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Turning/cornering with Dyna Wide Glide

Spade5 said:
In my opinion the extra rake on the Wide Glide makes the front end tend to flop at slow speeds especially if you use any front brake and the front wheel isn't pointed straight ahead.

When I was trying to learn how to ride mine I made several trips to an empty parking lot at the local school and praticed slow speed circles and figure eights in both directions. I can turn left better than I can turn right. I also would use light pressure on the rear brake and keep the engine speed above idle using the clutch to control my speed.

To me keeping the engine speed up and having a little drag by the rear brake made it more stable. After a few weeks I guess I finally bonded and stopped doing it. Also remember to look where you want to go and do not look down.
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yes its the rake i had to practice slow movements untill i got used to it. now 30k that small tire up front gets me all the time but i love the look.
 
At least 4 people I know with wide glides that have done the same thing... all but one are new riders to HD and the narrow tire and slightly longer rake. As people already said, practice slow turning. Im getting back on after 20 years of no bike. Im relearning the same stuff again. :s
 
Admiral Nelson said:
Can you stick a wider wheel in like the new Sportster 1200C? Would that help the handling?
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front wheel can be replaced by a larger wheel mine has a 16" front and rear this was done by previous owner also needs the front fender to go with the wider wheel

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Brian
 
Very sorry to hear about your accident. I hope your recovery is quick and behind you. I test drove that bike and also found it to take turns wide. Both low speed and high speed. Besides the front tire size and the rake, I think the bike needs more ground clearance too. I test drove a Fat Bob immediately bought it. The bike feels 100 lbs less than it actually weighs. In addition to the rake, shorter wheel base, bigger tires, I think having mid foot pegs even provides more stability and balance.
 
The wide glide is an amazingly agile bike, scraping a foot peg on the ground in a corner is easy to do. You may have hit or crossed a hump with out realizing it and lifted your rear tire some causing a loss of traction. This can happen on roads that have different levels from wear or slopes.
 
I ride a Street Bob with forward controls. I have rarely dragged my pegs. One day I surprised myself by dragging the heel of my boot in a slow speed corner. The contact with the road actually pulled my foot off the peg. I almost dropped it right there.
You are actually more likely to drop a bike or drag your pegs in a slow corner because of some interesting physics.
The bikes centre of balance shifts more easily to the inside of the corner when travelling slow as centrifugal forces are so much lower. It's actually the centrifugal forces that keep the bike off the pavement in a corner lean. At low speeds the lack of centrifugal forces are overcome by turning the front wheel into the turn (opposite of countersteer). It's likely the increased rake of the WG minimizes the effect of the front wheel turn at slow speeds making it want to dive. Avoid squaring off a corner especially at low speeds and try carrying more speed.

I love Physics.

Glad your OK.
 
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