trike/training wheels?
- Thread starter RJG1300
- Start date
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2020
- Messages
- 381
- Location
- Makefield Highlands PA
- Bike
- 2016 ST1300P
- 2026 Miles
- 000090
Right handle bar, twist the grip just slightly more.
I agree, assuming clear space ahead of you, if the bike starts to tip over at slow speed, accelerate. The bike will straighten up and not fall over. I took a 1300 for a test ride at Max BMW in Massachusetts(?). As I approached the street and began my turn the bike started tipping over because I was going too slowly. Without consciously thinking, I gave it more throttle and motored out into the street.
Uncle Phil
Site Supporter
There are some systems that 'auto deploy' a set of outrigger wheels -
True. I hesitated to post that because those systems cost more than the value of the bike. The landing gear system also requires storage space (panniers) for the compressor.There are some systems that 'auto deploy' a set of outrigger wheels -
Might as well just borrow those outrigger systems they use for motorcycles on skid pads.
A few examples:
Skidbike Motorcycle Training Tool...Crash without the Rash
Skidbike allows student motorcycle riders to safely experience the loss of front or rear grip in a safe environment so they can learn how to become better riders.
www.cycleworld.com
Continental Engineering Services Press Intro, In The November Issue
CES presents its Twin Motor Controller, which can be integrated into any vehicle’s CAN network, including motorcycles.
www.roadracingworld.com
At this point
Here's a couple thoughts for you.
-- First, the bike can do far more than any of us can do. We're the weak link.
-- Second, you're going to have issues for awhile. It's mental, not physical. I went to a rally in California a couple years ago. I tried to make a tight turn in the highly sloped parking lot and of course the bike tipped...to the downhill side. By the time my foot touched the ground, it was enough just to keep out from under the bike as it hit hard on the pavement. Mentally, I was messed up for probably a month or more. I had no confidence in any kind of slow moving maneuvers. It took determination to push through my mental fears to get back to riding with confidence.
I suspect trying to modify an ST to have training wheels would cost more than picking up a used Can-Am.
Chris
I can't help you on training wheels. But I believe I know where you're at.
Here's a couple thoughts for you.
-- First, the bike can do far more than any of us can do. We're the weak link.
-- Second, you're going to have issues for awhile. It's mental, not physical. I went to a rally in California a couple years ago. I tried to make a tight turn in the highly sloped parking lot and of course the bike tipped...to the downhill side. By the time my foot touched the ground, it was enough just to keep out from under the bike as it hit hard on the pavement. Mentally, I was messed up for probably a month or more. I had no confidence in any kind of slow moving maneuvers. It took determination to push through my mental fears to get back to riding with confidence.
I suspect trying to modify an ST to have training wheels would cost more than picking up a used Can-Am.
Chris
How about a safety training where they practice to feather the clutch while controlling speed by gentle use of rear brake, plus avoid looking down at the front wheel but in the intended direction instead 
@RJG1300 -- a trike kit may seem to be the answer, but it may not be once you look into it more. I think I'd do some research on some Harley forums to see what they say about the pros and cons of a trike mod to a motorcycle first. You wouldn't have to join the forum, just do a search.
I've read some things in the past about how trikes aren't all they are cracked up to be. (Note, I've never driven one.) The con that sticks in my mind is how they handle. On a motorcycle, the front wheel and rear wheel track on the same line pretty much. What your front wheel encounters will be followed up with the rear wheel in a moment. But with any three-wheeled vehicle, you have three wheels all encountering a different portion of the road. With a single front wheel, I believe they were saying the trike is difficult to steer as it follows whatever camber the road has. With the rear wheel providing only propulsion, the front wheels do the steering and the rear wheel follows along wherever those front wheels point. It might be why the Can-Am's went to the dual front wheel setup, and why other three-wheeled vehicles like the Yamaha Niken does the same.
After my drop(s), I finally decided to do some parking lot practice. I'd been putting it off since I don't have a problem going fast. What I finally realized was the skills I learned in the Advanced Rider's Course to get my motorcycle endorsement had deteriorated badly. So I started doing some easy stuff in some parking lots till I finally got my comfort level and confidence back. Again, it is all mental. Just like a golfer can have a fantastic game one day, and a completely lousy game another day. Same clubs. Same course. Same person swinging those clubs. It's all in the mind.
