[RichRT]

Holy Crap this is old. Do you realize you revived the dead from 2012?

Anyway to address this, I came from a Yamaha FJR which was very top heavy due to an inline-4 and 32" seat height. The RTW is night and day different and very well balanced with the center of gravity being very low. You will have a hard time finding something more well balanced IMO-unless you are vertically challenged and looking for a 28" or less seat height. Then maybe it is time for 3 wheels.
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Holy Crap this is old. Do you realize you revived the dead from 2012?

Anyway to address this, I came from a Yamaha FJR which was very top heavy due to an inline-4 and 32" seat height. The RTW is night and day different and very well balanced with the center of gravity being very low. You will have a hard time finding something more well balanced IMO-unless you are vertically challenged and looking for a 28" or less seat height. Then maybe it is time for 3 wheels.

Holy Crap this is old. Do you realize you revived the dead from 2012?

Anyway to address this, I came from a Yamaha FJR which was very top heavy due to an inline-4 and 32" seat height. The RTW is night and day different and very well balanced with the center of gravity being very low. You will have a hard time finding something more well balanced IMO-unless you are vertically challenged and looking for a 28" or less seat height. Then maybe it is time for 3 wheels.

Haha. Yes I saw the date right after I posted. Oh well. Yeah like I said for me it’s just a matter of getting used to a bigger bike and being more mindful of the weight. Absolutely love this machine.

 

[Hfjeff]

All meant in good fun...

It's all relative to what you came from. Harleys are much heavier but have an even lower COG. The FJR is heavier with higher COG due to the inline-4. For me, 1 test ride on the RT and I was sold. I easily maneuvered a U-turn on a single lane highway without putting my foot down or sweating bullets.

That being said, last summer I came VERY close to dropping the RT with my wife on back. I was attempting that same U-turn, but the road was sloped fairly steep to one side which really throws off your balance and sense of levelness (is that a word). It took everything I had to keep the bike off the ground. My wife could not help as she is somewhat short and with the side case could not reach over it to put her foot down.

 

[erikwillie00]

I'll keep beating the dead horse. I spent the first 10 years of my riding career on a dual sport. When I came into the world of an RT, I learned something very quickly about slow speed maneuvering on the RT. If you turn the handlebars, buddy, you better be ready for that bike to make a turn! Because it is going to turn on half a dime. So the problem may be having bars turned when stopped. I'm sure someone has mentioned that already.

 

[Yango]

One problem many riders have that I notice is that they stay on the front brake at very low speeds and are turning the bars while doing this coming to a stop. This is a very easy way to drop any bike. Get off the front brake unless the bars are square, front wheel straight ahead. Best practice is probably to use both brakes to around 5mph then use only the rear doing the final stop.

Trust me on this, at low speeds (parking lot maneuver speed or less) if you have the bars turned the least bit to either side with the front brake on, the bike is going to pull hard in the direction of turn and it is very difficult to recover once the drop begins.

FWIW, many people who take our Riders Edge courses that have dropped a bike a low speed realize that they touched the front brake and had an instant asphaltic experience.

“...instant asphaltic experience.” LOL!

 

[Yango]

It’s always a safer, more stable situation if you can flat foot your bike at a stop, especially riding two up.

 

[rapz]

I had a 2013 RT that I thought was a bit too tall for me (5'10") and I dropped it three times in almost three years. My 2017 RT is just a bit lower, but it makes all the difference in the world to me. I've had it four years and have yet to drop it (knock on wood). I've had my 2008 HD Ultra Classic since the fall of 2007; been to Sturgis, Mount Evans (14,130 elevation), and all over Mexico riding two up and have never dropped it. It's COG is much lower than the RT. I do think that it's all in thinking ahead. I think about every stop I make; check the pavement level, grease spots, pot holes, etc. I usually brake with my foot and stay off the front brake; left foot down first. I'll do the front brake stop if its a quick stop or conditions call for it like heavy cross wind, etc.

 

[NoelCP]

I do think that it's all in thinking ahead. I think about every stop I make; check the pavement level, grease spots, pot holes, etc. I usually brake with my foot and stay off the front brake; left foot down first. I'll do the front brake stop if its a quick stop or conditions call for it like heavy cross wind, etc.

