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Trike 2001
Darlene owns Triwing Industries, a company which offers trike conversions on a number of bikes: contact her at darlene@triwing.com for more help! Trike Riders International Org Mystery
Designs A resource article on trikes and disabled riders from Kevin in Australia for Bikernet.com |
2008Monday, January 7 Hi VTwin Mama, I just wanted to "thank you" for the site and I'll try to get my wife (owner/operator of her own 1100 V-Twin Shadow) to get on the site. She's not a newbie rider ... she's been at this for about 15 years and she's a very good rider! But as she and I get older, it maybe time for her to leave the 2-wheeler behind. She's had a medical problem just last year (GBS, which is Guillian Barre Syndrome) and we both think she may NOT be able to handle the 2-wheeler (mostly in certain road or parking lot areas) with her loss of some muscle control to her ankles. But I'm trying to get more info about a Trike conversion for MY Gold Wing and this will allow her to still drive "a" bike to work or on many of our long trips.:-) That's where your site came in handy. I saw a few websites, names of companies and some phone numbers that I'll be contacting about a Trike conversion from your site. I'm no rookie motorcyclist as I've been at this for about 35 years. Been around these trikes as well ... but wasn't sure if we'd ever get to a Trike. So, now I'm looking to convert this bike (if possible) or buy used. Just wanted to thank you for the site (and the needed info) and I'll look in from time to time or try to get the wife to come on board. Regards, Barry N. in York, PA Dear
Barry, Trikes are really coming into their own these days, as more and more people acknowledge that the reason that there are so many options in motorcycle types is because people have challenges that need to be addressed in order to keep them free and on the road! From two to three wheels, manual or auto transmissions, modifications to controls/set-up, to the huge range in engine cc sizes ... it's all about the same thing ... riding and keeping on riding! Any one out there that is pooh-poohing this concept needs a serious mind melt IMHO. I'm sorry to hear that your wife is facing a medical challenge, but glad to know that you're researching options for the future. I know one day I'll have to make choices about riding and am grateful for every person/company out there that is taking the time to come up with ideas that will keep the collective "us" going ... there are so many smart people, from the small fixes to the big concepts, that make our motorcycle riding world an enriching experience, just knowing that solutions are available when we'll need them! Mama Tuesday, January 22 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Charlie, Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Anon, As to already converted bikes for sale, I'm not sure if Danny Johnson, the owner, can assist or not. Some people listing trikes for sale will call out the trike conversation type, while others only mention that later on in the ad. Mama Monday, February 18 For Anon who is interested in Danson Trike conversions: Danny Johnson, owner of Danson Trikes, is presently working on a trike conversion for the Suzuki Burgman 400 and the Yamaha Majesty 400 for the people that have or want these smaller scooters. I work with Danny on these kits and we expect to have them available soon. We will keep all notified on www.Dansontrikes.com as to their completion. Thanks for you support and congratulations on your excellent website. Michael Cook (note from Mama: thanks for the update on upcoming model conversions ... there are a number of people who are interested in the mid-size scooters but want the three-wheel experience.) Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Kathleen, So, given what we know from this letter, my advice would be to find a trike with a reverse gear. That frees up any balance issues on gravel (trike) and having to push it around (reverse gear). So now your research is threefold ... which bike, which company to make it a trike, and which can have a reverse added to it. Yikes, it's starting to sound complicated! I'd simply start by calling one dealership that offers information about trike conversions, etc. A well known name in trike conversion is Lehman Trikes and they have a dealer just north of Salt Lake City, UT or up in Greeley, CO. Call one and get an idea of what models they can convert and add a reverse gear to. Mama Tuesday, February 26 For Kathleen who is considering a trike for her new rural location: One of our Rocky Mountain (chapter of WITW) members rides a Honda Goldwing Trike that has all the bells and whistles + reverse. It seems to be a reliable and a well balanced machine. Just my 2 cents worth. I've never driven it, but been on several rides with her over the years. Jasmine (note from Mama: Goldwings appear to have a good trike conversion record and the GWers have an excellent support/membership system as well.) Hi VTwin Mama, Dear Patricia, One is US Trikes in Maryland and they note that Ridley did provide them support in working on this kit, but that Ridley does not endorse the product. You'll have to email them as I'm not sure if it's a DIY kit or