Does anybody else have this problem?

[Bob Denman]

Okay... This is an embarassing one. :opps:
For years; I never wanted to put the bike "In the grease patch" in the center of the road; I'd ride either tire track...
The Spyder leaves the operator no choice but to be planted dead-center in the lane; the "dreaded grease patch..." :shocked:
My years on two wheels keeps trying to take over, and I keep finding myself hanging the left front wheel on or over the center line... :yikes:

Is anybody else so afflicted?

[donec]

Yes, I have the same problem, but I think I am getting over it.

[boborgera]

Yep, Same here, But i learned fast to center the Spyder,
Not a good thing to have the left tire on the double yellow.:doorag:

[hrbeta]

Yep, I feel your pain... I was always double guessing me regarding the grease patch. I decided to mainly main the two front wheels and let the Nanny worry about the rear. So far, so good...


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[Cruzr Joe]

Bob

Don't you wish that was the biggest problem in life? :ohyea::ohyea::ohyea:

[Bob Denman]

Why yes; yes I do... :thumbup:
But it still bugs that after TWO YEARS; I'm such a dang slow learner... :gaah:

[NancysToy]

The Spyder has more room to maneuver withing the lane than you think. I am usually able to avoid the grease and debris patch, yet still stay far enough from the edgse of the lane to allow some wiggle room. It is a matter of where you aim. You're going to have to adjust your vision, and look at a spoot on the road a bit more to the right. It doesn't have to be dead center. Can they teach an old dog new tricks?

[ARtraveler]

I ride about a foot to the right of the center line with my left wheel. If we are doing stagger formation, the other :ani29: about a foot from the right lane edge.

Not a good idea to be on the center line--to many cages try to invade your territory--which could be a big problem.

[mick ruhdorf]

Yeah i to find myself either nearly over the center line or off the side of the road but as im nearly new to :spyder:in i guess ill have to ajust or come unstuck nojoke

cheers mick

[mxz600]

I'm such a dang slow learner... :gaah:
You better wise up Bob. There is not room on here for two slow learners.

To answer your question, I never give it a second thought.

When riding a conventional bike in the tire track you have two tires not in the grease patch. When riding the Spyder in the center of your lane you have two tires not in the grease patch. You see, nothing to worry or think about.

[ottawa-rider]

My problem is similar but different.

I often ride on a road that has wide cracks in the pavement right in the center of either lanes, meaning both directions. it's very difficult with the Spyder to avoid those cracks, especially with oncoming trafic.

[Buttsy]

No that one I do not have...........but they normally place the manhole cover dead center of the lane, not always but normally. On a car you straddle it, on a 2 wheeler you ride either side of it, on a Spyder you are damned if you do or damned if you don't?:dontknow:

[boborgera]

I just got back from a short ride in my 6n, And thinking about the center patch, Since the advent of closed systems; ie PCV, Radiator return tanks and Tighter Engine seals,
There isn't much of a grease patch anymore. :thumbup:

[billybovine]

I had the Spyder for only a week. I was following a car, maybe a bit too close, and the car straddled a car window squeegee. Until that point I had not given it much thought on how to avoid road debris with three wheels. I straddled it as well and ran over the handle with the back tire with no harm done. It did make me think about other situations that could come up.

[ThreeWheels]

No longer. I'm cured of drifting over the yellow line. I'm CURED I tell you.

I had to go to Spyders Anonymous, but I did it.

To be honest, that was the HARDEST part to get used to.

I got used to the steering instantly. Not having a hand brake took a few weeks.

Keeping the Spyder in the center of the lane took several months.

[BLUEKNIGHT911]

Just ask "CincySpyder" aka Dave &Teddy where I like to drive mine...:yikes::gaah::agree::roflblack::roflblack:: roflblack:.....They were following me on the " Rattler "..........Mike

[grumpybob]

Had that problem for a couple of rides, tractor trailer doing the same thing on a curve is a fast cure! Now if only the squirrels would learn where to sleep on the road!!

[wilfredopr]

About a month after I got my spyder 26 months 2 days and 6 hours ago, who's counting time. Have to stop at a toll booth while it was raining, took me like four attempts to move out of the grease line . I got so much grease/oil that for about 1/2 a mile I spin the tires every time I hit the trottle, that's when I discover THE NANNY

[Bob Denman]

Well I'm just at a loss as to why I keep having so much trouble centering up the bike... http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/10/10_1_6.gif

[NancysToy]

I had the Spyder for only a week. I was following a car, maybe a bit too close, and the car straddled a car window squeegee. Until that point I had not given it much thought on how to avoid road debris with three wheels. I straddled it as well and ran over the handle with the back tire with no harm done. It did make me think about other situations that could come up.

Taking a small object just inside of a front tire seems to work well. For larger objects, just grit your teeth and hang on. If you are towing a trailer, you have five tracks, it's like trying to avoid an object with a steam roller.