I agree--with full awareness and reasonably competent low speed riding skills you will avoid dropping your bike if you really dedicate to it. I don't have crash guards so I try to stay focused always w/ all the scenarios that increase risk for a drop. I always research my parking spots even if it means parking a ways away, always look down at my sides stand to make sure it's fully deployed before putting any weight on it, never do u-turns in areas where I'm not 100% certain I an easily make it, finish braking w/ only the rear brake as a habit (i.e., the bulk is done w/ the front, just the last few feet transition to all rear), etc etc. I'd much rather spend my attention, time and money with OCD low speed management approach over counting on crash guards under the auspice it's inevitable, and those cost $$ and get scuffed when the bike goes down. It helps to have some luck I understand, for the unforeseen. I try to ride as if I will win $1,000,000 if I avoid a drop for the life of the bike, now at 45.5K and purchased new, and so far so good, knocking on wood.

 

[Iscadean]

I have had my Rt for a year now and have dropped it two up a couple of times.

Have read many post stating that most riders will drop there RT.

I had a Victory and found it much easier at stops to keep it stable while coming to a stop than my RT. Not saying the Victory was a better bike. You seldom hear of a Victory or Harley tipping so often.

I have 10,000 miles on my 2011 RT and still find it a little tough is slow traffic and at some stops when two up. Maybe its just me?

Thanks for any help

Richie

Depends on the length of your legs really. Wide stance, flat foot, solid grip of the bars is all that’s needed. A full tank, a heavy passenger and full top box might cause a problem for anyone however.

 

[mrkwmsn]

One problem many riders have that I notice is that they stay on the front brake at very low speeds and are turning the bars while doing this coming to a stop. This is a very easy way to drop any bike. Get off the front brake unless the bars are square, front wheel straight ahead. Best practice is probably to use both brakes to around 5mph then use only the rear doing the final stop.

Trust me on this, at low speeds (parking lot maneuver speed or less) if you have the bars turned the least bit to either side with the front brake on, the bike is going to pull hard in the direction of turn and it is very difficult to recover once the drop begins.

FWIW, many people who take our Riders Edge courses that have dropped a bike a low speed realize that they touched the front brake and had an instant asphaltic experience.

Agree 100% on the front brake. I've had a lot of bikes and dropped everyone at least once. All at slow speeds and all because I hit the front brake too hard, slid forward and was thrown off balance.

 

[rtwiz]

Thanks, so much for the help as i am willing to take advice from anyone. It seems like it's not just me from the amount of post about crash bars and repainting side cases. At 69 yrs. old i ride 12,000 miles a year and do love this bike but i would rather have a Harley on its wheels than a RT on the cases. Twice down in a year may be twice to many for an old couple.

Richie

Richie: I sympathize. My first RT went down several times. I think the 1100s and 1150s are more top-heavy than hex and cam-heads. My wet-head seems easier somehow.

I didn't own my 1150 long enough to drop it more than once.

My '05 RT went down a lot. I had front tip-over bars on it. I did trail riding on it and a lot of crazy stuff. 80,000 mile of mostly joy....a great bike. In CO, I did dirt trails solo on it with it fully packed. It did incredible things, but I found out that when the State of Colorado says "Only Off-Road Vehicles Beyond This Point", they know what they're talking about! I tried it twice. Each time, near catastrophe in a very short time.

The '17 wet-head has Illium tip-over bars. I dropped it trying to U-turn on a hill once with it fully packed. Once the weight gets a little off, you just have to let it go and turn it off. It took 15 minutes or so to gather my wits, unpack the bike and arrange things so I could put it back upright. (Never fact the bike when picking it up, butt into the seat, grab the tail and the handlebars, pull front brake and push with your legs.) There are videos of a 100lb woman lifting a Gold-Wing this way by herself. A few scratches but no harm done and I continued on.

I've used the front brake while turning at low speed more times than I'd care to admit. It's the wrong move on an RT. Doesn't always dump you but that otherwise vestigial rear brake pedal can be put to good use below 5mph.

Riding two-up is hard, especially if you're pillion is not a lightweight. On hilly terrain, it can be especially tricky. Do learn specific techniques for this and don't feel stupid you don't know them.

Doh! Moments:

Speaking of hills, I pulled into a parking lot on the Cherohoa Skyway in NC once, put my foot down only to find that there was no pavement there. ...Doh!!! Down went the bike with full gear on the seat and hard bags loaded. I always, always look now, for uneven surfaces when I stop on a parking lot...and make sure the wheels and not my foot, will be in the lowest spot.

I did the same thing backing down a driveway. I did fine, impressive even, until I stopped where my wheels were on high ground and my feet were not... Front wheel on the steep incline of the drive and the rear wheel up the opposite hump of the street. My feet were in the valley between. I need almost 1 ft. longer legs to stop there! At the time there were 5 of us riding. I had been the 1st guy down the mountain all day by a big margin. ....Doh!

I have a friend who would go on really long rides, get off the interstate, stop at a stop sign and forget to put his foot down! ...Doh! It happens...unless you specifically think about these peculiar hazards.