less stable?

does a cafe conversion make a motorcycle less stable?
for example.

i have a CL360, very similar to a CB350 twin.
I put clubman bars on it (yeah i know....they're gone now..bent to sh*t). i shifted my shifter back and had the back footpegs being "rear-sets". when doing this most of my weight is shifted over the back tire.
when riding, having your weight moved to this position on such a small bike, does it make it less stable or more likely to go down?

I hit a rock at 3mph at a stop sign the other day, and it locked up under my front tire and the bike immediately started to fall.
i tried to catch it, but i was by a construction zone and my feet slipped on all the damn dirt on the ground.

needless to say i was pissed. anyways, i never had that issue arise in a different riding position on my other bike (cx500). i am sure most of it is complete rider (dumba**) error due to me being inexperienced in this new position. but i have to wonder to.

opinions?
-brent

you need to be used to this position ,because loose sandy surface is a bikes worst enemy.I mean if you were confident and felt stable on it you would be ok .Just seems you were nervous in this new position.
A cx500 is a biker bike then your 360 as you know,but your cx hand air assisted forks and more weight and a position an up right position where most people feel more stable.more leverage at the handle bars and can get feet down to the ground faster.
Its more aero to use the cafe position and you can lay your self into the turn better then you ever could with a tradition seat position.
So its a more stable position once you get used to it and start to explore its benefits.
May be a good time to leaf thru some motorcycle race driving books.Now that you have a taste of both positions.You will learn quicker.

Im so far behind ,that I think Im in first.

Quote:

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quote:
does a cafe conversion make a motorcycle less stable?
for example.

i have a CL360, very similar to a CB350 twin.
I put clubman bars on it (yeah i know....they're gone now..bent to sh*t). i shifted my shifter back and had the back footpegs being "rear-sets". when doing this most of my weight is shifted over the back tire.
when riding, having your weight moved to this position on such a small bike, does it make it less stable or more likely to go down?

I hit a rock at 3mph at a stop sign the other day, and it locked up under my front tire and the bike immediately started to fall.
i tried to catch it, but i was by a construction zone and my feet slipped on all the damn dirt on the ground.

needless to say i was pissed. anyways, i never had that issue arise in a different riding position on my other bike (cx500). i am sure most of it is complete rider (dumba**) error due to me being inexperienced in this new position. but i have to wonder to.

opinions?
-brent

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When you change the weight distribution of the bike, it does affect the stability to a certain extent. I think that what you experienced had more to do with the lack of leverage with your clubmans vs the stock handlebars, which are much wider and therefore require a different amount of movement to make steering corrections, particularly at low speeds. This is hard to get used to, and isn't exactly intuitive.
Bull is right, the riding position makes it harder to react at low speed because more of your weight is on your hands. You do get used to it, or so I've heard.

FR

"does it make it less stable or more likely to go down?" just like the nra says (kinda) bikes don't gp down, people do. (it all depends on whom...) just kidding. any new position is less stable than one that you're accustomed to. weight bias doesn't have much to do with stability at 3mph, going straight. it has a lot to do with stability at speed. ideal is about 50/50 (look at new bikes). older bikes make it tough with the "cafe position" and end up yielding a rear bias. that being said. you can go really fast with comfort (stability) on an old bike in the "cafe position" just by being used to the position as long as you have a good relationship with the controls....not too bunched up, and not too stretched. the bias deal will only really come bite you if you're riding at the limit of the bike (stupid on the street) or at the tlimit of your abilities (even stupider on the street). most small (250/350) vintage race bikes have the less than the ideal 50/50 f/r weight distribution with a lot of weight (rider's ass) over the rear wheel due to the short wheel base inherent in the typical frame designs. modern (gp) race bikes have FRONT bias due to the ridiculous amount of available power (so they don't wheelie too much out of corners) and so they turn in to corners with maximum front end bite. just s few thoughts
parks

and a few typos too. sorry...i get too excited.
parks

parks,

your fingers got fat this winter. you might need to buy bigger gloves.

texy

my belly too...hope i fit into my leathers.
parks

These guys are all right. I remember the first time I got on my vintage race bike with the clip-ons and rear-sets and seat moved back and all...I was thinking man this thing seems twitchy to me. Well...it was twitchy...or in other words handled quickly and precisely. The short bars have a lot to do with it...lot less leverage on the front end, and a lot less movement to create movement in the front.
After riding my old vintage race bike I'll get on my 2000 RC51 and it feels like a slow handling pig.
Cafe style or vintage race bike...requires confident, controlled input..the reward is typically quicker handling and a bike more apt to pushing it's limits.
JohnnyB

cool. thanks for the advice.
i will get some books and
go back out to the parking lots
and start re-learning how to ride.
-brent

Quote:

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quote:

I hit a rock at 3mph at a stop sign the other day, and it locked up under my front tire and the bike immediately started to fall.
i tried to catch it, but i was by a construction zone and my feet slipped on all the damn dirt on the ground.

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This scenario will pretty much cause a majority of the riders to go down no matter what you do. The same thing happened to my father on his harley and he went down too, and that bike doesn't have low bars, rearsets, or a bubble back.