[SpyderAnn01]

I just got back from a short ride in my 6n, And thinking about the center patch, Since the advent of closed systems; ie PCV, Radiator return tanks and Tighter Engine seals,
There isn't much of a grease patch anymore. :thumbup:

Take a ride in Las Vegas and you'll change your mind. The roads look wet here with all of the grease build up and then when it finally rains it is slicker than pig snot. :yikes:

[Bob Denman]

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_10_2.gif :hun:

[spydaman60]

Okay... This is an embarassing one. :opps:
For years; I never wanted to put the bike "In the grease patch" in the center of the road; I'd ride either tire track...
The Spyder leaves the operator no choice but to be planted dead-center in the lane; the "dreaded grease patch..." :shocked:
My years on two wheels keeps trying to take over, and I keep finding myself hanging the left front wheel on or over the center line... :yikes:

Is anybody else so afflicted?

i had it for two days. the third day i owned my spyder a truck passed me and almost took off my left front tire. scared the living p--- out of me. i ride the center now!!!

[boborgera]

Take a ride in Las Vegas and you'll change your mind. The roads look wet here with all of the grease build up and then when it finally rains it is slicker than pig snot. :yikes:


It's all Relative,
I guess your too Young to remember the days when cars had the Crankcase vent tube drip directly on the roadway, and the antifreeze would do the same, not to mention the main seals dripping down the road, :dontknow:

[smoky]

like a good conservative!....The width of the spyder's front wheels outside to outside is 65" (5'3") which is sufficiently narrow to let you run your right wheel to the right side of the right tire track lane, thus putting your rear drive wheel just to the right edge of most grease strips. I think you can get the drift....:bowdown: smoky

[spyderbirds]

Bob,
A big part of what is fighting you in the lane placement is your position sitting on spyder compared to when in your cage.
On the spyder the left wheel is a bit farther to your left than what your cage left wheel is....
On the two wheeler its a no brainer you sit right above track on straightaways....
Once I realized this fact and used a ballpeen hammer to drive it in my noggin, it became easier to keep my left wheel where I want it.
Now I drive by seat of pants... meaning I place my behind just left of grease patch and that gives me a foot to foot and a half left of my wheel to the center stripe.
When someone approaches wanting that real estate I can always move more right, but I dont like inviting them over on my side by hugging right side of lane.

:banghead::banghead:.

[Tomite]

My husband was just getting onto me about this last week. Now I'm trying to watch it so I don't run into somebody.

[bruiser]

Bob, your off center any way. :roflblack: :joke:

I ride slightly left of center on wider roads. On our local roads I ride center and don't think about the slick slot.

[pickelhead]

I keep my left wheel close to the center line, it tends to keep the 4 wheelers honest and in there lane (most of the time anyway).

[Bob Denman]

Bob, your off center any way. :roflblack: :joke:


Folks have been telling me that for well over 50 years... I don't know why! :dontknow:

I should perhaps mention that some of the secondary roads in our neck of the woods have essentially NO road shoulder... :yikes: If you hang a wheel; you're hung! :shocked: That fact can make folks want to "take their half out of the center" whenever the opportunity presents itself.
I didn't realize this before; but my time in a cage also puts me over the left tire track; perhaps it's the constant re-inforcement of this location that's giving me the fits? :dontknow:
So for now; I'll try lining up the grease patch with my skidmarks... :opps:

[Schnauzer]

I pay for 12' of lane, when they are striped. Sounds like most everyone is Ryding the "Auto/Bike" in the defensive mode. "Always leave yourself an "Out". with that in mind, your taking up the left side of the roadway, Now you have an option to move right 6' or more, if possible or need be. There are 4 times when I'm not crowding the left side,

#1:: Riding in a staggered formation, allowing the ryder/ryders behind to see what is coming/going on ahead.
#2:: Following a vehicle with the oncoming traffic piling up in a long line, and I'm the last vehicle in my lane. You'll know what I'm talking about if you'be been there. I back off the vehicle, move slightly towards the center for better visibility. {for myself and the idiot who just can't wait to floor-it, and be the 1st to the next intersection.}
#3:: When there are no markings on the road.. I usually give in more than I should, but better safe than sorry!
#4:: Depending on which lane I'm traveling "Solo" on a multi-lane road. I try to keep myself & headlights in the mirror of the traffic in the adjacent lane.{So I'm guilty of moving left to right. Very seldom will you find me right in the middle unless I'm caught in stop/go traffic} If I can see them in their sideveiw mirrors, hopefully they have seen me. I try to never allow myself to get in the blindspot for more than a moment. Speed up slowdown move over. "Get the Hellouttatheway".

"WOW".. never really thought about all this offense/defense since it comes naturally over the years of riding..mid 70's..Live & Learn

Ride Safe..Ride Aware

Bob,:yikes: You Damn Right I Hug The Yellow Line!!:doorag:!

[Bob Denman]

Good Point! :thumbup:
I do like to move left-to-right within the lane to increase my ability to see and be seen... :2thumbs:

[Kratos]

I'm confused all the time, especially when it rains. It drives me nuts that I can't find a way to get all 3 tires out of the water stream....:dontknow:

[Bob Denman]

You need to concentrate harder... http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/4/4_12_12.gif


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