or just poor riding skills. "Oh, Cruise is saying everyone who riders slower than him is a bad rider!" Not at all. But you can't honestly say someone is a skilled or a safe rider if they ride well under the speed limit and still drag their floorboards. Notice I said under the speed limit. Under. Slower than. As in below. As in not speeding or street racing.

Either the bikes are unsafe to ride at normal speeds (you know normal, like the posted speed limit), or the riders are doing something wrong.

I'm about convinced these riders must be starting on a bad line, braking hard, braking late AND pushing their bikes under. Otherwise, I just don't see how they can be dragging anything at those speeds.

PS
Cruising at 35 in a 45 zone is not a choice if the bike or the riders can't make any other choice. The tester in the video has no problem riding his bagger.

 

[bikerbillone]

Forward controls on a GW? Guess that subjective.

 

[ben721364]

Forward controls on a GW? Guess that subjective.

Did I say controls? I mean't pegs. I think it's a matter of what one is used to and her/his riding style/habits. My experience is largely with British and European motorcycles. I like to be able to 'post' over bumps/railroad tracks and to stand on he pegs occasionally to air my butt. Goldwing and cruiser peg placement makes this uncomfortable/awkward for me.

 

[bikerbillone]

Oh yes, understand now.

 

[05nwl]

We I rode with a fella that kinda likes to take off.....so my brother kinda likes to smell the roses...I was torn.....so after a few incidences we had a talk.....sorted it out.

It's best to ride with ppl that are at your level or interest level atleast......it's always going to be hard to ride with others...period...

I like to travel alone if I have lots of thinghs I want to do....just easier....if I want to fish...I fish...eat...eat....ride fast.....stop....stop etc.

Jer

:thumbup:

 

[05nwl]

Did I say controls? I mean't pegs. I think it's a matter of what one is used to and her/his riding style/habits. My experience is largely with British and European motorcycles. I like to be able to 'post' over bumps/railroad tracks and to stand on he pegs occasionally to air my butt. Goldwing and cruiser peg placement makes this uncomfortable/awkward for me.

The Goldwing's "controls" and pegs are in the same place, of course, and it is easy to stand on the pegs, I do it all the time. So, still not sure what you are referring to unless maybe the fact that you sit up, not lay down racer style, which would be pretty dumb for a touring motorcycle anyway. Goldwing peg placement is not like "cruisers" which do make it hard to stand on the pegs, or (yuck) floorboards.

 

[keysyrider]

Twice now, I've been on rides with cruiser-based baggers with me going the speed limit or below and the cruiser is STILL dragging floorboards and hanging back. No offense, but they were riding SO slowly that I was literally scared for them. I know the Wing has 40-degrees of lean and most baggers are more like 30-degrees of lean, but I was craaaaaawling along. I wasn't using, I would guess, 10-20 degrees of lean angle MAX. I just don't get it.

You guys that ride cruisers and Harley-Davidsons please explain this to me: How can a bike with 30-degrees of lean fail to ride the posted speed limit? I'm sure the riders are doing something wrong, but I don't know what. I am not writing to bash H-D. This literally makes no scientific sense and it scares me (for them) that this is so APPARENTLY irrational.

Please educate me.

A cruiser was never designed to be a cornering phenom. With an average bank angle of about 25 degrees, you do the math. The Wing, on the other hand, is also not a cornering phenom, however, it does have a bank angle of somewhere around 40 to 45 degrees so again, you do the math. Add to this the weight of the rider, the weight of the passenger that reduces the angle before grounding out. Then add the fact that many folks don't have their suspension set up correctly and the preload on the suspension already has the bike much closer to the ground.

I made the mistake of buying a Yamaha Venture last year and had a life-changing-moment on Ohio 28 in Wayne National Forest in May of this year. I grounded out bad oin a sharp left curve while pulling a trailer and with my wife as a passenger. I struck a line up the shoulder but the trailer jack-knifed and brought us back on the road completely sideways. Remembering my flat track and motocross days I put my foot down and grabbed a whole mitt full of throttle. After a bit of dancing back and forth the bike straightened up and we rode on.

Two days later we arrived in Paducah KY where a member had a 2005 Wing for sale. The Yamaha is now gone and I am the owner of a lovely gray 2005 Wing. No more cruisers for me! Cruisers are just what they are called. They are designed for cruising on the Interstates and carefully negotiating the curves.

