New Rider Question.......

[Guest reggiepelletier]

Hi folks, I have only been riding about 2 years. Last week the wife and I decided to get a 2008 RSV. Prior to that we rode a Honda VTX 1300S. I realized that there would be a weight difference (The RSV is about 150 lbs heaver), and a much bigger bike overall, so I am prepared to get adjusted to the new rride, and I know it will take some time. I have about 13K on my other bike, so as I said still a new rider. After riding the RSV 2 weekends I seem to be fairly unstable at slow speeds especially riding 2-up with the wife on the back. We are both average size and I am about 6'-1". Don't seem to have any issues flat foot on the ground. I have developed slow speed issues particulary in parking lots trying to turn into parking spaces.

 

Do I just need to give a little more time and be patient? Will the stability come back after I get used to the RSV? We absolutely love our new RSV and can't wait to take a couple of trips together this summer, But I don't want my wife to start getting nerveous (as she has never rode her own bike), and stop wanting to go on rides every weekend with me.

 

Sorry about the rookie question, but you folks seem like a great group and I know that early in your riding days you may have experienced this your selves.

 

Thank you

Reggie - Tampa

K4DNA:bighug:

[royalstarjac]

Welcome to Venturerider and congrats on the new bike! Yes, the Venture is a handfull at slow speeds especially 2 up. Take it into an empty parking lot and practice every chance you get and stay off the front brake if the front wheel is turned even slightly.

 

Jerry "motorman" Paladino's dvd 'Ride like a Pro" has some good techniques for slow speed manuvering. Very few who have ridden a Venture for any length of time can honestly claim to never having dropped it.-Jack

[sarges46]

They are a bear arent they! If you do nothing you will get used to it after a bit. There are two things you can do to solve the slow speed handling.

 

One is get some levelling links- these raise the back by an inch or so and change the rake a little and from what folks say are an amazing differance. (I am adding these next spring).

 

The other is to get a narrower front tire. This also changes slow speed handling.

 

Some have even done both..but most are satisfied doing one or the other.

 

Also and I am serious...teach the boss how to get off if the bike is going over! Like most bikers, and I am sure I dont need to say this....but one day you will drop it.

 

Do a search here for levelling links or go the diamondr.accessorie site. They sell them. Some guys can make em cheap.

 

Search for tires and you will find lots of info on the narrower tire.

[yamahamer]

I HAVE JUST DROPED TO A SMALLER FRONT TIRE ON MINE AND IT'S A WORLD OF DIFF...ON SLOW TURNS AND MADE THE BIKE FEEL 100lbs LIGHTER. WITH TIME YOU WILL GET USE TO THE BIKE AND NEVER WANT TO RIDE ANYTHING ELSE. WELCOME TO OUR WORLD

[Tom]

At 5ft 9 I had issues but practice, practice, practice. Also when I replaced my tires and went to the Avon Venom 41 ft 42 rears It made a world of difference. Some on here have put on leveling links but my opinion is changing the tires does the trick...I know it sounds weird but all the people I know says the same thing. I have the stock size tires also,but some prefer the smaller size front tire. After you get used to it it will be all you expected I do believe. Tom

[stardbog]

I HAVE JUST DROPED TO A SMALLER FRONT TIRE ON MINE AND IT'S A WORLD OF DIFF...ON SLOW TURNS AND MADE THE BIKE FEEL 100lbs LIGHTER. WITH TIME YOU WILL GET USE TO THE BIKE AND NEVER WANT TO RIDE ANYTHING ELSE. WELCOME TO OUR WORLD

 

Ditto

 

Stock BrickStone tires Suck. Horible Handling in slow speed.

As Tom and Yamahamer Said When Is time right Get rid of stock tires and install Avon Venom. Some Guys here are installing slimer front tire , I Didn't I Have Stock Size Avon Venoms and WWWWOOOOOOWWWWW what a diference in handling, I would say 300Lb Lighter bike.

 

And Yes . Welcom to Forum and Good Luck.

[muffinman]

Reggie the only real fix for slow speed handleing is to get a First Gen they handle great at all speeds.

Yes the second gen is a hand full in parking lots but practice will help.

Welcome to the website stick around and dont worry about asking questions all will be answered.

Jeff

[firewalker]

I have about 2000 miles on mine and both me and the wife are larger people, the first time or so was fun at slow speeds, but after riding for a little bit I am getting the hang of it, have not changed the tires nor put on the leveling links, I keep about 40-50 PSI in the rear shock and a little in the front ( below 7PSI) and at slow speeds since the practice on it I just about have it down, 1up I have no problems, 2 up a little shakey out of the driveway but after that I have no issues, all I can suggest is to get it out and ride as much as you can, you will be scrapping the floorboards soon.... I too have very little riding only about 20000 miles and I went from a V-Star 650 to the venture.

