I have been a Road Star 1700cc owner for only a few weeks now. I am still breaking it in actually. I really have only one big complaint.

While turning in curves or even in the parking lot, I have been scraping the floorboards. This is apparently due to low ground clearance and turning to sharply. None of my previous bikes had this problem.

Unfortunately, one incident resulted in dumping the bike unceremoniously in the parking lot when I turned and hit a divot at the same time. The floorboard acted as a pivot and lifted the front end off the ground. God Bless the Engine Guards.

Now I am driving on eggshells, afraid to take a turn on a country road.

So after any ridicule you wish to deal out on my driving expertise, I am asking for comments on the Road Star's Turning radius. Is it possible to achieve higher clearance? Is this just something one must take into account when driving a Road Star? I have a stock machine with the Silverado Package.

Only article I have found was for lowering it further...no thanks.

Sorry if this topic is elsewhere, I am not used to forums.

Scraping in the parking lot! Must have been a squid in your previous life

If your bike is stock then you're cooked and will probably have to change your riding style .

Most guys lower their bikes but you could raise it if you want. You'll need to ge t the dogbones on the rear shock assembly lengthened and put fork extensions in the front. The front will present some problems as you'll have to either remove the front tins or get longer lower tins made (you can't buy them). Besides myself I don't know of anyone else who made lengthened tins.

Raising the back will change the dampening dynamics of the rear shock.

You could make adaptors for the front floorboards to raise them a bit. You would have to test the lean, especially on the right side, to make sure that nothing else bottoms.

All said and done, I think you'll just have to live with it.

Doc

I've never scrapped my boards (yet), seems maybe you're used to a sport bike rather than a cruiser. Sorry you dumped her in a parking lot, but like Doc said maybe a change in your riding style is needed.

hi bert

i knocked up a set of the floorboard extensions, but with all the holes in line, and gained a bit more clearence. i have 10mm +/- chicken strips on my tyres without having adrenalin o.d. moments

in general use the floorboards will drag, but they´re hinged so you have to go waaaay further normally to have any problems from the bracket.

at the most extreme lean angles the rear of the frame touches down which is a bit noisey, but you have to go a long way to do it.

Welcome to the Clinic BB.

Be sure it's just the boards you are scraping and not the mounts too. The boards have skid pads on them. Wear down the mounts and bad things can happen. I used to scrape quite often. Then I put the floorboard ext's on and now I rarley scrape. Andt like the others said, the roadies a cruiser.

You bought the wrong bike for your riding style
Should have bought a WARRIOR

Thanks for the replies and the welcome aboard. This looks like a good group!

Figured that it was my riding style, yes, my past bikes were more so the custom variety, a Honda VT1100 being the previous one. Can't whip around the curves any more..... I actually am having a hard time bonding with this bike because it is a cruiser, but....I am now driving to work all the time and for that it is a bueaty.

I will have to see if I can find the floorboard extensions topic. It is actually the mount on the right side which is usually the problem. I believe you are referring to the one which angles the floorboard up at an angle. Yes? no?

Hopefully when I get used to navigating a forum I will find the info better.

Thanks all.

Here's the Ext's write up
http://roadstarclinic.com/content/view/74/107/

I bought mine from a member on the RSR site. They are adjustable for tilt.

BB, have wondered about that myself! I've scrapped them a couple of times and it was a bit un-nerving, plus I am a relatively new rider on top of it! I've resigned myself to taking the corners a bit slower and upright!

Musky, thx for the link on the extensions, think adjusting the tilt would make enough difference to help some.

Musky, thx for the link on the extensions, think adjusting the tilt would make enough difference to help some.


You're welcome. The answer I'm going to give you is my results from my riding style. I think it's moving the boards forward that gives the extra clearence. The tilt just makes it more comfortable. But I could be wrong on that. I never ran them flat so the tilt might help. I scrape less now that I moved them forward but that is for the way I ride. I might have been right on the border of scraping / not scraping before. I just don't want to give anyone the impression that it will change the Roadie into a curve carver. I still scrape but not anywhere near as much. You also have to take into account how long your legs are. At 6' 4&quot; and a 36 inch inseam the extensions were a must have. Doubly so after I put the looney seat on. That's something you need to decide for yourself. But if you have the tools to make them yourself you can make the ext's shorter if that works. You can't go longer unless you want to get a longer brake hose. That's my 3.5 cents. (inflation don't ya know )<br><br>Post edited by: Musky, at: 2006/10/24 17:24