And if your wife says it'll have to wait till next year...what are you going to do? Make your bike a garage queen and not ride it? Nah, you can do this and keep on riding.
On the other hand...you can buy a Miata and still enjoy yourself!
Chris
I've read some things in the past about how trikes aren't all they are cracked up to be. (Note, I've never driven one.) The con that sticks in my mind is how they handle. On a motorcycle, the front wheel and rear wheel track on the same line pretty much. What your front wheel encounters will be followed up with the rear wheel in a moment. But with any three-wheeled vehicle, you have three wheels all encountering a different portion of the road. With a single front wheel, I believe they were saying the trike is difficult to steer as it follows whatever camber the road has. With the rear wheel providing only propulsion, the front wheels do the steering and the rear wheel follows along wherever those front wheels point. It might be why the Can-Am's went to the dual front wheel setup, and why other three-wheeled vehicles like the Yamaha Niken does the same.
This might be the best solution. You'd pay a lot less to get some professional training than to buy a trike modification kit and hope it works. The tip over wings on the ST will keep you from damaging the bike pretty much and you'd get the confidence back to do the slow speed riding without falling.How about a safety training where they practice to feather the clutch while controlling speed by gentle use of rear brake, plus avoid looking down at the front wheel but in the intended direction instead
After my drop(s), I finally decided to do some parking lot practice. I'd been putting it off since I don't have a problem going fast. What I finally realized was the skills I learned in the Advanced Rider's Course to get my motorcycle endorsement had deteriorated badly. So I started doing some easy stuff in some parking lots till I finally got my comfort level and confidence back. Again, it is all mental. Just like a golfer can have a fantastic game one day, and a completely lousy game another day. Same clubs. Same course. Same person swinging those clubs. It's all in the mind.
And if your wife says it'll have to wait till next year...what are you going to do? Make your bike a garage queen and not ride it? Nah, you can do this and keep on riding.
On the other hand...you can buy a Miata and still enjoy yourself!
Chris
I had a coworker who loved bikes. He could ride well, on par with the rest, but slow speed and stops were his literal downfall. If there was one potential parking location that assured disaster, he was drawn to it like a magnet. Imagine the little dip....stop with a wheel on either ridge and the ground under the bike just a few inches below your tiptoes. ....or stop parallel to a slight slope where the bike can't lean far enough left for the sidestand to lock down......or it isn't long enough to hold the bike if it's on the downhill side.
One of our friends was simply too short to ride most two-wheelers.....he rode GL trike conversions. He never had a problem being seen or stopping most anywhere. Big plus.
Gotta choose every move judiciously whether riding or stopping.
One of our friends was simply too short to ride most two-wheelers.....he rode GL trike conversions. He never had a problem being seen or stopping most anywhere. Big plus.
Gotta choose every move judiciously whether riding or stopping.
Nashcat
Site Supporter
Had a Voyager kit on a Kawa Vulcan 1400. The wife thought she wanted to ride, but didn’t learn. I hated the kit. Felt like it was going to turn over (highside) in turns. Sold it pretty quick. The best part is, they’re easy to take off.
I only have one training wheel on my ST1300.
I've been where your at. After my stroke last December, my balance went to crap. Luckily, I didn't get the paralysis that typically comes with a stroke, I still have my strength, but I have no feeling in my right side. My right side is numb from the top of my scalp to the tip of my toes and everywhere in between. (yes even that is numb on the right side) And I also lost my balance. I have trouble standing and walking.
After that, I had a very hard time balancing my bike at slow speeds as you can imagine. I was looking into trikes and other three wheeled machines myself. But I just couldn't imagine myself on one. I made my mind up to solve my problem. It's a confidence thing for sure. I got out on a road with no/low traffic and started working on slow speed balance. Get up some speed where the bike is balanced and slow down. If you get to a point where you feel the bike is going to tip over, power up. I've made it to the point now where I rarely put my feet down at a stop sign unless I have to totally stop and wait on someone else to go. I've built up the confidence to do it.
