[vrodjohn]

I think Worm is the only one that has installed the Superbrace and has had the opportunity to feels it's effects. I ordered one last month and have already installed it but it's been a bit too cold to really test it. When I was younger and riding dirt bikes we had fork braces and they stabilized the front end of the bike. I think it was mostly for jumping and prevented the forks from spreading on hard landings. Will get the chance to test fully down in Fla over the next 2 weeks.

 

[vroddrew]

it was mostly for jumping and prevented the forks from spreading on hard landings. Will get the chance to test fully down in Fla over the next 2 weeks.

I hope you don't make too many hard landings down there...

I've read and heard a number of (usually) reputable people complain about the solid disc wheels (on the V-Rod and Fat Boy) exacerbating the difficulty of handling the bike in crosswinds. And certainly, in my own experience, it did seem like the first few times I encountered gusty crosswinds on the V-Rod were somewhat alarming.

With that said, however, I would say that after riding the bike for a couple of years in a variety of conditions, the "problem" has largely disappeared.

I have not seen any scientific study that would prove or disprove the susceptibility of solid wheels on a motorcycle to create a dangerous or difficult handling condition. If anyone knows of one - then I would be interested in reading it.

If there IS an effect, it would most likely be a fairly small one. The difference in side area of a solid wheel, vs. that of a spoked one is relatively small, especially if we take into account the fact that most modern bikes have front brake rotors, and the front forks themselves are usually of large diameter. A scientific test that placed both types of wheel and fork assembly in a wind tunnel and measured the coefficient of drag they generated would be good start.

I have also heard the theory that a solid front wheel acts like a "sail" , twisting in response to a crosswind, and thereby affecting handling. This is an interesting concept - but it should be remembered that at least a portion of the front wheel is located aft (to use a sailing term) of the steering axis, and would tend to counteract the "twisting" effect wrought by wind pressure on the front of the wheel. We should also remember that at highway speeds motorcycles turn by means of countersteering - i.e. turning the handlebars to the left causes the bike to turn to the right. I have not read a lot of anecdotal reports that the bike tended to turn into the wind.

We also need to remember that when encountering crosswinds at speed, the motorcycle and its rider are experiencing an "apparent" wind force that is the calculated through the force vectors of its headwind and the crosswind. This leads to the phenomenon that a crosswind directly perpendicular to the direction of travel is perceived by the rider (and effects the handling of the bike) as if it were coming from the front quarter of the bike. How this might effect handling I cannot tell, although as vehicle speed increases relative to actual wind speed, the apparent wind direction moves further forward. We also need to remember that as the speed of the bike increases, aerodynamic forces tend to create lift under the bike, effectively lightening the front end - and presumably making the steering lighter.

Certainly there are some documented real world examples of situations where two wheeled vehicles are known to be adversely effected by the use of disc wheels (the time trial bicycle, etc.) - but given the relative light weight and meager power output (sorry Kaz - but even the best cyclist can barely put out more than a few hundred watts of power, and then only for limited time :diablo: ) I'm not sure how applicable such examples are for our motorcycle application.

 

[shawn]

I to have noticed wind buffing on my v-rod, but I asked my dealer about this once,and was told that they had just recently got a memo about this from HD.The memo stated that a spoke wheel at 60 mph. was as a solid mass!!
I am not an engineer,this is just a coment I herd.

 

[mjw930]

Ok, screw the physics, I just like the look of a well designed billet wheel and I'm sticking to the "sail" story to convince the better half :diablo:

 

[Super Kaz]

Mark,
Now the Truth Comes Out! :spank: I'll even get ya a Deal on one just don't Corrupt any more Newbies! The Buffeting is Just an EXCUSE to Spend More Money on Trick $hit! :stilpoke:

 

[fehrc]

It's true, it is just an excuse. And the bad thing is...I don't need anymore excuses!

 

[mustangcav]

My 'Rod shifts in a stiff wind, but then again so did the spoked RoadKing I used to ride. The 'Rod also wiggles around when I'm behind an 18-wheeler or large panel truck, but then again, if you're on a V-Rod, you're not behind anything for long. To each their own, I like the solid wheels. If the bars move around, a good grip and more speed seems to be the cure!

 

[Dan]

She would never get on the site, says I am obsessed or something. Yeah, has she seen the Martha Stewart crap in the house?!!!

Oh, and if you are handing out good deals on billet wheels, don't leave out the fellow healer I am more than happy to be in the dog house for a good set! :diablo:

Dan,
Please forgive! :notworth: Do not let your Other Half Read this then and Our Secret will be Safe!
Greg,
As i said I have not raced bikes 12 years,but we do have one National Vet Champion cyclist name Rob "rhauft" is a member.He's not as active as he used to be here,but thats another story! :hidesbeh:

 

[Super Kaz]

I will be sharing that info with you and All ASAP :hyper:

 

[Dan]

Kaz, you're Super. :laugh:

I will be sharing that info with you and All ASAP :hyper:

 

[Rich Moran]

Mentioned this before, and will again, the scoops for the radiator on each side induce an air mass onto the surface of the radiator, that will definitely have an effect of pushing the side of the bike that gets wind. Take that mass of the rider, and the bike as a whole, with the wheels, and the mass of it all begins to look like a sail. If you get a low pressure on one side of the bike, you'll get pulled that way, similar to lift on an aircraft.

The fork brace on the front end is to minimize tube twist and supposedly toprevent lower leg flex as the movements are telegraphed throught the front end.

All of this then would end in keeping the steering tight. After running an inverted front end VS a stock Sportster front end on my Sportster, the inverted front end wins hands down, as defintely, no flex or twist was found with the inverted front end. There was no need to ad a brace, as the thickness of the tubes that run through the triple trees are designed to eliminate the need.

The brace is meant to do the same, to stiffen thin fork tubes, and resist flex. The V-Rods tubes that run through the triple trees are larger than anything else Harley has produced, so that is to our benifit and I think that has minimized the fork flex problem.

When i first got my V-Rod, I felt no difference between the inverted front end and the V-Rod front end. if there truely is any, i think it minimal at all, as I am a handling junky when it comes to these things. I dislike riding sofr handling style front ends, as their weakness sets you up for suprises in tough turns, and the V-Rod in my opinion is not lacking, like say a Sportster or a big twin with a Sportster style front end would be.

My only complaint in this area is the ground clearance on the sides & rear. I often implant the lower fastener that holds the collectors on the header system into the pavement, and put huge dents into the bottom collector of the exhaust system, and have done so many times. The fastener is shaved at an angle almost like your front slash or backslash key on your computer.

Last weekend, for the first time, I planted the kickstand into the pavement into a tight reverse climbing turn, and was quite suprised to find the limitations of turning with the stock set up. Makes me wonder what one would have to do to put the V-Rod into a road-race version.

When reading articles about going to heavier fluids or Progressive Suspension hop-up kits owners install, the goal is to actually push the front end to where a minimum of up and down run is minimized. Stiffening or increase the amount of pressure needed for the front end to "dive" which aids in heavier braking activity in turns or emergency stops is the final realization of these kits.

Anyone ever bottom out their front end on a turn or power stop? I have not been there with mine, as usually I ride 2 up, with the weight load at about 340 lbs or so. if you are planting your front end to bottom out, then the suspension hop-ups I think are a definite need.

I am not sure that the effects of the front end set-up would cross over to wind and high/low pressure on either side of the bike, as it seems these factors are a study in 2 different departments of physics of suspension set-up versus climatic conditions and mass.