Has anyone ever had a trike(motorcycle)?

48ford · March 14, 2006, 07:34:58 PM

Hi,
I have been looking at trikes. Thinking of getting off my bike,after I had my knee replaced Irene said she won't ride anymore:(.
So i'm thinking of getting a trike.
Anyone had one.
Russ

parklane · March 14, 2006, 08:38:35 PM

I don't have one, but a friend does. Hewent from a 1200 Goldwing to this 1500 Goldwing trike, cuz he was gettin older, and with 2 up, it was gettin to be too much. Says he really enjoys it, and his wife feels safer. My wife didn't trust me too much either with our 1500 GW, so I got her a 1100 Shaddow, and myself a 750 Magna. It's a lot of fun to ride, but still miss the wing out on the road.

John

GPster · March 14, 2006, 08:54:18 PM

A three wheel motorcycle or a motorcycle with a sidecar? Neither one is like a motorcycle because you no longer lean into corners. A motorcycle with a sidecar will allow you the upright seating and the ability to feel the road that a motorcycle would and the new three-wheelers that have a differential and two wheels behind a motorcycle frame will give you that feel also. A VW conversion or one of that style of 3 wheel conversions will have you sitting so low (and sometimes behind a bunch of mechanicals) that you'll loose that feeling. Also, most of these conversions have so many of the controls (shifting, throttle, brakes) that a lot of the motor control feel is lost. After my motorcycle wreck the simplicity of a three-wheeler appealed to me and my wife riding me around in a sidecar (16,000 miles) kept us connected with the motorcycle group. Then we had to give it up because she couldn't stand the driving anymore (they are lots harder to steer). After 10 years I was able to start driving a car again and started to re-consider the 3 wheel option and I don't feel for me that it's worth the trouble. I can talk about this more but I tend to get WORDY. I can answer more questions. GPster

Crosley.In.AZ · March 14, 2006, 09:05:15 PM

A trike and a cycle with a side car are 2 different animals to operate.

many guys go to trikes after hip or knee replacement if they still want to ride.

58 Yeoman · March 14, 2006, 10:45:17 PM

I rode a trike years ago, when I had to take my neighbor to get his MC license renewed. I didn't care much for it, but it WAS a 47 or 48 HD police bike, that had been cobbled up in more than one place. I can only imagine that the new ones are like comparing a new car to a model T.

A guy I work with had a Yamaha Venture with the Voyager 'training' wheels installed. He liked it, but sold it last week, and bought a new HD Ultra Classic, and will install the Voyager kit on it; he should be picking it up tomorrow. He said he went with an HD because the kit can be made to fit on it, but not a Wing. He said it cost around $4,000 for the kit, installed. You might think about one of those. You can remove them in a few minutes.

48ford · March 15, 2006, 08:44:16 AM

Thanks for your input on this.
I am looking at a trike not a side car.
I was watching TV last night and seen a new company that is making automatic bikes,the woman on the program all loved them.just something new. I can still lift my left foot up so I don't need one yet,but if Irene had seen it, You never know.
There is a compant called texas trikes,small world,It's in the next town from where Irenes family all live! We go down there in the winter,but not this year.
I went to see a guy in Holgate Ohio that builds them too it's called warrior triks. also nice work.
The insurance man will not insure a home built bike,could our street rods be next?
Russ

GPster · March 15, 2006, 02:39:56 PM

Check the law on your license. They will let you operate a bike with a sidecar in Ohio with a motorcycle license because the sidecar wheel is not powered but there used to be a 3 wheel license that was only good for 3 wheelers and you couldn't operate a motorcycle on one. I don't know if you can operate a 3 wheeler on a two wheel license. Check around, there are pneumatic and electric solenoid shift kits. If you can't find them anywhere then check on AAA's handicap rider site. GPster

Dave · March 15, 2006, 05:07:47 PM

Quote from: "48ford"Hi,
I have been looking at trikes. Thinking of getting off my bike,after I had my knee replaced Irene said she won't ride anymore:(.
So i'm thinking of getting a trike.
Anyone had one.
Russ

The nice part about a trike is that after the 3rd bar hop you find out you dont have to worry about the side stand

I dont care for em but thats me. Im hopefully gonna be looking for a new bike the end of summer cause I sold mine a few weeks ago.
Dave

Dave · March 15, 2006, 07:13:50 PM

Quote from: "N8DC"
Quote from: "48ford"Hi,
I have been looking at trikes. Thinking of getting off my bike,after I had my knee replaced Irene said she won't ride anymore:(.
So i'm thinking of getting a trike.
Anyone had one.
Russ

Oh Ya sorry bout the Knee stuff and I can see why you want a trike. I still love to ride an so does Sue so we will have another scooter.
Dave

Glen · March 15, 2006, 08:33:39 PM

you might enjoy this link the build pics of this bike are here:

http://www.paulyaffeoriginals.com/pyo-projects-nanettestrike.htm

Crosley.In.AZ · March 15, 2006, 09:02:33 PM

Insurance on bike;

check into the motorcycle insurance companies.

i use Progressive on my Goldwing... they were lower than any of the 4 bike friendly companies I checked with.

Trikes require a different rake on the front triple tree for better ride and steering control I am told.

On Goldwings there is a product called "Landing gear" the 2 side wheels drop down when the bike slows to a certain speed or stopping.

Many guys ride with bad joints or replacement joints. I hope you reach your goal

sirstude · March 17, 2006, 11:34:20 AM

Driving back from California this week we came across a guy riding a new Harley 3 wheeler. Probably won it in Vegas. He looked absolutely uncomfortable riding down the road. I have never ridden a 3 wheeler, but I understand how they would be really different. I was watching OCC one night and they built a trike for a wheelchair jockey. It had a new rear suspension that allows it to lean into the curves instead of being just upright. Don't know how that would be in the real world, but it was pretty neat to me.

Doug

Ed ke6bnl · March 17, 2006, 05:25:34 PM

Quote from: "sirstude"Driving back from California this week we came across a guy riding a new Harley 3 wheeler. Probably won it in Vegas. He looked absolutely uncomfortable riding down the road. I have never ridden a 3 wheeler, but I understand how they would be really different. I was watching OCC one night and they built a trike for a wheelchair jockey. It had a new rear suspension that allows it to lean into the curves instead of being just upright. Don't know how that would be in the real world, but it was pretty neat to me.

Doug

I built a vw motor trike with a friend and it had a springer front end, one seat for the driver and room for two in the back seat. I never drove a street bike only dirt bikes but the 3 wheeler was fun and easy to drive. Use to back it up and hit the brakes and would pull a good size wheely. We also had a 3 wheel Harley meter maid 3 wheeler and that was more of a handful and seemed some what unsafe, good thing it was under powered. Ed ke6bnl

48ford · March 21, 2006, 05:24:00 PM

.
I was watching TV last night and seen a new company that is making automatic bikes,the woman on the program all loved them.just something new. I can still lift my left foot up so I don't need one yet,but if Irene had seen it, You never know.
I found the company,They are in oklahoma city.
they are ridley motorcycles. they have a web page if anyone is interested.
Russ