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Thread: Rode a trike today

  1. #1
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    19th March 2005 - 18:55
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    Rode a trike today

    ...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).

  2. #2
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    24th September 2004 - 06:46
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    Trikes have three wheels. Bikes have two. Trikes are the road equivalent of mobility scooters.

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bonez View Post
    Trikes have three wheels. Bikes have two. Trikes are the road equivalent of mobility scooters.
    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.

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by RDJ View Post
    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.
    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?

  5. #5
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    24th November 2015 - 11:20
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    Quote Originally Posted by RDJ View Post
    ...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?

  6. #6
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    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...
    Only a Rat can win a Rat Race!

  7. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bonez View Post
    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.

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Navy Boy View Post
    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.

  9. #9
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    Quote Originally Posted by RDJ View Post
    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.

  10. #10
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    Quote Originally Posted by RDJ View Post
    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!

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Navy Boy View Post
    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!
    Carefull. Folk will start talking

  12. #12
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    15th February 2005 - 15:34
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    Trikes are ghey.

  13. #13
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bonez View Post
    Carefull. Folk will start talking
    Mmm...

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by Navy Boy View Post
    Mmm...
    Never leave your mates behind and all that.

  15. #15
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    31st August 2015 - 22:37
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    canams ??

    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??

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