Spaceman Spiff Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 Have any of you seen these things around this weekend for rolling thunder? It's like a tricycle motorcycle...like a motorcycle with training wheels for adults. I've seen about a dozen or so of them in the past two days. Do these people get laughed at by the real bikers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerPacker Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 i saw one a few weeks ago. odd little things Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney B Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 The cool thing is that you can fit car engines in them, and go unbelievably fast. You can buy them with 800 horsepower V8's, I swear. They're expensive, but who cares? You'll be dead before you can make the second payment on the loan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 I think Honda makes them. I always think they're missing a big orange flag on the back fender... and the rider wearing plaid shorts with suspenders. Seriously though I've heard they're very dangerous, especially taking turns at high speed because you can't lean into a turn like a conventional bike. ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoony Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 The cool thing is that you can fit car engines in them, and go unbelievably fast. You can buy them with 800 horsepower V8's, I swear. They're expensive, but who cares? You'll be dead before you can make the second payment on the loan. And you can always do that with a regular motorcycle as well. Like this one... comes with a liquid cooled 502 cubic inch engine. :doh: http://www.bosshoss.net/view_bike.asp?x=BHC3502 They're made right up the road in Dyersburg... you see a lot of them around here. I don't know how you'd balance the thing at a stoplight. :whoknows: .... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamB Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 I think Honda makes them. I always think they're missing a big orange flag on the back fender... and the rider wearing plaid shorts with suspenders. Honda/Yamaha/etc. do not actually build trikes. Most are built by taking an existing motorcycle and having a specialty shop convert the bike over to a trike. Harley does not make trikes either, though I just read this morning that Lehman Trikes has signed an agreement to build Harley branded trikes for Harley showrooms. Or the trikes are built from the ground up, usually using car motors or aftermarket bike motors. VW motors/drivetrains from the old Beetles are very popular among do-it-yourself'ers. There are also kits that are very popular where you basically secure a standard motorcycle inside a frame, allowing the rider to go back and forth between a standard bike and a trike. Seriously though I've heard they're very dangerous, especially taking turns at high speed because you can't lean into a turn like a conventional bike. ...... Depends on the design of the trike to a degree. Many of the professionally built trikes use an independent rear suspension that reduces the risk of flipping them in curves compared to older designs. Other design decesions, such as the length of the trike, weight distribution, rake, etc, play a role as well. Personally, one of the biggest dangers I have seen are riders who hop onto a trike thinking it, like posted above, it is just a cycle with training wheels. Trikes have a different physics profile than a standard bike, and thus require a different riding mindset and skills. My wife has actually been wanting to get one for awhile now, but because of being on the road so much with her job has not really had a chance to learn how to ride anything, let alone a trike. We are hoping this fall she can use some vacation time and take the MSF course, which is fine, gives me time to tear down the bike we have for her and get it running right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamB Posted May 26, 2007 Share Posted May 26, 2007 They're made right up the road in Dyersburg... you see a lot of them around here. I don't know how you'd balance the thing at a stoplight. :whoknows: .... I have some aquaintences who own Boss 350's and 504's. According to them, the hardest part of riding one is getting it up off the side stand. Once vertical, they are about like balancing any large touring bike, like a Venture. They also have said (and I have heard this from other people as well) that they are actually not very hard to ride if you have experience with big bikes. They can be a pain to move around a parking lot, but once on the road its no different than any other motorcycle - just have to be more careful with ye' ol' throttle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 There are a number of Trikes on the market. The most popular is the Honda Goldwing trike. BMW K1200LT also is a popular trike. They have been around for many years going back to the 40's, and Harley use to supply "Servicars" to cities for meeter readers, traffic cops, and such. Honda has been making them since the 70's Trikes can be fairly dangerous if you don't know how to handle one. There are also the bolt on extra wheel assemblies very common with Harley. In this set up, you retain the real wheel of the bike, wit the two to the sides (training wheels). Very popular for those injured and can no longer ride a normal bike. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bostic Hog Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 A colleague of mine at work is a huge Harley guy. A few years ago, he dropped his Road King - hit some gravel, bit it just a little, but broke his ankle. He went out and bought the Lehman trike built for HD - cost him $40k with all of the accessories. He goes out with his HOG group nearly every week - he does not get razzed at all. In fact, he is one of the top members in their group. Here are a couple of pictures of his ride: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamB Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 There are a number of Trikes on the market. The most popular is the Honda Goldwing trike. BMW K1200LT also is a popular trike. They have been around for many years going back to the 40's, and Harley use to supply "Servicars" to cities for meeter readers, traffic cops, and such. Honda has been making them since the 70's Are ya talking about the little service vehicles that the meter maids use in NY? I love those things - always wanted to see one with a V8 in it..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 Are ya talking about the little service vehicles that the meter maids use in NY? I love those things - always wanted to see one with a V8 in it..... Ya bro, the Harley servicar. I had a chance to get one at auction in Greenwich CT when they were gettin rid of them in the late 80's. I personally hate trikes. They really suck to work on. They do get a lot of folks out on the road who couldn't normally do so because of physical limitations. Scooters do too, because of the step through allowing people who can't lift their legs over a seat to ride. I see lots of V8 trikes at our local bike nights. There's even one owned and ridden by three dykes. Bikes, trikes, and three hot dykes. I'm built in the "Rocker" mold, so scooters riders are the enemey. Crush those Mods Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdamB Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 Ya bro, the Harley servicar. I had a chance to get one at auction in Greenwich CT when they were gettin rid of them in the late 80's. I personally hate trikes. They really suck to work on. They do get a lot of folks out on the road who couldn't normally do so because of physical limitations. Scooters do too, because of the step through allowing people who can't lift their legs over a seat to ride.I see lots of V8 trikes at our local bike nights. There's even one owned and ridden by three dykes. Bikes, trikes, and three hot dykes. I'm built in the "Rocker" mold, so scooters riders are the enemey. Crush those Mods I take it David Bowie is nto your favorite singer I like trikes actually. I am considering putting off getting a new bike next summer (venture) and getting one of the nicer conversions for my VTX, then picking up an inexpensive sportbike (Ninja 500 or the like) for when I just want to go out and have fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 I take it David Bowie is nto your favorite singer I like trikes actually. I am considering putting off getting a new bike next summer (venture) and getting one of the nicer conversions for my VTX, then picking up an inexpensive sportbike (Ninja 500 or the like) for when I just want to go out and have fun. David who ???? :laugh: What I don't like about them besides working on them is, they handle like trucks. too much steering input needed at low speeds, and too easy to get on two wheels. On another note, I got to ride one of those GG Quads. That's that BMW four wheeler with the side pods like an indy car. Pretty wild. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedoc4454 Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 I live down in Florida and the trike bike is getting very popular. You see them every where. The Biggest Harley dealer in the world is in Daytona Beach and he has trikes lined up in front of his shop - 42K to 50k. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeSellers45 Posted May 27, 2007 Share Posted May 27, 2007 The trikes aren't too bad, but I think the Harleys with a trike attachment look really stupid. They have 3 wheels in the back and look ridiculus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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