As for turns, I found a parking lot and started with as sharp a turn as slow as I felt comfortable and worked my way sharper and slower. And while I still can't do it as slow and tight as some people, I'm getting there. It's just practice to build confidence.
I still have touble standing and walking though. But even that's getting better.
After that, I had a very hard time balancing my bike at slow speeds as you can imagine. I was looking into trikes and other three wheeled machines myself. But I just couldn't imagine myself on one. I made my mind up to solve my problem. It's a confidence thing for sure. I got out on a road with no/low traffic and started working on slow speed balance. Get up some speed where the bike is balanced and slow down. If you get to a point where you feel the bike is going to tip over, power up. I've made it to the point now where I rarely put my feet down at a stop sign unless I have to totally stop and wait on someone else to go. I've built up the confidence to do it.
As for turns, I found a parking lot and started with as sharp a turn as slow as I felt comfortable and worked my way sharper and slower. And while I still can't do it as slow and tight as some people, I'm getting there. It's just practice to build confidence.
I still have touble standing and walking though. But even that's getting better.
When I went back to riding after a 20 year hiatus, I bought a Kymco Bet&Win 250 scooter. At the Advanced Rider Course, we went through the practical demonstration to get our endorsement. That bike was a breeze to turn in a tight box...and I pitied the riders who had the big huge bikes.
So true! Years ago I watched as some little wisp of a girl rode a bike that was huge like the ST1300. She rode it like a pro doing things I could only marvel at. After watching that video, I made up my mind that if she could ride something that big, so could I. My inseam is 28 inches. I've never "flat-footed" any bike. I just deal with it.
Motorcycling is not easy. If it was, everyone would be doing it. It's a challenge.
Exactly!
Chris
I test rode one of these beasts at a Yamaha Demo event in Vancouver, WA the year it came out. I was impressed at how 'normal' it felt while riding. The cockpit felt like a sort of touring bike or snowmobile, compared to say the naked 2-wheel counterpart for that platform; Tracer 900? MT-09?
Anyway, unlike the Piaggio with similar front end, there isn't any method for locking the leaning mechanism in an upright position. It still relies on conventional sidestand to hold it upright while off the bike and you still have to hold it upright while stopped too.
Otherwise, it was a fun ride!
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I just came off riding a CX500 custom that I have been riding for 10 years with no tip overs.
Th ST has a tip point that once it goes past, there is no stopping it.
When it tipped at home, I have resources to get it upright again.
This last time, I was at MiLs to mow her yard and when I stopped by the barn (no more maneuvering room) it went over.
The best I've seen is Dorjet Landing Gear. This is a Turkish made product that recently opened 2 installing dealers in the US; one in LA and the other in NY. Dorjet is all electric and doesn't take up a saddlebag. I've never seen one, but over on the GL1800 forum they seem to be well received.
dorjet.com
Dorjet | Bike Landing Gear Systems and Accessories
These are landing gear developed for Honda Goldwing and Harley Davidson Electra Glide, Street Glide bikes. In other words, it is an automatic balancing and foot system.
dorjet.com
You are talking to a Masters level dropper. I stopped counting my ST drops in the teens. My inseam is 28-29" and I could not flat foot the bike. Whenever I stopped, if there was not secure footing, the ground sloped or there was a pothole my foot found air. But...this made me a better rider because I was hyper aware of the pavement, sloped aprons, and slick oil patches at gas stations. As time went on, the interval between drops increased for this reason. There was nothing I could do if a buddy stopped suddenly in front of me and I had to stop over a pothole, but by planning ahead, I mitigated many problems. Yes, at 750# once the bike starts leaning over only the Hulk can prevent it from going. I got thrown like a pinball flipper does a ball more than once, and I rarely dropped the bike if there was nobody watching. As I mentioned in another thread, a greasy patch at a gas station was my undoing and I was flipped. A sweet young woman rushed over to see if I was hurt and insisted on helping me right the bike. Had I only known this technique for meeting women when I was younger....
PS, I also got pretty good at picking the bike up myself.