[Guest KitCarson]

Reggie........it does take awhile to get used to it......one of the best things you can do is go to a big parking lot and practice low speed turns and then practice some more. Do not lean the bike in a slow speed turn, just turn the handlebars, you will find you can turn it quite well. And you have to train your passenger to sit on center and not be moving around at stops. Will not take long till you are only sitting with one foot on the ground........Backing the bike out of a parking area.....or backing it up into one, just do it slow and easy, take your time, keep it centered........most of the time I have my passenger get off.......then back it in....... Hey enjoy your bike......its a great machine. Kit

[Kidh2]

Just practice and you'll get used to it. I have an 02 Midnight and it was my first fully dressed bike. We 2-up all the time and it took a little while to get used to the slow speed handling. I don't have a garage and park and cover the bike on the side of my house where there is no room to turn around. The only way to get out is to roll backwards about 30 feet down a 36" wide 30 degree sloped walkway. That really taught me how to balance the weight in a hurry.

[Cougar]

I had the same problem. and even after getting used to the RSV

the bike handling was not right for me in turns UNTIL

I ADDED leveling links now I it turns like my old

Honda VLX *BWG*! well almost. (MUCH MUCH BETTER)!

AND *WELCOME*

 

 

Jeff

[Tom]

One more thing WELCOME to the site! Try and plan on meeting us at some of the get togethers..The next Big Annual get together will be in July in Ontario, Canada. My wife and I are going as we had a blast this past year in FT. Collins,CO..You will see alot of jealousy between 1st Gen owners and the far superior 2nd Gens but its all in fun. Besides I learn alot from watching the 1st Gens being worked on!

[Guest dakotasport]

Hi folks, I have only been riding about 2 years. Last week the wife and I decided to get a 2008 RSV. Prior to that we rode a Honda VTX 1300S. I realized that there would be a weight difference (The RSV is about 150 lbs heaver), and a much bigger bike overall, so I am prepared to get adjusted to the new rride, and I know it will take some time. I have about 13K on my other bike, so as I said still a new rider. After riding the RSV 2 weekends I seem to be fairly unstable at slow speeds especially riding 2-up with the wife on the back. We are both average size and I am about 6'-1". Don't seem to have any issues flat foot on the ground. I have developed slow speed issues particulary in parking lots trying to turn into parking spaces.

 

Do I just need to give a little more time and be patient? Will the stability come back after I get used to the RSV? We absolutely love our new RSV and can't wait to take a couple of trips together this summer, But I don't want my wife to start getting nerveous (as she has never rode her own bike), and stop wanting to go on rides every weekend with me.

 

Sorry about the rookie question, but you folks seem like a great group and I know that early in your riding days you may have experienced this your selves.

 

Thank you

Reggie - Tampa

K4DNA:bighug:

Jus ride it and you will get use to it,lets ride neightbor.........tim

[alounsbe]

Hang in there, this bike took me longer to get the hang of than any bike I have ever owned. Be prepared to lay it on its side a few times in the process. Fortunately it rolls over without breaking much. But after you do get the hang of it it is a very pleasant bike to ride. I also agree that the narrower avon front tire helps.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

Hey put on a pair of roller skates and use em for outriggers!!

 

You know I'm kidding, right? Hey just practice, practice, practice....in a large empty parking lot, by yourself. No passengers, no spectators...(they can make you a bit self-concious).

 

Practice low speed manuevers. Figure 8's and sharp turns into parking spaces...come to a complete stop, then do it again and again...no front brake at low speeds unless the front tire is pointed perfectly straight ahead.

 

Do you know how to 'play' the brake? Apply VERY slight pressure to the rear brake while making sharp turns at low speeds while using a touch more throttle to overcome the drag....holds the bike upright and gives it stability. Also helps with driveline slack at very low speeds. Im talking about 'walking' speeds, or just above that... Also, you can press down on the footboard with the opposite foot (opposite the turn) , to help hold steady on low speed turns..all this while feathering the clutch....coordinating all this together takes practice, but it will become easier and feel natural very soon.

 

You can do it...take your time....practice...and hey...hats off to you for asking for advise...sometimes we dont want to do that for fear of looking foolish...but you are doing the right thing by asking.

[midnightventure]

I rode mine to Colorado the first summer I had it. 2500 miles in 5 days. After that I felt like it was a smaller bike. At slow speeds there is something called the friction zone. You slip the clutch and keep the RPMs at about 1100. It gives the bike stability you wouldn't usually have at that slow speed. The internal parts spinning are similar to the tires spinning. There is a printed article by a police trainer named Neil Harris that is very good. You have to request it from him and he asks that people not transfer it electronically.

motorlessons@richochet.com

[86er]

All of this is good advice, and some of the best is to get and practice the "Ride Like A Pro" video! Here is a link to the site.

 

Here is a [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHo6kZc33Ks]You Tube[/ame] of Jerry "Motorman" Palladino doing a demo. With practice you can lean the bike and drag the floorboards even at walking speeds. As you watch the video, you will see that when they start playing follow the leader, the two bike in the middle are women riders.

