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Steering effort? And should I use a fork brace on my 1500 Goldwing?

First. I just got this 96 Goldwing. It came with an inst-trike kit. It was not installed. So I installed it and test drove it. The guy has the suspension all jacked up  and it rode like crap. And I could tell the bike was actually leaning a little. Point is there was what seemed to be a lot of steering effort. I know there is going to be some, just don't know if this was excessive because it was not dialed in. I only rode it about 1/2 hour.

 

So. I've had 3 FAILED shoulder surgeries. Driving this thing was really working my bad shoulder. Will a sidecar set up have as much steering effort? I  know there's things you can do to make it steer easier. I'm hoping this trike was so hard because not set up properly. Or is this what I'm in for with the sidecar as well?

 

I'm going from a 89 1500 Goldwing to a much nicer 96 1500 Goldwing.  I had installed a Blackwing fork brace on the 89. It's basically the same thing as a Super brace, but supposed to be better. Just in case for what ever reason I can't do a sidecar I would like to keep the Blackwing fork brace. Question is, would there be any benefit to using it WITH the sidecar? It does lock the forks together and just supposed to be better on just a bike.

 

I'm going to sell the trike kit to fund the sidecar project.

 

Thanks for any input.

 

 

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FlyingMonkeys

Unfortunately there is going to be significant steering effort required with either the trike kit or a sidecar. the only real solution is to replace the triple tree with an easy steer. I never had a trike kit on a wing but the kit we had on the Yamaha was a bear without the easy steer. I rode my 97 1500 with the sidecar for a few years before adding the easy steer but it could be a beast in turns. there is a little trick that helps but it's not highly recommended. I did it to mine and it worked but it only helped a little. then I installed the easy steer and it was like day and night. I just recently changed the tree on my 1800 and I'm so glad I finally did. you can get the easy steer for about 700.00 delivered to your door. Are you handy with doing repairs yourself, changing the tree isn't too bad a job if you have the tools and a place to do it 

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FlyingMonkeys
USCA # 8913
Quote from AceinSav on April 26, 2023, 10:55 am

Unfortunately there is going to be significant steering effort required with either the trike kit or a sidecar. the only real solution is to replace the triple tree with an easy steer. I never had a trike kit on a wing but the kit we had on the Yamaha was a bear without the easy steer. I rode my 97 1500 with the sidecar for a few years before adding the easy steer but it could be a beast in turns. there is a little trick that helps but it's not highly recommended. I did it to mine and it worked but it only helped a little. then I installed the easy steer and it was like day and night. I just recently changed the tree on my 1800 and I'm so glad I finally did. you can get the easy steer for about 700.00 delivered to your door. Are you handy with doing repairs yourself, changing the tree isn't too bad a job if you have the tools and a place to do it 

Thanks for the reply.

 

What's the little trick? Tighten the steering bearing?

 

And where do you get an easy steer for a Goldwing?

 

Thanks

tightening the head bearing is to help remove headshake at slow speeds. it sounds crazy but you can lower the tree on the fork tubes just a little, I did mine  10mm. the top of the tubes still clear everything just fine when turning. it works like it changes the trail just a little bit, also pump your rear shock up as high as it will go. it will stiffen the ride some but ease up the steering effort a little. Now please take this at face value and I'm not telling you to do this, just that I did it and it helped ease up the effort from what it was. 

RAKE KITS (cutnshootcustoms.com) best price I could find anywhere and a well built product, comes with detailed instructions 

in my opinion the hardest part was installing the tube extenders. those springs in the 1500 are really strong, even the stock springs.  I rode mine for a year without them, they don't make it ride any better they just lift the front back up to recover what you loose from the new tree. 

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SwampFox
USCA # 8913
Quote from AceinSav on April 26, 2023, 1:23 pm

tightening the head bearing is to help remove headshake at slow speeds. it sounds crazy but you can lower the tree on the fork tubes just a little, I did mine  10mm. the top of the tubes still clear everything just fine when turning. it works like it changes the trail just a little bit, also pump your rear shock up as high as it will go. it will stiffen the ride some but ease up the steering effort a little. Now please take this at face value and I'm not telling you to do this, just that I did it and it helped ease up the effort from what it was. 

RAKE KITS (cutnshootcustoms.com) best price I could find anywhere and a well built product, comes with detailed instructions 

in my opinion the hardest part was installing the tube extenders. those springs in the 1500 are really strong, even the stock springs.  I rode mine for a year without them, they don't make it ride any better they just lift the front back up to recover what you loose from the new tree. 