the bike has to be transported to MD for the changeover. If they are the company I'm thinking of, the waiting list was very long last I heard, so be prepared for that! I will also note that MTC Voyager has a different kind of kit ... it doesn't remove the rear wheel ... rather it's two added wheels and can be removed whenever. So that's something to check in to. The last time I talked with Clay Ridley, founder/owner of the company, he was on the fence about conversions. I'd call the company's headquarters in Oklahoma City, OK (405-525-5400) and talk it out to get the latest word on this. Mama Thursday, February 28 For Patricia wondering about Ridley Trike possibilities She may be interested to know that Ridley is offering a trike, new in '08! Maybe she can trade up to it! From a happy triker (Suzuki/Lehman) in Maryland, Cathy (note from Mama: how DOES this news slip by me?!?!?!?!? Holy moly and delightful wonderment!) Tuesday, March 4 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Pollyanna and Daniel, I would check this MTC Voyager troubleshooting page ... could just be a pre-load issue. If you still need to think it out, then call the installing dealer and describe the motion and talk it out. If you feel they can't answer the question fully, then call MTC Voyager headquarters and keep noodling out what the rocking motion might be. Mama Monday, March 17 For Shaking who is trying to get back to riding her Morphous scooter after a bad leg break: My heart just went out to her. I know what she she means by getting nauseous about trying to sit on the bike, using the throttle, etc. and her fall had much more serious consequences than the dumps I took. I hope what I share with you will encourage her. I did have the Tow-Pac conversion kit put on in May, and have never regretted it for a minute! I am doing what I had wanted to do--ride--and without having to deal with the balance issues, and I am having a blast! I went from having only about 100 miles on the bike before I took the MSF course----with most of those miles put on by friends who would take the Morphous over to the parking lots for me so I could practice---- to having almost 1000 miles on it! I am so proud of those miles! On my first couple of rides, I was still a bit nervous, but it was a completely different kind of nervousness--the excited, anticipating kind! Riding with a kit on is different, and you handle your bike differently, but it is definitely just right for me. I have gotten to experience the fun and love of riding that my friends would talk about. I could only imagine what it was like before I had the kit put on, because all I felt was uptight, scared, and sick to my stomach. But having the kit put on my bike has made a world of difference, and now I love my bike! I ride with a group of 6 friends, and except for one gal who has a 650 Yamaha V-Star, the rest have scooters. All of us except one of the group are new riders. All of us newbies took the MSF course last summer at different times, and have our first bike for the first time in our lives as well. The age of us riders are from 41 to 78!! The 78 year old has both a black Yamaha Morphous that he rides as a 2-wheel, and a Honda Goldwing with a Voyager trike conversion kit on it, which he rides more often. We 6 riders rode together all summer and fall, whenever 2 or more of us could get together--- honing our skills, encouraging each other, seeking and giving suggestions, and just having a great time together! Our last ride was in November. We went to a nearby restaurant on a cloudy Ohio day with 40 degree temps. But it was one of the best rides for several of us, me included! I have a few friends who don't ride who like to joke with me about my extra wheels, but they also have told me that they are impressed and in awe, as they would never attempt it--extra wheels or not! I have never had anyone be rude because of the kit. Instead I have gotten to meet alot of neat people because of having this kit on. People will come up to look at the bike and ask what kind of bike it is, and then ask all kind of questions once I tell them it is a regular 250 cc scooter with a Tow-Pac trike kit. I kind of feel like an embassador for the Tow-Pac company, and I am more than happy to share my joy! The greatest compliment I ever got was when I and a friend had pulled into the gas station to refill, and a gentleman on a motorcycle pulled up on the other side of the pump. He got off his bike, came over with the biggest smile on his face, and asked, "What kind of sweet little ride is this?" I am so happy that I didn't give up trying to ride altogether, but went your advice to "go with my gut feelings and trike it." I am so proud of myself, and am having so much fun. I am looking forward to another season of riding, and the skill I will continue to build , and all the fun adventures and trips I am going to go on, with friends, and on my own. I hope that Shaking in My Motorcycle Boots or anyone who has been having problems with learning to ride, will find the path that works for them, so they can experience the thrill and fun of riding that they are longing for. Thanks again, V-Twin Mama, for being there for people. Hugs, RAF (note from Mama: I appreciate the update on your conversion and how it's