 

Oh Yea........... :wel_ani3Tay: :BLUE: !

 

[mini-muffin]

You may want to take a safety course as well. It'll give you some of the confidence you need as well as practicing and the video.

 

Margaret

[Brake Pad]

Hi folks, I have only been riding about 2 years. Last week the wife and I decided to get a 2008 RSV. Prior to that we rode a Honda VTX 1300S. I realized that there would be a weight difference (The RSV is about 150 lbs heaver), and a much bigger bike overall, so I am prepared to get adjusted to the new rride, and I know it will take some time. I have about 13K on my other bike, so as I said still a new rider. After riding the RSV 2 weekends I seem to be fairly unstable at slow speeds especially riding 2-up with the wife on the back. We are both average size and I am about 6'-1". Don't seem to have any issues flat foot on the ground. I have developed slow speed issues particulary in parking lots trying to turn into parking spaces.

 

Do I just need to give a little more time and be patient? Will the stability come back after I get used to the RSV? We absolutely love our new RSV and can't wait to take a couple of trips together this summer, But I don't want my wife to start getting nerveous (as she has never rode her own bike), and stop wanting to go on rides every weekend with me.

 

Sorry about the rookie question, but you folks seem like a great group and I know that early in your riding days you may have experienced this your selves.

 

Thank you

Reggie - Tampa

K4DNA:bighug:

I had to do the same thing.

I came off a 04 roadstar to a venture, I found it likes to lay down into the turns, very light on the front end, But, Yes, I took it into a parking lot and rode in circles for a few hours, circles, figure 8's, then pulled my trailer, and started doing the same with the trailer, then the wife on the back.

I'm 6-4 and my knees hit the handbars when I turn them all the way in. But I've learned to lean slightly when making my turns. I also used "Ride like a pro". I've been riding for 27 years. And Yes, Ride like a pro, taught me a some new trick's.

[Guest BluesLover]

Reggie - welcome to VentureRider!

 

After not having ridden a bike for about 35 years, I got back into riding about 5 years ago. In September of 2005, I went from a 99 Virago 1100 to an 06 RSV. For the first 2 months, the better half never even got on the bike, 'cause I wanted to make sure I could handle the beast on my own first.

 

One of the first things we did once we were riding 2-up was to lay the bike down in a park area - the idea being to learn how to pick it up properly.

 

Within the first year, I wound up laying the bike down 3 times (2 when I was solo, and once with the "clingon" on the back). All 3 times were, of course, slow speed maneuvers.

 

The following spring one of the first things I did was to take the bike to the local college where they do the lessons and used the obstacle/driving course layout that they have to get better at maneuvering the big bike .

 

I didn't put the links on (I'm vertically challenged at 5' 6" and the thought of putting the bike any higher was out of the question), but I did have some of the foam taken off the driver's seat to better flat foot the bike. That made a wealth of difference.

 

I also changed the tires. The Brickstones were NOT good at all, and I am now running a Dunlop 404F on the front and an Avon Venom 42 on the rear. That too, makes a whale of a handling difference.

 

I did 25,000 kms this year, 90% of it 2-up and it was all great!

 

Trust me ... you'll get to loving that big beast!

 

Cheers,

 

Lou

[pegscraper]

All these responses and I haven't seen anybody say "practice" yet.

[CrazyHorse]

All these responses and I haven't seen anybody say "practice" yet.

 

 

Practice,Practice, Practice. Use your rear brake,feather your clutch and throttle after lots of practice you should be able to drag your boards with the best of them. Dont look down at the ground either while in a steep slow turn cause thats where you will go. Look over your shoulder at a point behind you in the direction of you turn. You may drop the bike quite a bit though. I know a Harley can take the drop no problem not sure about Yamaha used fire hose to protect crash bars. Dont be afraid to lean it over with proper throttle,clutch and rear brake action you can balance it nicely in a good lean at slow speeds. (Well my weight is mostly centered over the bike and the bike is leaned over.) I've seen many riders afraid to lean it over mostly folks that have been riding for years like a airline pilot who gets into an acrobatic plane and gets unnerved by unusual attitudes just never really pushed himself or his plane to the edge. You should be able to turn in the span of two parking spaces on that bike.

[Guest tx2sturgis]

All these responses and I haven't seen anybody say "practice" yet.

 

 

Scroll up/down till you find my post...I said it!

[royalstarjac]

All these responses and I haven't seen anybody say "practice" yet.

 

Read the first response in this thread.-Jack

[az1103]

I've been riding over 40 years, small ones, big ones , prior to the RSV a Kawi Nomad - not that much lighter.

At 5'9'' I found it uncomfortable at slow speed untill I dropped the front down just under an inch. WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!!!! No need to change tires ( if you're on Dunlops at least) and the lower seating position (actually only about a half inch) is also more relaxed and a plus.