David Levi wrote on 04/17/08 at 05:56:48:


Because they don't know what they're doing?

Welcome to the site. Bring the pressure down to the recommended level and try it. But you're going to find that the bike moves around quite a bit in the wind anyway. It's a very light bike.

Congratulations on your new bike and welcome!  Definitely use the recommended pressures.  It's a very lightweight bike and is prone to being blown by high winds.  I've become accustomed to it, as have a lot of folks.  You might consider a fork brace for added stability but it won't stop you from being moved by high winds.

Which requires a conscious disconnect between the sphincter muscles & the hand.

get the tire psi correct and check it often outside temp effects them a great deal and they'll drop some over say a month anyway - weekly check is good thing to do, ride a lot as much as you can. As the time comes look to upgrade the footing of the bike - fork brace, higher end tires, better dampened shocks, but likely most important is time on the bike - think about how many hours you've spent at the wheel of a car - and you really don't think about how to drive it all the time just when something abnormal happens - bike gets to be a lot the same way - you have to remain focused on a bike to be sure but the subconscious will start to help you operate it once it has done it enough

on the speed - these bikes are likely the happiest at around 55mph - but depending on where you are that may get you run over  

Thanks for the suggestions. I have had the bike less than a month and I've logged 350 miles so far. The only gaff I've had so far is someone bumping the back of the bike with their car because they were unhappy that I did not pull into the middle of an intersection during a green light for a left hand turn. To that point I just waited at the white line so I could have a wider turning area. Plus, doing this didn't leave me stranded in oncoming traffic.

The basic course I consider very important, and I am signed up for it, in September! The waiting list was pretty long. A few friends told me I should try to walk in, which I might try if my schedule lets up. Or, I could pay $300 to a H-D place that offers it locally, unfortunately, I find them a bit pompous though...

No offense to the H-D guys.

Usually people here are pretty laid back (Columbus, OH), as long as the Bucks are winning anyway. I was just in a part of town where some people don't give a rat...

It was an eye opener though. Rear view mirrors get much more use now than they did before at a stop...

Welcome.  I'm fairly new to the site too.  The people on here have been a tremendous help to me during my recent upgrades.  And DanGill is right, those service guys at your shop probably didn't know what they were doing when they over-inflated your tires.  Definitely fix that ASAP.  I'm pretty lucky because our local dealership is very well trained.

Wind is going to be a problem no matter what you do.  I ride about 8 miles to work each morning on a highway that runs right beside a river ... crazy high winds.  I'm like Paladin, as long as I stay in my lane, I'm happy.  I avoid the Interstate 99% of the time.  It's just too windy up there and the 18-wheelers blow me all over the road.  A little over 55 is where I draw the line (unless I'm passing somebody).