Thanks for the info. Do I want a 4 degree or 6 degree rake kit? And do you really have to buy the $60 tool for the stem nut,,,,lol.

 

But I'm going to get the sidecar installed first and see how it does before buying a rake kit. If it kills my shoulder, it will be a sooner than later project,,,lol.

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FlyingMonkeys

@Quick_Cal, you will want the 6 degree rake kit.

Question:  Where do you live ? is this the same guy that lives in the St. Louis, Misery area ? If you are anywhere near the Washington/Oregon/Idaho area, I will do the installation of that rake kit for you, for free. I have done all the raked triple trees on all of my Goldwing 1800's, and they were easy.

The Goldwing 1800 is actually easier to do than the Goldwing 1500, primarily due to the easier spring compression on the 1800's, whereas the spring compression on the 1500's is a lot stiffer.

The tightening of steering head bearings is not to eliminate head shake at slow speeds. That head shake at slow speeds is directly caused by a worn front tire. People make the error of replacing the steering head bearings because they have a head shake at slow speeds....and at the same time they replace their front tire, and they give credit to the new steering head bearings for the head shake being gone. That is a false solution.

And, on a Goldwing 1500, if it has the stock rear shocks....only ONE of those rear shocks is an air shock, and the other rear shock is a coil shock. In high speeds sweepers that odd shock configuration causes the Goldwing 1500 to wallow at high speeds. To correct that problem, and is highly recommended for sidecar use....remove both of the OEM rear shocks, and install a matching pair of Progressive Suspension air shocks...and at the same time install a set of Progressive Suspension front fork springs, with new fork oil...preferably 10w to 15w fork oil.

And yes, you can still use that Fork Brace on the '96 Wing, whether you are riding it as a 2 wheeled bike, or as a sidecar rig. serves the same purpose....it strengthens the forks, so less twist in their alignment.

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SwampFoxAceinSav
Two Million Miles, and All 7 Continents
Quote from FlyingMonkeys on April 26, 2023, 11:31 pm

@Quick_Cal, you will want the 6 degree rake kit.

Question:  Where do you live ? is this the same guy that lives in the St. Louis, Misery area ? If you are anywhere near the Washington/Oregon/Idaho area, I will do the installation of that rake kit for you, for free. I have done all the raked triple trees on all of my Goldwing 1800's, and they were easy.

The Goldwing 1800 is actually easier to do than the Goldwing 1500, primarily due to the easier spring compression on the 1800's, whereas the spring compression on the 1500's is a lot stiffer.

The tightening of steering head bearings is not to eliminate head shake at slow speeds. That head shake at slow speeds is directly caused by a worn front tire. People make the error of replacing the steering head bearings because they have a head shake at slow speeds....and at the same time they replace their front tire, and they give credit to the new steering head bearings for the head shake being gone. That is a false solution.

And, on a Goldwing 1500, if it has the stock rear shocks....only ONE of those rear shocks is an air shock, and the other rear shock is a coil shock. In high speeds sweepers that odd shock configuration causes the Goldwing 1500 to wallow at high speeds. To correct that problem, and is highly recommended for sidecar use....remove both of the OEM rear shocks, and install a matching pair of Progressive Suspension air shocks...and at the same time install a set of Progressive Suspension front fork springs, with new fork oil...preferably 10w to 15w fork oil.

And yes, you can still use that Fork Brace on the '96 Wing, whether you are riding it as a 2 wheeled bike, or as a sidecar rig. serves the same purpose....it strengthens the forks, so less twist in their alignment.

Ya. That's me from the St. Louis, Misery area. But it gets worse. I'm actually just across the river in Smellinois,,,,lol.

 

Again. Thanks for the kind offer of helping with the install. But You're just too far away. Do you deliver,,,,lol. And thanks for all the good info.

 

I went out yesterday to take the fork brace off the 89. Then the thought hit me with all the upgrades the guy did to the 96 maybe I better start there and see if he all ready put one on. Sure enough. It all ready has the better Blackwing brace. So a little luck.

 

Now I'm just waiting for a guy to pick up the 89 and get it out of my single car garage so I can start installing the sidecar onto the 96. Kinda tight in there with 2 Goldwings and a 72 Yamaha on a lift,,,lol.

 

 

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