going ... it's certainly an idea for Shaking to consider! ) Tuesday, April 8 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Pixie, Wednesday, April 16 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Jamie, Friday, May 9 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Ray, Tuesday, June 24 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear GJC, I hesitate to point out age as a factor in learning two wheels as it really depends on so many other variables. If you give it a go on two wheels, but it's not clicking, then yes, there are a number of options, such as a trike and/or auto tranny motorcycle. Harley-Davidson does not make an auto tranny motorcycle ... that has to be modified with an aftermarket product like what Walters Manufacturing has designed. The odds of finding such a conversion, which is relatively new, is not going to be in your favor. You'll have a better chance of finding a trike converted H-D, but then you still have to work on your shifting. You may want to look at Ridley's Auto-Glide Trike, which is an auto tranny they introduced this year. Your other option would be to look at an auto tranny model that can be easily converted with a Voyager or Tow-Pac kit. This conversion doesn't remove the rear wheel ... it adds a wheel to each back side. So, as you can see, there are any number of pathways to explore depending on how your lessons conclude. Let us know and we'll keep noodling it out with you! Mama Thursday, July 24 Dear VTwin Mama, We found and bought a great Electra-Glide trike at an estate auction. I've put on over 8,000 miles in the last four years. It has been the best thing I've ever done! My husband still has his bike and I have my trike ... we have been to the Smokies twice, to D.C with a veteran's ride, to Sturgis, and many, many other shorter rides. The trike handles wonderfully ... I can easily stay with the group no matter how twisty the roads. I've never driven a two-wheeler, so didn't have to un-learn anything. Riding a trike is much different...you push and pull the handlebars in the direction you want to go, don't lean into the curve like on a bike. Stopping and starting is easy .... no worry about dropping the bike! I had a custom paint job done .... black with tangerine metal flake and tangerine ghost flames, so the trike really looks classy. Nice Vance and Hines pipes, too. Always have people stop and look ... many women will say "I could ride one like that!" and I encourage them to try it. I've never had a negative comment. Just my two cents worth! Anonymous Dear Anon, Wednesday, September 10 Hi there VTM, Dear Pete, In a review of the Frankenstein Trike company, located in Pleasanton, KS, there is definitely a trike kit for 2004 and newer model Sportsters at $5000. In the photo gallery, I also see pictures of a '77 and '03 Sporty triked with their parts. The site notes that a phone call is best at (913) 352-6788 or you can consider contacting an authorized dealer nearest to you to talk out your specific year Sporty for conversion. Another conversion company, Lehman Trikes, also offers an '04 and newer Sporty trike kit, but you'll need to contact the closest dealer for pricing information. I found a few more options by typing in "Sportster Trike Conversions" into a search engine. Mama Tuesday, September 16 Hello VTwin Mama, Dear Molly, Thursday, September 25 About Trish and Voyager trike conversion bolt breaks: I have had the same problem twice with the bolts holding the kit to the rear axle breaking. The kit was installed by a Harley Davidson dealer on my 2006 Softail Standard correctly. I spoke to someone at Voyager and was told some people are having this problem and there is no fix at this time. That is not a good enough answer. Bill in PA (note from Mama: I did contact Voyager but to date have not received a response. I also was not able to find any discussion thread on the Internet about the problem. At the very least it seems that the H-D dealer that installed the kit should be in contact with Voyager to review the installation steps and if that doesn't bring up any answers, the question becomes, is this specific to the H-D Softail or a wider ranging problem ... as Trish noted that in the end, the installation on her bike was done correctly by another dealer. Readers with more input ... please chime in!) Wednesday, October 1 Good Morning Mama, Dear Peter, Wednesday, October 15 More about Voyager trike conversion bolt breaks: When I was searching for a trike I scoured the internet and got a lot of info, Voyager included - to the point that I went into "information overload"! LOL Unfortunately, I didn't write down all my sources, but bolt breaks on the Voyager certainly came up a number of times in various areas, and not just HD specific. One "fix" that stands out was to replace the original hardware with Grade 8 bolts, and to always use LocTite (I think I read that one on Trike Talk). Since the Voyager didn't really appeal to me, I didn't bother keeping any info on them, but here are a couple of sites that might help.... Trike Talk could be a good source of information - this site seems to include a wider variety of trikes (Lehman, Voyager, Frankenstein, etc), so there may be more Voyager owners here than on a lot of other sites. Another