Trikes, Why?

[MarkH]

Hmmm - not wanting to get into a 'lane splitting' debate but that appears to be a real Auckland thing and understandable looking at TV shots of your traffic - not an issue down here and consequently not something I even consider when thinking about bikes.

Don't knock the Auckland traffic - I had been off bike and driving around in cars for about 20 years until the fantastic Auckland traffic convinced me that I needed to get back to riding on 2 wheels. In the 9 months since I got my 400cc commuter/mini-tourer I have travelled almost 600kms in the car and almost 20,000kms on the scoot. I am loving biking more now than when I was a poor student over 20 years ago. Also: lane splitting past near stationary traffic provides pleasure that is hard to describe

[Mikkel]

however one three wheeler I would love to have........

How about these classics:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dJfSS0ZXYdo[/youtube]

Why? Not all Sports Cars have a rollcage.
It does mean you have to wear a seat belt if regoed as a car.
If regoed as a bike you have to wear a helmet.

No, but I believe all cabriolets must have a crash bar behind you head in case they flip. Either rigidly mounted or automatically deployed in an accident.

[driftn]

yes to seat belt / car rego

yes to helmet / bike rego


and if its registered as a car and you are not wearing a helmet you will get constant grief from the plod who will stop and question your not wearing a helmet

Correct. I think it would also feel wrong riding one with out a helmet.

[Sharry]

I had a vdub 1200 trike in 1982. It looked much the same a Billy Conally's one. It was easy to ride and park.
Corners are what I had to watch with the extended forks as you have to tilt the front wheel and exesive speed on corners makes the wheel skip forwards, as apposed to cornering.

When the day comes that I cannot manage a bike I want another one, they are awesome fun.

Bikes simply can't do donuts like a trike

[peasea]

If or when I get to the stage I can't ride two wheels any longer I will go back to an open sports car.

I'm with you on that one. I live for the day when I can do circuits of a rest home in a Cobra!

[Katman]

Trikes are fucking ghey.

[laRIKin]

No, but I believe all cabriolets must have a crash bar behind you head in case they flip. Either rigidly mounted or automatically deployed in an accident.

No they don't look around or in a car trader and you see there are lots with out a roll bar of any sort.

Never seen or heard of a automatically deployed one before.

[Blackbird]

There's probably not too many people as old as me on this site, but who remembers the ill-fated Bond Bug from 1969/70? It was pretty radical for its time but grossly underpowered. Could have been the "Smart Car" of its time except big, thirsty brutes were what everyone aspired to!

Oh, and trikes needn't be gay - what about this blown one??

[scumdog]

If you registrer your trike as a car, surely it would need a rollcage/bar/somesuch. Being strapped onto a large lump of metal that can land on top of you sounds unhealthy indeed.

Haven't seen one yet that is registered as a car and has a roll-bar.

[scumdog]

I think trikes are a complete engineering f*&k up that combines the worse aspects of a bike with the worst aspects of a car

you get wet when it rains, can't split lanes, harder to park, no where to lock anything away, take up too much space in the garage

a lot of people claim they are great for disabled people but I have met more disabled people with limbs missing riding bikes than I ever have driving/riding trikes

one advantage of a trike is that people unable to pass a bike test (mental / physcial dexterity, finances etc) for what ever reason can use a trike

however one three wheeler I would love to have........

Trikes don't fall over when riding through mud or when you stop on a patch of loose grit, if registered as a car they are cheaper to register, you can carry more gear on them - which CAN be locked away, they won't fall over in the wind, it's easier for a disabled rider to fit his wheel-chair onto etc etc.

[laRIKin]

I can see one day, I'll have a Trike or a bike with a side car.
Like a few of the Old timers I know.

There comes a time when you know you can not hold up the bike easily.
Or like one guy who fell off his bike three weekends in a row when stopping.

He said I can not ride by myself any more as I can not pick it up any more by my self and are scared of tipping the bike over again.
For the damage to me and the bike.$$$

So they bought a Trike conversion kit from the States and his riding crew fitted it in a weekend and went for a ride.

He's happy he can still get out for a blat with his mate's.
His mate's are happy that he can still join them.
His wife is not worried any more.

I say good on him and good on his mate's for helping him keep on doing what he loves doing.
Now he can ride for many more years to come.

Sports cars are OK, but give me a bike of some sort as my mates have bikes not sport cars.
Try turning up to a bike rally in a sports car.

[rosie631]

My opinion seems to be the same as most on here. Wouldn't have one myself but they are great when you feel you're too old for two wheels or if you have a disability. At least you get to keep your face in the wind aye. Spoke to a girl a couple of weeks ago who's mother (in her 60s) was finding her harley too heavy and had bought a trike. Awesome

[Pixie]

There used to be a guy down at Maraetai,who had been a chasis engineer for open wheelers when they still used space frames.He built a VW trike with the engine in front of the rear wheels,full space frame chasis and short springer forks.
He put the emphasis on handling rather than making it look like a piece of chopper crap.The trike looked good and handled like a sports car.

[marty]

No, but I believe all cabriolets must have a crash bar behind you head in case they flip. Either rigidly mounted or automatically deployed in an accident.

search 'convertible' on Tardme and have a look how many crash/roll bars there *aren't*

but because you said it on the internet, it's probably true.

[smoky]

They're bout 1 thing, and 1 thing only - Image

I don't believe all the other BS;
They handle like shit, they can't corner to save them selves - unless you turn them into 3 wheel cars, even then a decent 4 wheel car or 2 wheel bike will blow them off

You get wet, cold, and you are exposed to all the same elements with out the advantages of a bike

You get a bit more comfort, but not as much as a car, no lane splitting, no counter steering or fun in the windies
Every trike I've seen or ridden is slow? No use going fast if you cant go around corners.

They are just not as good as either a car or a bike, so why would anyone want one?
Because they look cool, thats all
Those who want the image but are too scared to ride a real bike, build or buy trike and act like a real bikie

It's all about image - the biker image (with out riding an actual bike)


Actually they're just as useless as the chopper crap that is built like on WC Choppers - all looks, useless for riding

P.S I wanted one, until I rode it, cause I'm a poser, unfortunately I still enjoy riding