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Visionary
Posts: 3204
Memphis | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vigxMuKSaGg Be sure to click "watch in high quality" below the video screen. |
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The Poconos | I found myself leaning in my chair trying to help you around a couple of those curves.
Good luck to you.....I like my hands on at least one of those grips. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3204
Memphis | One shot deal. No need to ever do that again. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 110
| Braver than I |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 600
Linwood, MI | It's really a lot easier than you may think, Rob. The bike is very stable and reacts well to just a shift in your weight distribution in turn. I regularly do it coming home from work on a stretch of road similar to SongFan's video, but not quite as many curves. I remember the first time I boasted to some HD riders at work that I could ride all the way from Saginaw to Bay City no-handed. I got the usual round of "Bull shit!" replies, so I told them to saddle up and follow me. The route follows the river and is about 12 miles with a few easy curves and one S curve. After the show-off run all the "bull shits" turned into "holy craps!". 
For real fun shock factor I like to do it cruising down the Interstate--light traffic, of course. The look on some driver's face when you pass him with no hands is priceless. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 222
Barefoot Bay, FL United States | My question is, why put the GPS or SAT radio (whatever that unit is) right in your line of sight in front of the windshield? In Maine, that location is illegal. It's like putting a computer screen on your dashboard of your cage directly in front of your forward view.  |
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Tourer
Posts: 301
Buffalo Grove,Ill | I was actually thinking of putting my GPS in the same spot. When i hold it up there it looks pretty good |
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Visionary
Posts: 1484
LaPorte,Tx. | Rebel - 2008-10-10 9:22 AM
For real fun shock factor I like to do it cruising down the Interstate--light traffic, of course. The look on some driver's face when you pass him with no hands is priceless.
The looks get even more interesting when you do this from the passenger seat! |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 600
Linwood, MI | I don't quite have the cajones yet to try that one. But don't think I haven't been thinking about it! |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 732
Western WA | Songfan? Where is that autopilot button? I've searched everywhere on the console and can't find it.
Seriously way cool, and way more than I would ever do but it makes an impressive video. I'll be directing folks back to the link on YouTube...simply amazing. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 166
Bullhead City, AZ | I was never brave enough to try this with a bicycle but one day going down the interstate I let go and just kept myself ready. Eight miles of straight, light traffic, North Dakota highway later I stopped giggling and put my hands back. The balance of this bike made it so easy.
Where or how did you mount the cam-corder. My wife wants to take pictures for our " wish we had a bike" friends to druel over.
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Visionary
Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN | I do this regularly, 16 miles of very little curves and straight ways. Gotta drink your Dr. pepper somehow. I have actually gotten into the passenger seat and messed with the windshield and the windflaps to see the difference in protection. It is amazing a large difference in wind flow across the passenger with the windshield in different heights. I got a different perspective on why the wife always wants me to put the window up.
I do seem to be a little heavier on the right side, the bike seems to drift to the right, but it could just be the crown of the road. But as for doing it, its a lot of fun. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 725
Reno County, KS | pollolittle - 2008-10-14 9:54 AM
I do seem to be a little heavier on the right side, the bike seems to drift to the right, but it could just be the crown of the road. But as for doing it, its a lot of fun.
Yep! I noticed the same thing. It's been a constant across the various bikes I've owned. Pulls to the right without handle bar control. This is the first bike I've had with an electronic cruise, so it is much more obvious when I do it for miles. I read an excellent book called "Proficient Motorcycling" (2nd ed.) and found out the highway is concave. The DOT builds the highways up in the center to help keep water from pooling. BTW, this is the best book I've read on the subject of motorcycle riding. I highly recommend it. Maybe we should start a book/literature thread on the forum... |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 639
Tri Cities, WA | SongFan I really like the garmin Zumo 550 mounted like you have it. How and what did you do to get it up on your dash like that. I'm 6'2" so seeing over it would not even be a problem. I think it looks better there than on your bezel over the tank. |
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Tourer
Posts: 506
Woodland Hills, CA | I've ridden hands off for short distances, but nothing even close to that! The bike is incredibly stable, but your ride was impressive! |
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Visionary
Posts: 3204
Memphis | VisionNWRider, I had to go to RAM Mount direct to get an aviation mount that I liked. You have to turn the mount upside down to get the ball on top. I covered that section of my dash in two layers of gaffers tape (looks like duct tape but better, and black) then I put two nickels where the screws would hit and covered them up with another layer of the tape. The screws that come with the mount are cheap, plastic thumb screws so I got some stainless ones with lock nuts at the hardware store. Great set-up. You can swivel the GPS until it is perfectly centered and sits just above the warning light/turn signal cluster. Felt like a heads-up display and greatly reduced my scan pattern and eye fatigue because the GPS is the same distance away as the rest of the dash gauges. It was not in my line of sight at all. The low camera angle on the video is very misleading. http://www.ram-mount.com/index_files/ramb177u.jpg Here is the actual part # http://www.ram-mount.com/products/aviationmounts.htm (scroll down) It comes with the arm and you use the ball mount that came with your Zumo. Good luck, you'll love it. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 143
Sparta, WI | Beautiful but that glare on the top 3 inches of the windshield irritates the he!! out me. I slapped electrical tape on the top 1/2 of my control panel and it took care of the problem. |
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Fountain Inn, SC United States | I liked the movie so much it's now features on our frontpage. Nice job Songfan! |
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Tourer
Posts: 495
Carrollton, TX | Great video SongFan! I ride my Vision hands free a lot and have gone for as far as 30 miles hands free on fairly straight roads with some sweepers. It is easy to go through sweepers hands free by just applying pressure with your foot on the left or right highway peg. About two months ago I was riding with a couple of guys on Harley screaming eagle Ultra’s in a 35 mph cross wind and I set the cruise control and was hands free for several miles and they could not believe it. They tried it and had to put their hands back on the handlebars to correct the drift on the Ultra in just a few seconds. The Vision stays solid even over bumps and rough roads. It is fun to crank up the stereo, set the cruise control and play air guitar to your favorite tunes while going done a lonesome country or desert road. |
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Visionary
Posts: 3204
Memphis | Thanks for the props guys. But I can just hear my Mom's voice from my younger days. She'd look at my friends after I'd pull some stunt and we'd all be high fiving and she'd say "Don't encourage him!" |
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Victory Vision Autopilot Video