Hey gang! I was out riding last night. On my way home, I was behind a car that must have straddled a "crater-sized" pothole. I found myself with absolutely no time to avoid it. I prepared for it "dirt bike style" and got my ass of the seat and loosened my grip. I let the bike go through and hoped for the best. BANG! That front hit hard! My entire body, except my hands, left the bike! I expected a bent rim, blown out tire, dented top of front fender from the brake tee and lower tree, and to scrape/bent chit underneath. I actually expected to go down! I kept the bike up and pulled over immediately. Wait a minute, the bike still rides OK. I inspected everything thoroughly. Where's the damage?
Fender fine. Wheel fine. Tire not flat. No damage underneath. WTF, could the Traxxion have saved my ass and my bike? I truly believe, had it not been for that front end, I'd have gone down and/or done some major damage. After all, this ain't the first time this has happened to me in NYC. I bent 21" spoke wheels like no tomorrow before replacing it with a mag wheel on my '85 FXWG.
I'm getting a little creaking from the neck, I noticed this morning. I'll try greasing the bearings thru the zerk fitting, but I'm not convinced I don't have to replace them. But lubing them might help. But all in all, I'm totally amazed how little damage there was. The only apparent damage was the chrome end cap from the throttle grip came flying off! So far, that's it!!!
So besides the great handling the AK-20 gives you, it saved my ass last night too! You're friggin' nuts if you don't do this mod. I'd never own another FL again without it! I am an AK-20 believer! And now apparently their spokesman! And remember, as Traxxion says, "It ain't bragging if you can back it up!!!"
Hoist!