Rode a trike today

[RDJ]

...Spurred by the fact that my THJR has been put off again, thanks Covinda.

Knowing that a change from two wheels to three was in the wind, I've previously ridden trikes so the handling especially steering was not a total surprise.

(Late model) Harley Triglide.

Interesting (from my perspective) first impressions

***

Despite being a V-twin, its total weight was within 50lb of my 350ci V8. Moving it without the engine, you could tell.

The reverse gear worked extremely well and I could see myself getting quite lazy using it.

Probably - almost certainly - the most comfortable seat I've ever sat on, first. For quite a few years I have been having seats retrofitted with gel etc, but this one won't / wouldn't need it.

Height is good, especially with a tricky hip. Quite easy to get on and off, and sitting position settles comfortably aligned to foot and hand controls without any adjustments (maybe pure luck).

***

Bike was not "prewarmed" but started easily and idled smoothly. Quite low mileage so the gear shifts are still requiring effort, but that I've seen with so many bikes I can't count. Conversely, the gear shifts are solid, separate, and thunky not clunky so no missed changes.

A very stable platform and once warmed up, eager to boot it in a straight line with the owner's permission... On the local curves of course the anticipated understeer. Takes a fair amount of arm strength to keep muscling it through but the whole thing about the trike is you don't need lower body strength for stability at any time. Horses for courses. (And the other big advantage of a trike: major luggage capacity. No bike other than the V8s can match this for capacity).

A fair amount of grunt, but with a feeling of more to come. The owner reckons he could get the front wheel "real light" with adding acceleration fast; but it was a test ride, not a stress test so I didn't go anywhere near there.

To slow it down, the brakes are truly excellent. Coupled with ABS, they're probably the best brakes of any bike (and I do consider trike still a bike) I've ever ridden, including Rewaco and Goldwing (trikes).

And hey, it actually has a working / usable parking brake! That is a first for me (the V8s also had a parking brake but it has a major tendency to stick so I literally never used it).

The suspension was set up for somebody much lighter and obviously I wasn't going to fiddle with it, but I think it has decent adjustments.

***

Overall impression

Nicely engineered, carefully put together, very comfortable, and quite a few touches like the parking brake, reverse gear, and luggage space that would make it really easy to get a lot of touring road time.

Drawback:

Price. Ye gods and little fishes. The price. I'm not saying it's not worth the money, but you have to have the money.

(I forgot but should have checked with the owner the real-time mileage with a full tank. Also I forgot to test the speedo against my Garmin GPS, but I'd expect it would slightly under-read like just about every other vehicle anyway).

[Bonez]

Trikes have three wheels. Bikes have two. Trikes are the road equivalent of mobility scooters.:baby:

[RDJ]

Trikes have three wheels. Bikes have two. Trikes are the road equivalent of mobility scooters.:baby:

Well gosh. Lucky you if you are both invulnerable and immortal. But, get back to us in ~40 years and let us know how that worked out for you. :scooter:

[Bonez]

Well gosh. Lucky you if you are both invulnerable and immortal. But, get back to us in ~40 years and let us know how that worked out for you. :scooter:LOL! I'm 60 and have been riding since '78 so have a bit of experience. Have had bikes all that period and owned 9 at the same time at one point. Got two at the moment. I don't know what you are on about wrt motorcycle seats. Most of the bikes I've owned have had very comfortable seats/riding positions and have had no need for gel seats. That is one of my priorities when purchasing one. That and it must have a center stand. Can still do 350km rides with out a break as well.

Oh an congrates on your centennial birthday. What is it like reaching a hundy?

[Navy Boy]

...Spurred by the fact that my THJR has been put off again, thanks Covinda.

Knowing that a change from two wheels to three was in the wind, I've previously ridden trikes so the handling especially steering was not a total surprise.

(Late model) Harley Triglide.

Interesting (from my perspective) first impressions

***

Despite being a V-twin, its total weight was within 50lb of my 350ci V8. Moving it without the engine, you could tell.

The reverse gear worked extremely well and I could see myself getting quite lazy using it.

Probably - almost certainly - the most comfortable seat I've ever sat on, first. For quite a few years I have been having seats retrofitted with gel etc, but this one won't / wouldn't need it.

Height is good, especially with a tricky hip. Quite easy to get on and off, and sitting position settles comfortably aligned to foot and hand controls without any adjustments (maybe pure luck).

***

Bike was not "prewarmed" but started easily and idled smoothly. Quite low mileage so the gear shifts are still requiring effort, but that I've seen with so many bikes I can't count. Conversely, the gear shifts are solid, separate, and thunky not clunky so no missed changes.

A very stable platform and once warmed up, eager to boot it in a straight line with the owner's permission... On the local curves of course the anticipated understeer. Takes a fair amount of arm strength to keep muscling it through but the whole thing about the trike is you don't need lower body strength for stability at any time. Horses for courses. (And the other big advantage of a trike: major luggage capacity. No bike other than the V8s can match this for capacity).

A fair amount of grunt, but with a feeling of more to come. The owner reckons he could get the front wheel "real light" with adding acceleration fast; but it was a test ride, not a stress test so I didn't go anywhere near there.

To slow it down, the brakes are truly excellent. Coupled with ABS, they're probably the best brakes of any bike (and I do consider trike still a bike) I've ever ridden, including Rewaco and Goldwing (trikes).

