My thoughts on the True Track

 As I have been busy mudding and sanding drywall in my garage I haven't
had a lot of time for riding lately.  Over the weekend I did take a bit
of time to seek out some bendy bits and a few high speed sweepers, so I
could give the True Track a bit of a test.

Now keep in mind I do not consider myself an expert at riding, or
anything for that matter. Nor am I a renowned moto journalist who feels
the need to guard and protect my observations due to copyright
considerations.  I just plain like to ride and share my thoughts with
like minded riders.

Now some of these observations reflect very minor changes, almost
imperceptible to anything but the most discerning eye.

In no particular order of importance
1.    The signal lights blinked a little slower
2.    The chrome shined just a little brighter
3.    The rumble of the pipes was a little deeper without being louder.
4.    The fuel consumption was so low I am sure the bike was powered by the
laughter of small children.
5.    The satellite radio station played better music.  In fact as I leaned
hard into a corner my favourite song came on the radio.  Just as I
reached the apex of the turn a songbird flew up beside me and started to
sing along with the tune.  As this had never happened before, it had to
be due to the True Track.

OK, kidding aside I am pleased with the way the bike handles after
installing the True Track.  Although I cannot measure it, I am positive
I sit a little bit higher than before.  Maybe a half inch to an inch
higher.

I did not notice increased vibrations to the boards or handlebars.  As I
do not like buzzy bikes that was a concern for me.

In general terms the bike felt more solid, steadier, connected to the
road.  It is hard to describe but it felt much more predictable.  I
could roll from one side to the other easier than before.  I tried a few
emergency swerves and the RK veered and corrected quicker than before.
In fact it took me a bit by surprise. I am going to have to practise
that maneuver a bit more.

I found a few undulating (frost heaves) high speed sweepers which I
could ride aggressively without the rear wheel wiggling or any feeling
of uncertainty.  It just felt solid, planted on the road.

The bike tracked along the linear cracks without doing the little dance
that seemed to be the norm lately.

It was a nice day, I enjoyed the ride and was very pleased with the
improved handling characteristics of the RK.  That said just as I turned
into my cul de sac I did feel movement from the rear wheel.  It was a
slow speed turn and I was leaned over.  It might have been the rear
wheel slipping on a bit of gravel. I'll watch to see if that wiggle is
repeated.

So for improved handling the True Track gets 5 out of 5.  Ease of
install gets 5 out of 5.  For looks I give it a 4 out of 5.  It loses a
point for not being available in chrome.

I can’t speak to the engineering or the wisdom of connecting the motor
directly to the frame through the transmission pan.  There is something
troubling with altering the HD frame/motor design.  Having not read
anything negative about the True Track and tiring of the sloppy handling
of the RK, I decided to give it a go.  If I was more confident with my
mechanical abilities I might have opted for a fix to the swing arm
bushings.  There is a product called Glide Pro that Harley riders speak
well of.
http://www.glide-pro.com/?gclid=CK61yoTxp6sCFQhN4Aod-yF73g

For about the same price as the True Track the Glide Pro replaces the HD
swing arm bushings and shaft.  They recommend upgrading the faulty front
motor mount too.  It’s not a difficult install but I could see me
getting frustrated and pissed off trying to align the new shaft.  That
said I would be more comfortable with the engineering of that fix than
the True Track, if it worked as well.

To sum up I am very happy with the new feel of the bike.  The True Track
does what it claims to do without any negative effects, at least non
apparent for now.


--
Disclaimer
Do not believe a thing I have said, unless you already know it to be
true, or can independently verify it from another source.

Reeky Ride To The Rockies
http://actualriders.ca/reekyrockies.htm

 wrote:

(SuperSnip tm)

Don, thanks for the detailed report.   This is something I've thought
about for my Street Glide.   Mostly, I just ride slow through fast
sweepers on that particular bike, but this is certainly food for
thought.    I really like the idea of Snag's bushing fix, but still
not sure what I'm going to do.

 On 20/09/2011 6:02 PM, Tim wrote:

What surprised me was the improved feel of the bike wasn't limited to
the high speed sweepers.  I can feel the improvement at all speeds, even
while riding in a straight line.

Now I have to admit I have forgotten what Snag's fix looked like.  If he
catches this thread maybe he could remind me.

I think I mentioned, instinct tells me a swingarm bushing fix targets
the problem which would be preferable to anchoring the transmission pan
to the frame. It just makes better sense.

--
Disclaimer
Do not believe a thing I have said, unless you already know it to be
true, or can independently verify it from another source.

Reeky Ride To The Rockies
http://actualriders.ca/reekyrockies.htm

 Calgary (Don) wrote:

  How could I ignore a thread that relates to swingarm stabilization ???

  My cure is a drop-in replacement bushing made of chromoly steel and
aluminum bronze for the cleve block , along with a pair of sleeves that fit
inside the rubbermount cup . The thing is that there are two places that the
swingarm/motor/tranny can move sideways in relation to the frame , and ya
gotta do both for a true fix . The idea is to NOT restrict vertical motion ,
as that would negate the rubber suspension ...
  The bushing tightens up the trans/swingarm interface , the sleeves keep
the tranny from moving in relation to the frame . Sleeves alone will help a
bunch , the bushing is the icing on the cake .
  If y'all read Harley Tech Talk , the picture I use on my posts is of a set
of my bushings . That pair is on a shelf in Fox Arkansas awaiting install in
a friend's bike . Same guy got my prototype set , installed in an '82 FLT
w/92" stroker . We give the sportybike crowd fits , they can't believe we
can stay with them in the twisties . Straightaways are a different matter
...
--
Snag
Learning keeps
you young !

 On 21/09/2011 8:02 AM, Snag wrote:

Thanks for this Snag.  I think your set up is clearly the better way to go.

--
Disclaimer
Do not believe a thing I have said, unless you already know it to be
true, or can independently verify it from another source.

Reeky Ride To The Rockies
http://actualriders.ca/reekyrockies.htm