New to the forum. Not too computer savvy so forgive me if my protocol isn't correct.

I traded in my custom V-Rod and my custom '06 Classic 120 Jim's (129.2 HP) for a new 2011 Triglide on 7/31. Age and knees are slowing my performance down, so lower performance of the Triglide isn't a real big deal.

Got it home and noticed that the bike (looking from the rear) was "listing to port", 3/4" difference between the floor and the top of the wheel well cutouts. Noticeable and verifyable with a tape measure.

Took it back the next morning. Dealer "shimmed" it so the body was level. However, the handlebars and fairing point to the right when I drive straight on level ground. If you point the front end straight it will do left circles. Dealer disassembled/reassembled the front end thinking that the installation of the chrome lower forks might be a problem. Nothing fixed it.

I was going on a planned motorcycle vacation so they said to take it and they'd have a new frame or new trike for me when I got back. They suspected the neck was welded at a small angle. Didn't make a lot of sense to me, but off I went on my trip.

Tampa, FL to Portland, ME by way of Montreal. 2,860 miles over 14 days. Great trip. No issues except turning the fork lock to the left to lock the front end often turned on the headlights. And my trunk leaked, sort of. Well, actually, my cooler with a 12-pack of Bud Light fell over...

Before I left on the trip, mostly due to this forum, I changed the headers and mufflers to Fuelmoto SS headers and Jackpot mufflers along with a Power Commander V with auto-tune, and I changed the engine oil to Amzoil 20-50. Heat on my right leg was much less, and the hottest it got was 260 degrees on a 100 degree day in Washington DC in dead-stopped traffic. Most of the time it ran around 230 degrees. Sound is great. People riding behind me say my bike leans left, but that's this particular bike, so I thought. I'm satisfied, over-all.

Got back from the trip to see my new Triglide at the dealership. I pulled out my tape measure and, sure enough, the new trike is 5/8" leaning to the left. I measured 2 more Triglides on the floor. All of them (that's 4 for 4) lean at least 1/2" or more to the left.

I know the dealer can shim it level again, but I don't want the front end pointing right when I ride straight again, and I'm not smart enough to know if one could effect the other.

Anyone experience this? Are these things assembled by any manner at the dealership (which is a common denominator in my case) or just at the factory? Dealer started to tell me that might be the bike's design until they say my face...

Does anyone have a 2011 that sits level and points straight down the road?

Thanks, guys.

 

Jim... I moved this so others will visit. It was a tree in the forest where it was posted.

Welcome to the forum.

-wiz

 

welcome jim, i just measured wifes '10xxx after reading your post and it was less than 1/32" side to side. this is the first ive heard of this, bet everyone that reads your post will check there trikes.

 

Dang, I wonder what the heck is up with the lean. Will be interesting to see what other 2011 owners post up. BTW welcome to the forum.

 

Well you got this 11 TG owner to measure ours, also within a 1/6 of inch. Checked at frame and cross members under body, fenders front and rear, bottom of each tail light and even the top and bottom of exhaust pipes.
I am getting to think that my water in house has "happy" drug in it. We are very happy, more so knowing it is level and it also goes straight down road.
Welcome to forum.
Still Happy in stock form in Indiana,
Dennis

 

I kitted my on and the basis for getting the trike frame level is to first make sure the front forks are exactly perpendicular. That is where you start from. You clamp a bubble-level to one of the the front brake rotors....level it up and go from there. The frame is leveled by adjusting the motor-mounts with another bubble-level sitting across the rear (trike frame) and you adjust the mounts to bring all this into alignment. Front perpendicular...frame horizontal. This is without the rear tires even mounted on the kit.

Sounds to me like one of the frame jigs, or some employee along the assembly line is out of whack. You can jack the body around all you want to and make it look square, but like Jimaroo said...it's ain't going to steer straight going down the road. It will "find" a way to steer straight, but you have to adjust the steering input accordingly. In flight lingo...yaw.

If this screw-up is factual....it is absolutely unbelievable. Tell me it ain't true...please tell me one tire only had 10-pounds of air in it or something. I can easily understand how a fender can be lower than another, but Jimaroo is saying he has to "counter-steer", which to me means there is some frame or frame-alignment problem.

 

Welcome to the forum. Certainly hope you get your problem resolved and it appears that your dealer is working with you. Good luck.

 

No expert here but that list may be there to even the bike out factoring in the crown of the roadway.

 

Don't spread that around....the MOCO may get wind of it as being a viable excuse. I am not being a SA, but you don't always ride in the lane perfectly crowned and most of the highways that were properly crowned when built, no longer are. I suppose the MOCO may have set it up for only riding in the right-hand lane of an interstate, but they need to include that in the owners manual. Nah...I doubt it. The trike is suppose to built square and level.

 

Mine is dead on all around. I just ride the **** out of it.