And hey, it actually has a working / usable parking brake! That is a first for me (the V8s also had a parking brake but it has a major tendency to stick so I literally never used it).

The suspension was set up for somebody much lighter and obviously I wasn't going to fiddle with it, but I think it has decent adjustments.

***

Overall impression

Nicely engineered, carefully put together, very comfortable, and quite a few touches like the parking brake, reverse gear, and luggage space that would make it really easy to get a lot of touring road time.

Drawback:

Price. Ye gods and little fishes. The price. I'm not saying it's not worth the money, but you have to have the money.

(I forgot but should have checked with the owner the real-time mileage with a full tank. Also I forgot to test the speedo against my Garmin GPS, but I'd expect it would slightly under-read like just about every other vehicle anyway).
Thanks for that - They're not something I've ever tried but I bet that they'd be great to cover some serious KMs on and as you say they have plenty of luggage capacity too. I'm assuming that this was a Milwaukee 8-powered machine?

[Laava]

In our local Ulysses rally that I used to committee for and pitch in, we had a bunch of guys come every year On trikes of all sorts. Most were Trikeworks and that incl the Trikeworks guy himself, but also had a few Spyders and Harleys as well. I was never keen on trikes myself but talking to these guys who no longer were able to ride two wheelers kinda gave me a different perspective. Loss of limbs, lack of articulation etc...one of the guys was fully tetraplegic, and they were coming year after year...

[RDJ]

LOL! I'm 60 and have been riding since '78 so have a bit of experience. Have had bikes all that period and owned 9 at the same time at one point. Got two at the moment. I don't know what you are on about wrt motorcycle seats. Most of the bikes I've owned have had very comfortable seats/riding positions and have had no need for gel seats. That is one of my priorities when purchasing one. That and it must have a center stand. Can still do 350km rides with out a break as well.

Oh an congrates on your centennial birthday. What is it like reaching a hundy?

Well good for you, that you're still hale and hearty.

And screw you for your attitude to those who aren't.

[RDJ]

Thanks for that - They're not something I've ever tried but I bet that they'd be great to cover some serious KMs on and as you say they have plenty of luggage capacity too. I'm assuming that this was a Milwaukee 8-powered machine?

Yes, it was. I liked it overall.

[Bonez]

Well good for you, that you're still hale and hearty.

And screw you for your attitude to those who aren't.Hah? You poor sensitive thing.There are other disabilities other than just physical. Dad lost a leg and can't ride a bike due to diabetes He is considering buying a trike and there is no way he compares them with a bike.. Some of his old riding buddys, who are in their late '70s, are still riding bikes,

The reason I chose my XF650 IS because I'm getting older and less capable than when I was 20.. It's light. it's comfortable,great wind protection, plenty of power for solo open road riding and the gravel/off road excretion. I can maintain it my self and pick it up in a whooosie instead of relying on a crew to assist.

[Navy Boy]

Yes, it was. I liked it overall.

Interestingly I followed a Can-Am Trike last weekend and he was going great guns in the bendy bits - It was fun to watch from behind! :yes:

[Bonez]

Interestingly I followed a Can-Am Trike last weekend and he was going great guns in the bendy bits - It was fun to watch from behind! :yes:Carefull. Folk will start talking ;)

[Katman]

Trikes are ghey.

[Navy Boy]

Carefull. Folk will start talking ;)

:shifty: Mmm...

[Bonez]

:shifty: Mmm...Never leave your mates behind and all that.:msn-wink:

[Ian Staples]

I have never ridden one but watched one go around a round about and to me it looked like a huge effort to stop being flung off the thing. I imagined it would be like sitting on a saw horse that was bolted on a trailer . I wondered if you would be completely knackered after riding one . am I right??

[husaberg]

Trikes are ghey.

So you still have a dozen of them then.....

[Bonez]

A couple of things put Dad off buying a Can Am trike.

Too wide to get between the house and side of the shed to park under the lean to. Turning circle not that great either..
Maintenance intervals/cost of servicing. He likes to tinker even though he is 79.
The fact that it was belt driven. Stones ripping it on back country gravel roads which he liked to frequent with his riding buddies.

Add yes he has test ridden one.

[Katman]

So you still have a dozen of them then.....

Never owned one, never ridden one, and have absolutely no desire to.

[Bonez]

Never owned one, never ridden one, and have absolutely no desire to.You know the West Coast Troglodyte will just ignore that and go on and on and on and ............:yes:

[Big Dog]

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[RDJ]

I have never ridden one but watched one go around a round about and to me it looked like a huge effort to stop being flung off the thing. I imagined it would be like sitting on a saw horse that was bolted on a trailer . I wondered if you would be completely knackered after riding one . am I right??

Actually, not so much. I first long-rode a Hannigan trike conversion at Sturgis couple of years ago, rented it for a half day. As long as you anticipate the corners and do not try to wrestle it around, it's not tiring. But with my first trike trial rides a few years earlier, when I tried (briefly) to corner a trike like a 2-wheeler, that did not work so well.

[Bonez]

RDJ thank you for the rep but no I am not going to "piss off".:violin:

[RDJ]

RDJ thank you for the rep but no I am not going to "piss off".:violin:

"OK, loomer."

[FJRider]

Trikes have three wheels. Bikes have two. Trikes are the road equivalent of mobility scooters.:baby:

At your age ... you might need one (or both) yourself.


Sooner than you might think.


Just one fuck up away ...


Enjoy your rides ...





Just saying ...