 

[kwthom]

<...>Haven't you ever taken a leisurely ride before? Some folks just want to take it easy to enjoy the 'smell of the roses' and the leader or road captain has to take into consideration the abilities of those following him.

Thus the adage "lead, follow, or get out of the way!"

<...>Do you expect cruiser riders to be constantly checking their rear view mirrors for Goldwing rocket ships so they can quickly pull over and let you quickly pass? Sometimes it's not safe to pull over in certain areas, especially when riding in a group.

Sure - why not? After all, there *are* quicker riders that we who ride Wings, I do get out of the way of Ricky Racer when he's on my six, and yeah, good practice to use those shiny appendages called 'mirrors' ever so often. :roll:

Motorcycle owners does NOT equal motorcycle riders.

 

[ben721364]

The Goldwing's "controls" and pegs are in the same place, of course, and it is easy to stand on the pegs, I do it all the time. So, still not sure what you are referring to unless maybe the fact that you sit up, not lay down racer style, which would be pretty dumb for a touring motorcycle anyway. Goldwing peg placement is not like "cruisers" which do make it hard to stand on the pegs, or (yuck) floorboards.

I am aware of where the foot controls are located. I've owned two GL1800s and put quite a few miles on them both. <G> As I mentioned, I find the peg placement on British and European motorcycles considerably more comfortable to me. To stand on the GL pegs, I must stand forward of the saddle. As I also mentioned, it may simply be what I am used to. Though it hasn't happened to me, I know of a couple instances in which GL pegs have broken while riders were standing on them. GL pegs are definitely more forward than on BMW and Moto Guzzi touring motorcycles and more like they are placed on low slung cruisers.

If you re-read my post, you will see that I was talking about personal preference, not being critical so there's no real need to be defensive. :shrug:

Cheers.

 

[05nwl]

I am aware of where the foot controls are located. I've owned two GL1800s and put quite a few miles on them both. <G> As I mentioned, I find the peg placement on British and European motorcycles considerably more comfortable to me. To stand on the GL pegs, I must stand forward of the saddle. As I also mentioned, it may simply be what I am used to. Though it hasn't happened to me, I know of a couple instances in which GL pegs have broken while riders were standing on them. GL pegs are definitely more forward than on BMW and Moto Guzzi touring motorcycles and more like they are placed on low slung cruisers.

If you re-read my post, you will see that I was talking about personal preference, not being critical so there's no real need to be defensive. :shrug:

Cheers.

Not being defensive, just trying to figure out what you're saying. I think the Goldwing peg placement is way different, more under the rider, (not as forward) from the typical cruiser so I didn't understand why you were putting them in the same category, but I think I get it now....so, compared to some BMW and Moto Guzzi touring bikes that you have ridden, they are more forward.

 

[ben721364]

Not being defensive, just trying to figure out what you're saying. I think the Goldwing peg placement is way different, more under the rider, (not as forward) from the typical cruiser so I didn't understand why you were putting them in the same category, but I think I get it now....so, compared to some BMW and Moto Guzzi touring bikes that you have ridden, they are more forward.

By George, I think you (sorta) got it. <G>When I stand on the pegs of a cruiser or a Goldwing, I'm not comfortable. When I stand on the pegs of a Triumph, Guzzi or BMW I am. Being able to comfortably stand on the pegs for short periods is important to me while touring. Some cruiser pegs are more forward than GL1800 pegs.

As I have said, this is a matter of personal preference. YMMV.

 

[WB-Ron]

I find the title of this thread "Can you ride a cruise quickly" rather ironic, when we have occasional threads here on the forum, where the topic of discussion is learning how to better handle a Wing at slow speeds .

 

[markj]

No, what I hoped to learn from some of the cruiser riders on this forum is if it really was the limited lean angle of the cruiser style bikes, or just poor riding skills

And I said you are riding with the wrong guys. or behind them

 

[Robert Depew]

lean angle

We have a cop in southern Illinois that took a H. D. and floor boards and filmed him riding it. showed the wrong way around a corner and he made I but with trouble. lean angle was way over. Took it right same speed and lean angle changed 9 degrees. then took it and shifted his weight out to the end of handle bars and gained 2 degrees more.
MAKES A BIG DIFFERANCE knowing how to ride

Robert DePew