How do i steer and America

Sorry to say but you have chosen the wrong bike.

The America is the worst bike I have ever ridden.

Cut your losses and get a Bonnie.

Cruisers have a large rake angle of the forks compared to a street bike or sports bike, this makes them pretty stable in a straight line but difficult to turn, you have to really apply a lot of counter steering to make the damn thing turn. Also you will find that it is badly affected by road surfaces.

Even the mighty Rocket is rubbish in the bends,

 

I struggled initially with my Speedmaster but I got on the airfield at work and practised everything I had learned. I found the slow manoeuvres really difficult but with plenty of throttle and loads of back brake they are easy now. It is a cruiser so it's never going to give you sporty performance around the corners or shed loads of speed but with time you will find it is quite flickable around the corners and pokey enough on the straights!

(Don't forget to use your back brake to come to a complete stop to keep the bike upright!)

Give it some time and you'll love it to bits!!

 

Really?

I've never heard so much bullshit in my life, seriously!

Yes, because of the design/style of the bike they handle completely different to the normal upright style or sports bike.

Keith, firstly i applaud you for your first post, it takes guts to come out with questions like that on bike forums where everyone thinks they are a 2 wheeled God.

Practice makes perfect mate, do like Dave said & take yourself away somewhere like a retail park car park or industrial estate out of hours & practice everything you learnt during your lessons starting with the slow speed maneuvers, find your comfortable balance point on the bike, always cover your rear brake & keep the revs up. Once you've cracked that your confidence will grow no end. Get as many miles under your belt as you can & try to stick to the quieter roads where there are less distractions whilst you & the new bike gel together.

Alternatively contact the company you did your CBT with & ask them for some extra one-to-one tuition on a Saturday morning.

I found my America handles superbly, don't get me wrong, it's not like my Fireblade was but it's extremely flickable & i regularly drag the footpegs on the twisties. Anybody that finds the America difficult to turn & has to apply loads of counter steer to get it to turn, i would suggest that they either get their bike checked over for tyre wear, wheel bearings, headset bearings etc, learn how to read the roads, adjust your speed for the corner & position yourself correctly when approaching corners or alternatively get yourself some extra training.

As for telling somebody who has swallowed their pride to ask for riding advice/tips on their very first post that they have chosen the wrong bike & that they should cut their losses..... Priceless! It's no wonder this forum has gone down hill with comments like yours.

 

+1 on what Harvey says, everyone on a forum has an opinion lol.

Very harsh to tell someone who has just bought their new pride and joy that they have the wrong bike. Practice when its quite on the roads, and if you need help go back to the guys you did your training with and get for a day with them.

Getting your bike license is a great achievement and getting used to a new machine will take time, patience and plenty of practice.

As for the forum going downhill I don't agree with that either........ the more people that are on here the more people will have different opinions.

Good luck with your bike and let us know how it goes.

 

Spot on Harvey.

In 40 years of riding I've ridden and owned just about every style of bike from mopeds to adventure to supersports to bikes like the Bonnie and the America stands up really well for what it is. It's not a sports bike but it does handle really well and a lot better than many cruisers I've ridden. I moved from a Tiger to an America last year and after 11k miles in 11 months I reckon it's one of the best bikes I've owned. I love the riding position, it's fast enough for me and I can drag the footboards round corners if I really want to. It's stable on the motorway yet light enough to deal with very twisty back roads. CoG is low and makes filtering through 5 mile jams at the Dartford Tunnel a lot easier than it was on my Tiger. Fuel consumption is excellent and it always draws favourable comments about its looks. Wrong bike? Gimme a break :wink:

Already some good advice here - practice in a car park, contact the riding school etc. If you're anywhere near Brighton I'll gladly help out.

It's really not a lot different from any other bike except the turning circle is a little restricted which can catch out the unwary when the bars suddenly don't turn anymore! The beauty of the America is that the low seat height means that at slow speeds it is possible to paddle it if there isn't enough room for a feet-up U-turn or you aren't confident enough yet.

Stick with it Keith, it's a great bike and once you get your confidence you'll love it :smile:

 

Plonkers come to mind.

Have ridden the America twice and on both occasions found the ride, engine and handling to be dire so I stand by what I wrote.

If someone is misguided enough to buy a bike and then find out he cannot handle it he deserves to be given the truth not fussed over by guys who should know better, if he cannot handle it, his accident potential is far far greater than it would be if he had bought a regular bike that handles more like the learner bikes he is used too

Its his life he is risking riding a bike that he has difficulty riding and you guys seem to have forgotten he is new to riding.

So I say again, sell the bike, buy one that fits better and handles like your learner bike, survive six months and then go though the IAM advanced riding training system

 

Usually when writing anything on the internet I try to make sure I would not say anything that I would not be happy to say face to face.

I understand that perhaps an easier first bike may have been a standard Bonniville, but that doesn't mean he will not be able to get to grips with an America......there are plenty more unsuitable bikes out there he could have chosen. Its very difficult for newly qualified riders because virtually no dealer will let them have a test ride; how can the guy be misguided...... he probably never had the chance to ride it before buying?

I like to think that the people who have actually met me don't think of me as a "plonker" but I guess if your that way inclined you can say just about anything from the anonymity of a keyboard

 

Ha ha ha in six months your suddenly an advanced rider!!?? Stop it practise practise practise is the only way you ever get experience, not being told by someone else you got to get out there and do it "those that can do, those who carnt preach!":biggrin:

 

Well Col, you certainly have a way with words and know how to win friends and influence people.

You don't know me and, like Richard, I don't think I'm generally regarded quite as harshly as you judge me.

Each to their own I guess. I'm not sure why you have such a downer on the America. I'm enjoying the bike far more than many of the other bikes I've owned or ridden in 40 years. Then again maybe I really am just an old plonker who has no idea what he's talking about.

 

Maybe on the two occasions that you rode the America you were unable to adapt to the style of bike that it is either due to the time spent with the bike or your own inability?

 

You should have stuck with it mate, with a bit of practice you could have got the hang of it! I know these big bikes are tough for some but it gets easier :upyeah:

 

Hi , I've just recently got an America , after having a Faser for 10 years , and you just have to remember its a different style of riding, take it slow and easy, there's nothing to prove on a cruiser , and think about your manoeuvre well in advance , its about style and comfort and as they all say practice , enjoy the bike

 

Read the road & prepare yourself & the bike for the corners, speed & positioning are all important & make sure you've got your brake covered.

 

I agree with Harvey my speedmaster don't handle like a sports bike but that not why I bought it , when slow I tend to steer it similar to driving a sidecar . I love it :upyeah:

 

Ok folks lets agree to disagree and move on please.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion but please remember that a bike that may suit you may not be for someone else and also a bike that you really cannot get on with may be just brilliant for someone else.

I am closing this thread in the hope that this will be the end of it.

Many thanks

Steve