Tippy or Top Heavy?

[massey130]

Ya don't see anyone using a venture, in the ride like a pro video's, do ya?

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In (RLAP) ride like a pro 5, there is a RS venture in the latter part of the video doing the manuevers along with other touring bikes.

 

before i watched RLAP video, i did a lot of slow manuever practiceing based on what i could find on the internet. I felt the same way alot of folks do when first starting to ride these bikes. i got pretty good at it. then i watched RLAP. since then i have gotten MUCH better using some back brake and the friction zone.

 

I will be take the RLAP Houston, Tx soon and hope to be in the top riders soon.

I have a 29 inch inseam. the previous owner had lowered the back and front so i sit flat footed with a pillow top seat on an 04 RSV.

 

It takes time and with time, you build up some leg and arm muscle that help in driving these bikes.

[Guest seuadr]

I would pucker up and suck a hickey on the seat anytime I had to stop. After a bunch of seat time, those issues started working themselves out

hahahaha thats a fantastic explination. pretty solid visual of how i felt the first couple times i took the venture out. after a while, i got used to it, and now it's fine most of the time. old instincts and all that. still gotta watch it on curved inclines and the like.

[timgray]

My 83 felt tippy until I learned the bike and made one MAJOR adjustment. I got some good riding boots with 1.5" heels. that made a gigantic difference. being able to flat foot the ground and have a really grippy booot sole that wont slip even in sand made the difference between night and day.

 

They are a challenging bike though. not light and really easy to ride like a NT700V or a smaller bike that weighs nearly 1/2 these do.

[Blue Giant]

Thanks guys, I really appreciate all the advice you have given me. I own an XJ1100 and an XS1100 so I'm used to heavier bikes. Ed, I took the experienced riders course in the fall and I learned a lot about how to manouver at low speed. I had hoped my new tires and maintenance work would improve the handling more than it did. I will replace the steering head bearings when I have the chance but in the mean time I'll pray for better weather so I can get more seat time!

 

Thanks again everyone!

 

Paul

[Guest Swifty]

Hope this helped.....give me a buzz if you want to do coffee again and maybe we could do a little brainstorming.

...why don't you swap bikes with the Giant and each take a little toot around a big parking lot somewhere? Then both report back here.

[Brake Pad]

the only down side to doing the tight turns is my handle bars hit the gas tank.

and I find the venture likes to pop into neutral while clutching,and braking, at the same time