might be Brothers of the Third Wheel - they're mostly VW based trikers, but since most seem "hands on", they may have some ideas on how to fix the problem. Hope this helps! Ride Safe!! Cheri, aka Spiritdream (note from Mama: I know we have heard about Brothers but I think it was about that "newbies" might not feel comfortable there. Thanks for pointing out Trike Talk ... looks like a good size membership!) Tuesday, October 21 Dear VTwin Mama, I also have a Ridley Auto Glide with a Tow Pac Insta Trike package with the l2 inch wheel kit and I love it. For any one that is physically challenged or anyone that doesn't like shifting gears the Ridley is great. I can ride with two wheels or with my trike kit on. Clay [owner of Ridley] does not recommend triking the Ridley, but I have to tell you it is a smooth ride and I have no problem keeping up with my husband on his HD. My husband did replace the bolts with Grade 8 because we read about the Voyager bolt problems. It is low maintenance and rides smooth. Would recommend the Ridley to anyone wanting an automatic. I am so glad to have your site to read about the other riders. Thanks a lot, Cindy in GA Dear Cindy, I'm especially glad you told us more about your Ridley that you converted with Tow Pac. Yes, Ridley was not in favor of adding kits and I appreciate your note on the bolt change. I'll simply add that Ridley did respond to the call for an auto tranny trike this year with the introduction of the Auto-Glide Trike. Mama Dear VTwin Mama, The TowPac kit almost appears slightly easier and quicker to convert back and forth with one person. Also there doesn't seem to be any loss of the amount of ground clearance. Apparently with the Voyager you lose 1 1/4 inches of ground clearance with installation. Also the TowPac is slightly cheaper than the Voyager. However from the demonstration videos the Voyager looks more stable and different fenders are available. Also looks like the tire size is different between the Voyager and TowPack. I saw the TowPac had 12" but was unable to find if the Voyager is a 12" or 14". I am sure there are more good/bads than this, but as I am somewhat uninformed, thus I seek knowledge from you Obiwan-mama ; P Cynthia Dear Cynthia, You might find it helpful to call up each of the Trike pages, copy the entire page and paste that into a word processing document ... then you can do a search through the document to quickly bring you to each letter with the word TowPac or Voyager in it ... delete the rest ... and you will have "distilled" input to only what you want. Since you seek opinions, I think you'll get something out of this despite the work involved. Otherwise, we'll see who chimes in ... Mama Wednesday, October 29 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Anon, Tuesday, November 4 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Anon, Thursday, April 16 Hi Petra, Best wishes for your upcoming nuptials. Regards, Sarah Dear Sarah, Thanks for the well wishes ... the big day is just a week away and everything is proceeding nicely (if not perfectly, but solutions are being found for those small details that crop up!). Mama Update from Sarah: What I saw was definitely not the Autoglide Ridley trike pictured on the link. The extra wheels were set much farther out from the rear wheels and had much smaller fenders. So obviously an aftermarket solution. Still, the handling looked good. A little vibration in the extra wheels but not significant. Exhaust note was nice and loud. As I said, rider looked confident and rode well in rush hour traffic. Cheers! Monday, July 6 Hello Petra, I have had the dealer preload it correctly (as it was loose and lost it's preload first ride) and it seems to be all set but it tends to wobble a bit. My husband followed behind and says that it looks as though the kit is bouncing. Can anyone out there tell me if this is normal as I really don't know how this is supposed to handle. I really am not sure if this is safe. Any input would be greatly appreciated. Thank you so much for such a wonderful site with a wealth of information. Rachel Dear Rachel, I myself am not very knowledgeable about the proper installation of these kits but have observed that all kits that add two wheels have some "give" to them and look like they bounce when encountering something uneven in the road surface. But let's not limit this discussion to my lack of info, as I agree, one's safety in riding is important. Riders who have added a Voyager or Tow Pac ... please chime in as soon as possible! Mama Tuesday, July 14 Dear VTwin Mama, So last year for our anniversary my loving husband, knowing how much I love to ride, bought me a trike. He has a Harley that I ride with him often, but it is very hard on me and my condition. The trike is a Harley front and a VW back engine and transaxle. I love it, but before I can ride it has to be modified. It is standard and currently has a foot clutch. We need to move the clutch onto the 1 inch handlebar. We need the clutch handle, mount, and no less than 80 inches of clutch cable, up to 84 inches if possible. The VW is a '69. I don't know the year of the Harley. Where can I find the parts I need? We have 2 rides planned with our church in late August. Would love to have it ready by then. Thank