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It's almost home!

Matt from Felony Fabrication called and said my bike is ready. Just need to go get it

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got it home and rode it around the block. Why does it feel as if it wants to kill me? It leans left when I turn right and I found my self in the next lane trying to counter steer. It's going to take a lot of miles before I stick my kids in it.
BTW, I lost the seat back on the freeway ride back home from the installer.

Yikes! Get urself to a parking lot and practice, practice, practice!! And load the car with about 70 pounds of ballast as close to the wheel as you can get it.

A rig is nothing like a bike, or even a trike. The center of mass is pretty much over only 2 wheels. That center of mass is guna want to go straight. On right turns, that mass is guna want to pick up the car wheel. Take those right turns SSSSLLLLLLOOOOWWWW!!

Take a S/TEP class too if you can swing it. Search this site for manuals on how to drive your rig. Yes, you drive a rig, you don't ride it.

By the way, I like your choice of tugs!

Yes, please take a S?TEP class. You'll find it to be the most important education you've ever had. Almost everything you know about riding two wheels has to be unlearned to ride a rig. Go slowly, go easy. You'll end up loving it.

I took the STEP class (voluntary), and although I failed the test, it gave me what I needed to know to drive 1700 miles starting the day after.

In spite of having memorized all of the books before hand, I don't think without the class that I would have pushed my personal comfort level far enough to have learned enough fast enough.

Worth every penny and every second that I spent on the class.

thanks guys, I do have all the books and have read them a couple of times, but they don't prepare you for that first ride. I have ridden about 30 miles in the city and only flew the chair once (in a parking lot). I am taking everyone's advice and taking all turns very slowly. I wasn't prepared for how much the car can move the bike around, but have gotten used to it. I also kept wanting to pt my foot down at every light and tight turn, which must have been pretty funny to watch. I'll try and find a STEP class close to me and sign up.
Anyway, I'm getting the hang of it and have already experienced the 'allure' of sidecars first hand; I had a guy at Autozone actually run out of the store as I was getting ready to leave and talk to me about the rig for 10 minutes.

🙂 Make sure you read all the corners before you take them. Weight in the sidecar well not make up for bad technique. Rear brake, good lines through the corners, accelerating, and proper body leaning through right hand corners is best. Practice, Practice. It should make you safer when caring a passenger.

This aught to start something.

Ballast and break BEFORE the bend.
Only in Hollywood the laws of physics can be broken!
If you try to do it in real life it are your bones that are to get broken.
Ain't somebody close to you for to make some drill under experienced eyes?
I felt that gravel roads are the ones that train your reflexes the fastest way and are on a rig the most forgiving training ground. The parking lot is for basics and get a first feeling.
Be aware that the most dangerous moment comes when you start to feel comfortable. Then in a sudden moment you will react as a solo rider...right opposite of what will be needed.

And don't laugh, after a certain saddle time of a few years you will be able to leave even hot heads behind you, like I just did getting to my farm...
Anyhow:
First step first.
erase solo habits
learn to read the road and to dominate your gas hand
practice
practice
practice

have fun. I got my training December 1986 in Norway.
tell you it was icey and great fun.
5 hot meals a day and 500 km / 300mi per day riding a sleigh.
Raeng kleng kleng.
MZ
Sven