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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 21
Columbus OH | Help! Did I buy the wrong bike?
I sold my H-D SoftTail and bought a 2010 Cross Roads. I bought this for a more comfortable ride when I ride with my wife, but when she's on the back I can barely keep upright at stops and low speed turns. Not big, (at about 130 lb.) when she's on, my lean angle when we're stopped is only 1-2 degrees either way before I'm gonna drop the bike.
I've played with shock air pressure and taken it down to zero with no help. Is there some set up point I'm missing?
I've got no problem riding single, but I bought this bike for two !
What can I do? |
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Tourer
Posts: 416
Prairie City, IA United States | You might try a lowering kit to give you a bit more leverage. Not being a HD person, I am only guessing here but your feet are probably out a bit further on the Vic than the HD. Other than that I would suggest a bit of parking lot practice with her on board. Not knowing how long you have had the bike, I will throw this out too. How comfortable are you on the bike riding solo? What can you do for lean angle at a stop? |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | Trade her in for a new model ...
Every hour or so I have to reach back and feel for MY wife's leg to see if she's still there. When she says something - I 'jump' when the sound comes thru my earphones ...
Is she maybe trying to help by 'leaning' ???
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 21
Columbus OH | I've considered all of that. I'm a 22 year rider, honestly the H-D was much easier to handle 2-up. Solo, I've got no problem, lean angles, stopped, is probably 5-8 degrees.
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 21
Columbus OH | No, she's an experienced rider too. Good passenger. It just feels as though she's perched too high. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 691
Manchester, CT | Hey radial
if you are having balance problems how do both of you get on the bike to begin with |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | I think your rear shock should be 40lbs (mine is always). and lean angle at a stop should be ZERO with both feet down.
I am on a Vision - not Cross so I can't say why/what would be different. I am only 5'8" and going on 70 years old. NEVER had a problem. Great ride today - here is a short video of one of our stops:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vqJuXkf2Ho
I know, quit changing the subject ...
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 21
Columbus OH | really? |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 752
Broken Arrow, OK | Agree Don, awesome |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 21
Columbus OH | Thanks, guys.
I know the Vision has a similar cast backbone, but I don't think they're the same as the Cross |
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Cruiser
Posts: 209
| the soft tail is prob. lighter than the cr. for starters...the cr is prob. taller and longer. its just a bigger bike. the cr. can be lowered about an inch for a couple hundred bucks. I struggle some 2-up i'm only 5-8 170lbs. and wifey is heavier than me. just gotta be careful..you'll get used to it. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 209
| street eagle... as for mounting bike with wife..I leave it on kickstand, she mounts then me..she leans right to help me upright..works great, no struggle holding up bike while she gets on. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | I get on - wife gets on ...
(DSC01085.jpg)
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 DSC01085.jpg (86KB - 4 downloads)
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | Banjodan - 2013-05-20 8:50 PM
street eagle... as for mounting bike with wife..I leave it on kickstand, she mounts then me..she leans right to help me upright..works great, no struggle holding up bike while she gets on.
We do that sometimes! So funny you said that. I'm 5'6", real featherweight, maybe 150lbs, wife is only slightly heavier than me (incase she reads this) . Other times I hold it upright while she gets on , no problem. 
Edited by jimtom 2013-05-21 6:50 AM
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Iron Butt
Posts: 691
Manchester, CT | Thanks Banjodan
jimtom...you and I are the exact same stature as well as our better halves! I will try both these mounting methods....ok,....I mean the bike 
There was a thread on 2 up mounting techniques and I attempted to search without any luck. If someone comes across it could you please post it. Thanks very much!1 |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 691
Manchester, CT | Found the link for passenger mounting suggestions
http://www.vision-riders.com/bb/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=9930&pos...
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 21
Columbus OH | I know how to get on and off the bike, as does my passenger. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 21
Columbus OH | I know how to get on and off the bike, as does my passenger. |
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Visionary
Posts: 2118
Pitt Meadows, BC Canada | radial - 2013-05-21 9:07 PM I know how to get on and off the bike, as does my passenger. I don't know how to say this - other than ... in 50+ years on more than 21 bikes - I have NEVER had a problem riding 2-up. I even took my first wife for rides after she was partially disabled, before she passed away. So - don't blame the bike ... keep searching for an answer. Maybe have a friend try with your lady - on different bikes, including yours. Whatever. Don't give up! I have never heard of ANY road bike being a problem riding 2-up. Don't blame the machinery. |
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Puddle Jumper
Posts: 21
Columbus OH | Yeh, I appreciate the thought, but I am not a novice. I've riddden 2-up for years on different bikes as well - SoftTail, Dyna Sport, Valkyrie, Bonnevilles way back . This bike is different. Sure, I can handle it, it's just that the point of no return tip angle -you know what I mean- is very limited.
I'm looking for set up suggestions to improve this. Lowering? Tires? Shock set up?
C'mon, I can't be the only one who's noticed this.
BTW, the Vision is not the XR. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 108
Conneaut, OH | Get a 1" lowering link it'll take 15-30 minutes to install. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | personally, I don't think my input is that valuable.
When I rode 2-up on my 84 GL1200 I just knew one day I would drop her and she'd never ride I again. It was always a struggle, even going down the road, because at first she was not a good rider. Once I got her trained, every stop, every take off was some sort of challenge. When I got the GL1500 I would not dare ride her on that one and got rid of it to get the Vision. I'm not a large man, and I've only be riding again for 7 years. Fortunately we only had one situation with the GL1200 where it would have been a total disaster if I let it go. I was on an incline, two-up on the Gold Wing stopped in gravel with about 5 Harley riders standing around. When I stopped, it was going down, but by brute strength I was able to keep it upright and just as I got back on balance, THEN they came rushing to help. I would have not only took us down, but a couple of other bikes as well. In the process, I pulled a muscle and nerve in my chest that has caused atrophy in my left hand. I'm short in stature, 30" inseam, 5'8" and a small build.
Since owning the Vision, I have never had a balance issue, with her mounting, dismounting, or riding, at stops or take offs. It is a night and day difference that made this novice look like a pro. So I truly don't know what the issue is that you are having with the Vision. |
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Visionary
Posts: 1308
Sand Rock, AL United States | he rides a CR. I can't speak to that. It and the fat tired bikes are the only Victorys I haven't ridden. 
Edited by jimtom 2013-05-22 9:01 AM
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Tourer
Posts: 573
Central Illinois | Radial, I have that same basic problem when riding 2-up, and it has not changed when I went from my FLHTCU to my FLTRU to my new Vision. I don't know what she is doing back there, she claims nothing, but I can ride easily at extreme low speeds when solo and have a hard time staying in control at as much 10MPH with her on back. I suspect she is nervous from all the times she has caused me to have trouble and now tries to help by shifting her weight around, which of course makes it worse. (That is just my guess)
Edited by Oldman47 2013-05-22 11:18 AM
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Visionary
Posts: 2027
Brighton, TN | Try the police slow manuevers, rev throttle and mid friction zone clutch and drag rear brake. Get the centrifugal rotational mass moving in the motor, helps stabilize the machine. Then ease out in the friction zone of the clutch while dragging the rear brake, slow manuevers are far easier this way. However, I have seemed to lost the ability to turn around in two parking spots, dropped the bike the other night 3 times and still couldn't do it. Losing my touch.
Also, pending the age of the bike. The steering stem bearings get sticky and notchy from time and wear, makes slow manuevers tough, same with worn front tire. |
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2-Up Riding