you very much for your time and answer. Have a blessed day. Angie M. Dear Angie, Yes, you could just get a standard hand clutch lever and run the cable down, but an automotive clutch pressure plate is a lot stiffer than a motorcycle clutch pressure plate, and if a strong man like A-1 wouldn't want to be shifting that way, I can bet you're not going to be able to pull and shift. It's a pure mechanical action that takes a lot of strength. The normal way to go when you want a hand clutch is to convert using a hydraulic system. It's a hydraulic hand clutch lever, flexible hydraulic tubing to the triple tree, and then steel hydraulic tubing to the bell housing area where a slave unit must be mounted. This requires welding and bending and gets very involved. The alignment of the slave unit must be precise and takes a bit of work to get the whole system working right. Not to mention welding a bracket to support the slave unit. He also mentioned that another option is called an auto stick. Lots of parts, more expensive, but an option. Google "VW trike autostick" for more info ... I saw one video clip at Big Bob's site that talks more about it. Mama Tuesday, July 14 Hola VTwin Mama, Problem: When we ride the Harley trike at a curve the bike would not turn ... it took my hubby straight across the other lane and put him in a ditch. When we bought the bike at the end of May they put a new front suspension and stabilizer bar. What could be the problem? It has happened twice, we are taking the bike back to have it checked but I like to know what I am talking about when it comes to shop talk. Any resources I can read? I am also taking an online motorcycle repair course so that my son and I can repair our own ATVs, dirt bikes, etc. Thanks for listening, Tammy Dear Tammy, A front end that won't turn is checked in this way: they jack the front end up so the front fork is free to pivot. If there is a slight drag, it could be caused by cable routing or a wire harness that has gone stiff. If there is a feeling of notching as the front end is turned, the steering-head bearings (two sets, top and bottom) need to be replaced. It is dangerous to keep riding if this is the case. So, you noted that you had a new front end on the bike so what could have caused the premature wear? Too much pre-load and the bike will feel heavy at low speeds and hard to ride in a straight line and will also ruin the bearings before their normal time. Pre-load is basically how the steering-stem adjusters are tightened. It uses a castellated nut ... which if over tightened easily puts several tons of pressure on the bearing with just a slight twist of the adjuster. I read all of this in my "motorcycle Bible, The Essential Guide to Motorcycle Maintenance by Mark Zimmerman. I cannot, of course, say for sure this is what it is, but it sounds like something in the bearings froze up and so the replacement is still what will need to be checked most likely. By the way, the stabilizer bar is highly unlikely to be the cause as it's function is to absorb bumps in the road and keep your front end from bouncing around. I can't see how this would lock up the whole front end. Mama Tuesday, July 28 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Lauren, My approach would be to look at the financials. What is it going to cost to convert your Fatboy? One could do the conversion with a standard paint job that most closely matches with your main custom paint scheme. Then you could have that painted to match at a later date. Trike conversions come in two flavors: 1) adding an "outrigger kit" with two more wheels, like the ones from MTC Voyager at $4,095 or 2) a full conversion that removes the rear wheel like from Lehman Trikes (this is the dealer locater to call for a quote). Next I would take a look at the Kelley Motorcycle Bluebook value for your area. Yes, you'll take a loss, but with the "number" in front of you, you can make decisions. I'm also wondering about your local H-D dealer. Given the very few miles on it, maybe you would want to consider approaching them for a trade-in. Not all will do it, but with the current economy, they may be more open. Give them back the Fatboy and get the H-D Tri-Glide Ultra Classic ($30,000). So, make a chart: Now you have best guess numbers that spell out your options and you can make some decisions! If selling the Fatboy is your best pathway, then run an ad to see who pops out of the woodwork! Mama Thursday, August 13 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear Tom, Saturday, August 22 Dear VTwin Mama, Dear David, This leads me to think that an '05 Boulevard with 35,000 miles has plenty of life in it, but I'd be drilling the current owner on maintenance frequency and hopefully a log could be produced. The Tramp conversion suggests you have the Boulevard C50 (a very nice all around motorcycle!) ... and in reading Lehman's FAQs, the drive train is not altered in the conversion, so that shaft drive remains in place. Unfortunately, places like Kelley Blue Book don't have value charts for conversions ... so a price check would have to be done by looking for similar bikes around the country to see what the going price is. Mama Monday, October 19 Mama, Dear crbinoh,
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