I'm perplexed. I've made 2 trips to Cody Wyoming. Normally around home I travel between 55 & 65 mph. The first trip I was traveling at 65 to 75 mph and the bike pulled to the right enough to be tiring. The second trip, I increased the leanout and put on new tires front and rear. The rear tire is the same Duro Median as before, but I switched to a Bridgestone Trailwing G-39 which has a more aggressive semi-lug dual sport tread on it. While the steering is more pleasant, the new rear tire is half shot after 1600 miles, and my gas milage has dropped 5 to 7 mpg. The rig now has increased the lean out to 3 degrees from 2 degrees. The toe in incresed to 1/2 inch toe in from 3/8 inch. I've checked the toe in and lean out before and after each trip. Nothing has slipped or changed. How is it that increased lean out and a new front tire can have such a big effect on tire wear and gas milage? Am I overlooking something here?
Check the wear patterns on your tires. Especially the sidecar tire for evidence of scrubbing one way or the other. The edges or the tread will show a rounded edge on one side and perhaps feathering of the rubber on the other side if your sidecar alignment is off. If way out of alignment or balance, there may be cupping of the tread surface of the tires which will affect handling.
Besides that push to the right due to extra wind resistance, that extra 10 MPH will also be quite noticable in your gas mileage.
Lonnie
Lonnie,
There is some rounding over on the sidecar tire to the inside or sidecar side of the lugs. No feathering yet. What exactly do you mean by alignment or balance being off?
The lost gas milage is at the lower speeds. I expected poor milage at 65 to 75 mph.
Mark
Mark,
If the Stock Mitas tire center groove is rounded on the left (bike) side it indicates too much toe-in. The bike is pushing the sidecar tire sideways away from the bike.
Regarding tread cupping: I meant the sidecar alignment or tire balance is awry.
Lonnie
Could the mounts be flexing when underway?
Lonnie,
I'll try reducing the toe in.
Claude,
I don't think the mounts are flexing. The original set up did flex on the rear mount. I added a small brace to eliminate that. I'll reinspect the connections tommorrow.
